Sugar Tree Designs Root Cellar Vest Knitting Pattern

Sugar Tree Designs Root Cellar Knit Vest

What is Being Made

Root Cellar is an earthy, comforting knit vest designed by Becky Herrick. Inspired by the colors of root vegetables—carrots, potatoes, beets, and onions—this rustic yet stylish vest is perfect for warming your core on cold winter days. The garment is available in nine sizes, ranging from 29 inches to 62 inches bust measurement, accommodating a wide range of body types.

Construction Method

Root Cellar is constructed using a bottom-up, seamless approach, worked in one piece from the hem upward. The vest begins with a garter stitch hem for a finished edge, then transitions into stockinette stitch for the main body. The shoulders are separated during construction, and stitches are picked up around the front and neckline to work the button band and collar vertically. This method minimizes seaming and creates a smooth, integrated garment.

Techniques Used

• Bottom-up construction: The vest is knit starting from the cast-on hem and working upward toward the shoulders and neckline
• Seamless knitting: The garment is worked in one continuous piece, reducing the need for finishing seams
• Slipped stitch stripes: Contrasting color stripes are incorporated at the waist and shoulders using slipped stitches, adding visual interest and texture
• Worked flat: The vest is knit flat on straight needles rather than in the round, allowing for easier colorwork and shaping
• Garter stitch trim: The hem features garter stitch, created by knitting every row, providing a durable and decorative edge
• Decreasing for shaping: Decreases (k2tog and ssk) are worked at the edges to shape the garment and create proper fit
• Stitch pickup: Stitches are picked up along edges for the button band and collar, a common technique for adding finishing bands to knit garments

Stitches Used

• Garter stitch: Knit every row to create the textured hem trim
• Stockinette stitch: Knit on right-side rows and purl on wrong-side rows, forming the smooth main body fabric
• Slipped stitches: Used to create the contrasting color stripes at the waist and shoulders without cutting yarn
• Decreases (k2tog and ssk): Used for shaping the garment at edges and creating proper fit

Yarn and Materials

Root Cellar calls for two yarn colors in a worsted weight:

• Main Color (MC): Plymouth Yarn Mushyshi in colorway 01; a luxurious blend of 95% wool and 5% silk. Yardage requirements range from 348 yards for the smallest size to 843 yards for the largest size
• Contrast Color (CC): Malabrigo Worsted in rich chocolate; 100% wool. Yardage requirements range from 180 yards for the smallest size to 380 yards for the largest size

Additional materials needed:

• US 9 (5.5mm) needles for working at the specified gauge of 16 stitches and 22 rows to a 4-inch square in stockinette stitch
• Four stitch markers for tracking pattern repeats and construction sections
• Tapestry needle for weaving in ends
• Three 0.75-inch buttons for the front button band closure

Sizing Information

The Root Cellar vest is offered in nine sizes with the following finished bust measurements: 29, 33, 37, 41, 45, 50, 54, 58, and 62 inches (73.5, 84, 94, 104, 114.5, 127, 137, 147.5, and 157.5 centimeters). Body length varies from 23.25 inches in the smallest size to 29.25 inches in the largest size, providing appropriate proportions across the size range.