✨ The Story Behind Your Next Knit

“Be as bold as you dare with your color and stitch pattern choices—this design can take it.”

Working with the 6” × 6” 15 × 15 cm building blocks to make a garment was my creative challenge. Your challenge, should you choose to accept it, is to follow your vision and create your own one-of-a-kind work of art.

🧶 Quick Highlights:

• Techniques: Long-tail cast on, knitted cast on, knit, purl, ssk, k2tog, k2tog tbl, bind off, mattress stitch, picking up and knitting along an edge, I-cord bind off
• Construction: You’ll knit squares in your chosen colors and stitch patterns, then seam them into one flat piece. The front shoulder seams are sewn, and the vest is finished with an I-cord bind off edging in an accent color.
• Make It Your Own: Plan your colors with stripes, one color, or a roll of the dice. Schematics for every size help you map it out.
• Squares needed: Short Version: 17 (21, 25, 28). Long Version: 22 (28, 34, 38).
• Yarn Weight: Aran Weight

📐 Approximate Measurements:

Sizes: XS/S (M/L/1X, 2X/3X/4X, 5X)

• To fit bust: 30–41 (42–53, 54–65, 60–71)“ 76–104 (105.5–134.5, 137–165, 152.5–180.25) cm
• Finished: 31 (43, 55, 61)“ 79 (109, 140, 155) cm
• Ease: 1–10” 2.5–25.5 cm of negative ease, depending on how much open space at center front you’d like
• Model is wearing size M/L/1X and has a 36” bust.

🧶 Suggested Yarn:

• Recommended Yarn: Paintbox Yarns Wool Mix Aran (50% wool, 50% acrylic; 197 yds 180 m / 100 g)
• Colorway A: Mustard Yellow 823
• Colorway B: Pistachio Green 824
• Colorway C: Seafoam Blue 831
• Colorway D: Dusty Lilac 846
• Colorway E: Vintage Pink 855
• Colorway F: Misty Grey 803 (accent)
• Short Version: 1 ball of each colorway, for all sizes.
• Long Version: 1 ball of each colorway for sizes XS/S and M/L/1X. For size 2X/3X/4X, add 1 ball of 1 color from Colorways A–E. For size 5X, add 1 ball each of 2 colors from Colorways A–E.
• At the stated gauge, each ball makes about 6 squares.
• Or a similar aran weight yarn. Check your stash first!

🥢 Needles:

• US 8 (5 mm), or size needed to obtain gauge
• US 7 (4.5 mm) 40” 100 cm circular needle, or one size smaller than needed to obtain gauge

✂️ Notions:

• Tapestry needle
• Stitch marker

📏 Gauge:

• 4” 10 cm = 18 sts and 24 rows in stockinette after blocking (blocked gauge only). Recommended range: 24–29 sts per 6” 15 cm. At 24 sts, the fabric is drapier and softer. At 29 sts, it’s firmer and warmer.

📝 Pattern Notes & Support:

• This pattern is part of The Purl-Pal Project, a first-of-its-kind collaborative knitting collection from Pattern Design Runway, Season 1. Every pattern in the collection is a blank canvas built from 6” × 6” squares, so no two finished projects will look exactly alike.
• This collection was tech edited by Nicole Hawkesford and Galaxy Nova Salo.
• A big thank you to the 17 test knitters who cast on early and helped make these patterns shine! Their names are in the ebook credits.
• Questions about the pattern? Please contact the designer at carla@carlacuadrosdesign.com.

© Copyright & Usage:

• This pattern is for personal, non-commercial use only. You may not distribute, sell, or reproduce this pattern in whole or in part.
• Rights to this pattern return to the designer in May 2027.

📌 Ready to Cast On?

Grab your needles and yarn, and let’s make something that’s all yours! Want to knit along with other Purl-Pal makers? Join the free January 2027 knit-along waitlist: Join the waitlist.