MillaMia Ida Cable Vest Knitting Pattern

MillaMia Ida Cable Vest

What Is Being Made

The Ida Cable Vest is a versatile knitted slipover vest designed to be worn as a standalone piece or layered over other garments. This intermediate-level project features a decorative cable-knit front panel paired with a plain stockinette stitch back, making it an accessible introduction to cable work without the complexity of an all-over patterned design. The vest is available in seven sizes ranging from 82cm to 112cm chest circumference, with actual finished measurements from 96cm to 134cm chest.

Techniques Used

The Ida Cable Vest is constructed using a bottom-up approach, meaning knitting begins at the lower edge and progresses toward the neckline. The garment is worked flat on straight needles rather than in the round, with pieces subsequently seamed together to create the finished vest. This construction method allows for easier pattern management and shaping. The cable panel on the front showcases the primary technical focus of the design, while the plain back simplifies the overall knitting process and reduces the time investment compared to fully patterned vests.

Stitches Used

The primary stitch throughout most of the vest is stocking stitch (stockinette stitch in US terminology), which creates a smooth, classic knit fabric. The decorative front features cable stitches, specifically cable 4 front (C4F) and cable 4 back (C4B) techniques. These cables are created by slipping stitches onto a cable needle, holding them to the front or back of the work, and then knitting in a specific sequence to create the characteristic twisted rope effect. The pattern also incorporates twist 4 back (T4B) and twist 4 front (T4F) stitches, which combine knit and purl stitches for textural variation. Additional abbreviations include knit (k), purl (p), and standard decreases such as slip, knit, pass slipped stitch over (skpo).

Materials and Gauge

The Ida Cable Vest is knitted using MillaMia Naturally Soft Merino yarn, available exclusively at lovecrafts.com. The project requires 7 to 11 balls of 50g/1¾oz yarn depending on size, with the sample shown in Haze Grey. Additional colorway options include Lilac Blossom, Fawn, Plum, and Rain. The pattern calls for two pairs of knitting needles: 3mm (US 2) needles for ribbed edgings and 3.25mm (US 3) needles for the main fabric. A cable needle is essential for executing the cable and twist stitches. The tension specification is 25 stitches and 34 rows to 10cm over stockinette stitch using 3.25mm needles, with a separate gauge of 40 stitches and 34 rows to 10cm over the cable panel using the same needle size. Achieving correct tension is critical for proper fit across the seven available sizes.