For a long time I have wanted to use old, traditional Finnish crafts and national costumes in some way. The costumes, especially their colors and patterns, have been very inspirational in this pattern.

The flower pattern found in a book of old Finnish embroidery patterns. I adjusted the flower to work when knitted, and designed the vest around it.  "Soria" is an old Finnish word and means willowy and young maiden.

I also wanted to make something good using my needles, so I've donated my Knitty honorarium for this pattern to the Unicef, for children that need help.

And I hope that those who use this pattern will want to pay it forward by making something good for other people, something unselfish, something that wil make somebody happy.

Editor's note: If you'd like to follow Tikru's lead and donate to Unicef, you'll find their donation page here.

SIZE
S[M, L, 1X, 2X, 3X] (shown in size M)

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Chest: 31[34, 39, 43, 47, 51] inches, slighty streched
Length: 22.5[24, 25, 26, 27, 28] inches

MATERIALS
Yarn
Mission Falls 1824 Wool [100% merino wool; 85yd/78m per 50g skein]
[MC] #011 Poppy; 6[6, 7, 8, 9, 10] skeins
[CC1] #005 Raven; 1 skein
[CC2] #0532 Basil; 1[1, 1, 1, 2, 2] skeins
[CC3] #001 Natural; 2 skeins
[CC4] #0553 Squash; 1 skein

Recommended needle size
[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below -- every knitter's gauge is unique]
1 32-inch US #8/5mm circular needle
1 spare circular needle, US #8/5mm or smaller, 24 inches or longer

Notions
Yarn needle
Stitch markers
Stitch holders or waste yarn

GAUGE
18 sts/21 rows = 4" in stockinette stitch

PATTERN NOTES
[Knitty's list of standard abbreviations and techniques can be found here.]

C3F: Slip next st to cable needle and hold to front of work; k2 from left needle, k1 from cable needle.

C3B: Slip next 2 sts to cable needle and hold to back of work; k1 from left needle, k2 from cable needle.

Cable Pattern
(Worked in the round over a multiple of 7 sts):
Rounds 1-3: [K6, p1] to end.
Round 4: [C3B, C3F, p1] to end.
Repeat Rounds 1-4 for Cable Pattern.

Cable Pattern
(Worked back and forth over a multiple of 7 sts + 1):
Rows 1 and 3 [WS]: K1, [p6, k1] to end.
Row 2 [RS]: P1, [k6, p1] to end.
Row 4 [RS]: P1, [C3B, C3F, p1] to end.
Repeat Rows 1-4 for Cable Pattern.

DIRECTIONS
LOWER BODY
Note: Vest is worked in the round to the underarms, then divided for upper front and back.

Using MC, CO 144[162, 180, 198, 216, 234] sts. Place marker and join to begin working in the round, being careful not to twist.
K 3 rounds.
P 1 round.
K 3 rounds.

Work Rounds 1-19 of Flower Chart.

For sizes S, L and 2X:
K 1 round using MC, evenly increasing 3[-, 2, -, 1, -] sts.

147[-, 182, -, 217, -] sts.

For sizes M, 1X and 3X:
K 1 round using MC, evenly decreasing -[1, -, 2, -, 3] sts.
-[161, -, 196, -, 231] sts.

Using MC, work in Cable Pattern until work measures 15[16, 16.5, 17, 17.5, 18] inches or desired length to underarm, ending with Round 1 or 3 of pattern.

UPPER FRONT
From this point, upper front will be worked back and forth in rows.

Continuing in pattern as set, shape armhole and neckline as follows. When decreasing in cable pattern, if there are not enough sts to work a cable twist, work those sts in stockinette st instead. Neckline will be shaped using short rows.

Row 1 [RS]: BO 6[6, 6, 13, 13, 13] sts; work in pattern until there are 29[29, 29, 29, 36, 36] sts on right needle, then place these sts on st holder or waste yarn for left front; work 13[20, 27, 27, 27, 34] sts in pattern, then place these sts on separate st holder or waste yarn for front neckline; work 35[35, 35, 42, 49, 49] sts in pattern; place next 64[71, 85, 85, 92, 99] sts (all sts to end of round) on spare needle for back.

Right front will be worked back and forth over 35[35, 35, 42, 49, 49] sts remaining on needle.

Row 2 [WS]: BO 6[6, 6, 13, 13, 13] sts, work in pattern to last st, W&T. 29[29, 29, 29, 36, 36] sts.

Odd-Numbered Rows 3-9 [RS]: Work in pattern to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1.

Row 4 [WS]: Sl 1 purlwise, work in pattern to last 3 sts, W&T.

Row 6 [WS]: Sl 1 purlwise, work in pattern to last 5 sts, W&T.

Row 8 [WS]: Sl 1 purlwise, work in pattern to last 6 sts, W&T.

Row 10 [WS]: Sl 1 purlwise, work in pattern to last 6 sts; place next 6 sts on st holder or waste yarn (may be placed on same holder as other sts of front neckline).

