I like to design patterns for a specific season. I have a sweater
full of green leaves for Spring, another one with some bunches
of grapes for Fall. When I sat down to design this vest, I wanted
to come up with something for Winter. Winter.
The first thing
that came to my mind wasn’t snow, not at all. It was a
fireplace. With a small warm fire, a mug of hot and spicy mulled
wine in my hands - having a nice chat with some friends or just
enjoying a good book or knitting… I wouldn’t need
a big chunky sweater for that. I would need a vest, however,
in bright red merino yarn. And of course the texture must have
to do something with fire. So I drew and charted until I got
the flames for bottom of the vest, then designed the cables around
them for the light and smoke of the fire.
Firelight is worked in the round up to the armholes, and then divided
for the front and back. It’s completely seamless; the shoulders
are joined with three-needle bind off.
model: Ágnes
Kutas-Keresztes photos: Christian
Kutas
MATERIALS
Yarn Lang
Yarns Merino 150 [100% merino; 165
yd/150 m per 50 g skein]; color: Red;
5[5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 9] skeins
Recommended needle size [always use a needle
size that gives you the gauge
listed below -- every knitter's
gauge is unique] 1
US #2.5/3mm needles for working
in the round 1
US #4/3.5mm needles for working
in the round
Notions yarn needle Stitch markers Stitch holders Cable needle Spare needle for three-needle bind off Row counter (optional)
GAUGE
24 sts/32 rnds = 4 inches
in reverse stockinette stitch using larger needles
25 sts/32 rnds = 4 inches in pattern using
larger needles (the chart is 4 inches wide)
PATTERN NOTES [Knitty's list of standard abbreviations and techniques can be found here.]
k3tog: Knit 3 together M1L (left-leaning increase): Lift strand between needles from front to
back with left needle, knit the resulting new stitch through the back loop.
M1R (right-leaning increase): Lift strand between needles from back to
front with left needle, knit the resulting new stitch.
M1P (purled increase): Lift strand between needles from back to front with
left needle, purl the resulting new stitch.
C3BP: Sl 1 to cn and hold in back, k2; p1 from cn.
C3FP: Sl 2 to cn and hold in front, p1; k2 from cn.
C5B: Sl 3 to cn and hold in back, k2; slip last st from cn to LH needle
and purl it; k2 from cn.
CDD (centered double decrease): Sl next 2 sts tog as if to k2tog, k1, p2sso.
Charts The charts for this pattern are very large.
Each fits on a letter-sized page.
Click below and print each resulting
page.
BODY
With US #2.5 circular needle, CO 182[210, 234, 258, 286, 310, 334] sts,
pm and join in the round.
Rnd 1: [K1, p1] around.
Repeat Rnd 1 until piece measures 2 inches from CO.
Change to US #4/3.5mm circular needle and begin pattern as follows.
Size XS: [P4,
round 1 of Chart A] 3 times, p4,
place side marker, [p4, round 1 of Chart A] 3 times, p4.
Size S: [P1, round 1
of Chart A]
4 times, p1, place side marker, [p1, round 1 of Chart A]
4 times, p1.
Size M: P4, round 1 of Chart A, [p3, round 1
of Chart A] 3 times, p4, place side marker, p4, round 1 of Chart A, [p3, round 1 of Chart A] 3 times, p4.
Size L: [P6, round 1
of Chart A]
twice, p5, [round 1 of Chart A, p6] twice, place side marker,
[p6, round 1 of Chart A] twice, p5, [round 1 of Chart A, p6] twice.
Size 1X: [P3, round 1 of Chart A]
5 times, p3, place side marker, [p3, round 1 of Chart A]
5 times, p3.
Size 2X: [P5,
round 1 of Chart A] 5 times, p5, place side
marker, [p5, round 1 of Chart A] 5 times, p5.
Size 3X: [P7,
round 1 of Chart A] 5 times, p7, place side
marker, [p7, round 1 of Chart A] 5 times, p7.
Continue working in pattern until you have completed the first
16 [16, 16, 16, 18, 18, 18] rounds of
Chart A.
Note: For some sizes, the waist shaping decreases will use
sts from the charts nearest the side markers. Remember to account
for this in your knitting and keep the cables in pattern.
Next rnd (Dec Rnd): *P1, p2tog, patt to 3 sts before marker,
p2tog, p1, slip marker; repeat from * once more. 178[206, 230,
254, 282, 306, 330] sts.
Cont in patt, rep Dec Rnd every 12th
rnd 3 times more. 166[194, 218, 242, 270, 294, 318] sts
Work 13[13, 15, 15, 15, 15, 15] rounds
in pattern.
Next rnd (Inc Rnd): * P1, m1p, work in
pattern to 1 st before marker, m1p,
p1, slip marker; repeat from * once more.
170[198, 222, 246, 274, 298, 322] sts.
Cont in patt, rep Inc Rnd every 12th
rnd 3 times more. 182[210, 234, 258, 286, 310, 334] sts.
Work 6[6, 8, 8, 10, 10, 10] more rounds
in pattern, ending with an odd rnd of chart. You have knitted
109[109, 113, 113, 117, 117, 117] rnds from end of ribbing. Work
measures approx. 15.5[15.5, 16, 16, 16.5, 16.5, 16.5] inches
from CO.
BACK Note: Cont to maintain cable pattern
when possible.
