Watermelon Side Tie Knit Vest

Materials:

• Premier Yarns Deborah Norville Everyday Soft Worsted Solids (100% anti-pilling acrylic; 113 g/203 yds)
  • 100-31 Peacock (A) - 1 (1, 2, 2, 2, 2) ball(s)
  • 100-30 Glass (B) - 2 (2, 2, 2, 2, 3) balls
  • 100-40 Hot Fuchsia (C) - 1 ball, all sizes
  • 100-38 Electric Green (D) - 1 ball, all sizes
• US Size 9 (5.5 mm) straight needles or size needed to obtain gauge
• US Size 8 (5 mm) 32" circular needle & set of double pointed needles
• 2 yds 1” satin ribbon
• tapestry needle
• stitch marker
• stitch holders
• sewing needle & matching thread

Measurements:

Small (Medium, Large, XL, 2X, 3X) (Shown in size Medium).

Bust: 32 (36, 40, 44, 48, 52)"

Length: 21 (22, 22 1/2, 23 1/2, 23 3/4, 24 1/2)"

Abbreviations:

St st: Stockinette stitch

st(s): stitch(es)

ndl(s): needle(s)

rev: reverse

WS: wrong side

RS: right side

rem: remain(ing)

meas: measure(s)

K: knit

P: purl

dec: decrease

ssk: slip 2 sts knitwise, insert lefthand needle into front of slipped sts, k2tog

tog: together

circ: circular

dpn: double-pointed needles

Gauge: 16 sts x 22 rows = 4” in St st using larger ndls. Save time, check your gauge.

Stripe Sequence:

8 rows B, 2 rows C, 8 rows B, 4 rows D, 8 rows A, 6 rows B, 4 rows C, 4 rows A, 6 rows B, 4 rows C, 2 rows B, 2 rows D. Rep these 58 rows for Stripe Sequence.

Back:

With A & straight ndls, cast on 64 (72, 80, 88, 96, 104) sts. Knit 4 rows.

Next row (WS): With B, knit.

Next row (RS): With B, purl. Rep these 2 rows, 3 more times. Cont in Stripe Sequence until Back measures 13 1/2 (14, 14, 14 1/2, 14 1/2, 15)", ending with a WS row.

Shape Armholes

Continuing in Stripe Sequence, bind off 6 (8, 10, 12, 14, 16) sts at beg of next 2 rows - 52 (56, 60, 64, 68, 72) sts rem. Work even in Stripes until Back meas 7 1/2 (8, 8 1/2, 9, 9 1/4, 9 1/2)" from armhole bind off. Bind off all sts.

RIGHT FRONT

With A & straight ndls, cast on 60 (68, 76, 84, 92, 100) sts. Knit 4 rows. Work remainder of Front in Stripe Sequence as for Back. Armhole shaping is introduced while neck shaping is still in progress; read all instructions before proceeding.

Shape Front Edge

Sizes 36 (40, 44, 48, 52)" only:

Dec row (RS): P1, p2tog, purl to end - 1 st dec’d.

Dec row (WS): Knit to last 3 sts, ssk, k1 - 1 st dec’d. Rep these 2 rows, 1 (6, 9, 14, 16) more times - 64 (62, 64, 62, 66) sts rem.

All Sizes:

Dec row (RS): P1, p2tog, purl to end - 1 st dec’d. Work a WS row even. Rep these 2 rows, 42 (42, 37, 35, 30, 30) more times - 18 (22, 25, 29, 32, 36) sts rem. At the same time, when Front measures 13 1/2 (14, 14, 14 1/2, 14 1/2, 15)", end with a RS row.

Shape Armholes (continue to shape Front Edge)

Bind off 6 (8, 10, 12, 14, 16) sts at beg of next 2 rows . After all armhole and front edge shaping is complete 12 (14, 15, 17, 18, 20) sts rem. Work even until Right Front measures 7 1/2 (8, 8 1/2, 9, 9 1/4, 9 1/2)" from armhole bind off. Bind off all sts.

LEFT FRONT

Work as for Right Front, reversing all shaping.

FINISHING

Sew shoulder seams. Sew side seams.

Front Edging

With A and circ ndl, with RS facing, beg at lower Right Front, pick up and knit 220 (228, 238, 246, 252, 256) sts evenly around front opening. Knit 4 rows. Bind off all sts on the next WS row, kwise.

Armhole Edging

With A and dpn, beg at center of underarm, pick up and knit 64 (68, 72, 76, 78, 80) sts evenly around armhole. Pm & join to work in the rnd. Purl 1 rnd. Knit 1 rnd. Rep these two rows once more. Bind off all sts pwise.

Weave in ends.

Cut ribbon into 4, 18" lengths. Sew the end of one ribbon end to Right Front lower edge; one to inside right side seam flush with lower edge; one to outside of left side seam flush with lower edge; sew rem ribbon to Left Front lower edge.

To wear, first tie ribbon from Left Front to ribbon from inside right side seam tog. Then tie ribbon from Right Front to ribbon from left side seam.