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# Classic V-Neck Cotton Vest

**A beginner-friendly sleeveless vest in worsted-weight cotton, worked flat in two pieces with a flattering V-neckline and clean ribbed edgings. The perfect layering piece for any season.**

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## Sizing

- **Size**: 40 (FR) / UK 14
- **Finished bust circumference**: 107 cm (42")
- **Finished length (shoulder to hem)**: 65 cm (25½") — hits at low hip / under-tummy
- **Ease**: approximately 5 cm (2") of positive ease

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## Materials

- **Yarn**: Worsted-weight 100% cotton, approximately 180 m / 100 g per ball
  - Quantity required: **approximately 600 g (1,080 m)** — 6 balls
  - Suggested colour: a solid neutral shows the stocking stitch beautifully
- **Needles**:
  - 4.5 mm (UK 7 / US 7) straight or circular needles — for main fabric
  - 4 mm (UK 8 / US 6) straight or circular needles — for ribbed edgings
  - One 80 cm circular needle (4 mm) for picking up the neckline
- **Notions**: stitch holders (or scrap yarn), tapestry needle, scissors, stitch markers, tape measure

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## Tension (Gauge)

- **20 stitches × 28 rows = 10 cm (4") square** in stocking stitch on 4.5 mm needles, after blocking.
- *Please take time to make a tension swatch — cotton does not block as forgivingly as wool.*

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## Abbreviations (UK)

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

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## Construction Notes

This vest is worked **flat, in two pieces** (back and front), from the bottom up. Shoulder and side seams are sewn, then stitches are picked up around the armholes and neckline to add ribbed edgings.

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## BACK

With **4 mm needles**, cast on **108 sts**.

### Ribbed hem
- **Row 1 (RS)**: *k1, p1*; rep from * to end.
- **Row 2 (WS)**: *p1, k1*; rep from * to end.
- Repeat Rows 1–2 until rib measures **5 cm (2")**, ending with a WS row.

Change to **4.5 mm needles**.

### Body
Work in **stocking stitch** (RS rows knit, WS rows purl) until piece measures **43 cm (17")** from cast-on edge, ending with a WS row.

✅ *Check: 43 cm body + 5 cm rib = 48 cm to underarm.*

### Armhole shaping
- **Cast off** 4 sts at beg of next 2 rows. → **100 sts**
- **Row 1 (RS)**: k1, ssk, knit to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1. → 98 sts
- **Row 2 (WS)**: purl.
- Rep Rows 1–2 a further **5 times**. → **88 sts**

✅ *Check: 100 − (2 × 6) = 88 sts. Correct.*

Continue straight in st st until armhole measures **22 cm (8¾")** from start of shaping, ending with a WS row.

✅ *Check: 48 cm + 22 cm armhole = 70 cm total… minus 5 cm shoulder shaping ≈ 65 cm finished length.* 

### Shoulder & back neck shaping
- **Next row (RS)**: k27, cast off centre 34 sts, knit to end.
- Working on the **left shoulder (27 sts)** only:
  - **Row 1 (WS)**: purl.
  - **Row 2 (RS)**: cast off.
- Rejoin yarn to **right shoulder (27 sts)** with RS facing:
  - **Row 1 (RS)**: cast off.

✅ *Check: 27 + 34 + 27 = 88 sts. Correct.*

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## FRONT

Work exactly as for Back through the **ribbed hem, body, and armhole shaping**.

After armhole shaping, you should have **88 sts**.

Work **2 rows straight** in st st (this gives a clean baseline before the V begins), ending with a WS row.

### Begin V-neck shaping

- **Set-up row (RS)**: k44, place next st on a holder (this is the centre st), join a second ball of yarn, k to end. → **44 sts on each side**.

You will now work both sides of the V at the same time using two balls of yarn.

- **Row 1 (WS)**: purl across both sides.
- **Row 2 (RS) — decrease row**: 
  - Right side of neck (worked first): knit to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1.
  - Left side of neck: k1, ssk, knit to end.
- **Row 3 (WS)**: purl.

**Repeat the decrease (Row 2) every 4th row** a total of **17 times**, ending with a WS row. → **27 sts remain each side**.

✅ *Check: 44 − 17 = 27 sts per shoulder. Matches the back shoulder count.* 

Continue straight on each side until armhole measures the **same as Back to shoulder cast-off**, ending with a WS row.

**Cast off** all 27 sts on each shoulder on the next RS row.

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## FINISHING

### Blocking
Gently wet-block both pieces to measurements. Cotton benefits hugely from blocking — pin out and allow to dry flat.

### Seaming
1. Join **shoulder seams** using mattress stitch (RS facing).
2. Join **side seams** using mattress stitch, matching the hem ribbing and underarm cast-off carefully.

### Armhole edging (make 2)
With **4 mm circular needle** and RS facing, beginning at the underarm seam:
- Pick up and knit approximately **96 sts** evenly around the armhole (roughly 3 sts for every 4 rows along the straight edges, 1 st in each cast-off st along the shaped edges). Aim for a multiple of 2.
- Join to work in the round; place marker.
- **Rounds 1+**: *k1, p1*; rep from * to end.
- Work in 1×1 rib for **2.5 cm (1")**.
- Cast off loosely in rib.

### V-neck edging
With **4 mm circular needle**, RS facing, and beginning at the **left shoulder seam**:
- Pick up and knit **52 sts** evenly down the left side of the V.
- Knit the **1 held centre st** (mark this st with a stitch marker — it is the centre of the V).
- Pick up and knit **52 sts** evenly up the right side of the V.
- Pick up and knit **44 sts** across the back neck.
- Total: **149 sts**. Join in the round; place marker at beg of round.

✅ *Check: 52 + 1 + 52 + 44 = 149 sts.*

**Round 1**: rib in **k1, p1** pattern to 2 sts before the marked centre st, **k2tog**, k1 (centre st), **ssk**, rib in pattern to end.

*Note: after the first round the rib may shift around the centre st — simply knit the knits and purl the purls as they appear, always working the centre st as a knit st and decreasing on either side.*

**Round 2**: rib in pattern to 2 sts before centre st, k2tog, k1 (centre), ssk, rib to end.

Repeat Round 2 until the V-neck rib measures **2.5 cm (1")**.

Cast off loosely in rib, continuing to work the double decrease at the centre V on the cast-off row.

### Weaving in
Weave in all yarn ends on the WS using a tapestry needle, working into the seams or the back of the rib for invisibility.

### Final block
Give the finished vest a gentle steam press over the seams and edgings (avoid pressing the stocking stitch flat).

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## Schematic Summary

| Measurement | cm | inches |
|---|---|---|
| Half bust (each piece) | 54 | 21¼ |
| Length to underarm | 48 | 19 |
| Armhole depth | 22 | 8¾ |
| Shoulder width (each) | 13.5 | 5¼ |
| Back neck width | 17 | 6¾ |
| V-neck depth (from shoulder) | 22 | 8¾ |
| Total length | 65 | 25½ |

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**Congratulations — enjoy your new vest!** 🧶

This pattern is ideal worn over a long-sleeved tee in cooler months, or alone on warm summer days thanks to the breathable cotton.