String Pamela Cabled Vest Cardigan Knitting Pattern

String Pamela Cabled Vest

What is Being Made

The Pamela Cabled Vest is a sleeveless knitted garment designed by Lidia Karabinech. This vest features a sophisticated cable panel construction and is available in four sizes: S/M, L, XL, and an additional larger size, with finished bust measurements ranging from 32 inches to 44 inches and a finished length of 24½ inches. The vest is crafted as a classic layering piece suitable for both casual and refined wardrobes.

Techniques Used

The Pamela Cabled Vest is constructed using several key knitting techniques that create both visual interest and structural integrity. The garment is worked flat on straight needles, meaning each piece is knitted in flat rows rather than in the round, allowing for straightforward shaping and pattern work. The vest is seamed together after individual pieces are completed, providing clean, finished edges. The construction method is bottom-up, meaning knitting begins at the lower edge and progresses upward toward the shoulders and neckline. The vest features raglan armholes, a classic shaping technique where decreases are worked symmetrically to create diagonal lines from the underarm toward the neckline, allowing for comfortable arm movement and elegant proportions. Cable techniques are central to the design, with stitches crossed over a cable needle to create the dimensional, twisted rope-like patterns that define the aesthetic of this piece.

Stitches Used

The pattern employs two primary stitch structures. Stockinette Stitch forms the foundation of the vest, created by knitting on right-side rows and purling on wrong-side rows, producing the classic smooth, V-textured fabric that serves as the background for the cable panels. The Cable Panel is the signature stitch feature, a complex 19-row repeat that incorporates multiple cable crosses. This panel includes 10-stitch cables that are slipped onto a cable needle and crossed over other stitches to create dramatic twisted patterns, combined with reverse stockinette sections (purled stitches on the right side) that frame and highlight the cable work. The cable panel is structured with specific crossing sequences: stitches are held to the front or back on a cable needle, then worked together with live stitches using techniques such as k2tog (knit two together) to create integrated decreases within the cable structure. This creates a textured, dimensional surface that is both visually striking and structurally sound.

Materials

The Pamela Cabled Vest is designed to be knitted with STRING CLASSICA, a luxurious 100% cashmere yarn. The yardage requirements are 9 balls for size S/M, 10 balls for size L, 11 balls for size XL, and 12 balls for the largest size. Each ball contains 1.75 ounces (50 grams) and provides 125 yards (115 meters) of yarn. The specified color is pearl, identified as color 100006. Needles required include one pair of size 7 (4.5mm) straight needles for working the flat pieces, a size 7 (4.5mm) circular needle measuring 32 inches (80 centimeters) long for any sections worked in the round or for holding stitches, and size 7 (4.5mm) double-pointed needles for any necessary small-circumference knitting. Additional notions include a cable needle for manipulating cable stitches, stitch markers for tracking pattern repeats and shaping, stitch holders for temporarily securing stitches, and a yarn needle for seaming pieces together and weaving in ends. The gauge is 20 stitches and 27 rows over 4 inches (10 centimeters) in Stockinette Stitch after blocking, which should be verified before beginning the project to ensure proper finished measurements.