Nancy's vest

In college, my best friend, Nancy, was my style guru. She had such an impeccable grasp of the classics! It was Nancy who turned me on to the beauty of Frye Campus boots, camel wool reefer coats and black knife-pleated skirts. And she had this enviable little gray merino knitted vest that looked just perfect with everything from her Cat Stevens T-shirt and bohemian peasant tops to vintage silk blouses with pearl buttons.

That vest had been in the back of my mind for years. I always wanted one like it, and finally! here it is, updated for today, but as classic as ever. And now you can have one too.

Worked in mainly stockinette-stitch, the vest has fine ribbing details and pretty cable decreases. A slightly slanted buttonband creates a subtle A-line shape, for a very flattering fit that dips a little in the front and flares a little in the back.

Nancy's vest is knit from the bottom in one piece with edges and shaping worked continuously. The only finishing required are at shoulders, stitching the band at the back of the neck and sewing on buttons.

Sizes of finished vest: 32 (35, 38, 41, 45, 49, 53)". Wear with recommended ease of 1-4".
Shown in size 38; worn with 2" ease on 36" dress form and with 4" ease on model.

Yarn: 3 (4, 4, 4, 5, 5, 5) skeins Sunday Knits 3 ply (light sport weight - 246 yds / 225 m per 50g skein) in Angelic (merino angora), Eden (merino), Nirvana (merino cashmere), or Brigadoon (merino tweed). Shown in Angelic smoke.
Substitute any light sport weight yarn that works nicely to gauge.

Needles & Notions: Size 4 US (3.5 mm) needles, cable needle or double-pointed needle, markers, tapestry needle, seven 5/8" (15 mm) buttons.

Gauge: 26 sts and 32 rows = 4" in stockinette stitch.

Techniques used: Tubular cast on (recommended), buttonholes using cable cast on, cable decreases, short rows, shoulders finished with a graft or 3-needle bind off. All techniques explained.

Pattern includes: Written instructions, schematics, glossary.

Knit Nancy's vest