INTRODUCTION

Bongo

by Amy Gunderson

Vests are the ultimate layering piece, and this one can face either direction. This warm-weather take on the sleeveless garment can be worn over a strappy sports bra, bandeau, dress, or t-shirt depending on the look you're going for, or even a collared long-sleeved shirt in cooler weather. 100% cotton yarn makes this a summer-friendly garment, and is great for transitional weather, too. The name? The Bongo Antelope is a beautiful beast, striped reddish brown and white.

The v-neck is listed in the pattern as being the front of the vest. But as you can see, it looks great worn in the back, too! We've shown in both ways, and love how convertible the pattern can be!

model: Amy Gunderson

photos: Justin Reed

SIZE

Women's XS[S, M, L, 1X, 2X, 3X, 4X, 5X]
shown in size S with 4 inches/10 cm of ease at chest

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

Chest circumference at underarm:  34.5[38.25, 42.5, 46.25, 50.5, 54.25, 58.5, 62.25, 66.5] inches / 87.5[97, 108, 117.5, 128.5, 138, 148.5, 158, 169] cm
Length:  19.5[20, 20.5, 21, 21.5, 22, 22.5, 23, 23.5] inches / 49.5[51, 52, 53.5, 54.5, 56, 57, 58.5, 59.5] cm

MATERIALS

Yarn
Premier Yarns Cotton Sprout DK [100% Cotton; 230 yd/210 m per 3.5 oz/100 g skein]; color: 1149-28 Bark (MC); 3[3, 3, 4, 4, 4, 5, 5, 5] skeins
Premier Yarns Cotton Sprout Speckles [100% Cotton; 230 yd/210 m per 3.5 oz/100 g skein]; color: 2086-04 Camping (CC); 1[1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 2] skein(s)

Yarn Characteristics
The sample shown uses a 100% cotton DK-weight yarn. Most any cotton or cotton fiber blend will work well in this project. For a colder-weather piece, wool or wool blends will also work well.

Recommended needle size
[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below - every knitter's gauge is unique]
1 set US #5/3.75mm needles for working in the round

Notions
stitch holder
removable marker
yarn needle

GAUGE

22 sts/30 rows = 4 inches / 10 cm in St st

Note: gauge is always taken after blocking.

PATTERN NOTES

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

Construction method: Body is knit in the round from the bottom up. Work is separated at the beginning of Neck Shaping and then worked flat. Work is done in one piece to the underarms, then fronts and back are separated. Change colors for corrugated ribbing at neck and hem using the stranded method. Hold both colors throughout each round.

Corrugated Ribbing (even number of sts)
Rnd 1: * K1 with MC, p1 with CC; rep from * to end.
Rep Rnd 1 for patt.

K1, P1 Ribbing (even number of sts)
Rnd 1: * K1, p1; rep from * to end.
Rep Rnd 1 for patt.

DIRECTIONS

BODY
Hem
With CC, cast on 190[210, 234, 254, 278, 298, 322, 342, 366] sts and join to work in the round, being careful not to twist.

Knit 4 rnds for rolled hem. Work in Corrugated Ribbing for 10 rnds.

Main Body
Break CC and continue with MC only. Work in St st until piece measures 7[7, 7.5, 7.5, 8, 8, 8.5, 8.5, 9] inches/ 18[18, 19, 19, 20.5, 20.5, 21.5, 21.5, 23] cm from bottom of rolled hem.

Shape Front Neck:
Row 1 [RS]: Bind off 1 st, k2tog, k 44[49, 55, 60, 66, 71, 77, 82, 88] , pm for side, k 95[105, 117, 127, 139, 149, 161, 171, 183] Back sts, pm for side, k 44[49, 55, 60, 66, 71, 77, 82, 88] to last 3 sts, ssk, k1. Turn to work flat. 2 sts dec'd. 187[207, 231, 251, 275, 295, 319, 339, 363] sts.
Row 2 [WS]: Purl.
Row 3 (Neck dec): K1, k2tog, knit to last 3 sts, ssk, k1. 2 sts dec'd.
Row 4: Purl.
Continue to work a Neck dec every RS row, 1[1, 1, 1, 1, 0, 1, 0, 0] more times, then every 4 rows, 20[21, 21, 22, 22, 23, 23, 24, 24] times. 23[24, 24, 25, 25, 25, 26, 26, 26] total sts dec'd each side of neck.

At the same time, when piece measures 10 inches/25.5 cm from cast-on edge, proceed to next section.

Separate Fronts and Back:
Row 1 [RS]: Knit across Right Front sts to m, turn. Place rem 95[105, 117, 127, 139, 149, 161, 171, 183] sts on holder for Back and remainder of sts on holder for Left Front.

