Knit with style

KEEP WARM THIS WINTER IN THESE KNITS. MELODY LORD SHOWS YOU HOW TO MAKE A FISHERMAN’S VEST AND A HAT.

This vest features cables at the front and sides. Fits small (medium, large). Tension: 16 stitches and 32 rows over 10cm. Finished length is about 58 (60, 62) centimetres, but the fisherman’s rib is heavy and stretchable. If you want to add more length, work more rows in step 1 before joining the front and back. knit up the stitches from the cable needle then continue the fisherman’s rib to the last 4 stitches. Continuing in fisherman’s rib, work the first 4 stitches from the right edge of the back, then work the remaining 4 stitches from the front. Continue in fisherman’s rib across the back until 4 stitches remain, then work the first 4 stitches from the left edge of the front, then the remaining 4 stitches of the back, then continue working fisherman’s rib in the round. This step creates the first side cable twists. When you are working fisherman’s rib in the round, work alternate rows as *K1, P1 in the row below*. You may find it helpful to place a stitch marker at the beginning of the round to indicate where to change. Work 16 rows in fisherman’s rib, then repeat the cable twists. Work in the round until you have completed 4 cables. On the final round, cast off 8 stitches across the top of the side cables and continue with the front and back as separate pieces. For the front (64, 72, 82 stitches), work in fisherman’s rib and continue the cables for the centre front until you have completed three more cables, ending with a wrong side row after the twist at the top of the third cable. For the front neck, work 20 (24, 29) stitches and turn. Working on these stitches only, knit or purl 2 tog at the neck edge of the next and alternate rows 4 (5, 6) times, until 16 (19, 23) stitches are left on the needle. Work 10 more rows in fisherman’s rib then shape the shoulder by casting off 8 (9, 11) stitches at the beginning of the next row, work one row, then cast off the remaining stitches. Place 24 stitches on a stitch holder and work the other side of the neck and shoulder to match. For the back (62, 70, 80 stitches), work 66 (68, 70) rows in fisherman’s rib, then cast off at the beginning of the next 4 rows, as for the front shoulders, leaving 22 stitches on the needle for the back neck. Use a large wool needle to sew up the shoulder seams. Use a magic loop or change to the shorter set of circular needles for the neck. Beginning with the back neck stitches that are still on the needle, work in fisherman’s rib across the back neck, knit up 10 (12, 14) stitches along the neck side edge, continue in fisherman’s rib across the 24 stitches from the stitch holder, and knit up 10 (12, 14) stitches along the other side edge. Continue working fisherman’s rib in the round for the neck (remembering to alternate knitting and purling into the row below), until you have completed a further two cables in the centre front. After the top twist of the final cable, work one wrong side row then cast off loosely in fisherman’s rib. Use a large wool needle to sew in the tails of yarn.