Merino Stripes Curved V-Neck Vest
Designed and Knit by Gail Tanquary for Crystal Palace Yarns

sizes 36, 40, 44, 48"

Materials
4 (5, 5, 6) 50-gram balls Merino Stripes color #063 'Pacific Sunset'
Crystal Palace Bamboo Needles or DAISY Needles
Size 10 - 35" or 40" circular needle.
Size 11 SP needles
2 buttons, 2 stitch markers

Gauge: 12 sts = 4" on larger size needles (be sure to check your gauge for accurate sizing)

Abbreviations:
beg - beginning, BO - bind off, CO - cast on, cont - continue, inc - increase, K - knit, P - purl, patt - pattern, st(s) - stitch(es), SP - single point, PM = place stitch marker, tog - together, yo - yarn over, WS - wrong side

Instructions
[Beginning CO is top of center back, knitting progresses down the back.]
Using size 10 needle, CO 54 (60, 66, 72) sts. Work in garter st until piece measures 9.5 (10, 11, 12)" from CO edge. Break yarn. Work now is a rectangle of garter st making upper back of vest. [Note you are knitting back and forth on the circular needles, all K rows for garter st, you do not form a circle with the knitting.]
[See layout photos at bottom of this page.]
On each SP #11 needle, CO 18 (20, 22, 26) sts. [These form the underarm and front of armhole.] K sts from 1st #11 needle onto circular needle, PM, K across sts of back, PM, K sts from 2nd SP #11 needle.
P one row.

Begin Ridged pattern:
Row 1: K to 6 sts before marker, inc in next 6 sts, slip marker, inc in next 2 sts, K to 2 sts before next marker, inc in next 2 sts, slip marker, inc in next 6 sts, K to end.
Rows 2, 4, 5, 6, 8: Purl
Rows 3 & 7: Knit
Repeat these 8 rows 1 (2, 3, 4) more times.

Front Neck Edge Shaping
Keeping continuity of ridged patt, BO 8 sts at beg of next 2 rows. 6 sts at beg of next 2 rows, 4 sts at beg of next 2 rows, 2 sts at beg of next 2 rows. Cont in ridged patt as established, dec 1 st at each end of needle on every row until a total of 6 (7, 8, 9) P ridges have been completed. Cont in patt to row 3, a WS knit row, ending at right front edge).
Sew shoulder seams.
Edge Trim
Cont with circular needle, place a marker at right front edge to mark beginning of neck shaping, pick up and K 36 (42, 46, 50) sts along right neck edge, pick up and K 1 st in each st along back neck edge, pick up and knit 36 (42, 46, 50 sts along left front neck edge, K to marker at front neck edge.
Buttonhole row: P around to 10 sts before marker at right front neck edge, yo, P2 tog, K6, yo,
P2 tog, P to end of round. K 1-2 rounds, P 1 round. Bind off loosely using tip of #11 needle.
Block front lightly as needed.

Designed and Knit by Gail Tanquary for Crystal Palace Yarns
Visit Gail's shop, Alameda Yarn Co., Alameda, CA if you are in the East Bay area.

Top of Vest - back view Bottom of vest

Top of Vest - showing right armhole opening Bottom of vest

Copyright 2006 Crystal Palace Yarns/Straw Into Gold, Inc. - We are happy to share this  pattern with knitters. The pattern may be used for non-commercial personal or knitting guild use. It is not to be used in any publication in print nor should it be reproduced in electronic/digital format without permission. Knitting shops carrying CP Yarns Merino Stripes are welcome to print and share this pattern with customers of our yarns.

Retail shops in the USA should contact CPY Wholesale for information on purchasing Crystal Palace Yarns and email cpyinfo @ straw.com .

or write to:
Crystal Palace Yarns, 160 23rd St., Richmond, CA 94804
phone: 510-237-9988,  fax: 510-237-9809