Valley Yarns Cardamom Vest Knitting Pattern

Valley Yarns Cardamom Vest

What is Being Made

The Cardamom Vest is a classic, fitted scoop-neck sleeveless garment designed by Kirsten Hipsky. This intermediate-level knitting project features a sophisticated cable pattern panel that repeats throughout the body, creating visual interest while maintaining a refined silhouette. The vest is available in six finished sizes ranging from 32 inches to 52 inches, accommodating a wide range of body measurements. The design includes self-finishing ribbed edges that transition into subtle saddle shoulders, eliminating the need for additional finishing techniques and creating a polished, professional appearance.

Techniques Used

This project employs cable knitting as its primary decorative technique, featuring an intricate Cardamom Panel pattern that repeats on a multiple of 15 stitches. The cable work includes both back cables (BC) and front cables (FC), which are created by slipping stitches to a cable needle and holding them either to the back or front of the work before knitting. The vest is constructed using the seamed method, meaning individual pieces are knitted separately and then joined together with seams, allowing for precise shaping and fit.

Additional stitch techniques incorporated into the design include yarn overs (yo) worked as k1-yo-k1 in 1 st, which creates decorative eyelet effects by knitting into the same stitch multiple times before removing it from the needle. The pattern also utilizes sl1-k2tog-psso (slip 1, knit 2 together, pass slipped stitch over), a left-leaning decrease that balances the yarn overs and creates a refined, lacy quality within the cable panel.

Stitches Used

• Stockinette Stitch (St st): The primary fabric base, created by alternating knit rows on the right side with purl rows on the wrong side, providing a smooth, classic appearance
• Reverse Stockinette Stitch (Rev St st): The inverse of stockinette, used to create textural contrast within the design
• Garter Stitch: Created through the self-finishing ribbed edges that transition into saddle shoulders
• Cable Stitches (LC and RC): Left cable and right cable variations that form the distinctive Cardamom Panel pattern, creating twisted rope-like textures
• Yarn Overs: Decorative increases that create small eyelet details throughout the cable panel
• Decreases: Including sl1-k2tog-psso and standard k2tog (knit 2 together) to maintain stitch count and shape the garment

Materials

The Cardamom Vest requires Valley Yarns Northampton, a 100% wool yarn with a yardage of 247 yards per 100-gram skein. Yarn quantities vary by size: 3 skeins for sizes 32 and 36 inches, 4 skeins for sizes 40 and 44 inches, and 5 skeins for sizes 48 and 52 inches. The recommended needles are US size 6 (4.00mm) or the size needed to achieve the specified gauge of 22 stitches and 30 rows equaling 4 inches in stockinette stitch. Additional materials include 2 stitch markers to help track pattern repeats and construction points, and a cable needle for managing stitches during cable crossings.

Difficulty Level

This project is classified as intermediate difficulty, making it suitable for knitters with some experience beyond basic techniques. The cable pattern, while described as unusual but easy to follow, requires familiarity with cable stitches and the ability to read complex stitch charts. The seamed construction method demands precision in shaping and finishing, contributing to the intermediate classification.