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Gansey Vest
Finished Measurements: 25 inches from neck to hem; chest/hips: 52 inches
Yarn: Lion Brand Fishermen’s Wool, 100% Pure Virgin Wool,
8 oz - 465 yards, 3 skeins
Needles: 24 inch circular needle size US 6 (4 mm);
16 inch circular needle size US 4 (3.5 mm)
Gauge: TO SAVE TIME, TAKE TIME TO CHECK GAUGE
6 stitches and 8 rows to the inch over Stocking stitch, before blocking.
Basket Weave (multiple of 8):
Rounds 1 thru 4: (k4, p4) repeat around.
Rounds 5 thru 8: (p4, k4) repeat around.
Round 9: knit around.
Round 10: purl around.
Round 11: knit around.
Repeat these eleven rows for pattern.
Seed stitch (over and even # of stitches):
Row 1: (k1, p1) repeat across.
Row 2: (p1, k1) repeat across.
Repeat these two rows for pattern.
Welt:
Rounds 1 to 4: Purl
Round 5: (k2,p2) repeat around; end k2, p1
Round 6: p1, (k2, p2) repeat around; end k2, p1
Round 7: (k2, p2) repeat around
Round 8: k1, (p2, k2) repeat around, end p2, k1)
Rounds 9 to 20: repeat rounds 5 thru 8 three times
Round 21: repeat round 5
Rounds 22 to 25: purl 4 rounds, end of welt.
Round 26: Chest pattern set up round
Begin round with a purl 2, work 26 stitches in Double Moss, 104 stitches in Basket Weave, 52 stitches in Double Moss,
104 stitches in Basket Weave and finish the round with 26 stitches of Double Moss. Continue working in patterns and complete 2 reps of Basket Weave pattern.
Round 47: undo last 6 stitches of round and BO, then BO 6 stitches at beginning of round.
Work in pattern across front up to 6 stitches before other under arm marker. BO 12
stitches, work across back in pattern. Leave front stitches on hold.
Back: This is knitted flat (back and forth). Continue knitting in pattern
and BO 6 stitches at beginning of next 2 rows (132 stitches). Decrease 1 stitch at beginning
of next 24 rows (108 stitches). Complete, from Welt, 10 reps of Basket Weave pattern.
Work 12 rows in Seed stitch.
Shape shoulders with short rows thus:
Keeping in pattern work to 10th stitch from end, wrap 9th stitch, turn, repeat, turn;
work to 19th stitch from end, wrap 18th stitch, turn, repeat, turn;
work to 28th stitch from end, wrap 27th stitch, turn, repeat, turn;
work to 37th stitch from end, wrap 36th stitch, turn, repeat, turn.
Work in Seed pattern to end, knitting or purling the wrap together with the
slipped stitch. Turn; work one more row in Seed stitch. Leave all stitches on hold.
Front: Make sure to have the center front marked. With right side facing,
join yarn; work in pattern and shape armholes as in back. On the last row (a
knit row) of the 4th Basket Weave repeat begin the V-neck shaping thus: work to
2 stitches before marker, k2 tog. Join a second ball of yarn and SSK, work to end of
row, turn. Continue in patterns, working both sides simultaneously, finish the
armhole shaping and, at the same time, decrease 1 stitch at each neck edge every
other row 18 times. Complete 10 reps of Basket Weave and 12 rows Seed stitch.
Each shoulder should have 36 stitches.
Shoulder Shaping: Short rows, keeping in pattern, work both sides the
same.
Work to the 10th stitch before armhole, wrap 9th stitch, turn, work to neck edge, turn;
work to the 19th stitch before armhole, wrap 18th stitch, turn, work to neck edge, turn;
work to the 28th stitch before armhole, wrap 27th stitch, turn, work to neck edge, turn.
Work one row in Seed stitch.
Note: I like the ridge that forms when 3 needle bind-off is worked with
wrong sides together. If you don’t like this, do the 3 needle bind-off with
right sides together. Whichever way you choose, work the bind-off from the
shoulder to the neck.
Using a 3 needle bind-off, join right front and back shoulders together; repeat
for left side. Bind off the center, back neck stitches. Weave in all ends.
Armbands: Work both the same. With right side facing; 16 inch, smaller
circular needle; beginning at bottom center of underarm, evenly pick up 152 stitches.
Work (k2, p2) ribbing for 6 rounds. Bind off including the following decreases:
(k2, p2 tog) three times, (k2, p2) 14 times, (k2, p2 tog) 4 times, (k2, p2) 14
times, (k2, p2 tog) three times. Weave in all ends.
Neckband: With right side facing; 16 in, smaller circular needle;
starting at right shoulder back, pick up 156 stitches; 38 stitches across neck back, 59 stitches to bottom of V neck, 59 stitches to shoulder (last stitch at right shoulder seam).
Work (k2, p2) ribbing (k2 centered at “V”), for 6 rounds shaping neckline, every
round, thus: work to 2 stitches before center marker, k2 tog, SSK, continue in
ribbing. Bind off on the 7th round but work the (k2 tog, SSK) decreases also.
Weave in all ends. Block as needed.
Flory Loughead©2004