KID’S COLOURWORK VEST
The neck is close fitting, so use a stretchy cast off, like Elizabeth Zimmermans’ sewn cast off. The bottom colourwork section can be worked using either intarsia or stranded colourwork, but involves some long floats, so intarsia may be preferable; using separate balls of yarn for each area of colour, and twisting yarns on wrong side of work to avoid a hole.
Note
Next row
"If the recipient would prefer a different animal on their patch, you could swap the llama for their favourite creature instead – I’m rather partial to tortoises myself!" JENNIFER MAY, PRODUCTION ASSISTANT
BACK
*Cast on 69 (75: 79: 85) sts using 3.25mm needles and Yarn A. Row 1 *K1, P1; rep from * to last st, K1.
Row 2 *P1, K1; rep from * to last st, P1.
Continue as set working moss stitch until piece measures 3 (3: 3: 5) cm, ending after a RS row.
Change to 4mm needles (WS) Purl.
Work Rows 1 to 10 from Chart A as follows using your chosen colourwork method: 2-3 YRS ONLY
Work sts 1 to 4, work sts 5 to 16 five times in total, work sts 5 to 9 once. [69 sts] 4-5 YRS ONLY
Work sts 3 to 4, work sts 5 to 16 six times in total, work st 17. [75 sts] 6-7 YRS ONLY
Work sts 1 to 4, work sts 5 to 16 six times in total, work sts 17 to 19. [79 sts] 8-9 YRS ONLY
Work st 3, work sts 5 to 16 seven times in total. [85 sts] ALL SIZES
Change to Yarn C and Knit one row.**
Beg with a purl row, work in st st until piece measures 21.5 (25: 27.5: 29) cm ending after WS row. SHAPE ARMHOLES
Cast off 5 (6: 6: 7) sts at beg of next 2 rows. [59 (63: 67: 71) sts] Dec 1 st at each end of next and foll 3 RS rows. [51 (55: 59: 63) sts] Continue to work in st st without shaping until piece measures 31 (35.5: 39: 43) cm from cast-on edge ending after a WS row. SHAPE BACK NECK
Next row
K15 (16: 18: 19), turn and work on these sts only: Dec 1 st at neck edge on next 2 rows. [13 (14: 16: 17) sts]