Spud & Chloe by Blue Sky Fibers Garth's Vest Knitting

Garth's Vest by Spud & Chloe

What Is Being Made

Garth's Vest is a men's sleeveless pullover vest designed to fit chest sizes from 36 to 50 inches across five size options (Small, Medium, Large, 1X, and 2X). The finished garment measures 38 to 52 inches in the chest, offering a comfortable fit with approximately 2 inches of positive ease. This classic vest construction provides a versatile layering piece suitable for various occasions and seasons.

Techniques Used

This knitting pattern employs multiple construction techniques to create visual interest and structural integrity. The vest is worked flat for the ribbed sections and worked in the round for the main body, combining these methods to achieve the desired shaping and fit. The pattern features bottom-up construction, beginning with cast-on stitches at the lower edge and progressing upward toward the armholes and neckline. Intarsia colorwork is incorporated to create a diamond motif, requiring careful management of multiple yarn colors—specifically three separate balls of yarn—to execute the design without carrying yarn across the back of the work. This technique produces a clean, professional appearance on the finished garment.

Stitches Used

The foundational stitch throughout Garth's Vest is stockinette stitch, which creates the smooth, classic V-knit appearance characteristic of traditional knitwear. The lower edge features a rib pattern worked over a multiple of 3 stitches, alternating knit 2, purl 1 (K2, P1) in rounds. This ribbing provides elasticity and helps the garment maintain its shape at the hem. Shaping decreases are accomplished using ssk (slip, slip, knit) and k2tog (knit 2 together) techniques, which create paired decreases that slope in opposite directions for balanced, professional-looking armhole and neckline shaping.

Materials and Yarn

Garth's Vest is designed to be worked with yarn from the Spud & Chloe collection by Blue Sky Fibers. The pattern requires three separate yarn colors to execute the intarsia diamond design: color A (shown in Dachshund #7803), color B (shown in Calypso #7806), and color C (shown in Lipstick #7810). The gauge is established at 28 stitches and 40 rounds equaling 4 inches when worked in stockinette stitch using the smaller needles specified in the pattern. A 32-inch circular needle in the larger size is used for the main body construction, with a smaller circular needle employed for the ribbed sections, allowing for proper gauge control and comfortable working of the in-the-round sections.

Pattern Structure and Sizing

Instructions are provided for the smallest size (Small) with larger sizes noted in parentheses throughout. When a single number appears without parenthetical alternatives, that measurement applies uniformly across all five size options. The pattern includes detailed row-by-row and round-by-round instructions, with specific stitch counts provided for each size variation, ensuring proper fit and proportions regardless of which size is being constructed.