An Aran Stitch Vest by Anna Zilboorg

An Aran Stitch Vest

Knitting
March 2013
Worsted (9 wpi) ?
24 stitches and 26 rows = 4 inches
in panel pattern with larger needles, see notes
US 7 - 4.5 mm
US 6 - 4.0 mm
1500 yards (1372 m)
33½, 37½, 43½" (85.1, 95.2, 110.5 cm) bust circumference, buttoned
English

From the designer:

This vest began with an idea in my head of English riding jackets: the tailored top with the flippy bottom. But I had this wonderful silk-and-wool yarn in a copper color and a skein of subtly multicolored dark yarn that were begging to go together.

When I remembered the Aran stitch pattern that is on the front and back panels, the die was cast. This Aran pattern is one of my favorites to knit, and it is interesting as an example of the transition from Austrian traveling stitches to Aran Island stitch patterns. It still has the single stitch line (most Aran patterns double the stitches), but it has already doubled the rows for easier back-and-forth knitting. The single knit stitches are all twisted so that they stand out well; when the Islanders doubled the stitches, they gave up twisting them as well. The graphic garter stripes in the vest balance the solid pattern. Slightly narrow shoulders with the striped godet make the wearer appear shapely whether she is or not and brings us back to English riding jackets.

Gauge: 18 sts and 40 rows = 4 inches (10.2 cm) in garter st on smaller needles; 24 sts and 26 rows = 4 inches (10.2 cm) in panel patt on larger needles.

Blue Moon Fiber Arts Luscious Single Silk, 50% merino/50% silk yarn, worsted weight, 500 yards (457.2 m)/8 ounce (226.8 g) skein, 2 skeins of Copperline (MC) and 1 skein of Valkyrie (CC)