Row 11 [RS]: Sl 1 knitwise, work in pattern to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1.

Row 12 [WS]: Sl 1 purlwise, work in pattern.

Row 13 [RS]: Work as for Row 11. 17[17, 17, 17, 24, 24] sts remain. When looking at piece with RS facing and reading sts from right to left, there will be 1 k st, 1 p st, 2[2, 2, 2, 3, 3] 7-st repeats of Cable Pattern, and 1 final k st.

Continue in pattern, slipping first st of each row, until work measures 7.5[8, 8.5, 9, 9.5, 10] inches from beginning of armhole. Place sts on st holder or waste yarn.

Place 29[29, 29, 29, 36, 36] held sts of left front on needle and join yarn with WS facing.

Odd-Numbered Rows 1-9 [WS]: Work in pattern.

Row 2 [RS]: Sl 1 knitwise, ssk, work in pattern to last st, W&T.

Row 4 [RS]: Sl 1 knitwise, ssk, work in pattern to last 3 sts, W&T.

Row 6 [RS]: Sl 1 knitwise, ssk, work in pattern to last 5 sts, W&T.

Row 8 [RS]: Sl 1 knitwise, ssk, work in pattern to last 6 sts, W&T.

Row 10 [RS]: Sl 1 knitwise, ssk, work in pattern to last 6 sts; place next 6 sts on st holder or waste yarn (may be placed on same holder as other sts of front neckline).

Row 11 [WS]: Sl 1 purlwise, work in pattern to end.

Row 12 [RS]: Sl 1 knitwise, ssk, work in pattern to end. 17[17, 17, 17, 24, 24] sts remain.
When looking at piece with RS facing and reading sts from right to left, there will be 1 k st, 1 p st, 2[2, 2, 2, 3, 3] 7-st repeats of Cable Pattern, and 1 final k st.

Continue in pattern over these sts, slipping first st of each row, until work measures 7.5[8, 8.5, 9, 9.5, 10] inches from beginning of armhole. Place sts on st holder or waste yarn.

UPPER BACK
Place 64[71, 85, 85, 92, 99] held sts of back on working needle and join yarn with RS facing.
Decrease Row [RS]: Sl 1 knitwise, ssk, work in pattern to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1.
Next Row [WS]: Sl 1 purlwise, work in pattern to end.
Repeat these 2 rows 5 times more. 52[59, 73, 73, 80, 87] sts.

Sizes L, 1X, 2X, 3X Only:
Work in pattern for -[-0.5, 1, 1.5, 2] inches, ending with a WS row.

Sizes S, 2X Only:
Decrease 1 st when working first row of chart as directed below. 51[-, -, -, 79, -] sts.

All Sizes:
Work Rows 1-19 of Back Chart for your size, working first and last st of each row using CC1 and  beginning and ending as indicated.

When all rows of chart are complete, work in stockinette st using MC until work measures 6[6.5, 7, 7.5, 8, 8.5] inches from beginning of armhole, ending with a WS row. Neckline is shaped using short rows.

Right Shoulder
Short rows for right side of neckline begin with RS facing.
K23[23, 23, 23, 30, 30], W&T. P to end.
K20[20, 20, 20, 27, 27], W&T. P to end.
K18[18, 18, 18, 25, 25], W&T. P to end.
K17[17, 17, 17, 24, 24], W&T. P to end.
Join first 17[17, 17, 17, 24, 24] sts of right back shoulder to held sts of right front shoulder using three-needle bind off. Break yarn.

Left Shoulder
Slide remaining sts to other end of circular needle and join yarn at armhole edge with WS facing. Short rows for left side of neckline begin with WS facing.
P23[23, 23, 23, 30, 30], W&T. K to end.
P20[20, 20, 20, 27, 27], W&T. K to end.
P18[18, 18, 18, 25, 25], W&T. K to end.
P17[17, 17, 17, 24, 24], W&T. K to end.
Join last 17[17, 17, 17, 24, 24] sts of left back shoulder to held sts of left front shoulder using three-needle bind off. Break yarn. 17[25, 39, 39, 31, 39] back neckline sts remain.

FINISHING
Neckband
Place held sts of front neckline on spare circular needle. Sts of back neckline are still on working needle.
With RS facing, join yarn at neckline edge of right shoulder seam. K all sts of back neckline, picking up wraps and working them together with wrapped sts. Pick up and k approx. 1 sts for every 2 rows along left front neckline edge; k all sts of front neckline, picking up wraps and working them together with wrapped sts; pick up and k approx. 1 st for every 2 rows along right front neckline edge. Join to work in the round.

Next Round: [K1, p1] to end.
Repeat this round 3 times more.
BO all sts knitwise, working [k6, k2tog] as you bind off.

Weave in ends and block to measurements shown.

Tikru is a knitter and a teacher in Finland. Mostly she knits for her family, but last yrs she has spent her knitting time making designs for some publications. She found inspirations from verywhere, mostly from the nature.

She keeps a blog here. And you can find her in Ravelry using the name Tikru.