Tahki Yarns Alberta Vest Knitting Pattern

Tahki Yarns Alberta Vest

What is Being Made

The Alberta Vest is a sleeveless pullover garment designed by Vera Keller. This intermediate-level knitting project is available in six sizes ranging from Small to 3X, with finished bust measurements from 38½ inches (98 cm) to 55½ inches (141 cm) and lengths from 29 to 32 inches (73.5 to 81.5 cm). The vest features a classic fitted silhouette suitable for layering over long-sleeved shirts or wearing as a standalone piece.

Techniques Used

The Alberta Vest is constructed using the bottom-up method, meaning knitting begins at the lower edge and progresses upward toward the neckline. The garment is worked flat on circular needles without joining in the round, allowing the crafter to work back and forth in rows. The finished pieces are then seamed together to create the complete vest. This construction approach provides excellent control over fit and shaping throughout the project.

Cable knitting is a prominent design feature of this vest. The pattern incorporates cable stitches as decorative vertical elements that run down the front and back of the garment, adding textural interest and visual depth to the finished piece.

Stitches Used

The Alberta Vest employs several fundamental knitting stitches to create its structure and design:

• Moss Stitch: A textured stitch used extensively throughout the vest for background areas. Moss stitch creates a bumpy, woven appearance and is worked by alternating knit and purl stitches in a specific sequence.
• Stockinette Stitch (St St): The smooth, classic stitch used for edge stitches (the first and last 2 stitches of each row), providing clean selvage edges for seaming.
• K2, P2 Rib: An elastic ribbed stitch pattern used for the lower edge of the vest. This rib provides stretch and recovery, helping the garment maintain its shape around the body. The ribbing is worked for 2 inches (5 cm) before transitioning to the main pattern.
• 6-Stitch Cable (C6B and C6F): A two-color cable technique measuring 1¾ inches (4.5 cm) wide. The abbreviations C6B (cable 6 back) and C6F (cable 6 front) indicate the direction the cable twists. These cables are created by slipping stitches to a cable needle, knitting the next stitches, then knitting the held stitches to create the characteristic twisted rope effect.
• 12-Stitch Horseshoe Cable: A larger, more complex cable pattern measuring 3¼ inches (8.5 cm) wide. This cable creates a horseshoe or arch-like shape and serves as a prominent focal point on the vest's front and back panels.

Materials

The Alberta Vest is knitted using Tahki Yarns Montana, a premium yarn composed of 100% virgin wool. Depending on the size selected, the project requires 6 to 8 hanks of yarn. Each hank weighs 3.5 ounces (100 grams) and provides 130 yards (120 meters) of yardage, allowing crafters to calculate total yardage needs based on their chosen size.

Two sizes of circular needles are required for this project: a Size 9 (5.5mm) circular needle measuring 24 inches (60 cm) long for the ribbed cuff, and a Size 11 (8mm) circular needle of the same length for the main body. The gauge achieved with the larger needle is 12 stitches and 16 rows per 4 inches (10 cm) in moss stitch, which is essential for obtaining proper finished measurements.

Additional supplies needed include stitch markers to denote pattern sections, a cable needle for manipulating stitches during cable work, and a yarn needle for weaving in ends and seaming the finished pieces together.