purlJam

<pattern>

# AUTUMN LEAF VEST

A classic waist-length vest featuring reverse stockinette stitch with charming bobble trim and an elegant leaf motif on the front panels. Perfect for layering, this vest combines simple construction with textured details that make it special.

## SIZES
XS (S, M, L, XL, 2XL)

## FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
**Chest circumference:** 32 (36, 40, 44, 48, 52)" / 81 (91, 102, 112, 122, 132) cm
**Length:** 18.5 (19, 19.5, 20, 20.5, 21)" / 47 (48, 50, 51, 52, 53) cm

*Vest is designed with approximately 2" / 5 cm positive ease.*

## MATERIALS

**Yarn:** Worsted weight yarn
- Main Color (MC): 600 (700, 800, 900, 1000, 1100) yards / 549 (640, 732, 823, 914, 1006) m
- Sample shown in Cascade 220 (100% Peruvian Highland Wool; 220 yards / 100g)

**Needles:** 
- US 7 (4.5 mm) needles for ribbing
- US 8 (5 mm) needles for main body, or size needed to obtain gauge

**Notions:**
- Stitch markers
- Stitch holders or waste yarn
- Tapestry needle
- 4 buttons, ¾" diameter (optional, for shoulders)

## GAUGE
18 sts × 24 rows = 4" (10 cm) in reverse stockinette stitch on larger needles, blocked

**CRITICAL:** Take time to check your gauge. Work a swatch at least 6" square, block it, and measure carefully. Adjust needle size if necessary.

## ABBREVIATIONS
- k: knit
- p: purl
- RS: right side
- WS: wrong side
- st(s): stitch(es)
- inc: increase
- dec: decrease
- k2tog: knit 2 stitches together (right-leaning decrease)
- ssk: slip, slip, knit (left-leaning decrease)
- p2tog: purl 2 stitches together
- MB: make bobble (see Special Techniques)
- pm: place marker
- sm: slip marker
- BO: bind off
- CO: cast on
- beg: beginning
- cont: continue
- rep: repeat

## SPECIAL TECHNIQUES

### Make Bobble (MB)
1. Work (k1, p1, k1, p1, k1) all into the same stitch (5 sts made from 1)
2. Turn work, p5
3. Turn work, k5
4. Turn work, p5
5. Turn work, k5
6. Turn work, p2tog, p1, p2tog (3 sts remain)
7. Turn work, sl 1, k2tog, psso (1 st remains)
8. Continue in pattern

*Note: Bobbles are worked on RS rows. The surrounding fabric will be reverse stockinette (purl on RS), creating nice contrast.*

### Reverse Stockinette Stitch (Rev St st)
- RS rows: Purl all stitches
- WS rows: Knit all stitches

### 1×1 Rib (flat)
- RS rows: *K1, p1; rep from * to end
- WS rows: *P1, k1; rep from * to end

## PATTERN NOTES

- Vest is worked flat in pieces from the bottom up
- Back and front pieces are worked separately, then seamed
- The leaf motif is worked in stockinette stitch (knit on RS) on a reverse stockinette background, creating a textured relief effect
- Read charts from right to left on RS rows, left to right on WS rows
- On RS rows, chart stitches marked with filled squares are knit; open squares are purled
- On WS rows, chart stitches marked with filled squares are purled; open squares are knit
- Bobbles are incorporated into the ribbed hem and later picked up for edgings

## LEAF MOTIF CHART

### CHART A: Leaf Motif (17 sts × 25 rows)

```
25: □□□□□□□□■□□□□□□□□
24: □□□□□□□■■■□□□□□□□
23: □□□□□□■■□■■□□□□□□
22: □□□□□■■□□□■■□□□□□
21: □□□□■■□□□□□■■□□□□
20: □□□■■□□□□□□□■■□□□
19: □□■■□□□□□□□□□■■□□
18: □□■□□□□□□□□□□□■□□
17: □□■■□□□□□□□□□■■□□
16: □□□■■□□□□□□□■■□□□
15: □□□□■■□□□□□■■□□□□
14: □□□□□■■□□□■■□□□□□
13: □□□□□□■■□■■□□□□□□
12: □□□□□□□■■■□□□□□□□
11: □□□□□□□□■□□□□□□□□
10: □□□□□□□■■■□□□□□□□
 9: □□□□□□■■□■■□□□□□□
 8: □□□□□■■□□□■■□□□□□
 7: □□□□■■□□□□□■■□□□□
 6: □□□■■□□□□□□□■■□□□
 5: □□■■□□□□□□□□□■■□□
 4: □■■□□□□□□□□□□□■■□
 3: □■□□□□□□□□□□□□□■□
 2: □■■□□□□□□□□□□□■■□
 1: □□■■■■■■■■■■■■■□□
```

**CHART KEY:**
- □ = Purl on RS, knit on WS (reverse stockinette background)
- ■ = Knit on RS, purl on WS (leaf motif in stockinette)

**Chart represents RS rows.** Work as follows:
- **RS rows (odd numbers):** Read chart from right to left. Purl background squares, knit leaf squares.
- **WS rows (even numbers):** Read chart from left to right. Knit background squares, purl leaf squares.

