a p p a r e n t l y

I started knitting about eight years ago, and while I’ve purchased dozens of knitting books and individual patterns since then, free patterns have always been a staple. The appeal of online patterns is obvious – find something you like and you can cast on without putting on your shoes.

A friend gave me an unfinished sweater when she ran out of yarn at the shoulders, so I knew I had enough wool for a fall outdoor vest to fit my son. I poked around Ravelry but couldn’t find exactly what I was looking for: something warm and unfussy, designed for bulky yarn yet streamlined. Since a vest is basically just a sweater without sleeves, and I’ve knit any number of sweaters, this seemed like the perfect opportunity to puzzle out my first pattern. And of course it had to be free and online, as just a small way of saying thanks to all the designers whose work I’ve discovered via their blogs and web sites.

(If you do knit this vest and you find mistakes, please let me know! I wrote this up from my working notes, and so there may be errors. I’ll gladly fix them.)

Without further ado, my first pattern. Here’s a downloadable PDF, if you prefer.

Autumn Cardigan Vest for Toddlers

Size: 3T (easily made smaller using a worsted or aran yarn and corresponding needles)

Suggested Yarn: I knit mine from two skeins of Debbie Bliss Donegal Chunky Tweed, but about 200 yards of any super bulky yarn will do.

Gauge: 12 stitches and 17 rows = 4” in stockinette stitch

Needles: US 10.5

Supplies: Tapestry needle, stitch holder or waste yarn, T-pins for blocking, size J crochet hook

OK, here we go…

Back:

Cast on 42 stitches.

Row 1: [Knit 2, Purl 1] across

Row 2: [Knit 1, Purl 2] across

Repeat these two rows two more times, for a total of six rows in K2P1 ribbing.

Knit 32 rows in stockinette stitch (knit on right side, purl on wrong side).

Shape armhole

Row 39: Bind off 3 stitches and knit to the end of the row.

Row 40: Bind off 3 stitches purlwise and purl to the end of the row.

Continue in stockinette stitch for 26 more rows. Place all stitches on a holder or waste yarn.

Right front:

Cast on 21 stitches.

Work 6 rows in K2, P1 ribbing as you did on the back.

Rows 7-39 are stockinette stitch with 6 stitches of ribbing on the inner edge.

Rows 7-39, odd/right side rows: [K2P1] twice, K15.

Rows 7-39, even/wrong side rows: P15, [K1P2] twice.

Row 40 (ws): Bind off 3 stitches purlwise and then purl to the end of the row. (18 st)

Continue in pattern (stockinette with the ribbed edge) for 18 more rows, ending with a purl row.

Shape neckline

Row 59: Bind off 3 stitches and knit to the end of the row.

Row 60: Purl.

Row 61: Bind off two stitches and knit to the end of the row.

Row 62: Purl

Row 63: Bind off one stitch and knit to the end of the row.

Row 64. Purl.

Move all stitches to a holder or waste yarn.

Left front:

Cast on 21 stitches.

Work 6 rows in K2, P1 ribbing as you did on the back and the right front.

Rows 7-39 are stockinette stitch with 6 stitches of ribbing on the inner edge.

Rows 7-39, odd/right side rows: K15, [K2P1] twice

Rows 7-39, even/wrong side rows: [K1P2] twice, P15.

Row 40 (ws): Bind off 3 stitches and then knit to the end of the row. (18 st)

Row 41: Purl.

Continue in pattern (stockinette with the ribbed edge) for 17 more rows, ending with a knit row.

Shape neckline

Row 59: Bind off 3 stitches purlwise and purl to the end of the row.

Row 60: Knit.

Row 61: Bind off two stitches purlwise and purl to the end of the row.

Row 62: Knit.

Row 63: Bind off one stitch purlwise and purl to the end of the row.

Row 64. Knit.

Finishing

Join these 12 shoulder stitches to the corresponding 12 stitches of the back using a 3-needle bind off.

Join the right front piece to the corresponding 12 stitches of the back using a 3-needle bind off.

Leave the remaining 12 center neckline stitches on a holder while you block the unfinished vest. (It’s just easier to complete the edging and seaming on a nicely blocked piece.)

Crochet one row of single crochet around the armhole edge on both the left and right side.

Using mattress stitch, join the left side seams to the left back from the bottom of the armhole to the top of the ribbing at the waist. You can seam all the way to the bottom if you like, but if you stop where the ribbing starts, you’ll have nice little vents. (Isn’t it nice that you can add these little details by doing less work?)

Repeat to seam the right side.

Collar

(Note: you could add a hood here, which was my original plan. But I didn’t know if I’d have enough yarn, so this version has a stand-up collar.)

Pick up 13 stitches knitwise along the right front neck edge, move the 12 center back stitches to the needles, and then pick up 13 stitches across the left front neck edge. Knit 6 rows in K2P2 ribbing.

Rows 1, 3, 5: [K2, P2] across, ending K2.

Rows 2, 4, 6: [P2, K2] across, ending P2.

BO in ribbing. (That is, bind off the knit stitches knitwise and bind off the purl stitches purlwise.)

Weave in ends. Add buttons or toggles if you like.

Marvel in your talent and skill.

Put the vest on your kid and take him or her to the park!