The vest is knitted back and forth in two different rib patterns. The back has a ‘small rib’ pattern, and the two front panels have a ‘wide rib’ pattern. The vest has a significant negative ease, as it is designed to be a body–hugging piece that emphasizes your curves. However, as the entire vest is knitted in rib stitch, it forms after the shape of your body, making it a very comfortable piece to wear.

You can choose to knit it on either straight or circular needles, although circular needles might be more comfortable when knitting the German Short Rows due to their flexibility.

The very first stitch of every back–and–forth row is a selvedge stitch. This stitch is not knitted at the beginning of the row, but is at the end. This makes your edges look neater.
First stitch or each row: slip as if to knit on RS, slip as if to purl on WS.
Last stitch of each row: knit on RS, purl on WS.

The build–up of the vest:
The vest is knitted from the back to the front, starting at the waistline. You thus knit the back bottom–up in small rib pattern, until you reach the shoulders. Here, you put the stitches for one shoulder on a stitch holder, bind off stitches for the neck, and knit the front panel. The two front panels are then knitted separately, top–down, in a wide rib pattern, with increases and decreases to fit your bust size and waist. The left front panel contains buttonholes. The tapering bottom of the front panels is created with help of German Short Rows. Lastly, you sew the front and back together at the side seams with a mattress stitch.

Materials:
Yarn:

• Knitting for Olive – Merino
• 250 m per 50 g, with a listed gauge of approx. 28 sts x 38 rows

Needles:

• 2,25 mm (straight or circular)
• Optional: bigger needle to bind off

Other:

• Stitch holder
• Stitch markers
• Buttons

Gauge:
On 2,25 mm needles:
(Measured when not stretched)

• Approx. 53 sts x 48 rows = 10 x 10 cm / 4 x 4”in small rib pattern
• Approx. 60 sts x 48 rows = 10 x 10 cm / 4 x 4” in wide rib pattern (Measured when blocked and stretched)
• Approx. 28 sts x 48 rows = 10 x 10 cm / 4 x 4” in small rib pattern
• Approx. 26 sts x 48 rows = 10 x 10 cm / 4 x 4” in wide rib pattern

Sizes:
1 (2 – 3 – 4 ) 5 (6 – 7 – 8 ) 9
See measurements below.

Amount of yarn:
100 (150 – 150 – 200 ) 200 (250 – 250 – 250 ) 300 gram

Techniques:

• Selvedge
• German Short Rows
• Mattress stitch

Abbreviations:
st(s): stitch(es)
k: knit
p: purl
RS: right side
WS: wrong side
M1: insert left needle, from back to front, under the stand of yarn between the two stitches – knit this loop stitch through the front loop. 1 stitch increased.
SSK: slip slip knit
2tog: Knit 2 sts together
GSR: German Short Row(s).

Size information:
As this pattern has bust adjustments (AA – H+) for each size (size 1 to 7, see table below), this pattern is divided into sizes, in order to ensure clarity.

The amount of stitches to cast on for the back is dependent on the circumference of your waist. Measure your waist circumference and look up in Table 1 below which size number to follow.

The length and width of the front panels are adjusted depending on your measurements and bust. For this you need your regular bra cup size letter (AA – H)

Size name & Waist circumference body
1: 60 – 64 cm / 23.6” – 25.2”
2: 64 – 70 cm / 25.2” – 27.5”
3: 70 – 78 cm / 27.5” – 30.7”
4: 78 – 88 cm / 30.7” – 34.6”
5: 88 – 98 cm / 34.6” – 38.6”
6: 98 – 108 cm / 38.6” – 42.5”
7: 108 – 118 cm / 42.5” – 46.4”
8: 118 – 128 cm / 46.4” – 50.4”
9: 128 – 138 cm / 50.4” – 54.3”

For each size, bust sizing will be shown in the following format:
AA-B (C-D, E-G, H+)