How exciting! UK Knit Camp have now published the Knit Camp Vest as a free download from their website.
Jo Watson, Knit Camp organiser commissioned me to design the vest last year with a brief to make it reflect the location (Stirling, Scotland) and theme of the event (Knitting in the UK). Hence the yarn and needles, sheep, thistles (national flower of Scotland) and UK flags that decorate it. Knitted in stranded technique with more than a mere passing nod to traditional fair isle knitting. The vest is knitted entirely in the round in Jamieson and Smith Shetland Jumperweight with steeks at the armholes and front and back necks.
This is gorgeous. I’d love to try this one day. I’ve never done steeks – something else I want to try.
Hello Ann (Kingstone)
I have been browsing your website and blogs, having found the address in the current month’s (August 2010) Knitting Today and have found it very charming and informative but I must ask a question……What are ‘steeks’. Please put me out of my misery.
I will certainly be returning to your site on a regular basis, I hope, as I love your designs, especially your Harry Potter socks, which I will download as soon as I have some pennies saved up to do so.
Many thanks and my kind regards,
Teresa (Price) Mrs.
A keen but slow Knitter with five (soon to be six) wonderful grandchildren.
I am currently knitting this vest and after starting the color work twice came to the conclusion that there is either an error in the number of stitches cast on for the size 44 or perhaps missing directions. The pattern calls for 352 stitches cast on and the color work pattern repeat is 24 stitches. 352 is not divisible equally be 24. I read the directions over and no where does it say to increase the number of stitches before starting the color work. I increased 8 stitches and that solved the problem. But noticed that several of the other sizes would have the same problem. Now I’m wondering if I am missing something altogether.
Hi Teresa,
Apologies for the late reply. Holidays and Knit Camp have kept me from my blog recently! Steeks are extra stitches in knitting that are cut after finishing the work to creatre an opening (neck, armhole, etc…) They are common in fair isle patterns as they make it possible to knit an entire garment in the round, thus avoiding purling which is difficult in stranded colourwork.
Hi Cheryl,
There are only partial repeats at the sides of the vest. Because the vest has side shaping the colourwork pattern is simply centered on the front and the back. Please check the starting point in the chart for your size and adjust this accordingly to maintain the pattern position as set when you decrease and increase for the waist and chest shaping.
There are, however, some areas of text missing from the pattern that was posted at the British Yarn website (seemingly lost during conversion to PDF or upload to the site). I have listed these on the pattern page in Ravelry, so please check there before continuing.