String Lennon Vest Knitting Pattern

String Lennon Vest

What is Being Made

The Lennon Vest is a sophisticated, seamless knitted vest designed by Lidia Karabinech. This intermediate-level project creates a sleeveless garment available in four sizes ranging from Small to Extra Large, with finished bust measurements from 36 inches to 49 inches and a consistent length to shoulder of 22½ inches. The vest features a classic silhouette suitable for layering over shirts or wearing as a standalone piece.

Construction Techniques

This vest is constructed using a bottom-up seamless approach, meaning the knitter begins at the lower edge and works upward toward the shoulders without requiring seaming. The garment is worked flat on straight needles rather than in the round, allowing for straightforward shaping and construction. The design incorporates stripe detailing through the use of two contrasting yarn colors: a main color in silver and a contrasting color in ebony, creating visual interest across the finished piece. The seamless construction method reduces finishing work and creates clean, professional edges throughout the garment.

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

The Lennon Vest employs two primary stitch patterns. The foundation begins with K1, P1 Ribbing, which is worked for 16 rows at the lower edge to create elasticity and a finished appearance. The ribbing adapts based on stitch count, using either an odd-number or even-number variation depending on the size being knitted. The main body of the vest is worked in Stockinette Stitch, the most fundamental and versatile knit stitch, which creates a smooth, uniform fabric with a recognizable V-pattern texture. Stockinette Stitch consists of alternating knit rows on the right side and purl rows on the wrong side. Shaping is accomplished using standard decreases, including K2tog (knit two together), a left-leaning decrease that reduces stitch count for armhole and shoulder shaping.

Materials and Gauge

The Lennon Vest is designed to be knitted with String BLOSSOM yarn, a luxury blend composed of 50% cashmere and 50% silk. This high-quality fiber combination provides exceptional softness, drape, and breathability. The project requires 4 to 6 balls depending on size, with each ball weighing 1.75 ounces (50 grams) and containing 177 yards (162.5 meters) of yarn. The sample shown is knitted in color 732245 silver for the main color, with color 400002 ebony used as the contrasting color for stripes. Construction requires US size 5 (3.75mm) needles in multiple configurations: straight needles for the flat construction of the main pieces, a 32-inch circular needle for larger sections, and a 16-inch circular needle for smaller areas such as neckline finishing. The required gauge is 19 stitches and 26 rows per 4 inches (10 centimeters) in Stockinette Stitch. Achieving proper gauge is essential for obtaining the correct finished measurements. Additional notions include stitch holders for temporarily securing stitches during construction, one button for closure, and a yarn needle for weaving in ends and seaming if needed.