Twist Collective Meristem Vest Knitting Pattern

Meristem Knit Vest by Becky Herrick

What Is Being Made

Meristem is a seamless, top-down knit vest designed by Becky Herrick for Twist Collective. This garment is a versatile layering piece offered in 12 different sizes, with finished bust measurements ranging from 28 ¼ inches (72 cm) to 61 inches (155 cm), and lengths from 21 ¾ inches (55 cm) to 28 ¼ inches (72 cm). The vest is intended to be worn with 0–2 inches of positive ease, making it suitable for a range of body types and styling preferences.

Construction Techniques

Meristem employs several advanced knitting techniques to create its sophisticated structure:

• Top-Down Construction: The vest is worked from the top of the yoke downward, allowing for easy fitting adjustments and the ability to try on the garment as it progresses.
• Seamless, Worked-in-the-Round: The body is primarily constructed in the round using circular needles, eliminating the need for seaming and creating clean, continuous fabric.
• Modular Yoke Design: The upper back yoke is worked from side to side, while the upper front yoke is worked in two halves, each beginning with a provisional cast-on at the center and working outward to the armhole edge. This approach provides precise shaping control.
• Strategic Pickup and Joining: Stitches are picked up from the side edges of the upper front yoke to begin the lower front yoke. The lower front and back yokes are then joined, and the body is worked in one piece to the beginning of the side slits before the front and back are separated and worked individually to the hem.

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

The yoke sections of Meristem feature garter stitch (knit every row), which creates a textured, reversible fabric with excellent drape and structure. This classic stitch is worked throughout the upper back yoke and upper front yoke sections. The pattern also incorporates cable techniques as part of its design vocabulary, adding visual interest and depth to the finished garment. Shaping is achieved through strategic decreases, including ssk (slip, slip, knit) decreases, which are worked on right-side rows to create refined, slanted edges.

Materials: Yarn and Needles

Meristem is designed to be knit with Valley Yarns Valley Superwash DK, a yarn composed of 100% Extrafine Merino wool. This yarn is available in the colorway #08 Copper as shown in the pattern sample. Valley Superwash DK offers 137 yards (125 meters) per ¾ ounce (50 gram) ball, and the pattern requires 6 to 14 balls depending on the finished size selected.

The pattern calls for two sizes of circular needles:

• Size 5 US (3.75 mm) circular needle, 24–48 inches (60–120 cm) long for the ribbing and initial cast-on, with needle length selected according to bust size.
• Size 6 US (4 mm) circular needle, 24–48 inches (60–120 cm) long for the main body and yoke sections, also sized to accommodate the specific bust measurement being worked.

The use of two needle sizes allows for the traditional gauge control between ribbed and stockinette sections, while the range of circular needle lengths accommodates the full size range from the smallest to the largest finished measurements.