by Andi Satterlund

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.

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

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Chest: 28.5 [32, 36, 40, 44, 48, 52] inches
Length: 17.5 [18, 18.25, 18.5, 18.75, 19, 19] inches

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

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.

DIRECTIONS

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.

Repeat last 6[4, 4, 4, 4] rows 6[8, 7, 7, 7] more times. 12[16, 14, 14, 14] sts increased. 72[82, 90, 98, 108] 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

She blogs here.