  by
Alison Hansel
'Tis the season for holiday leftovers!
Yarn leftovers, that is. If you've got a few extra
skeins of yarn left over from a holiday project that
you enjoyed, consider buying a few more complimentary
colors and making this leftovers vest!
After knitting coats for my boys
that used very small amounts of contrast colors, I
found myself with several almost full skeins of yarn
left over. What to do? I acquired a few more skeins
in other colors (they were actually leftovers from
friends' projects in the same yarn!) and set about
putting them all together. The small and varying amounts
suggested stripes and my yarn and colors suggested
a fall vest (if you've got a lightweight yarn and
bright colors, call yours a tank and wear it next
summer!). Make up your own stripe sequence based on
the amounts of yarn you have left. Use the yarn you
have the most of for the edgings. If you've got very
little of one color, consider using it in very narrow
stripes repeated regularly throughout the tank. Then
vary the rest of your colors around those stripes.
The vest is meant to fit snugly
to make the little bit of yarn you've got left go
far. The bulky ribbing at the waist and neck adds
a dash of style. |
| 
model/photos:
Alison Hansel |
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| To fit 32[36, 40, 44, 48, 52] inch
bust |
| |
Chest: 30[34, 38, 42, 46, 50]
inches [vest is designed to be close-fitting]
Length: 22[23, 24, 25, 26, 26.5] inches |
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| This
pattern is meant for using up leftovers, so open up
your stash of half-skeins and extra balls and see
what you have. Mix yarns from different projects of
a similar gauge. Buy an extra skein or two of your
favorite colors from these remnants and then adjust
your stripes to accommodate the yarn amounts you have.
Total yardage approx. 750[850, 950, 1050,
1150, 1250] yds / 675[765, 855, 945, 1035, 1125]m
Red/green/blue
version pictured above:
Phildar Legende [48% wool, 41% acrylic, 9% alpaca,
2% rayon; 125yd/115m per 50g skein]
[A]: Rubis/dk. red (011); 2[2, 2, 2, 2, 3] skeins
[B]: Jeans/blue (007); 1[1, 1, 2, 2, 2] skein(s)
[C]: Amande/green (001); 1[1, 1, 2, 2, 2] skein(s)
[D]: Chartreuse (003); 1 skein
[E]: Miel/orange (008); 1[2, 2, 2, 2, 2] skeins
[F]: Azalee/pink (002); 1[2, 2, 2, 2, 2] skeins
(NOTE: Phildar yarns are
available online from www.knitntyme.com
in Canada, www.threadbearfiberarts.com
in the US, and www.breiweb.nl
in the Netherlands.)
Note: Pink/red version
below was knitted in Pingouin France+ (discontinued)
1 24-inch US #6/4mm circular needle
1 16-inch US #7/4.5mm circular needle
1 24-inch US #8/5mm circular needle
Stitch marker
Long stitch holder or spare circular needle, US#6/4mm
or smaller
Tapestry needle
|
| |
| 20 sts/28 rows =
4" in stockinette stitch on smallest needles |
|
|
| [Knitty's
list of standard abbreviations can be found
here]
Stripe Pattern
I encourage you to come up with your own stripe
pattern. Try breaking up the length of the sweater
into five or six sections and work out a stripe
sequence based on your yarn amounts. For example,
maybe you have twice as much of one color as
another -- make that color's stripes twice as
wide as the color of which you have less. You
can repeat this one sequence over the length
of the sweater or alter it slightly, maintaining
the same percentages overall. I've used my brightest
color (color [D]) in small bold stripes to designate
sections of the vest and alternated pairs of
colors of which I had similar amounts and which
are of a similar color value in large stripes
within those sections.
Here is the sequence I used for my stripes:
4 rows [B]; 6 rows [C]; 2 rows [D];
5 rows [E]; 4 rows [F]; 3 rows [C]; 2 rows [B]; 6
rows [E]; 3 rows [D];
6 rows [F]; 4 rows [B]; 3 rows [E]; 5 rows [C]; 3
rows [F]; 2 rows [D];
4 rows [E]; 6 rows [B]; 3 rows [C]; 5 rows [F]; 3
rows [E]; 3 rows [D];
4 rows [F]; 6 rows [C]; 4 rows [E]; 3 rows [B]; 3
rows [F]; 2 rows [D];
6 rows [E]; 3 rows [C]; 5 rows [B]; 5 rows [F]; 2
rows [E]; 3 rows [D];
5 rows [F]; 4 rows [E]; 3 rows [C]; 4 rows [B]; 5
rows [F]; 2 rows [D]
3x3 Rib
Worked in the round over a multiple of 6 sts.
