Tahki Yarns Long Branch Vest Knitting Pattern

Tahki Yarns Long Branch Vest

Garment Overview

The Long Branch Vest is a sleeveless knitted garment designed by Lidia Karabinech, offering a versatile layering piece available in six sizes ranging from Small to 3X. This vest features a finished bust measurement range of 37½ to 55½ inches and a length between 32 to 34½ inches, making it suitable for various body types and proportions. The design combines classic construction techniques with a contemporary mesh pattern for a refined, breathable aesthetic.

Construction Technique

This vest is constructed using a bottom-up, seamed, and worked-flat method, meaning the pieces are knitted individually from the bottom edge upward on straight needles, then assembled together using seaming techniques. This traditional approach allows for precise shaping and easier adjustments during the knitting process. The pattern includes detailed shaping instructions for armhole decreases and utilizes a three-needle bind-off special technique for joining pieces together, which creates a secure, professional seam while binding off simultaneously.

Stitches and Pattern Details

The Long Branch Vest features a Mesh Pattern as its primary stitch pattern, which creates an open, textured fabric ideal for warm-weather wear. The pattern employs fundamental knitting stitches including knit stitches, k2tog (knit two together) decreases for shaping, and ssk (slip, slip, knit) decreases for balanced shaping. Armhole shaping is achieved through strategic decreasing on wrong-side rows, with the number of decrease rows varying by size to ensure proper fit across the size range.

Materials and Yarn Options

The Long Branch Vest is designed to be knitted in 100% mercerized cotton, offering two yarn options from Tahki Yarns:

• Version A: Tahki Yarns COTTON CLASSIC LITE (1.75oz/50g skeins; 146 yards/135 meters per skein), requiring 4 to 7 skeins depending on size, in color #4202 almond
• Version B: Tahki Yarns COTTON CLASSIC (1.75oz/50g skeins; 108 yards/100 meters per skein), requiring 6 to 9 skeins depending on size, in color #3202 almond

The choice between versions allows knitters to select their preferred yarn weight and drape characteristics, with Version A using a lighter-weight yarn and Version B using a standard-weight cotton yarn.

Needles and Gauge

The pattern requires two different needle sizes to achieve proper gauge:

• Version A (Cotton Classic Lite): Size 4 (3.5mm) needles for ribbing and size 13 (9mm) needles for the mesh pattern
• Version B (Cotton Classic): Size 5 (3.75mm) needles for ribbing and size 15 (10mm) needles for the mesh pattern

Achieving the correct gauge is essential for proper fit. The target gauges are 11½ stitches and 14 rows over 4 inches (10cm) in Mesh Pattern using Cotton Classic Lite with size 4 and 13 needles for Version A, and 12 stitches and 15 rows over 4 inches (10cm) in Mesh Pattern using Cotton Classic with size 5 and 15 needles for Version B. Additional materials include stitch holders for holding stitches during construction and a yarn needle for seaming pieces together.

Sizing Information

The pattern provides comprehensive sizing across six garment sizes with specific finished measurements for bust and length. Each size includes detailed stitch counts and row counts for accurate construction, ensuring that knitters can select the appropriate size based on desired finished measurements rather than body measurements alone.