Classic Elite Yarns Ogden Vest Knitting Pattern

Classic Elite Yarns Ogden Knit Vest

What is Being Made

The Ogden is a stockinette stitch cardigan vest designed by Kim Barnette and originally published in Quest 1710A. This garment features a textured seed stitch center panel with stockinette stitch edges, creating visual interest while maintaining a classic, wearable silhouette. The vest is constructed as a button-front cardigan with front bands worked simultaneously as the fronts are knitted, offering a streamlined finishing approach.

Techniques Used

This pattern employs several key knitting techniques suited to intermediate-level crafters:

• Bottom-up construction: The vest is worked from the cast-on edge upward, allowing for easy length adjustments and a straightforward building process
• Worked flat: All pieces are knitted on straight needles in flat rows rather than in the round, making this accessible for knitters who prefer traditional flat knitting
• Seamed assembly: Pieces are sewn together at the seams, creating clean, professional edges and allowing for precise fit adjustments
• Shaping with increases and decreases: The back piece features strategic increases worked as make-one stitches to create gentle shaping, while armhole and shoulder shaping use bind-offs and decreases (k2tog, ssk, ssp, p2tog) to form the vest silhouette
• Buttonhole construction: A two-row buttonhole technique is incorporated on the right front, using yarn-over and decrease methods to create functional openings

Stitches Used

The Ogden pattern utilizes a limited stitch palette, making it ideal for intermediate knitters:

• Seed Stitch: Worked over an odd number of stitches with alternating knit and purl stitches on every row (K1, *p1, k1; rep from *). This textured stitch creates the distinctive visual interest in the center front panel and provides a subtle, sophisticated texture
• Stockinette Stitch: The primary stitch used for the body and edges, created by knitting on right-side rows and purling on wrong-side rows. This smooth, classic stitch provides the foundation for the vest's structure
• Garter Stitch: Edge stitches are maintained in stockinette stitch to create clean selvage edges for seaming
• Decrease stitches: K2tog, ssk (slip, slip, knit), ssp (slip, slip, purl), and p2tog are used for shaping armholes and shoulders
• Increase stitches: Make-one (m1) increases are worked to add shaping to the back piece

Materials

This pattern is designed for use with Classic Elite Yarns products. The vest is worked on larger needles for the body and requires yarn suitable for the gauge specified in the pattern. The pattern is available as a downloadable PDF from www.classiceliteyarns.com, making it convenient for immediate access and printing.

Pattern Details

The Ogden is offered in six sizes ranging from XS to XL, with the sample shown in size S. The back piece begins with a cast-on of 59 to 89 stitches depending on size, with the center stitches worked in seed stitch and edge stitches maintained in stockinette for a polished appearance. After 3 inches from the cast-on edge, the pattern transitions to full stockinette stitch and incorporates four evenly-spaced increase rows to create gentle shaping. Armhole shaping begins at approximately 11 to 12.5 inches from the cast-on edge, with bind-offs and subsequent decreases creating a fitted armhole. The shoulder shaping uses a stepped bind-off method to create clean shoulder seams. The front bands are worked simultaneously with the front pieces, eliminating the need for separate band knitting and ensuring a cohesive, professional finish. Buttonholes are strategically placed on the right front using a yarn-over and decrease technique that creates a secure, functional opening.