Rnd 1: K2, [p3, k3] to last st, k1.
This round forms 3x3 Rib. Every round is the same.
|
NOTE: Vest is knit in the round
to the underarms, then the Front and Back are worked
separately, back and forth.
 Lower
Body
Using US#8/5mm needle and double strand of [A],
CO 120[132, 144, 156, 168,
180 ]
sts.
Place marker and join to begin
working in the round, being careful not to twist.
Cont with double strand of yarn,
work in 3x3 rib as directed above until work measures
3 inches.
Next Rnd: K2, place marker,
p2tog, p1, work 51[57, 63, 69, 75, 81] sts
in patt as set, place marker, p1, p2tog, k3, place
marker, p2tog, p1, work 51[57, 63, 69, 75, 81] sts
in patt as set, place marker, p1, p2tog, k1.
Work 3 rnds in patt as set.
Next Rnd: [Work
in patt to marker, slip marker, p2tog] to last st,
k1. 112[124, 136, 148, 160, 172
] st.
Switch to US #6/4mm needle and
one strand of yarn (cont with color [A] for increase
rnd).
First Increase Rnd:
K2, remove marker, kfb, k3, [ kfb,
kfb, k4] to marker, remove marker, kfb,
k3, remove marker, kfb, k3, [ kfb, kfb,
k4] to marker, remove marker, kfb, k1. 148[164,
180, 196, 212, 228
] sts.
Begin stripe patt and work in
St st, keeping marker at beg of round and placing
another marker after 74[82, 90, 98, 106, 114]
sts. Cont in stripe patt until work measures 4 inches
after rib.
Second Increase
Rnd: [K1, m1, k to 1 st before marker, m1,
k1] around. 152[168, 184, 200, 216, 232] sts.
Cont in stripe patt, repeating Second Increase Rnd
every 6 rows 0[1, 2, 3, 4, 4] times more.
152[172, 192, 212, 232, 248] sts.
Cont in stripe patt until work measures 14[14.5,
15, 15.5, 16, 16]
inches.
Work will now be divided into Back and Front, each
worked separately.
Back
*Shape Armholes
BO 5[5, 6, 6, 6, 6] sts at beg of next round, k to marker, place rem
sts on st holder or spare circular needle. Turn
work.
BO 5[5, 6, 6, 6, 6] sts, p to end of row. 66[76, 84, 94, 104, 112] sts.
Next Row [RS]: K1, k2tog, k to 3 stitches
from end, ssk, k1.
Next Row [WS]: P1, slip next 2 sts knitwise,
place slipped sts back on left needle and p tog
tbl, p to 3 stitches from end, slip next two sts
knitwise, place slipped sts back on left needle
and p tog, p1.
Working decrease rows as above, decrease on next
1[1,1,3, 5, 5] row(s).
60[70, 78, 84, 90, 98]
stitches.*
Next Row [WS]: P all sts.
Next Row [RS]: K1, k2tog, k to 3 stitches
from end, ssk, k1.
Work these 2 rows 2[3, 3, 4, 4,
4] times more. 54[62, 70, 74, 80, 88] sts rem.
Cont in stripe patt until armhole measures 7[7.5,
8, 8.5, 9, 9.5] inches,
ending with a WS row.
Shape back neck and shoulders
Next Row [RS]: K 12[12, 16, 16, 18,
18] sts, BO center 30[38, 38, 42, 44,
52] sts, K 12[12, 16, 16, 18, 18].
Each shoulder will now be worked separately: work
across first 12[12, 16, 16, 18,
18] sts only.
Row 1 [WS]: P all sts.
Row 2 [RS]: BO 3[3, 4, 4, 4,
4] sts, k to end.
Repeat these 2 rows again.
Next Row [WS]: BO 3[3, 4, 4, 5,
5] sts, p to end.
Next Row [RS]: K all sts.
BO rem 3[3, 4, 4, 5, 5] sts.
Rejoin yarn to rem 12[12, 16, 16, 18,
18] sts at armhole edge.
Row 1 [RS]: K all sts.
Row 2 [WS]: BO 3[3, 4, 4, 4,
4] stitches, P to end.
Repeat these 2 rows again.
Next Row [RS]: BO 3[3, 4, 4, 5,
5] sts, k to end.
Next Row [WS]: P all sts.
BO rem 3[3, 4, 4, 5, 5] sts.
 Front
Rejoin yarn to sts on hold to begin working Front.
