Chic Chunky Knitted Vest Top Pattern — Step‑by‑Step Guide for Women
This step‑by‑step knitting pattern shows how to make a chunky knitted vest top for women. The instructions include materials, gauge, stitch abbreviations, and detailed row/round directions for the back, shoulders, yoke, ribbing, sleeves, and neckline. Suitable for knitters comfortable with increases, short rows, and knitting in the round.
Knitting materials and tools:
- Circular knitting needles: 6 mm (US 10/UK 3) for ribbing, 8 mm (US 11/UK 0) for main fabric, and 10 mm (US 15/UK 000) for initial cast on.
- Yarn: Typhon, Pingouin (Chunky) – 60% acrylic, 20% mohair, 20% wool, 50 g = 50 m (55 yd) per skein. Total used: 300 g.
Classic knit vest top size:
Chest: 78–102 cm
Gauge: 10 stitches = 4 inches (vest pattern)
Common abbreviations of knitting stitches:
- k – knit
- p – purl
- dwp – double wrap purl stitch: insert the needle as if to purl and instead of wrapping the needle once, wrap it twice, pull it through and you will end up with two wraps on your needle.
- dwk – double wrap knit stitch: insert the needle as if to knit and instead of wrapping the needle once, wrap it twice, pull it through and you will end up with two wraps on your needle.
- M1L – make one left increase: pick up bar bringing left hand needle from the front to the back, then purl (or knit) the bar through the back loop doing double wrap purl (or knit) stitch.
- M1R – make one right increase: pick up bar bringing left hand needle from the back to the front, then purl (or knit) the bar through the front loop doing double wrap purl (or knit) stitch.
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- yo – yarn over: lay the working yarn over the right needle from front to back.
- pm – place marker
- sel s – selvage stitch: always slip the first stitch purlwise, work to the last stitch, purl the last stitch
Back part of the knit vest top
Using 10 mm needles and long tail cast on method, cast on 34 stitches.
Now change to 8 mm needles.
Row 1 (WS): sel s, dwp 32, sel s.
Row 2 (RS): sel s, k33. Knit through first wrap and drop the second wrap off the needle that will create a long loop. On the right side always knit the last stitch)
Rows 3–20: repeat Rows 1 and 2.
After Row 20 the back part must measure about 20 cm.
Row 21 (WS): sel s, M1L, dwp 32, M1R, sel s.
Row 22: sel s, k35.
Row 23: sel s, M1L, dwp 34, M1R, sel s.
Row 24: sel s, k37.
Row 25: sel s, M1L, dwp 36, M1R, sel s.
Row 26: sel s, k39.
Row 27: sel s, M1L, dwp 38, M1R, sel s.
Row 28: sel s, k41.
Cut the yarn. Slip all stitches to a scrap yarn.
From the other side, along the edge pick up 34 stitches doing at the same time double wrap knit stitch.
Because human body is not shaped exactly the same front to back, with the help of short rows, we are going to knit a yoke that will have the front neckline lower than the back one.
Row 1 (WS, short row): sel s, p21. Purl through first wrap and drop the second wrap off the needle that will create a long loop. Remove the stitch marker and turn.
Row 2 (short row): yo, dwk 10. Remove stitch marker and turn.
Row 3 (short row): yo, p10, purl yo and the next stitch together, p4. Remove stitch marker and turn.
Row 4 (short row): yo dwk 15, knit yo and next stitch together doing dwk, dwk 4. Remove stitch marker and turn.
Row 5 (short row): yo, p20, purl yo and the next stitch together, p6. Turn.
Shoulders of the knit vest top
Count 8 sts from the right and from the left side and pm.
Right shoulder:
Row 1: sel s, dwk 7.
Row 2: p8.
Row 3: sel s, dwp 6, k1.
Row 4: sel s, p6, sel s.
Rows 5–8: repeat Rows 3–4.
Row 9: sel s, dwk 6, M1L, k1.
Row 10: sel s, p7, sel s.
Row 11: sel s, dwk 7, M1L, k1.
Row 12: sel s, p8, sel s.
The right shoulder is ready. Slip these 10 sts to the scrap yarn and do not cut the yarn.
Join new working yarn, bind off 18 stitches between shoulders (neck line), till the stitch marker.
Left shoulder:
Row 1: count the stitch on the right-hand needle as first stitch of this row. Dwk 1, knit yo and next stitch together doing dwk, dwk 4, k1.
Row 2: sel s, p6, sel s.
Row 3: sel s, dwk 6, k1.
Row 4: sel s, p6, sel s.
Rows 5–8: repeat Rows 3–4.
Row 9: sel s, M1R, dwk 6, k1.
Row 10: sel s, p7, sel s.
Row 11: sel s, M1R, dwk 7, k1.
Row 12: sel s, p8, sel s.
On the left needle cast on 14 sts. Cut the yarn. Slip 10 sts that we placed on the scrap yarn to the left-hand needle. The tail that you did not cut previously now is going to be your working yarn.
Row 13: sel s, dwk 32, k1.
Row 14: sel s, p32, sel s.
Rows 15–20: repeat Rows 13–14.
Row 21: sel s, M1R, dwk 32, M1L, k1.
Row 22: sel s, p34, sel s.
Row 23: sel s, M1R, dwk 34, M1L, k1.
Row 24: sel s, p36, sel s.
Row 25: sel s, M1R, dwk 36, M1L, k1.
Row 26: sel s, p38, sel s.
Row 27: sel s, M1R, dwk 38, M1L, k1.
Row 28: sel s, p40, sel s.
Now slip all stitches to one circular needle as we are going to join and knit in rounds.
Round 1: sel s, dwk till the end.
Round 2: knit all stitches.
Round 3: dwk around.
Round 4: knit all stitches.
Rounds 5–20: repeat rounds 3 and 4.
At this point the vest measures 23 cm from underarm (as in the original sample).
Ribbing of the knit vest top
Change to 6 mm knitting needles.
Divide all stitches in half: 42 and 42 sts. We are going to knit in rows again.
Row 1: [k1, p1] – 21 times.
Row 2: sel s, p1, [k1, p1] – 19 times, k1, sel s.
Rows 3–8: repeat Row 2.
Bind off all stitches using an elastic bind off method. Cut the yarn. Knit the ribbing from another side.
Sleeves of the knit vest top
Using 6 mm knitting needles, pick up stitches around the armhole. Pick up stitches not only through the long loops but also through small holes between them. The final number must be divisible by 2.
Round 1: [k1, p1] – till the end of round.
Rounds 2–5: repeat Round 1.
Bind off all stitches. Repeat for the second sleeve.
Neckline ribbing of the knit vest top
Using 6 mm knitting needles, pick up stitches around the neckline. The final number must be divisible by 2.
Round 1: [k1, p1] – till the end of round.
Rounds 2–10: repeat Round 1.
Bind off all stitches.
Weave in all ends. Wash the vest and dry it on a flat surface.