When winter rolls around, I always hide from the weather and
spend my time working on crafts and watching old
comedies with my mom. Two of our favorites, The Great Race and Murder
By Death, include hilarious scenes featuring mounted moose
heads. The comedic moose head isn’t used enough in my opinion,
so I decided to pay homage to the majestic moose
with my knitting.
The heavy vest is perfect for keeping cozy under a coat and
it’s a fast knit so it will be ready to wear while the
weather is still cold.
The construction is simple. The vest is
knit flat in two pieces and seamed along the sides. One side
demands attention and the other side is almost mindless to knit
so the project is perfect for any situation. The moose is worked
using intarsia on the front to keep things interesting and the
back is plain simple stockinette. The neck and armhole bands
are picked up and knit in the round.
MATERIALS
Yarn
Knit Picks Wool of the Andes Worsted Yarn [wool; 110 yd/101 m
per 50g skein] [MC]
blue: Wonderland Heather; 4 [4, 4,
5, 5, 6, 6] skeins [CC1]
tan: Almond; 1 skein [CC2]
light brown: Camel; 1 skein [CC3]
brown: Chestnut; 1 skein [CC4]
dark brown: Chocolate; 1 skein [CC5]
black: Coal; 1 skeins
Recommended needle size [always use a needle
size that gives you the gauge
listed below -- every knitter's
gauge is unique] 1
set US #8/5mm straight needles 16-inch US #8/5mm circular needle
Notions yarn needle 2 stitch markers waste
yarn
GAUGE
18 sts/24 rows = 4 inches in
stockinette stitch
PATTERN NOTES [Knitty's list of standard abbreviations and techniques can be found here.]
m1p (needed for size 3X only) Make
1 stitch purlwise:
Insert left needle, from back to front,
under strand of yarn which runs between last stitch on left needle
and first stitch on right needle; purl
this stitch through front loop. 1 stitch increased.
Charts The chart for this pattern is very large and fits on a letter-sized
page.
Click here [for color] or here
[for b+w] and print the resulting page.
DIRECTIONS
FRONT
CO 52[56, 62, 72, 80, 90, 98] using MC.
Row 1 [RS]: *K1, p1; rep from * to last 2 sts, k2.
Row 2 [WS]: P2, *k1, p1; rep from * to end.
Repeat Rows 1-2 8 more times.
Row 19 [RS]: K to end.
Row 20 [WS]: P to end.
Please note and read ahead: Moose Chart
is worked AT
THE SAME TIME as bust and underarm shaping.
You should begin working the Moose
Chart on row 37[39, 41, 37, 35, 33,
31].
Increase for bust:
Size XS only: Row 21 [RS]: K2, m1, k to
last 2 sts, m1, k2. 2 sts increased.
54 sts.
Work next 5 rows in stockinette.
Repeat last 6 rows 5 more times. 10 sts
increased. 64 sts.
Work 6 rows in stockinette. 42 rows worked.
Sizes S[M, L, 1X, 2X] only: Row 21 [RS]: K2, m1, k to
last 2 sts, m1, k2. 2 sts increased.
58[64, 74, 82, 92] sts.
Work next 5[3, 3, 3, 3] rows in stockinette.
Next row [RS]: K2, m1, k to last 2 sts, m1, k2. 2 sts increased.
60[66, 76, 84, 94] sts.
Work 5[7, 7, 3, 3] more rows in stockinette.
48[44, 40, 36, 36] rows worked.
Size 3X only: Row 21 [RS]: K2, m1, k to
last 2 sts, m1, k2. 2 sts increased.
100 sts. Row 22 [WS]: Purl to end. Row 23 [RS]: Knit to end. Row 24 [WS]: P2, m1p, k to
last 2 sts, m1p, p2. 2 sts increased.
102 sts. Row 25 [RS]: Knit to end. Row 26 [WS]: Purl to end.
Repeat Rows 21-26 4 more times. 16 sts increased. 118
sts.
Work 4 rows in stockinette. 34 rows worked.
