Knit Baby Vest for Boy or Girl

By: Maddy Cranley for elann.com

This is such a great vest that can be made for a little boy or little girl. Maddy Cranley sure knows how to make those kids adorable. This is a great free knitting pattern you can make and give as a gift too.

Sizes:
6 (12, 18, 24) months

Instructions are for the smallest size with larger sizes in parentheses. If only one figure is given, it applies to all sizes. A (0) indicates the instruction does not apply to that size.

Finished Measurements:

Boy's Vest Top: Chest (buttoned) - 22.5 (26, 29, 32)"; Length - 11.5 (12.25, 13.25, 14.25)"

Girl's Vest Top: Chest (fastened) - 22.5 (26, 29, 32)"; Length - 11.5 (12.25, 13.25, 14.25)"

Materials:

elann.com Sonata
Girl's Vest Top: Col A - 2 (2, 2, 3) balls (shown as 3853 Rosetta); Col B, C, D and E - 1 ball each (shown as 6056 Orchid Pink, 8176 Natural, 6399 Lilac, and 7471 Silver Sage).
Boy's Vest Top: Col A - 2 (2, 2, 3) balls (shown as 6319 Soft Periwinkle); Col B, C, D and E - 1 ball each (shown as 2138 Mauve, 8176 Natural, 7471 Silver Sage, and 7009 Chamois).
4.0mm (US 6) circular needle (32" length), or size needed to obtain correct gauge.
4.0mm (US 6) needles, or size needed to obtain correct gauge.
Boy's Vest Top: Four .5" buttons
Girl's Vest Top: - 4.0 mm (US 6) double-pointed needles

GAUGE:

22 sts and 28 rows = 4"/10 cm over st st.
Please take time to check your gauge before beginning.

Pattern Stitches:
Stripe Pattern
Row 1 (RS): Col B.
Row 2: Col B.
Row 3: Col C.
Rows 4 and 5: Col D.
Row 6: Col C.
Rows 7–10: Col A .
Row 11: Col E.
Rows 12 and 13: Col D.
Row 14: Col E.
Repeat Rows 1 to 14 for Stripe Pattern.

BACK:
With Col A, cast on 62 (72, 80, 88) sts. Work 6 rows in garter st (K every row).
Next row (RS): Beg working in st st and cont until piece measures 6 (6, 7, 7.5)" from beg, ending with a WS row.

Shape Armholes:
Bind off 3 (4, 4, 5) sts at beg of next 2 rows, then dec 1 st at beg and end of every 4th row 1 (2, 3, 4) time(s) - 54 (60, 66, 70) sts.
Work even until piece measures 10.75 (11.5, 12.5, 13.25)" from beg, ending with a WS row.

Shape Neck:
K15 (17, 20, 21) sts, join second ball of yarn, bind off 24 (26, 26, 28) sts for back of neck, k to end.
Cont to work both sides separately but at the same time, and dec 1 st at each neck edge every alt row twice - 13 (15, 18, 19) sts on each shoulder.
Work even until piece measures 11.5 (12.25, 13.25, 14.25)" from beg, ending with a WS row. Next row (RS) Bind off all sts on each shoulder.

Right Front:

With Col A, cast on 30 (35, 39, 43) sts. Work 6 rows in garter st (K every row).
Next row (RS): Beg Stripe Pattern, rep Rows 1-14 until piece measures 6 (6, 7, 7.5)" from beg, ending with a WS row.

Shape V-Neck and Armhole:

Next row (RS): Dec 1 st at beg of row (neck edge), k to end.
Next row (WS): Bind off 3 (4, 4, 5) sts at beg of row (armhole edge), p to end.
Cont in Stripe Pattern and dec 1 st at neck edge every 3rd row 12 (13, 13, 14) times more, AT SAME TIME, dec 1 st at armhole edge every 4th row 1 (2, 3, 4) time(s). 13 (15, 18, 19) sts.
Work even until piece measures 11.5 (12.25, 13.25, 14.25)" from beg, ending with a WS row.
Next row (RS): With same Col worked in previous row, bind off all sts.

Left Front:

Work as for right front, reversing all shapings.

Finishing:

Block pieces to measurements. Join fronts to back at shoulders.

Armhole Bands:

(RS) With Col A, pick up and knit 56 (62, 66, 70) sts along front and back of armhole edge.
Work 6 rows in garter st (K every row). Bind off all sts.
Work band on opposite armhole edge. Join side seams and armhole band edges.

Boy's Vest Top:

Front Band:

Place markers for buttonholes on left front, one at .5" above lower edge, one at beg of V-neck shaping, and two spaced evenly between.
(RS) Beg at right front lower edge, with circ needle and Col A, pick up and knit 35 (35, 39, 40) sts to beg of V-neck shaping, 29 (34, 36, 39) sts up V-neck edge, 28 (30, 30, 32) sts across back of neck, 29 (34, 36, 39) sts down V-neck edge, 35 (35, 39, 40) sts to left front lower edge. 156 (168, 180, 190) sts.
Work back and forth on circ needle, do not join.

Row 1: Knit.
Row 2: *K to marker, bind off 1 st for buttonhole; rep from * three times more, k to end.
Row 3: *K to marker, cast on 1 st over bound-off st of previous row, k to end.
Rows 4 and 5: Knit.
Next row: Bind off all sts. Sew on buttons to match buttonholes.

Girl's Vest Top:

Front Ruffle Band
(RS) Beg at right front lower edge, with circ needle and Col A, pick up and knit 35 (35, 39, 40) sts to beg of V-neck shaping, 29 (34, 36, 39) sts up V-neck edge, 28 (30, 30, 32) sts across back of neck, 29 (34, 36, 39) sts down V-neck edge, 35 (35, 39, 40) sts to left front lower edge. 156 (168, 180, 190) sts.
ork back and forth on circ needle, do not join.

Row 1 (WS): Knit.
Row 2 (RS): *K2, inc 1; rep from *, end k0 (0, 0, 1).
Row 3: Knit.
Row 4: *K2, inc 1; rep from *, end k1 (2, 0, 1).
Row 5: Knit.
Row 6: Bind off all sts.

I-Cord Ties (make 2):

With double-pointed needles and Col A, cast on 4 sts.
Row 1: K4. Do not turn. Slide stitches to right end of needle.
Rep Row 1 until tie measures 9" from beg.
Bind off all sts. At beg of V-neck shaping, sew one end of each tie to WS of each front.

Abbreviations:
alt - alternate, beg- begin(ning), circ - circular, Col(s) - color(s), cont - continu(e)(ing), dec - decreas(e)(ing), dp- double-pointed, inc - increase(e)(ing), K(k) - knit, P(p) - purl, patt(s) - pattern(s), RS - right side(s), rep - repeat, st(s) - stitch(es), st st - stocking (stockinette) stitch, * - repeat direction following * as many times as indicated.