purlJam

# Classic Button-Front Vest

A timeless V-neck waistcoat with five front buttons, worked flat in stocking stitch with ribbed edgings. An ideal first garment for confident beginners — no sleeves, no complicated shaping, just clean lines and a satisfying finish.

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## Sizes

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

**Finished chest measurement:** 82 (92, 102, 112, 122, 132) cm / 32 (36, 40, 44, 48, 52) in
**Finished length:** 56 (56, 58, 58, 60, 60) cm / 22 (22, 23, 23, 23½, 23½) in

Designed to be worn with 0–5 cm / 0–2 in of positive ease.

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## Materials

- **Yarn:** Worsted weight (Aran), approx. 500 (550, 600, 700, 800, 900) m / 545 (600, 655, 765, 875, 985) yds
- **Needles:** 5 mm (UK 6 / US 8) straight or circular needles for main fabric
- 4 mm (UK 8 / US 6) needles for ribbed edgings
- **Notions:** Tapestry needle, stitch markers, stitch holders or waste yarn, 5 buttons (approx. 18–20 mm diameter), sewing thread and needle for buttons

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## Tension (Gauge)

20 sts × 28 rows = 10 cm / 4 in over stocking stitch on 5 mm needles, after blocking.

**Please take time to check your tension — accurate tension ensures a good fit.**

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## Abbreviations

- **k** – knit
- **p** – purl
- **st(s)** – stitch(es)
- **st st** – stocking stitch (k on RS, p on WS)
- **k2tog** – knit 2 stitches together (right-leaning decrease)
- **ssk** – slip, slip, knit (left-leaning decrease)
- **RS / WS** – right side / wrong side
- **BO** – bind off (cast off)
- **CO** – cast on
- **rep** – repeat
- **rem** – remaining
- **yo** – yarn over
- **beg** – beginning

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## Construction Notes

The vest is worked flat in four pieces from the bottom up: one back, two fronts (left and right). Shoulders and side seams are joined, then stitches are picked up around each armhole for a ribbed band. Finally, a single button band/neckband is picked up along the entire front-and-neck edge, with five buttonholes worked on the right front (for a women's vest) or left front (for a men's vest).

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## BACK

With 4 mm needles, CO **82 (92, 102, 112, 122, 132) sts**.

**Ribbed hem (2×2 rib):**
- **Row 1 (RS):** K2, *p2, k2; rep from * to end.
- **Row 2 (WS):** P2, *k2, p2; rep from * to end.

Rep Rows 1–2 until rib measures **6 cm / 2½ in**, ending with a WS row.

Change to 5 mm needles and work in st st (k on RS, p on WS) until piece measures **34 cm / 13½ in** from cast-on edge, ending with a WS row.

### Armhole shaping

**Next row (RS):** BO 4 sts at beg of row, k to end.
**Next row (WS):** BO 4 sts at beg of row, p to end.
*Stitch count: 74 (84, 94, 104, 114, 124) sts.*

**Decrease row (RS):** K2, ssk, k to last 4 sts, k2tog, k2. (2 sts dec)
**Next row (WS):** Purl.

Rep last 2 rows **3 more times** (4 dec rows total).
*Stitch count: 66 (76, 86, 96, 106, 116) sts.*
*Math check: 74 − (4 × 2) = 66 ✓*

Continue straight in st st until armhole measures **22 cm / 8¾ in**, ending with a WS row.

### Shoulder and back neck shaping

**Next row (RS):** BO 6 (7, 8, 10, 12, 13) sts, k until there are 14 (17, 20, 22, 24, 27) sts on the right needle after the bind-off, place rem 46 (52, 58, 64, 70, 76) sts on a holder, turn.

Working on the first shoulder only:
**Next row (WS):** BO 4 sts (neck edge), p to end.
**Next row (RS):** BO rem 10 (13, 16, 18, 20, 23) sts.

Return to held sts. With RS facing, rejoin yarn and BO centre **26 (28, 30, 32, 34, 36) sts** for back neck, k to end. *14 (17, 20, 22, 24, 27) sts rem.*
**Next row (WS):** Purl.
**Next row (RS):** BO 4 sts, k to end. *10 (13, 16, 18, 20, 23) sts.*
**Next row (WS):** Purl.
BO rem sts.

*Math check: Each shoulder 10 (13, 16, 18, 20, 23) sts + back neck 26 (28, 30, 32, 34, 36) sts + initial BO 6 (7, 8, 10, 12, 13) sts × 2 + neck BO 4 × 2 = 10×2 + 26 + 12 + 8 = 66 ✓ (XS shown)*

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## LEFT FRONT

With 4 mm needles, CO **41 (46, 51, 56, 61, 66) sts**.

**Ribbed hem:**
- **Row 1 (RS):** K1, *p2, k2; rep from * to end.
- **Row 2 (WS):** *P2, k2; rep from * to last st, p1.

Rep Rows 1–2 until rib measures **6 cm / 2½ in**, ending with a WS row.

