Continuing on the theme of summer knits and bamboo yarn, I wanted to share with you my pattern for the Bamboo Ladder Vest. As I stated in my previous post about dyeing bamboo,this vest is very comfortable in warm weather and gracefully drapes over a sleeveless tank top without adding extra warmth. This free pattern is now available! Click here to download. The vest is knit in 2 pieces, left and right side. There is minimal sewing required as it has one back seam and two 4 inch side seams.
It is a relatively quick knit and very fun to run the dropped stitches the entire length of the vest.
Bamboo Ladder Vest
Finished measurements:
One size- W-29”, L-17”
Materials:
· 490 yds ( 2- 245 yd skeins) of Shanghai bamboo yarn for short vest
· US #4 needles, #5 needles for the bind off
· Large lightweight button or shawl pin
Pattern Notes
Knit cast on– create a slip knot and place on the left needle. Insert the right needle into the stitch as if to knit. Draw the new loop through and place it on the left needle. You now have 2 stitches on the needle.
Picot cast on– using the knit cast on* cast on 4 sts (there will be 5 sts on your needle counting the slip knot) Bind off (BO) 1, slip stitch back to the left needle, cast on 4, BO1, slip stitch back to the left needle, cast on 4, continuing this pattern until you have 45 sts on the needle.
Elastic bind off (EBO)– Slip first stitch, *K 1, with the left needle go into the front of these 2 stitches and knit the 2 stitches together,* continue * * until all the stitches have been bound off.
References: Elastic Bind off- www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mGIt936Vvg
Picot bind off– this is a variation of Nicky Epsteins’s Knitting on the Edge Picot Point Chain Edging found on page 148. For every k2 together in the bind off instruction- the left needle goes into the front of these 2 stitches to knit together.
Slip 1, K1, K2 together (EBO), K1, K2 together (EBO), slip stitch to left needle,* knit cast on 1 stitch, K2, K 2 together (EBO),K1, K 2 together (EBO), K1, K 2 together (EBO), slip the stitch on the right needle back to the left needle *and continue * * until all the stitches have been bound off.
Right Side
Row 1: Cast on loosely. With the #4 US needles start the Picot cast on 45 sts.
Row 2: K 6, yo,* K3, yo, K3, yo*, continue * * until last 6 sts. K6 (57 sts)
Row 3: Purl to last 3 sts, K3
Row 4: Knit
Repeat Rows 3 and 4 until the piece measures 13”.
Next Row: Right side facing knit to last 15 sts. Drop 1 st, K3, drop 1 st, K3, drop 1 st, K6 (54 sts) Work the dropped stitches to the bottom of the piece.
Next Row: K 12, purl to last 3 sts, K3
Next Row: Knit
Next Row: K 12, purl to last 3 sts, K3
Next Row: Knit
Next Row: Bind off 11 sts using the elastic bind off method, K2, purl to last 3 sts, K3 (43 sts)
Next Row: Knit
Next Row: K3, purl to last 3 sts, K3
Continue with these 2 rows until the piece measures 15” from the neck.
With right side facing, K6, drop 1, *k3, drop 1,* continue to follow the pattern until last 4 stitches are on the needle, K4
Next Row: Purl
Next Row: With a size #5 needle -Picot bind off with elastic bind off method.
Left Side
Row 1 & 2 are the same as for the Right side.
Row 3: K3, purl to end of row
Row 4: Knit
Continue with rows 3 and 4 until the piece measures 13”.
Next row: with wrong side facing K3, purl to last 15 stitches. With 15stitches left on the left needle,
Drop 1 stitch, P 3, drop 1 stitch, P 3 drop 1 stitch P6. (54 stitches)
Row 1A: Knit
Row 2A: K3, P39, Knit last 12 stitches
Row 3A: Knit
Row 4A: K3, P39, Knit last 12 sts
Row 5A: Bind off 11 sts with the elastic bind off method, knit to end (43 sts)
Row 6A: K3, P37, K3
Row 7A: Knit
Row 8A: Repeat rows 8A and 9A until the length of the piece is 29” ( )
Row 9A: With right side facing, K4, drop 1 stitch, *K3, drop 1 stitch, K3, drop 1 stitch*, repeat ** until last 6 stitches, K6. (34 stitches)
Row 10A: Purl all stitches
Row 11A: With # 5 needles Picot edge bind off with elastic bind off method- loosely.
Finishing
Block the pieces to the recommend lengths. Sew the center back and sew the side seams 4” from the bottom edge. You can sew the front together at the bottom edge and add a decorative button or use a shawl pin to fasten the fronts together.