Divide for front and back and begin armhole shaping as follows: Next row [RS]: BO 2[3, 3,
4, 4, 4, 4] sts, work in pattern to
side marker and turn, leaving remaining
sts on holder. 89[102, 114, 125, 139,
151, 163] back sts.
Next row [WS]: BO 2[3, 3, 4, 4, 4, 4]
sts, work in pattern to end of row. 87[99, 111, 121, 135, 147,
159] sts.
Cont in patt, AT THE SAME TIME, BO 2[2, 2, 3, 4, 4, 4] sts at
beg of next 2 rows, 1[1, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3] sts at beg of foll 2
rows, -[-, -, 1, 2, 3, 3] sts at beg of foll 4 rows, -[-, -,
-, 1, 2, 3] sts at beg of foll 2 rows, -[-, -, -, -, 1, 2] sts
at beg of foll 4 rows, then dec -[-, -, -, -, -, 1] st at each
end of foll 2 RS rows as follows: p1, p2tog, patt to last 3 sts,
ssp, p1. 81[93, 103, 107, 111, 113, 115] sts rem.
Continue working in pattern until armhole measures approx. 6.75[7.25,
7.5, 8, 8.75, 9, 9.5] inches, ending with a WS row.
Begin back neck shaping: Next row [RS]: Work in pattern
until you have 18[20, 22, 21, 22, 23,
23] sts on right hand needle, join
second ball of yarn, BO 45[53, 59,
65, 67, 67, 69] sts, work in pattern
to end of row.
Note:
In the directions that follow, a semi-colon
will indicate a break between the two
sets of sts, each set with its own
ball of yarn attached. Next row [WS]: Work in pattern
to neck opening; BO 1 st, patt to end
of row. Next row [RS]: Work in pattern
to neck opening; BO 1 st, patt to end
of row. 17[19, 21, 20, 21, 22, 22]
sts rem for each shoulder.
Work 3 more rows even in pattern, ending
with a WS row. Leave remaining shoulder
sts on holders.
FRONT Note: Cont to maintain cable pattern
when possible.
Attach yarn to held sts of Front with RS facing.
Next row [RS]: BO 2[3, 3,
4, 4, 4, 4] sts, work in pattern until
you have 43[49, 55, 60, 67, 73, 79]
sts on RH needle for Left Front, sl
next st to holder [this will be the
center stitch of neckline], join second
ball of yarn and work in pattern to
end of row for Right Front.
IMPORTANT Note:
In the directions that follow, a semi-colon
will indicate a break between the two
sets of sts, each set with its own
ball of yarn attached.
Next row [WS]: BO 2[3, 3,
4, 4, 4, 4] sts, patt to neck opening;
patt to end of row.
Next Row [RS]: BO 2[2, 2, 3, 4, 4, 4] sts, patt to
3 sts before neck division, p2tog, patt 1; patt 1, ssp, patt
to end.
Next Row [WS]: BO 2[2, 2,
3, 4, 4, 4] sts, patt to end.
Note: Read ahead! Neck shaping and armhole shaping are continued
at the same time.
Cont to shape armholes as follows: BO 1[1, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3] sts
at beg of foll 2 rows, -[-, -, 1, 2, 3, 3] sts at beg of foll
4 rows, -[-, -, -, 1, 2, 3] sts at beg of foll 2 rows, -[-, -,
-, -, 1, 2] sts at beg of foll 4 rows, then dec -[-, -, -, -,
-, 1] st at each end of foll 2 RS rows as follows: p1, p2tog,
patt to last 3 sts, ssp, p1.
AT THE SAME TIME, cont to dec 1 st at each neck edge as established
until 17[19, 21, 20, 21, 22, 22] total sts rem for each shoulder.
Continue working even in pattern until armhole measures 7.5[8,
8.25, 8.75, 9.5, 9.75, 10.25] inches, ending with a WS row.
FINISHING
Join shoulders using three-needle bind off.
NECKBAND
Starting at right shoulder seam and with
US #2.5 long circular needle, pick up and knit 3 sts to back
neck BO, pick up and knit 45[53, 59, 65, 67, 67, 69] sts across
back neck BO, pick up and knit 3 sts to left shoulder seam,
pick up and knit 49[51, 53, 53, 59, 61, 63] sts down left
front neck to center st, knit st from holder (pm in st), pick
up and knit 49[51, 53, 53, 59, 61, 63] sts to right shoulder.
Join to work in the round and pm for beg of rnd. 150[162,
172, 178, 192, 196, 202] sts.
Rnd 1: [K1, p1] around. Rnd 2: [K1,
p1] to 2 sts before center stitch, k1,
CDD, [k1, p1] to end of rnd. Rnd 3: Work in est rib around. Rnd 4: Work in est rib to 1
st before center st, CDD, rib to end
of rnd.
Rep Rnds 3-4 twice more. BO all sts in patt.
ARMHOLE BAND
With US #2.5 short circular, pick up and
knit 104[112, 120, 126, 138, 150, 160] sts around armhole
edge. Join to work in the rnd and work 8 rnds in [k1, p1]
rib.
BO all sts in rib.
Block to measurements. Weave in all ends.
ABOUT THE DESIGNER
Ágnes is a language teacher turned into knitwear designer,
living with her husband in Switzerland. She spends most of her
days designing, writing, sizing, and knitting her patterns, translating
them into German and Hungarian, communicating with testers and
knitters and posting on her website.
You can find her blog and more of her designs
on her website.
