TWELVEMONTHSOFCHRISTMASVEST Designed by Helen Burros
Introduction
This vest started as a personal challenge to myself to create a coherent design using an odd assortment of Shetland yarns that I threw into a basket, and one book of Fair Isle pattern charts. I worked on it in between other projects and finally finished it, posting it on my project pages on Ravelry.com. I was unprepared for the interest and admiration it received, not to mention the many requests for a copy of the pattern. I explained that I hadn't written a pattern, just picked yarn colors and charts that I thought worked together from those in the basket. Regardless, folks still asked for a copy of my working notes so they could use them for their own inspiration. So after pondering it for a time, I copied and posted my notes, with the caveat that folks would need a regular vest pattern for stitch counts, armhole and front neck shaping, etc. So far (September 2011) there have been almost 500 downloads of my notes on Ravelry since July 1, 2011! Truly astonishing and humbling that my personal challenge is so interesting to so many other knitters. Now I have been asked to turn it into a regular pattern and I'm doing that, while keeping the personal challenge of the garment intact. So you willfind basic stitch counts, measurements, and pattern charts to use, but it will be up to each individual knitter to choose colors that please the knitter's eyes. One of the fun things about doing a pattern like this is that the knitter doesn't have to buy all the yarns at once, a few can be bought at a time to complement the ones started with, until a complete palette is in hand. To do the vest this way. decide on one color to be the main one, and use it at least every three inches all the way up the vest, to tie the other colors together. You don't have to use a lot of it, even one row will be sufficient to tie it to the other colors as you work your way up the vest. Now let's get started!
Sizes
Chest/bust 34-36(38-40, 41-43) in. Instructions for larger sizes are in parenthesis. Where there is only set of numbers, it applies to all sizes
Finished measurements
Underarm (buttoned) 41 (44, 46-3/4) in. Length from top of shoulder 22-1/2 (23-1/2, 24-1/2) in
Materials
Yarns: Jamiesons Shetland Spindrift - an assortment of at least 8 colors, at least 2 skeins of each color as desired, if more is needed it can be purchased as the vest is knit. 1 set of size 2.75mm (US2) and 3.25mm (US3) 24 inch circular needles. 1 set of size 2.75mm (US2) double-pointed needles for armhole ribbing. Stitch holders. Stitch markers. Darning needle. 7(7,8) design buttons and 7(7,8) backing buttons.
Gauge
30 sts and 36 rows to 4in (10cm), in pattern using size 3.25mm (US3) needles.
Body
With size 2.75mm (US2) circular needle and main color, cast on 273 (307, 341) sts. Making sure stitches are not twisted, place a marker for the beginning of the round and join into a circle. Joining in and breaking off colors as desired, work 2/2 corrugated ribbing for 2-1/4 in. as follows: with alternating colors k5 steek sts, k1 edge st, place marker, work 2/2 corrugated rib to last 5 sts, place marker, k1 edge st, k4 steek sts.
Next rnd - increase:
With main color k 5 steek sts, k 1 edge st, k1 (13, 15), \*m1, k10 (9,10), repeat from \* 25 (29,29) times, k1 (12,15), k1 edge st, k4 steek sts - 299 (337, 371) sts. Mark first st of round for center of steek. Change to 3.25mm (Us3) needles and begin working charts using desired colors, starting with Serpentine Ribbon chart. Please print out the charts and make notes on the copies, including colors used on which rows, so the original can be reused later. If desired, you can make copies of the charts and play around with colored pencils to try out different colorways.
Working Charts
Serpentine Ribbon starts at blue line for small(36 repeats) and large (45 repeats) and red line for medium (40 repeats plus 3 extra sts at beginning and end of round).
Chart: Serpentine Ribbon Cast on 5 stitches Round 1: k5 Round 2: k6 Round 3: k4 Round 4: k2 Round 5: k4 Round 6: k6 Round 7: k5 Copyright Helen Burros, 2011. All rights reserved. (1 extra st at beginning and end) and green line for large (13 repeats plus 5 extra sts at beginning and 4 at end).
Chart: Main Star Cast on 15 stitches Round 1: k15 Round 2: k18 Round 3: k18 Round 4: k15 Round 5: k19 Round 6: k17 Round 7: k14 Round 8: k17 Round 9: k15 Round 10: k7 Round 11: k13 Round 12: k13 Round 13: k12 Round 14: k19 Round 15: k12 Copyright Helen Burros, 2011. All rights reserved. Round 16: k13 Round 17: k13 Round 18: k7 Round 19: k15 Round 20: k17 Round 21: k14 Round 22: k17 Round 23: k19 Round 24: k15 Round 25: k18 Round 26: k18 Round 27: k15 Fir Tree starts at blue line for small (28 repeats plus 4 extra sts at beginning and end), red line for medium (32 repeats plus 3 extra sts at beginning and end), and blue line for large (36 repeats).
Chart: Fir Tree Cast on 8 stitches Round 1: k8 Round 2: k4 Round 3: k6 Round 4: k7 Round 5: k5 Round 6: k7 Round 7: k7 Round 8: k7 Round 9: k7 Round 10: k8 Round 11: k4 Round 12: k8 Christmas Balls starts at blue line for small(14 repeats plue 4 extra sts at beginning and end), red line for medium (16 repeats plus 3 extra sts at beginning and end), and green line for large (18 repeats).
Chart: Christmas Balls Cast on 14 stitches Round 1: k14 Round 2: k13 Round 3: k13 Round 4: k15 Round 5: k10 Round 6: k11 Round 7: k12 Round 8: k11 Round 9: k8 Round 10: k10 Round 11: k8 Round 12: k11 Round 13: k12 Round 14: k11 Round 15: k10 Round 16: k15 Round 17: k13 Round 18: k13 Round 19: k14 Sparkling Snowflakes starts at blue line for small (16 repeats) and large (20 repeats), and red line for medium (18 repeats).
Chart: Sparkling Snowflakes Cast on 15 stitches Row 1 (RS): k15 Row 2 (WS): p9 Row 3 (RS): k9 Row 4 (WS): p11 Row 5 (RS): k11 Row 6 (WS): p6 Row 7 (RS): k11 Row 8 (WS): p11 Row 9 (RS): k9 Row 10 (WS): p9 Row 11 (RS): k15 Garland starts at blue line for small(48 repeats) and large (60 repeats), and red line for medium (54 repeats plus 1 extra st at beginning and end).
Chart: Garland Cast on 3 stitches Copyright Helen Burros, 2011. All rights reserved. Large OxO starts at blue line for small (7 repeats plus 4 extra sts at beginning and end), red line for medium (8 repeats plus 3 extra sts at beginning and end), and green line for large (9 repeats).
Chart: Large OXO Cast on 25 stitches Round 1: k25 Round 2: k28 Round 3: k24 Round 4: k20 Round 5: k27 Round 6: k23 Round 7: k19 Round 8: k30 Round 9: k22 Round 10: k14 Round 11: k22 Round 12: k30 Round 13: k19 Round 14: k23 Round 15: k27 Round 16: k20 Round 17: k24 Round 18: k28 Round 19: k25
