Lydia wore a vest to one of the guild meetings and we liked it so much we begged her for the pattern. She didn’t have one, but agreed to write one for us. We have turned this into a guild Knit-a-Long project based on her pattern….
Lydia’s Bias Triangle Vest…
- Size 10 1/2 circular needlesVest is worked in all knitting (garter stitch) so pieces are reversible. There will be two front pieces, two back pieces and two, smaller, underarm pieces. Finishing calls for 5 seams up and down, and two shoulder seams. No front fastening has been specified.
Row 1; Cast on one stitch. This will be at a seam, so leave a tail.Row 2; Increase by knitting in front and back of first stitch.
Rows 3 to (30); Increase in first stitch, knit to end.
When one edge of this triangle is as wide as you want it, begin short rows. [ I used 30 sts for the fronts, 32 for the backs and 26 for the under arm pieces]
1st short row pair; (Use only first three sts) Increase in first stitch, slip 1, knit 1, pass slip stitch over, (PSSO). STOP. TURN work. With yarn on back as if to knit, slip one, knit 2, to end.
NOTE: decrease can also be made by knitting two together instead of (sl1, k1 PSSO method).
CAUTION: Do not knit across entire row. Do not increase in first return st. When only 3 or 4 sts remain on back needle, it is easy to drop them.
2nd short row; (4 sts) Increase in first stitch, knit 1, slip1, knit 1 across the gap, PSSO. TURN, slip 1, knit 3 to end.
3rd and all short rows; Increase in first, knit to one stitch before gap, slip last st, knit across the gap, PSSO, TURN, slip 1, knit to end.
This will incorporate each of the original sts, one at a time. When last stitch has been incorporated, DO NOT TURN AND KNIT TO END.
NOTE: when changing to a contrasting color for each triangle, use double pointed needles, DO turn and knit to end, slide work to other end of needle and attach new color. This leaves first color positioned to be picked up for next triangle
Begin new set of short rows, same as before, making increases on opposite edge of work.
For front and back pieces; Shoulder seam. When 7 sts remain on back needle, stop increasing in first stitch, begin decreasing in first st instead. Slip st1, knit1, PSSO , knit to one before the gap, sl1, k1, PSSO, TURN, sl1, knit to end. 6 more times. This should give a straight shoulder seam parallel to the bottom edge
NOTE: for slightly built figures , or very thin shoulders, use 6 remaining, for hefty shoulders, use 8.
For the fronts,. After last stitch has been incorporated, loosely cast off all remaining stitches on the diagonal to give front Vee neck.
For the backs; begin another set of short rows to fill in the triangle. When an equal number of sts are on each needle, begin the decreasing on st1, to make a straight neck line. Cast off final sts.For the smaller, under-arm pieces, in the second set of short rows, increase in first stitch until there are equal sts on each needle. Begin decrease in st1 to cast off straight end. This piece should look symmetrical, top to bottom. NOTE: if there is an uneven number of sts, have more on the front needle.
To assemble; Flip the pieces around until a pleasing combination is found, making sure the two back pieces have shoulder seams on the outer edges, and the two fronts have Vee’s facing each other. Sew the center back, the two sides of under arm to front and back, and last, the shoulders.
Assembly will be along the increase edges. There will be a series of lumps and loops. Match them up and overcast with a yarn needle.
Although garment will be ready to wear, it might benefit from lightly steam blocking.
ENJOY
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