Right Front Armhole Shaping
Note: Continue to work Neck dec as instructed.
Row 2 [WS]: BO 4[5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12] sts, purl to end.
Row 3 [RS]: Knit.
BO 3[4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11] sts at beg of next WS row.
BO 3[3, 4, 4, 4, 5, 5, 5, 6] sts at beg of next WS row.
BO 2[2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 3, 4] sts at beg of next WS row.
Armhole Dec row [RS]: Work to last 3 sts, ssk, k1. 1 st dec'd at Armhole edge.
Rep Armhole Dec row every RS row 4[5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14] more times.

After all Neck and Armhole Decs are complete, 7[8, 10, 10, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17] Shoulder sts rem.

Work even, if necessary, until piece measures 9.5[10, 10.5, 11, 11.5, 12, 12.5, 13, 13.5] inches/ 24[25.5, 26.5, 28, 29, 30.5, 32, 33, 34.5] cm from Front and Back separation, ending with a WS row. BO all sts.

Left Front Armhole Shaping
Note: Continue to dec neck as instructed.
Return Left Front sts to needle. Purl a WS row.
BO 4[5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12] sts at beg of next RS row.
BO 3[4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11] sts at beg of next RS row.
BO 3[3, 4, 4, 4, 5, 5, 5, 6] sts at beg of next RS row.
BO 2[2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 3, 4] sts at beg of next RS row.
Armhole Dec row [RS]: K1, k2tog, work to end. 1 st dec'd at Armhole edge.
Rep Armhole Dec row every RS row 4[5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14] more times.

After all Neck and Armhole Decs are complete, 7[8, 10, 10, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17] Shoulder sts rem.

Work even, if necessary, until piece measures 9.5[10, 10.5, 11, 11.5, 12, 12.5, 13, 13.5] inches/ 24[25.5, 26.5, 28, 29, 30.5, 32, 33, 34.5] cm from Front and Back separation, ending with a WS row. BO all sts.

FINISHING

Weave in ends. Sew Shoulder seams. Block piece to finished measurements.

Armhole Edging
With RS facing and MC, beginning at center of underarm, pick up and knit 1 st for each bound-off st and 2 sts for every 3 rows around entire armhole, ensuring an even number. Pm and join to work in the rnd.

Work in K1, P1 Ribbing for 1 inch/2.5 cm. Bind off all sts in patt.

Collar
With RS facing and MC, beginning at Back Right Neck edge, pick up and knit 85[87, 87, 89, 89, 89, 91, 91, 91] sts along Back Neck, 68[70, 70, 74, 74, 76, 76, 80, 80] sts along Left Front Neck, 1 st in center (pm on this st and move up each rnd), and 68[70, 70, 74, 74, 76, 76, 80, 80] sts along Right Front Neck. 222[228, 228, 238, 238, 242, 244, 252, 252] sts. Pm and join to work in the rnd.

Rnd 1: Work in Corrugated Ribbing to 1 st before center front st, s2kp, work in Corrugated Ribbing to end. 2 sts dec'd. 220[226, 226, 236, 236, 240, 242, 250, 250] sts.
Rnd 2: Work even in Corrugated Ribbing.
Rnds 3-9: Rep Rnds 1-2 three more times, then rep Rnd 1 one more time. 212[218, 218, 228, 228, 232, 234, 242, 242] sts.
Rnds 10-13: With CC only, knit.
BO all sts in patt.

Weave in rem ends. Block edgings.

A – Chest circumference at underarm: 34.5[38.25, 42.5, 46.25, 50.5, 54.25, 58.5, 62.25, 66.5] inches / 88[97, 108, 117.5, 128.5, 137.5, 148.5, 158, 169] cm
B – Length to underarm: 10 inches/25.5 cm
C – Armhole depth: 9.5[10, 10.5, 11, 11.5, 12, 12.5, 13, 13.5] inches/ 24[25.5, 26.5, 28, 29, 30.5, 32, 33, 34.5] cm
D – Neck width: 10.25[11, 11.5, 12.5, 13, 13.25, 14.25, 14.75, 15] inches/ 26[28, 29, 32, 33, 33.5, 36, 37.5, 38] cm
E – Shoulder width: 1.25[1.5, 1.75, 1.75, 2.25, 2.5, 2.5, 3, 3] inches/ 3[4, 4.5, 4.5, 5.5, 6.5, 6.5, 7.5, 7.5] cm
F – Back neck depth: 5 inches/12.5 cm
G – Front neck depth: 12.5[13, 13, 13.5, 13.5, 14, 14, 14.5, 14.5] inches/ 32[33, 33, 34.5, 34.5, 35.5, 35.5, 37, 37] cm

ABOUT THE DESIGNER

Amy has been crazy for yarn ever since she had some down time in between pizza making back in Iowa. She's been the creative director for Universal Yarn, yarn director for Jimmy Beans Wool, and has done knit and crochet designs for most major magazines. Amy is currently the senior creative manager for Premier Yarns. She also does freelance design work, technical editing, crochet chart making, and many other assorted yarny things.

When she's not busy with fiber, she's probably playing tennis, dog snuggling, or sitting in the corner being antisocial.

Pattern & images © 2025 Amy Gunderson