Noro Waterfall Vest Knitting Pattern

Noro Waterfall Vest

What is Being Made

The Noro Waterfall Vest is a seamless knitted vest designed with a contemporary silhouette and decorative lace detailing. This garment features a relaxed fit with finished measurements of 16½ to 18 inches across the back (armhole to armhole) and a length of 28¾ to 30 inches, making it suitable for layering over long-sleeved tops or wearing as a standalone piece during mild weather.

Techniques Used

This vest employs several intermediate knitting techniques to create visual interest and structural integrity:

• Seamless Construction: The garment is worked flat on a circular needle without joining, eliminating the need for seaming after completion. The circular needle is used to accommodate the large number of stitches rather than for working in the round.
• Cable and Lace Integration: The pattern stitch combines yarn overs with cable-like manipulation, where stitches are slipped to a cable needle and held while other stitches are worked, creating a distinctive textured effect.
• Garter Stitch Foundation: The vest begins with 9 rows of garter stitch to create a stable, non-curling edge before transitioning into the main pattern stitch.
• Repeating Pattern Stitch: A 10-row pattern repeat is worked throughout the body, alternating between yarn over increases and cable manipulations with stockinette sections.

Stitches Used

The Noro Waterfall Vest utilizes fundamental and intermediate knitting stitches:

• Knit Stitch: The primary stitch forming the base structure and most of the fabric.
• Yarn Overs (yo): Used in Row 1 of the pattern stitch to create decorative eyelets and lace effects, worked twice consecutively for visual impact.
• Cable Needle Techniques: Stitches are slipped to a cable needle and held to the back while other stitches are worked, then worked from the cable needle to create textured, three-dimensional effects.
• Garter Stitch: Created by knitting every row, providing a textured, reversible fabric for the initial border and sections of the pattern.
• Bind Off: Used to secure stitches at the armhole openings.

Pattern Stitch Details

The main pattern stitch works over a multiple of 6 stitches plus 5 additional stitches. Row 1 (Right Side) begins with 7 knit stitches, then repeats a sequence of yarn over twice followed by one knit stitch across, ending with 4 knit stitches. Row 2 involves slipping 3 stitches to a cable needle and holding them to the back while dropping the yarn overs, knitting 3 stitches, then knitting the 3 stitches from the cable needle while also dropping yarn overs, with this sequence repeated across the row. Rows 3 through 10 are worked entirely in knit stitch. This 10-row sequence is repeated throughout the vest body until the piece reaches the appropriate length.

Materials

The Noro Waterfall Vest is designed to be worked with Noro Taiyo Sport yarn, requiring 4 skeins in colorway #10. The pattern calls for one US 5 (3.75mm) circular needle measuring 24 inches long, or the size needed to obtain proper gauge. A cable needle is essential for manipulating stitches during the cable and lace pattern sections.

Gauge and Construction Notes

The pattern specifies a gauge of 20 stitches and 40 rows over 4 inches in garter stitch using a US 5 (3.75mm) needle. Achieving proper gauge is critical for obtaining the correct finished measurements. The pattern is rated as Easy difficulty, making it accessible to knitters with basic to intermediate experience who are comfortable working with cable needles and reading pattern repeats. The vest is constructed by casting on 143 to 149 stitches depending on desired size, working a garter stitch border, then continuing in the main pattern stitch until the armhole depth is reached, at which point stitches are bound off to create the armhole opening.