AT THE SAME TIME, start working Moose Chart: Row 37[39, 41, 37, 35, 33, 31] [RS]:
Work 3[6, 11, 15, 17, 23, 27] sts (counting
m1 as a st if you are on an increase
row), pm; work Row 1 of Moose
Chart from left to right; pm, work
3[6, 11, 15, 17, 23, 27] sts (counting
m1 as a st if you are on an increase
row).
Next row [WS]: P to first
marker; work Row 2 of Moose Chart from
right to left; p to end of row.
Continue to work Moose Chart on the 52
stitches between the markers at the same time as the other instructions
until the chart is completed.
Underarm Shaping: Row 1 [RS]: BO 3[4, 6, 8,
11, 15, 19] sts, knit to end of row.
61[68, 76, 82, 87, 93, 99] sts. Row 2 [WS]: BO 3[4, 6, 8,
11, 15, 19] sts, purl to end of row.
58[64, 70, 74, 76, 78, 80] sts. Row 3 [RS]: K1, k2tog, k to
last 3 sts, ssk, k1. 2 sts decreased.
56[62, 68, 72, 74, 76, 78] sts. Row 4 [WS]: P to end.
Repeat Rows 3-4 2[3, 3, 4, 4, 3, 3] more times. 4[6,
6, 8, 8, 6, 6] sts decreased. 52[56, 62, 64, 66, 70, 72] sts.
Work 10[8, 8, 6, 6, 8, 8] rows in stockinette.
Right Front: Row 1 [RS]: K15[17, 19, 20,
21, 23, 24], ssk, k1; move these 17[19,
21, 22, 23, 25, 26] sts onto waste
yarn to be the Left Front; BO 16[16,
18, 18, 18, 18, 18] center sts; k1,
k2tog, K15[17, 19, 20, 21, 23, 24]. Row 2 [WS]: P to end. Row 3 [RS]: K1, k2tog, k to
end. 1 st decreased. 16[18, 20, 21,
22, 24, 25] sts. Row 4 [WS]: P to end.
Repeat Rows 3-4 7[8, 9, 9, 9, 10, 10] more times. 7[8,
9, 9, 9, 10, 10] sts decreased. 9 [10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15] sts.
Work 10[10, 12, 14, 18, 18, 22] more
rows in stockinette.
Break yarn leaving a tail and place sts
on waste yarn.
Left Front:
Remove 17[19, 21, 22, 23, 25, 26] sts
from waste yarn and place on needles. Row 1 [WS]: P to end. Row 2 [RS]: K to last 3 sts, ssk, k1. 1 st decreased. 16[18,
20, 21, 22, 24, 25] sts. Row 3 [WS]: P to end.
Repeat Rows 2-3 7[8, 9, 9, 9, 10, 10] more times. 7[8,
9, 9, 9, 10, 10] sts decreased. 9 [10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15] sts.
Work 10[10, 12, 14, 18, 18, 22] more
rows in stockinette.
Break yarn leaving a tail and place sts
on waste yarn.
BACK
CO 52 [56, 62, 72, 80, 90, 98] using
MC.
Row 1 [RS]: *K1, p1; rep from * to last 2 sts, k2.
Row 2 [WS]: P2, *k1, p1; rep from * to end.
Repeat Rows 1-2 8 more times.
Row 19 [RS]: K to end.
Row 20 [WS]: P to end.
Increase for bust:
Size XS only: Row 21 [RS]: K2, m1, k to
last 2 sts, m1, k2. 2sts increased.
54 sts.
Work next 5 rows in stockinette.
Repeat last 6 rows 5 more times. 10 sts
increased. 64 sts.
Work 6 rows in stockinette. 42 rows worked.
Sizes S[M, L, 1X, 2X] only: Row 21 [RS]: K2, m1, k to
last 2 sts, m1, k2. 2sts increased.
58[64, 74, 82, 92] sts.
Work next 5[3, 3, 3, 3] rows in stockinette.
Next row [RS]: K2, m1, k to last 2 sts, m1, k2. 2sts increased.
60[66, 76, 84, 94] sts.
Repeat last 6[4, 4, 4, 4] rows 6[7, 7,
7, 7] more times. 12[14, 14, 14, 14] sts increased. 72[80, 90,
98, 108] sts.