The leaf motif is 17 stitches wide and 25 rows tall. It will be centered on each front panel.

---

## INSTRUCTIONS

### BACK

**Hem with Bobbles:**
With smaller needles and MC, CO 73 (82, 91, 100, 109, 118) sts.

**Setup Row (WS):** *P1, k1; rep from * to last st, p1.

**Bobble Row (RS):** K1, *p1, k1, p1, MB, p1, k1; rep from * to last 0 (1, 0, 1, 0, 1) st(s), [p1, k1] 0 (0, 0, 0, 0, 0) times, p0 (1, 0, 1, 0, 1).

Work in 1×1 rib for 5 more rows, ending with a WS row.

[Stitch count check: 73 (82, 91, 100, 109, 118) sts]

**Body:**
Change to larger needles.

**Next Row (RS):** Purl all sts (this is the RS of reverse stockinette).

Continue in Rev St st (purl on RS, knit on WS) until piece measures 10.5 (10.75, 11, 11.25, 11.5, 11.75)" / 27 (27, 28, 29, 29, 30) cm from CO edge, ending with a WS row.

[Stitch count check: 73 (82, 91, 100, 109, 118) sts]

**Armhole Shaping:**
BO 4 (5, 6, 7, 8, 9) sts at beg of next 2 rows. [65 (72, 79, 86, 93, 100) sts]

**Next Row (RS):** P1, p2tog, purl to last 3 sts, ssp (slip 1 purlwise, slip 1 purlwise, return to left needle and purl together through back loops), p1. [63 (70, 77, 84, 91, 98) sts]

**Next Row (WS):** Knit all sts.

Rep last 2 rows 2 (3, 4, 5, 6, 7) more times. [59 (64, 69, 74, 79, 84) sts]

[Math check for XS: 73 - 8 (BO) - 6 (3 RS dec rows × 2 sts) = 59 sts ✓]
[Math check for S: 82 - 10 - 8 = 64 sts ✓]
[Math check for M: 91 - 12 - 10 = 69 sts ✓]
[Math check for L: 100 - 14 - 12 = 74 sts ✓]
[Math check for XL: 109 - 16 - 14 = 79 sts ✓]
[Math check for 2XL: 118 - 18 - 16 = 84 sts ✓]

Continue even in Rev St st until armhole measures 7.5 (8, 8.5, 9, 9.5, 10)" / 19 (20, 22, 23, 24, 25) cm, ending with a WS row.

**Shoulder Shaping:**
BO 5 (6, 6, 7, 7, 8) sts at beg of next 4 rows. [39 (40, 45, 46, 51, 52) sts]

BO 6 (5, 6, 6, 7, 7) sts at beg of next 2 rows. [27 (30, 33, 34, 37, 38) sts]

BO remaining sts for back neck.

### LEFT FRONT

**Hem with Bobbles:**
With smaller needles and MC, CO 37 (41, 46, 50, 55, 59) sts.

**Setup Row (WS):** *P1, k1; rep from * to last st, p1.

**Bobble Row (RS):** K1, *p1, k1, p1, MB, p1, k1; rep from * to end, adjusting final sts as needed to maintain rib pattern.

Work in 1×1 rib for 5 more rows, ending with a WS row.

[Stitch count check: 37 (41, 46, 50, 55, 59) sts]

**Body:**
Change to larger needles.

**Next Row (RS):** Purl all sts.

Continue in Rev St st until piece measures 2.5" / 6 cm from CO edge, ending with a WS row.

**Leaf Motif Placement:**
Calculate center position: [37 (41, 46, 50, 55, 59) - 17] ÷ 2 = 10 (12, 14.5, 16.5, 19, 21) sts from edge. Round to 10 (12, 15, 17, 19, 21) sts for even placement.

**Next Row (RS):** P10 (12, 15, 17, 19, 21), work Row 1 of Chart A over next 17 sts, p10 (12, 14, 16, 17, 21) to end.

**Next Row (WS