Koigu Lollypop Vest Knitting Pattern

Koigu Lollypop Vest

What is Being Made

The Koigu Lollypop Vest is a seamless knitted vest designed by Lynette Meek for Koigu Wool Designs. This garment features a distinctive circular lace motif on the back, creating a striking visual centerpiece. The vest is sized as one size fits most, with finished measurements of 43 inches deep and 49 inches across including armholes. The signature circular lace element measures 12 inches deep, making it a prominent design feature.

Techniques Used

This vest employs two primary knitting techniques that define its construction and aesthetic appeal. The seamless construction method allows the garment to be worked in the round, eliminating the need for seaming and creating a smooth, continuous fabric. The lace technique is featured prominently in the circular motif on the back panel, adding an elegant, openwork dimension to the design.

The pattern utilizes a provisional cast-on method with smooth waste yarn to allow for later pick-up from a spare circular needle, enabling seamless integration of pattern elements. The vest is worked primarily in garter stitch, which provides texture and structure while showcasing the yarn's color variations.

Stitches Used

The Koigu Lollypop Vest incorporates several fundamental knitting stitches to create its structure and lace details:

• Garter Stitch – The primary stitch used throughout the body and back sections, creating a textured, reversible fabric
• Yarn Over (YO) – Creates the openwork and decorative holes characteristic of the lace motif
• Slip Stitch (S1) – Used for shaping and stitch manipulation
• Slip, Slip, Knit (SSK) – A left-leaning decrease used to shape the lace pattern and garment edges
• Make 1 (M1) – An increase stitch that creates new stitches by lifting the running yarn between stitches and twisting it closed, used for shaping and lace construction

Materials and Gauge

The Koigu Lollypop Vest requires 600 grams of Koigu KPPPM yarn in the Greystone Pack, which consists of eleven 25-gram skeins in coordinating colors: P366, P470C, P725, P342, P100, P521, P355, P479, P462S, P929, P736, and P326X. This multi-color approach allows for creative color blocking throughout the garment.

The pattern calls for 3.5mm US #3 circular needles in both 32-inch and 47-inch lengths for the main construction, along with a 3.0mm spare circular needle for provisional cast-on pick-up. A 4.0mm US #6 double-pointed needle is used for the bind-off, and a 3.5mm crochet hook is included in the notions.

Gauge is critical for proper fit: unblocked gauge is 26 stitches in 4 inches using 3.5mm needles worked in garter stitch, while blocked gauge is 20 stitches in 4 inches in garter stitch. Blocking significantly affects the final dimensions, making it an essential finishing step.

Color Work and Construction Details

The vest features strategic color placement across three main sections. The back panel, which showcases the Indian Twist lace motif, uses three colors (P366, P470C, and P725) worked in a repeating sequence. The body is constructed with eight rounds of each of nine different colors (P342, P100, P521, P355, P479, P462S, P929, P736, and P326X) worked in recorded order, creating horizontal color bands. The border alternates between P521 and P355 across 12 grams of each color, while the bind-off uses P100 and P479 doubled at 9 grams each.