PurlJam Kid's Icelandic Lopi Vest - Size 6 Years

Overview: A warm, simple knitted vest worked flat in Icelandic Lopi yarn. Bulky, grab-and-go vest; worked in two main pieces and seamed. Designed with a comfortable, slightly relaxed fit for a 6-year-old.

Yarn and Materials

• Yarn: Lopi / Álafosslopi style Icelandic yarn, bulky. Approx 4 x 100 g skeins (total 400 g / 14 oz). Approx yardage per 100 g skein: 100 m / 109 yd. Total approx 400 m / 437 yd. (If using 50 g skeins, use about 8 skeins.)
• Needles: US 10.5 (6.5 mm) circular 24 in / 60 cm for main body; US 9 (5.5 mm) straight or short circular for ribbing and neck/edging. UK old sizes: 6.5 mm = UK 3, 5.5 mm = UK 5.
• Notions: Tapestry needle, stitch markers, waste yarn or stitch holder for neck shaping, scrap yarn for provisional cast-on if you prefer.
• Optional: 5.5 mm double-pointed needles or short circular for neckband, crochet hook in 5 mm for finishing, blocking pins.

Gauge

16 sts and 22 rows = 4 in / 10 cm in stockinette on 6.5 mm (US 10.5) needles. Important: gauge affects final size more than yarn brand. Swatch and adjust needle size to match gauge.

Finished Measurements

• Chest circumference: 28 in / 71 cm
• Length from shoulder to hem: 15 in / 38 cm
• Neck opening width: 5 in / 13 cm
• Armhole depth: 4.5 in / 11.5 cm (measured from underarm to shoulder)

Abbreviations

• CO = Cast On
• BO = Bind Off
• K = Knit
• P = Purl
• K2tog = Knit 2 together
• P2tog = Purl 2 together
• St(s) = Stitch(es)
• RS = Right Side
• WS = Wrong Side
• PM = Place Marker

Sizing Note

Pattern is written for a 6-year-old with finished chest 28 in / 71 cm. Adjust by increasing or decreasing multiples of 2 sts for desired width, keeping proportions and measurements in mind. Always swatch.

Pattern Notes

This vest is worked flat in two panels: back and front. The back is a simple rectangle. The front mirrors the back except for a shallow neck shaping. All shaping is minimal to keep the knit quick and suitable for bulky Icelandic yarn.

Back

1. CO 56 sts on 5.5 mm (US 9) needles. (This yields about 14 in / 36 cm width at the gauge above.)
2. Work K2, P2 rib for 1.5 in / 4 cm.
3. Change to 6.5 mm (US 10.5) needles. Work in stockinette (K on RS, P on WS) until piece measures 15 in / 38 cm from cast-on edge. Keep measuring; row counts will vary by tension.
4. At 15 in / 38 cm, BO all sts loosely. Set piece aside.

Front

1. CO 56 sts on 5.5 mm (US 9) needles.
2. Work K2, P2 rib for 1.5 in / 4 cm.
3. Change to 6.5 mm (US 10.5) needles. Work in stockinette until piece measures 13.5 in / 34 cm from cast-on edge.
4. Neck shaping: On next RS row, work across 18 sts, BO center 20 sts, work to end (this creates a neck opening approx 5 in / 13 cm). Place the two shoulder sections on holders or leave live.
5. Work each shoulder separately: continue in stockinette on first 18 sts until total length from cast-on is 15 in / 38 cm, then BO shoulder sts. Repeat for second shoulder.

Finishing

1. Seam shoulders: Using mattress stitch or preferred seaming method, seam each shoulder edge so that front shoulders meet back at right height.
2. Sew side seams from hem up to about 4.5 in / 11.5 cm (this defines the armhole depth). Leave top open for armhole.
3. Neckband: With 5.5 mm needles, pick up stitches evenly around the neck opening. Approximate pickup: pick up across one shoulder edge, along back neck, across opposite shoulder, and along front neck edges. Aim to pick up a multiple of 4 sts for a tidy rib; you will likely have about 38-44 sts depending on how tightly you pick up. Work K2, P2 rib for 1 in / 2.5 cm, then BO loosely in rib.
4. Armhole edgings: Using 5.5 mm needles, pick up evenly around each armhole. Work K2, P2 rib for 0.75 in / 2 cm and BO loosely, or work an I-cord for a slightly cleaner, rounded edge.
5. Weave in ends. Block gently to even out stitches and settle the fabric. Icelandic wool benefits from a light steam or gentle wet block; shape to measurements and allow to dry flat.

Notes and Adjustments

• To lengthen or shorten: add or subtract rows in stockinette before neck/armhole shaping. Keep the shoulder height consistent with back and front so seams match.
• To make the neck wider or narrower: change the number of center sts bound off on the front. Each 2 sts equals about 0.5 in / 1.25 cm at this gauge.
• To add shaping at armholes: you can bind off a few sts at each armhole edge and decrease inward as desired. The pattern intentionally keeps armholes rectangular for simplicity and warmth.

Care

Icelandic Lopi has good natural lanolin but can felt with aggressive agitation. Hand wash cool or use machine wool cycle if label permits. Dry flat.

Troubleshooting

• If your gauge is too tight, go up one needle size for body and/or use the larger needle for ribbing.
• If the vest feels too large, reduce CO and recalculate to keep proportions: each 2 sts changes width by approximately 0.5 in / 1.25 cm.

Contact and credits: Pattern by PurlJam. For support contact team at team@verde.uk. Website: https://purljam.verde.uk. Social: #purljam.

Happy knitting!

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