Lana Grossa Vest Waistcoat Knitting Pattern

Lana Grossa Vest in Country Tweed

Project Overview

The Lana Grossa Vest in Country Tweed is a classic knitted waistcoat designed as Design 32 from the Classici 23 collection. This garment is constructed using traditional knitting techniques and features a sophisticated textured pattern suitable for layering over shirts and sweaters.

What is Being Made

This pattern creates a fitted vest with a structured silhouette. The design includes front pocket openings, shaped armholes, and tailored shoulder shaping. The vest is available in three sizes: 36/38, 40/42, and 44, allowing for customization to different body measurements. A 75 cm long separating zipper in charcoal provides closure down the front of the garment.

Knitting Techniques Used

The vest is constructed using a bottom-up, seamed, and worked-flat approach. This method involves knitting the back and front pieces separately on straight needles before joining them together with seams. The construction begins at the lower edge and progresses upward toward the shoulders and neckline.

Key construction techniques include:

• Pocket openings created by dividing stitches and working sections separately before rejoining
• Selvage stitches maintained throughout for clean seaming edges
• Armhole shaping worked at specific edges to create a fitted sleeve opening
• Shoulder shaping for proper garment fit and structure
• Neck shaping to create a comfortable neckline opening
• Slip stitch edging applied as a decorative and functional finishing detail

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

The pattern employs several fundamental knitting stitches to create texture and structure:

• Ribbed Pattern (K1, P1) – alternating knit and purl stitches that create vertical lines and elasticity, commonly used for fitted edges
• Stockinette Stitch (St st) – knit on right-side rows and purl on wrong-side rows, creating a smooth, classic fabric surface
• Chart Pattern – a multiple of 2 plus 1 stitch repeat that creates the distinctive Country Tweed texture throughout the main body of the vest
• Slip Stitch Edging – a three-row repeat technique using slip stitches and knit stitches that creates a refined edge detail, worked as: Row 1 (RS) alternates knit and purl; Row 2 (WS) slips stitches purlwise with yarn in front while knitting; Row 3 (RS) alternates knit with slip stitches purlwise with yarn in front

Materials and Tools

The Lana Grossa Vest in Country Tweed is knitted with Lana Grossa Country Tweed yarn, a 100% virgin wool yarn available in the colorway Charcoal Mélange (color 5). The yardage required varies by size: 800 grams for size 36/38, 850 grams for size 40/42, and 900 grams for size 44. With a yardage of 90 meters per 50-gram ball, this provides approximately 1440 to 1620 meters of yarn depending on the chosen size.

Needles required include size 4 mm and size 6 mm straight needles for working the flat pieces, as well as a size 6 mm circular needle measuring 40 cm long for certain construction steps. Additionally, the pattern calls for a 75 cm long separating zipper in charcoal to complete the front closure of the vest.

Design Details

The vest features a sophisticated construction with functional pocket openings positioned on the front panels. The piece measures 11 cm from the cast-on edge before the pocket opening row is worked. After the pocket sections are established and worked separately for 20 cm, they are rejoined and the pattern continues across the full width of the garment. The armhole shaping and shoulder shaping follow the same measurements as the back piece, ensuring balanced proportions throughout the garment.