Aka Circ to Tri Vest or the Amazing Technicolour Dreamvest

Wanted to try the construction of working in the round throughout but just putting armholes where wanted. Thought I would try out my recent triangular discovery of JMCO 3 stitches to start.
Unfortunately, didn’t reckon on the armholes sloping down towards centre back waist due to triangular construction - needs to be done over multiple rows/short rows in order to hang vertically with this shape.
Might have problems with gaping due to how armhole will sit - compounded by incorrectly measuring needed armhole depth, so they are huge (30cm)
Might need to add a gusset or seam bottom of armhole opening closed to keep from gaping as it stands

Icord cast on for armholes - pick up three sts from the icord bind off, slip all to left needle. Cast on one stitch via the twisted cast on method (ie, insert needle b/w first two stitches and bring yarn through) then knit the icord sts and pass them back to left needle. I left the twisting of the st to when I worked it, though. Continue casting on one st via twisted cast on per icord row. Knitted cast on method might be an improvement, maybe … or maybe casting on the stitch properly (ie putting it onto the left needle) and knitting it would be an improvement … I really don’t like the method where you knit the icord plain and then pick up stitches along it.

Made up a 2 yarn braided bind off:
Inc one in first stitch using back (dark) yarn
Purl first stitch using light yarn
Purl those two stitches tog using dark yarn
Bring light yarn under dark yarn and move it in anti clockwise direction - use it to purl next garment stitch
Purl the two stitches tog using dark yarn

NB: using purl b/c that way the braid sits at the front of the garment . Might be able to use knit from the wrong side of the garment to create something similar.

Could be knit to any gauge and for any size b/c you just knit until you have the correct width for the shoulders across one edge, create the armholes over the next two rounds, and keep knitting until the garment and collar are the length wanted.

The large armholes and drapey fabric seem to easily accommodate a few different sizes, anyway. Could possibly be even more accommodating size-wise if there was a significant amount of ribbing across the top of the back b/w the armholes.

Used twisted stitches and slip stitch patterning to control stretch and drape a bit, especially around armholes and across the top of the back … I really need to buy a slip stitch pattern book b/c those sections could have looked so much better if I had known what I was doing.

Deep 2x2 ribbing used as edging b/c I like how it looks and drapes generally
Occasional columns of twisted stitches (purl or knit)throughout ribbing to add some style but also to stop the robbing from completely stretching out flat (as cotton has a tendency to do) … although, this particular cotton yarn seems to be holding the ribs particularly well!

Gradually brought in the ribbing to create style but also so that the drape of the deep edge was gradually created rather than suddenly

Also some garter ridges and rounds of stocking stitch interspersed.

Made the mistake of adding some ribbing very early - would be better without it.

Changed yarns sometimes every round, sometimes after four or five rounds. Deliberately had dark as armhole colour and bind off b/c those places can get a bit worn or dirty.

Cast on is JMCO 3 sts (two on one needle and one on the other). Start knitting in the round with the single stitch as the beginning. Kfb two rounds. Decide where your three increase stitches will be and start using mirrored incs around these stitches for two rounds, then one round without incs. Good idea to mark the centre stitch of each section. Makes symmetrical patterning much easier.

I started the armhole construction when the edge (from just past one increase line to just past the next increase line was 35cm. This is what the measurement was when I measured (very badly) from one of my own shoulder creases to the other. At the time, I thought the garment would probably be for me.

I didn’t block it to any specific measurements. The measurement b/w the top of the armholes has ended up 40cm, which will be fine on Thea - and it tends to want to sit in front of the shoulders at that point anyway. The top edge is around 87cm and the side edges around 95 cm.

This blocking worked really well - probably b/c of all the help from Fergus and Ferdinand (kittens) ; ). The only thing is that the pegs crush the icord on the armholes, so you could either take those pegs off as soon as the garment was in place or pin the armholes closed instead of pegging.

Oh, and the early ribbing around the centre that I did seems to have blocked flat without a problem.

Overall
Turned out a million times better than I could have ever hoped. Very wearable, comfortable, stylish, striking and versatile for the wearer. For the knitter it is exceptionally easy (depending on what decorative elements might be chosen). I am going to try a similar construction method but starting with a short JMCO strip in the centre back and having diagonal increase lines from each end to create an oblong/rectangle shape.

Garment weighs 213g when finished