Work Armhole Shaping as for back
from * to *. 60[70,78, 84, 90,
98] sts.
Divide for
Neck
First, Second and Third Sizes Only:
Row 1 [WS]:
P 30[35, 39, _, _, _]
sts, place rem sts on hold. Turn work.
Row 2 [RS]: K1, k2tog,
k to 3 stitches from end, ssk, k1.
Cont working decreases on RS rows,
as above, 2[3, 3, _, _,
_] more times. 24[27, 31, _,
_, _] sts rem. Right Side armhole decreases
are now complete.
Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth
Sizes Only:
Row 1 [WS]: P _[_, _, 42, 45, 49] sts,
place rem sts on hold. Turn work.
Row 2 [RS]: K1, k3tog, k to 3 stitches
from end, ssk, k1.
Cont working decreases on RS rows, as above, _[_,
_, 0, 1, 2] more times. -[-, -, 39, 39, 40] sts
rem.
Next RS Row: K1, k2tog, K to 3 sts from
end, ssk, k1.
Cont working decreases on RS rows, as above, _[_,
_, 3, 2, 1] more times. -[-, -, 31, 33, 36] sts
rem. Right Side armhole decreases are now complete.
All Sizes:
Cont working decreases at neck edge (k1, k2tog at
beg of row) every RS row until 6[6, 8, 8, 10, 10] sts rem. Work straight until armhole measures
7.5[8, 8.5, 9.25, 9.75,
10.25] inches, ending with a RS row. BO 3[3,
4, 4, 5, 5] sts at
beg of next row. K 1 row. BO rem 3[3, 4, 4, 5,
5] sts.
Rejoin yarn to other side of front at neck edge.
First, Second and Third
Sizes Only:
Row 1 [WS]: P all sts.
Row 2 [RS]: K1, k2tog, k to 3 stitches from end,
ssk, k1.
Cont working decreases on RS rows, as above, 2[3,
3, _, _, _] more
times. 24[27, 31, _, _,
_] sts rem. Left Side armhole decreases are
now complete.
Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth
Sizes Only:
Row 1 [WS]: P all sts.
Row 2 [RS]: K1, k2tog, k to 4 stitches
from end, sssk, k1.
Cont working decreases on RS rows, as above, _[_,
_, 0, 1, 2] more times. -[-, -, 39, 39, 40] sts
rem.
Next RS Row: K1, k2tog, K to 3 sts from
end, ssk, k1.
Cont working decreases on RS rows, as above, _[_,
_, 3, 2, 1] more times. -[-, -, 31, 33, 36] sts
rem. Left Side armhole decreases are now complete.
All Sizes:
Cont working decreases at neck edge (ssk, k1 at
end of row) every RS row until 6[6, 8, 8, 10, 10] sts rem. Work straight until armhole measures
7.5[8, 8.5, 9.25, 9.75,
10.25] inches, ending with a WS row. BO 3[3,
4, 4, 5, 5] sts at
beg of next row. P 1 row. BO rem 3[3, 4, 4, 5,
5] sts.
|
|  Sew
shoulder seams.
Neck Ribbing
Using US#8/5mm needle and double
strand of [A], pick up and k 28[28, 31, 31, 34, 34]
sts along right side of neck, 36[42, 42, 48, 48, 54]
sts along back neck, and 28[28,
31, 31, 34, 34] sts along left side of neck. 92[98,
104, 110, 116, 122] sts. DO NOT JOIN, Neck Ribbing
will be worked back and forth.
Row 1 [WS]: P1, [k3, p3]
to last st, p1.
Row 2 [RS]: K4, [p3, k3], to last 4 sts,
p3, k1.
Repeat these 2 rows 4 times more.
BO loosely in patt.
Using mattress stitch, sew first of four knit stitches
at right end of neck ribbing to left side of v-neck
(outside).
Using whipstitch, sew single knit stitch from left
end of neck ribbing to right side of v-neck (inside).
See photo for neck detail.
Armhole Edging
Using US#7/4.5mm needle and single strand of [A],
pick up and k 78[84, 90, 96, 102, 108] stitches around
an armhole.
Working in the round, work 5 rounds of 3x3 Rib.
BO loosely in patt.
Repeat for second armhole.
Weave in ends.
Block, flattening neck ribbing.
|
 Alison
Hansel lives and knits in Boston, MA.
She's desperate to use up her leftover yarns before
she is forced to eat them. Watch her try at http://alison.knitsmiths.us
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| Pattern & images
© 2004 Alison Hansel. Contact Alison.
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