Berroco Tao Vest Knitting Pattern

Berroco Tao Seamless Knit Vest

What is Being Made

The Berroco Tao is an oversized knit vest designed as a contemporary layering piece. This garment features a relaxed, comfortable fit with approximately 10–12 inches of ease built into the design. Available in four finished width measurements—46, 50, 54, and 58 inches—the vest offers versatility for different body sizes and styling preferences. The corresponding lengths range from 27 to 30 inches, making it suitable for various proportions.

Construction Technique

This vest is worked flat on circular needles, meaning it is constructed in rows rather than in the round, despite using circular needles for their length and capacity. The garment is engineered as one continuous piece worked from side to side, beginning at the right front edge and concluding at the left front edge. This construction method creates a seamless design that minimizes finishing work and provides structural integrity throughout the garment.

Knitting Stitches and Techniques

The primary stitch used in this pattern is stockinette stitch, which creates the smooth, classic fabric characteristic of traditional knit garments. Stockinette stitch is formed by alternating knit rows on the right side with purl rows on the wrong side, producing the familiar V-pattern texture on the finished piece.

Armhole shaping is accomplished through bind-off and cast-on techniques. The pattern instructs knitters to bind off a specific number of stitches to create the armhole opening, then cast those stitches back onto the needle in the following row. This method creates clean, defined armholes without requiring seaming.

The pattern includes stitch markers placed at specific intervals to help knitters track pattern sections and maintain consistent shaping throughout the construction process.

Yarn and Materials

The Berroco Tao calls for Berroco Millefiori Big yarn in the colorway #5883 Sedum. This yarn comes in 100-gram balls, and the pattern requires 6, 7, 7, or 8 balls depending on the finished size selected. Millefiori Big is a bulky-weight yarn that works at a gauge of 12 stitches and 16 rows over 4 inches in stockinette stitch.

Knitters will need a 29-inch circular needle in size 11 (8.00 mm) or the size required to achieve the specified gauge. The pattern emphasizes the importance of checking gauge before beginning the project to ensure proper fit and fabric drape.

Skill Level and Finishing

Designated as an Easy skill level pattern, the Berroco Tao is accessible to knitters with basic experience. The straightforward stockinette construction and simple shaping make it an ideal project for those building their knitting repertoire. Finishing involves weaving in yarn ends and blocking the completed vest as desired to enhance shape and drape.