Change to 5 mm needles. Work in st st until piece measures **30 cm / 12 in** from cast-on edge, ending with a WS row.

### V-neck shaping begins

**Decrease row (RS):** K to last 4 sts, k2tog, k2. (1 st dec at neck edge)

Work 3 rows even in st st.

Rep these last 4 rows, decreasing 1 st at neck edge every 4th row, AT THE SAME TIME, when piece measures **34 cm / 13½ in** from cast-on edge, ending with a WS row, shape armhole:

### Armhole shaping (continue V-neck decreases)

**Next row (RS):** BO 4 sts, k to end (continuing any neck dec as needed on this row).
**Next row (WS):** Purl.

**Armhole decrease row (RS):** K2, ssk, k to last 4 sts, k2tog, k2 (when a neck dec falls), or K2, ssk, k to end (when no neck dec).
**Next WS row:** Purl.

Continue armhole decreases at armhole edge every RS row 4 times total (as for back), and continue V-neck decreases every 4th row until **10 (13, 16, 18, 20, 23) sts** remain.

Work even until armhole measures the same as back to shoulder, ending with a WS row.

### Shoulder shaping

**Next row (RS):** BO 6 (7, 8, 10, 12, 13) sts, k to end.
**Next row (WS):** Purl.
BO rem **4 (6, 8, 8, 8, 10) sts**.

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## RIGHT FRONT

Work as for Left Front, **reversing all shaping**:
- Begin V-neck decreases with: **K2, k2tog, k to end.**
- Work armhole BO on a WS row (purl side): BO 4 sts at beg of WS row.
- Work armhole decreases as: K2, ssk, k to end (armhole edge is now at beg of RS row).
- Work shoulder BO at beg of WS row.

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## Finishing

### Block all pieces

Wet block or steam block each piece to schematic measurements. Allow to dry fully.

### Seaming

1. With RS together, join shoulder seams using mattress stitch.
2. Join side seams from hem to underarm, matching ribbing.

### Armhole bands (make 2)

With 4 mm needles, RS facing, beg at underarm seam, pick up and knit approx. **88 (92, 96, 100, 104, 108) sts** evenly around the armhole (roughly 3 sts for every 4 rows). The exact number must be a **multiple of 4** to keep the rib pattern symmetrical.

Work in 2×2 rib (k2, p2) in the round for **3 cm / 1¼ in**. BO loosely in pattern.

### Button band & neckband (worked in one piece)

This is a single long band picked up along the right front edge, around the V-neck, across the back neck, around the second side of the V, and down the left front edge.

With 4 mm needles and RS facing, beg at the lower right front corner, pick up and knit sts as follows:
- Along straight right front edge to start of V-neck: approx. **60 sts** (3 sts every 4 rows)
- Along V-neck slope of right front: approx. **40 sts**
- Across back neck: **26 (28, 30, 32, 34, 36) sts** (from BO edge)
- Along V-neck slope of left front: approx. **40 sts**
- Along straight left front edge: approx. **60 sts**

Total: approx. **226 (228, 230, 232, 234, 236) sts**. The exact number is not critical, but should be a multiple suitable for 2×2 rib (a multiple of 4 + 2 works well).

**Row 1 (WS):** P2, *k2, p2; rep from * to end.
**Row 2 (RS):** K2, *p2, k2; rep from * to end.
Work 2 more rows in rib as set.

### Buttonhole row

Determine which side carries buttonholes (right front for women, left front for men). Buttons are placed along the **straight portion** of that front (the 60 sts picked up before the V-neck begins).

**Buttonhole placement maths:**
- 5 buttons across 60 sts = 1 buttonhole every 12 sts
- First buttonhole: 6 sts from the lower edge
- Spacing: 12 sts between each buttonhole centre
- Last buttonhole: at the top of the straight edge, just before V-neck begins

**Buttonhole row (RS, for right-front buttonhole side):**
Work 4 sts in rib, *yo, k2tog (or p2tog as pattern requires), work 10 sts in rib; rep from * 4 more times, then work in rib to end.

*Math check: 4 + (2 + 10) × 5 − 10 + remaining = 4 + 60 − 10 = ... begins at st 5, places 5 buttonholes 12 sts apart across the 60-st button band section ✓*

Work 3 more rows in rib.

BO loosely in pattern.

### Final steps

- Weave in all ends on the WS.
- Sew buttons onto the opposite front, aligning with each buttonhole.
- Give the vest a final light steam if needed.

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## Schematic Measurements (cm)

| Measurement | XS | S | M | L | XL | 2XL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chest (finished) | 82 | 92 | 102 | 112 | 122 | 132 |
| Length | 56 | 56 | 58 | 58 | 60 | 60 |
| Armhole depth | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 |
| Back neck width | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
| Shoulder width | 5 | 6.5 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11.5 |

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Enjoy your new vest! This pattern is intentionally simple so you can focus on neat stocking stitch, even tension and tidy seams — all skills that will serve you well in future garment knitting.