Designing – Page 2

Wow. Time flies, doesn’t it? I hope you’ve all been well. I’m really happy to be back with something new to share. These are the Randolph Vests, two patterns with sizing for both kids and adults.

This is definitely a tale of two vests. You may recall that, a couple of years ago, I designed a cabled blanket that I called the Randolph Blanket.

I was (and still am) in love with the cabled motif that I developed for that blanket. I found myself wanting to use it again, so I started designing an adult garment using the same cable panel. That was probably a year ago already because, well, time flies doesn’t it?

As I was knitting up the adult sample, I realized that my son’s birthday was approaching and wouldn’t it be fun to design this garment for kids, too? In general, I don’t go in for “matchy matchy” moments with my kids, but this particular pattern and garment just felt like it would work for girls and boys as well as it would work for both women and men. So my own sample got set aside while I worked through my son’s vest first.

Once I realized that I’d be designing a matching set for kids and grownups, certain details had to be the same, most notably the yarn. These vests were knit up in Twill, a heavy worsted-weight superwash merino wool from Knit Picks. The superwash treatment makes the garments easy to wash on a cold, delicate cycle in the washing machine and the smooth, nicely twisted merino wool creates a soft fabric against delicate skin. As you can see, the stitch definition is excellent, too. I love the Twill palette, with many saturated solid tones that knit up into classic clothes. I had chosen “Sea Salt Heather,” the perfect middle gray, for my own sample, but I went with “Overcast” for my son’s vest so that we coordinated. (I liked the blue undertone in Overcast to go with my son’s eyes, but since Overcast is not currently available, I’d happily substitute Jade or Voyage Heather in its place.)

Both designs also include a panel of reverse stockinette sts under each arm. These are the perfect spots to add some waist shaping, or even to add or decrease a few sts, to hone the size of the vest to suit your recipient’s body. I designed both garments to have an easy fit, sliding easily over a layer underneath and accommodating an active lifestyle regardless of the time of year. But you may prefer a more tailored shape and these panels make that possible. You can also shorten or lengthen the design without trouble, as long as you’ve got the right amount of yarn! For my own son, who likes his shirts longer over his hips, this was easy to accommodate.

(See my previous comment about active lifestyles…)

Speaking of shaping, while I made traditional sizing decisions about the kids’ garment, I modernized the shape of the adult vest. I widened the shoulders a bit and I shortened the length to mid- or high-hip (with a nice deep hem). I think that this more square shape is easier to wear and suits so many body shapes. The merino wool also imparts a bit of drape without sacrificing that cabled texture or bouncy feel.

Classic wardrobe pieces like these deserve classic, thoughtful details. So the patterns include instructions on how to achieve the professional tubular edges that you see on the hem, armholes, and neck. In fact, the adult pattern offers 3 different neckline finishing options because I wanted to try out a folded neckband. Often seen on couture knitwear, the technique is straightforward and the doubled thickness adds such a nice weight and warmth.

Maybe the thing I like the most is how versatile these simple-but-classic vests can be. They work from the first golden day in Autumn straight through to the end of Spring, whether you’re wearing short or long sleeves, blouses, polos, oxfords, turtlenecks, or even dresses. I also love that a cabled vest like this could be passed from one child to the next as each outgrows it, infusing the garment with memories and meaning.

These vests were a lot of fun to knit and a lot of fun to think about, too, as I wrote up the patterns. I hope that you feel inspired to create something for yourself and those you love like I was.

The kids pattern includes sizes from 6 months up to 10 years. The adult pattern is size-inclusive in addition to being unisex; it covers a range of chest sizes between 32″ and 68″. You can find more details about the Randolph Vest for Kids here and the Randolph Vest here.

To celebrate, both patterns will be 25% off, no code or coupon needed, through midnight (EDT) on Monday, August 21st! They’re a great way to usher in the Autumn knitting season (or a great way to spend some of the last Summer vacation days)!