Hooded Ski Vest Waistcoat Knitting Pattern

Hooded Ski Vest Waistcoat Knitting Pattern by Lion Brand

Project Overview

This downloadable knitting pattern from Lion Brand creates a Hooded Ski Vest Waistcoat featuring a modern, textured design. The pattern, numbered 60376, is classified as an Easy skill level project, making it suitable for knitters with basic experience. The vest is available in multiple sizes ranging from 3-6 months through 3X, with finished chest measurements of 42, 48, or 54 inches and finished lengths of 22, 23, or 24 inches respectively.

What Is Being Made

The design is a hooded ski vest waistcoat that combines functionality with contemporary style. This sleeveless garment features a hood and a front zipper closure, making it practical for layering in cold weather. The vest construction includes a shaped back piece, left and right front panels, and hood components that work together to create a fitted, structured silhouette suitable for outdoor activities.

Yarn and Materials

This pattern utilizes two distinct Lion Brand yarns held together to create texture and visual interest:

• Lion Brand Homespun® in Fuchsia (Color A): 2 balls provide accent color and contribute to the overall fabric structure
• Lion Brand Lion Bouclé in Licorice (Color B): 10 balls form the primary yarn, held with two strands throughout the project

The yarn combination is worked with 1 strand of Homespun held together with 2 strands of Lion Bouclé, creating a thick, textured fabric ideal for a warm, structured vest.

Needles and Tools

The pattern requires two different needle sizes to achieve proper fabric density and drape:

• Size 50 needles [25 mm] (Speed Stix): Used for the main body of the vest to work the stockinette stitch with the multi-strand yarn combination
• Size 17 needles [13 mm]: Employed for finishing details and ribbing sections

Additional materials include a large-eye blunt needle set for weaving in yarn ends, a 20-inch separating zipper for the front closure, and basic sewing needle and thread for attaching the zipper securely.

Knitting Techniques and Stitches

The Hooded Ski Vest Waistcoat is constructed using fundamental knitting techniques appropriate for the Easy skill level:

• Stockinette Stitch (St st): The primary stitch throughout the pattern, worked by knitting on right-side rows and purling on wrong-side rows to create a smooth, classic fabric surface
• Make 1 (M1) Increases: Used for shaping the garment, this increase technique involves lifting the horizontal thread between stitches and placing it on the left needle, then knitting through the back loop to create a new stitch without visible holes
• Bind Off: Applied at armholes and edges to secure stitches and finish the garment pieces
• Cast On: The foundation technique used to create the initial stitches for the back, left front, and right front panels

Gauge and Construction Details

Achieving the correct gauge is essential for this project. The pattern specifies a gauge of 4 stitches and 4 rows equals 4 inches [10 cm] in stockinette stitch when working with the larger needles and the multi-strand yarn combination (1 strand Homespun with 2 strands Lion Bouclé held together). Knitters are strongly advised to check their gauge before beginning to ensure the finished garment matches the intended dimensions.

The vest construction begins with the back piece, cast on with 22, 24, or 26 stitches depending on size. The piece is worked in stockinette stitch until it reaches 13, 14, or 15 inches from the cast-on edge. Armhole shaping is then created by binding off 2, 3, or 4 stitches at the beginning of the next two rows, after which the piece continues even until reaching the full finished length of 22, 23, or 24 inches before binding off. The left and right front panels follow a similar construction method with their own stitch counts and shaping instructions.

Zipper