Elsebeth Lavold EL- Maisie Vest Waistcoat Knitting Pattern

Elsebeth Lavold EL-Maisie Vest: Stranded Colorwork Knit Waistcoat

What is Being Made

The Maisie Vest is a fitted waistcoat designed by Jacqueline van Dillon, available in six sizes ranging from X-Small/Small through 4X. This sleeveless garment features a classic vest silhouette with bust measurements from 38 inches (96.5 cm) in the smallest size to 64 inches (162.5 cm) in the largest, and lengths varying from 22½ to 25 inches (57 to 63.5 cm). The vest is constructed as a seamed, bottom-up knit project suitable for intermediate to advanced knitters.

Techniques Used

The Maisie Vest employs several key knitting techniques to achieve its finished design:

• Stranded Colorwork: The primary decorative technique, worked in stockinette stitch using an 8-stitch repeat chart. Stranded colorwork involves carrying unused yarn colors across the back of the work, creating a reversible fabric with excellent insulation properties.
• Worked Flat: The garment is knitted in rows rather than in the round, allowing for precise shaping at the armholes and neckline.
• Bottom-Up Construction: The vest begins at the lower edge with a ribbed hem, progresses through the body with colorwork patterning, and continues to the armhole shaping and neckline finishing.
• Seamed Assembly: Front and back pieces are knitted separately and then seamed together, providing clean, structured edges and allowing for precise fit adjustments.
• Twist Technique: When changing colors in the stranded pattern, yarns are twisted on the wrong side to prevent holes and gaps in the finished fabric.

Stitches Used

The Maisie Vest incorporates fundamental knitting stitches combined with colorwork techniques:

• Stockinette Stitch (St st): The primary stitch used throughout the body and in the colorwork chart, creating a smooth, flat fabric with a V-shaped texture on the right side.
• Knit and Purl Ribbing (K2, P2 Rib): Used for the lower edge hem, which measures 2¾ inches (7 cm) and provides elasticity and definition at the waistline. This ribbing is worked for approximately 7 centimeters before transitioning to the main stockinette pattern.
• Selvage Stitches: One selvage stitch is worked at the beginning and end of each row to create clean, finished edges that are easier to seam. These selvage stitches are not included in the stitch count or the colorwork chart.
• Chart-Based Patterning: The design uses a repeating 8-stitch motif worked from a chart, with the pattern repeated 14 to 24 times across the row depending on size.

Materials and Tools

The Maisie Vest is designed to be knitted with Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool yarn, a premium fiber blend that provides both softness and structure ideal for colorwork projects. The yarn quantities vary by size:

• Shade 217 Fallow (A): 2 to 3 hanks of 50g, serving as the primary background color
• Shade 221 Electric Blue (B): 2 hanks of 50g, providing the secondary colorwork color
• Shade 198 Squash (C): 1 to 2 hanks of 50g, used as an accent color in the stranded pattern
• Shade 226 Rouge (D): 1 to 2 hanks of 50g, adding warmth to the colorwork design
• Shade 219 Carmine (E): 1 to 2 hanks of 50g, deepening the color palette
• Shade 01 Chalk (F): 1 hank of 50g, likely used as a highlight or contrast element

The project requires two pairs of straight needles—size US 4/3.5mm for the ribbed hem and size US 6/4mm for the main body—allowing the ribbing to be worked at a tighter gauge for better elasticity. A 16-inch (40 cm) size US 4/3.5mm circular needle is needed for finishing edges such as the neckline. Stitch