Work 5[11, 7, 3, 3] rows in stockinette. 48[44, 40, 36, 36] rows worked.
Size 3X only: Row 21 [RS]: K2, m1, k to
last 2 sts, m1, k2. 2 sts increased.
100 sts. Row 22 [WS]: P to end of row. Row 23 [RS]: K to end of row. Row 24 [WS]: P2, m1p, k to
last 2 sts, m1p, p2. 2 sts increased.
102 sts. Row 25 [RS]: K to end of row. Row 26 [WS]: P to end of row. Row 27 [RS]: K2, m1,
k to last 2 sts, m1, k2. 2 sts increased.
104 sts.
Repeat Rows 22-27 3 more times. 12 sts increased. 116
sts.
Work 9 rows in stockinette. 34 rows worked.
Underarm Shaping: Row 1 [RS]: BO 3 [4, 6, 8,
11, 15, 19] sts, k to end of row. 61[68,
74, 82, 87, 93, 97] sts. Row 2 [WS]: BO 3 [4, 6, 8,
11, 15, 19] sts, p to end of row. 58[64,
68, 74, 76, 78, 78] sts. Row 3 [RS]: K1, k2tog, knit
to last 3 sts, ssk, k1. 2 sts decreased.
56[62, 66, 72, 74, 76, 76] sts. Row 4 [WS]: P to end of row.
Repeat Rows 3-4 2[3, 3, 4, 4, 3, 3] more times. 4[6,
6, 8, 8, 6, 6] sts decreased. 52[56, 60, 64, 66, 70, 70] sts.
Work 32[32, 36, 36, 40, 44, 48] more
rows in stockinette.
Left Back: Row 1 [RS]: K8[9, 10, 11,
12, 13, 14], ssk, k1; move these 10[11,
12, 13, 14, 15, 16] sts onto waste
yarn to be the Right Back; BO 30[32,
36, 36, 36, 38, 38] center sts; k1,
k2tog, K8 [9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14].
10[11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16] sts. Row 2 [WS]: P to end of row. Row 3 [RS]: K1, k2tog, knit
to end. 1 st decreased. 9[10, 11, 12,
13, 14, 15] sts. Row 4 [WS]: P to end of row. Row 5 [RS]: K to end of row. Row 6 [WS]: P to end of row.
Break yarn leaving a tail and place sts
on waste yarn.
Right Back:
Remove 10[11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16] sts
from waste yarn and place on needles. Row 1 [WS]: P to end of row. Row 2 [RS]: K to last 3 sts, ssk, k1. 1 st decreased.
9[10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15] sts. Row 3 [WS]: P to end of row. Row 4 [RS]: K to end of row. Row 5 [WS]: P to end of row.
Break yarn leaving a tail.
Remove scrap yarn from Right Front and place stitches on the
third needle.
With wrong sides facing out, pair up the
Right Back and Right Front shoulders. Using the tail of yarn, work
a three needle bind off to join the shoulders.
Repeat for the Left Front and Left
Back.
Seam the sides using the
yarn needle.
Armhole bands (work 2):
Using circular needle and starting at
the seam at the bottom of the armhole, pick up and knit 64[70,
80, 86, 96, 108, 120] sts evenly around the arm hole. Join
to work in the round.
Round 1: *K1, p1; repeat from * to end.
Repeat Round 1 3 more times.
BO all stitches in pattern.
Neck Band:
Using circular needle and starting at
the right shoulder seam, pick up and knit 90 [98, 102, 108,
114, 120, 124] sts evenly around the neckline. Join to work
in the round.
Round 1: *K1, p1; rep from * to end.
Repeat Round 1 3 more times.
BO all stitches in pattern.
FINISHING
Weave in all ends and block according to the measurements given
on the schematic.
ABOUT THE DESIGNER
Andi Satterlund started knitting to
entertain herself while indulging
in her second favorite pastime: movie
watching. She now draws on film and
television as a source of inspiration
for her knitting designs. When not
knitting, Andi spends her time running
her blog and working on a degree
in English literature.
![here [for color]](images/mooseCHTcolor.jpg){kind=link}
![here [for b+w]](images/mooseCHTbw.jpg){kind=link}