Rowan Suitopi Vest Knitting Pattern

Rowan Suitopi Knitted Vest

What is Being Made

Suitopi is a knitted vest designed by Sarah Hatton for Rowan. This garment is a fitted, sleeveless piece available in five sizes ranging from extra small (to fit bust 81-86 cm / 32-34 in) through to extra extra large (to fit bust 122-127 cm / 48-50 in). The vest features decorative lace patterning integrated into the body shaping, making it a sophisticated layering piece suitable for various occasions.

Techniques Used

This vest is constructed using several key knitting techniques that create both structure and visual interest:

• Bottom-up construction: The garment is worked from the lower edge upward, beginning with the back piece and continuing through to the front, allowing for straightforward shaping and adjustment during the knitting process.
• Worked flat: All pieces are knitted flat on straight needles rather than in the round, with seaming used to join the finished sections together.
• Lace patterning: Decorative lace motifs are incorporated throughout the front and back pieces using yarn-forward increases (yfwd) paired with decreases such as slip-slip-knit (sl 1, K1, psso) and knit-two-together (K2tog) to create openwork details.
• Seamed construction: The back and front pieces are seamed together at the sides to create the finished garment shape.

Stitches Used

The pattern employs fundamental and intermediate knitting stitches to achieve its design:

• Stockinette stitch (st st): The primary fabric throughout the vest, created by alternating knit rows on the right side with purl rows on the wrong side, providing a smooth, classic finish.
• Ribbing: A one-by-one rib (K1, P1) is used for the cast-on edge at the lower hem, providing elasticity and a neat, finished appearance.
• Lace decreases: Slip-slip-knit (sl 1, K1, psso) and knit-two-together (K2tog) decreases are used in combination with yarn-forward increases to create the lace pattern repeats, which also serve to shape the garment at the bust and waist.
• Yarn-forward increases (yfwd): These create the characteristic holes and openwork of the lace design while maintaining stitch count across pattern rows.

Materials

Suitopi is knitted using Rowan Cotton Lustre yarn in the colorway Parsley 376. The yardage required varies by size: 6 balls for the smallest size (XS), increasing to 11 balls for the largest size (XXL), with each ball weighing 50 grams. This cotton-based yarn is chosen for its lustrous finish and drape, which is particularly suited to lace garments.

The pattern calls for two pairs of needles: 5mm (US 8) needles for the ribbed cast-on edge and 6mm (US 10) needles for the main body. The recommended tension is 17 stitches and 24 rows to 10 centimeters measured over stockinette stitch using the 6mm needles. A special pattern note advises that due to the nature of the yarn, the work should be measured while hanging from the needles rather than laid flat, ensuring accurate gauge and fit assessment.