Valley Yarns Greenwood Cabled Vest Knitting Pattern

Valley Yarns Greenwood Cabled Vest

What Is Being Made

The Greenwood Cabled Vest is a sleeveless waistcoat cardigan designed by Melissa Morgan-Oakes. This intermediate-level knitting project creates a fitted vest with a classic button-front closure, available in six different sizes with finished chest measurements ranging from 33 to 50 inches. The vest features decorative cable panels positioned strategically across the front and back, making it a sophisticated layering piece suitable for various occasions.

Construction Method

This vest is worked flat on circular needles, meaning pieces are knitted back and forth in rows rather than in the round. The garment is constructed using a bottom-up approach, beginning with cast-on stitches at the lower edge and working upward toward the shoulders. Individual pieces—front panels and back panel—are knitted separately and then seamed together at the shoulders to create the finished garment.

Cable Techniques and Stitch Details

The defining design element of the Greenwood Cabled Vest is its use of cables, which are created by crossing groups of stitches over one another to produce a twisted, three-dimensional texture. The pattern establishes cable panels by placing stitch markers to clearly delineate where cables are located. Each cable section consists of 17 stitches positioned between markers, with the cable pattern itself worked over 6 knit stitches and 5 purl stitches (k6, p5, k6). These cable panels repeat across both the front and back pieces at regular intervals.

The body of the vest is worked primarily in stockinette stitch (abbreviated St st), which creates a smooth, flat fabric that provides an ideal background for the textured cables. The ribbed edging at the lower edge is worked in k2, p2 rib for 5 rows, creating an elastic, fitted border that helps the vest maintain its shape.

Shaping and Fit

The vest features strategic shaping to create a tailored fit. Armhole shaping is accomplished by decreasing 1 stitch at each end of every other row for a specified number of times depending on size. Shoulder shaping is worked using a stepped bind-off method, where stitches are bound off in multiple stages to create angled shoulders that sit properly on the body. The front panels are shaped independently, while the back panel includes a center neck opening that is bound off to create the neckline opening.

Materials and Tools Required

The Greenwood Cabled Vest is knitted using Valley Yarns Northampton, a 100% wool yarn that provides warmth, elasticity, and durability. Each skein contains 247 yards and weighs 100 grams. The pattern requires 3 skeins of yarn in the fawn colorway. Knitting needles include Size 8 circular needles in both 32-inch and 16-inch lengths, or the size needed to achieve proper gauge. Additional notions include 8 stitch markers for tracking cable panel locations and five ½-inch buttons for the front button band closure.

Gauge and Sizing

Achieving the correct gauge of 18 stitches and 24 rows per 4 inches in stockinette stitch is essential for the vest to fit properly. The pattern is graded across six sizes, with finished chest measurements of 33, 36, 39, 42, 46, and 50 inches, accommodating a wide range of body types. Length measurements are also adjusted by size, ranging from 20.5 to 25 inches from the cast-on edge to the shoulder.

Finishing Details

Once all pieces are completed, the vest is finished by seaming the shoulder seams together using a mattress stitch or similar seaming method. Front button bands are then added to frame the front opening and provide structure for the button closures. The five buttons are positioned evenly along the front band, creating a classic cardigan closure that allows the vest to be worn open or buttoned for a more fitted appearance.