A Shetland Fair Isle Vest
This is an advanced hand-knitting pattern. Knitters should be comfortable with working and finishing steeks (there are 4!), with stranded colorwork in the rnd, getting the correct gauge in colorwork, and keeping your place within a pattern chart when shaping. Swatching in the rnd with colorwork is a must – this pattern is a repeat of 24, but it becomes 48 since what you do on the one side, you need to do on the other side for symmetry. So some of the sizing involves an adjustment of gauge, which is easy to do with this type of knitting. This vest is cropped but easily lengthened by adding more chart repeats before the armhole shaping. The models shown are 38”, knit at 30sts/4” on a 3mm needle. Please note: the three largest sizes will have a wider neckline.
EDGE OPTIONS: This pattern is written with a basic K2, P2 rib or I-chord edge with optional corrugated ribbing.
FINISHED MEASUREMENT: chest circumference: 36” (38.5”, 41”, 42”, 44.5”, 48”) – (please note: the first 3 sizes are worked over 288 sts, the last 3 sizes over 336 sts at different gauges). The vest is meant to have a snug fit with little to no ease. Length: 17-18.5” (cropped). You can add chart repeats before starting armhole shaping for additional length.
MATERIALS NEEDED: Fingering/jumper weight yarn – the charts are written using 6 colors (model on the R), but you can use just 5 colors with one color being your motif (model on the L) – I recommend 3 sks each (Jamieson of Shetland or Jamieson and Smith) of the 3 colors you think you are going to use the most (especially in edging-probably the MC, CC A, and BC 1) and then 2 skeins of the others (CC B you will only need one), sock yarn/reinforcement thread for tacking down steek edge, a 20” circular needle in the size needed to obtain gauge (see notes on gauge) – this will do your whole vest, but you may opt to use a longer one up to a 32” before you start steeks, US #1 (2.5 mm) 24”or 32” for ribbing and a 16” or 20” for armholes and neck, crochet hook #2.25mm or finer (if doing single crochet finished edge), st holders or double points for holding shoulder sts, ring markers, darning needle.
GAUGE: 3 different gauges are used in this pattern (see beginning notes) – 28sts/4” (32 rnds/4”) on 3.25mm, 30sts/4” (34 rnds/4”) on a 3mm, and 32sts/4” (36 rnds/4”) on a 2.75mm needle, or size needed to obtain gauge, in colorwork in the rnd. It is critical that you get the gauge correct for the sizing to be correct so I recommend working a 2 color circular swatch to check it. The sizes and gauges are as follows: 36” (32sts/4”), 38.5” (30sts/4”), 41” (28sts/4”), 42” (32sts/4”),44.5” (30sts/4”), and 48” (28sts/4”). The first 3 sizes are worked over 288 sts, the last 3 sizes over 336 sts.