This bright vest is mostly worked in one piece and features a repeating pattern of shell stitches to form the uniquely textured Arched Shells Vest. Wear this over a solid neutral button-up for a festive and formal look for any holiday gathering.
Skill Level: Intermediate
Size: Finished Bust Measurements = 31 ½ (35, 38 ½, 42, 45 1/2)”
Gauge: 2 Pattern Repeats = 3 1/2”; 4 rows = 2”
Materials
Yarn:
Adriafil Knitcol (100% merino; 125 meters [137 yards]/50 grams): #066 (6 balls)
Hook: US size H/8 (5.0 mm) hook, or size needed to obtain gauge
Special Stitches
V-st: (Dc, ch 1, dc) in designated st.
Pattern Notes
When working dc of fans, draw up loops to height of 1/2” to make stitches tall.
In round 3 and all similar rounds, when working over chains of previous round, the chains should be enclosed in the sc stitch being made.
Pattern
Ch 144 (160, 176, 192, 208) sl st to close ring, beign careful not to twist.
Rnd 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook, *sk 3 ch, 9 dc in next ch, sk 3 ch**, sc in next ch, rep form * around ending last rep at **, sl st to top of starting sc, turn. (18 (20, 22, 24, 26) Fans)
Rnd 2: Ch 4 (counts as dc, ch 1), dc in same sc, ch 5**, sk next fan, V-st in next sc, rep from * around ending last rep at **, sl st to 3rd ch of starting ch 4, sl st to next ch-1 sp, turn.
Rnd 3: Ch 3 (counts as dc), 4 dc in same ch-1 sp, *working over ch 5 of prev rnd, sc in 5th dc of fan 2 rnds below,**, 9 dc in ch-1 of next V-st, rep from * around ending last rep at **, 4 dc in same ch-1 sp as first 5 dc of this rnd, sl st to top of starting ch 3, turn.
Rnd 4: Ch 3 (does not count as dc), *V-st in next sc, ch 5, rep from * around, ch 3, sl st in same st as starting ch 3, turn.
Rnd 5: Ch 1, *Working over ch 3 of prev rnd, sc in 5th dc of fan 2 rnds below, 9 dc in ch-1 sp of next V-st**, working over ch 5 of prev rnd, sc in 5th dc of fan 2 rnds below, rep from * around ending last rep at **, sl st to top of starting sc, turn.
Rep rnds 2-5 completing 41 rounds in total. Feel free to adjust the length to your liking, but last rnd should be as in rnd 3.
Divide for Front and Back
The next row begins in the middle of a shell. Not counting that shell, but beginning at next full shell, count 8 (9, 10, 11, 12) shells, PM in 5th dc of following shell.
Back, Armhole Shaping
Row 1: Ch 3, *V-st in next sc, ch 5, rep from * to sc before M, ch 3, sl st in M of next shell, turn. (9 (10, 11, 12, 13) V-sts)
Row 2: Ch 1, working over ch 3 of prev rnd, sc in 5th dc of fan 2 rnds below, *9 dc in ch-1 sp of next V-st**, working over ch 5 of prev rnd, sc in 5th dc of fan 2 rows below, rep from * ending last rep at **, working over last ch 3, sc in 5th dc of fan 2 rnds below, turn.
Row 3: Ch 1, sk first st, sl st over next 5 dc, ch 1, sc in same st, ch 3, *V-st in next sc**, ch 5, rep from * across ending last rep at ** ch 3, sl st to 5th dc of last shell, turn. (8 V-sts)
Row 4: Ch 1, sc in first st, *9 dc in ch-1 sp of next V-st, working over ch 5 sc in 5th dc of fan 2 rows below, rep from * across, turn.
Rows 5-6 (5-8, 5-10, 5-10, 5-12): Rep rows 3 and 4, ending with 7 (8, 8, 9, 9) patt reps
Row 7 (9, 11, 11, 13): Ch 3, dc in first sc, ch 5, V-st in next sc, continue in patt across to last sc, 2 dc in last sc, turn.
Row 8 (10, 12, 12, 14): Ch 3, 4 dc in first dc, working over ch 5 sc in 5th dc of fan 2 rows below, continue in patt across, 5 dc in last dc, turn.
Row 9 (11, 13, 13, 15): Ch 3, V-st in next sc, continue in patt across ending ch 3, sl st to last dc, turn.
Row 10 (12, 14, 14, 16): Rep row 4.
Rows 11-14 (13-16, 15-18, 15-18, 17-20): Rep rows 7-10 (9-12, 11-14, 11-14, 13-16).
Rows 15-17 (17-19, 19-21, 19-21, 21-23): Rep rows 7-9 (9-11, 11-13, 11-13, 13-15), end off.
Front, Armhole Shaping
With WS facing, join yarn in same st as last st of Back.
Rows 1-7 (1-9, 1-11, 1-11, 1-13): Rep rows 1-7 (1-11, 1-11, 1-13) of Back.
Left Shoulder
Row 8 (10, 12, 12, 14): Ch 3, 4 dc in first dc, *working over ch 5 sc in 5th dc of fan 2 rows below**, 9 dc in ch-1 sp of next V-st, rep from * to **, turn. (1 1/2 patt reps)
Row 9 (11, 13, 13, 15): Ch 3, dc in first sc, ch 5, V-st in next sc, ch 3, sl st to top of tch, turn.
Row 10 (12, 14, 14, 16): Ch 1, working over ch 3 of prev row, sc in first dc of half fan 2 rnds below, *9 dc in ch-1 sp of next V-st, working over ch-5 sc in 5th ch of fan 2 rows below, 5 dc in tch, turn.
Row 11 (13, 15, 15, 17): Ch 3, V-st in next sc, ch 5, 2 dc in last sc.
Rows 12-15 (14-17, 16-19, 16-19, 18-21): Rep rows 8-11.
Rows 16 and 17 (18 and 19, 20 and 21, 20 and 21, 22 and 23): Rep rows 8 and 9 (10 and 11, 12 and 13, 12 and 12, 14 and 15).
Join Front and Back Left Shoulder
Draw loop on hook through first st on back. Work sl st seam drawing up one loop from front and one from back joining all sts of left shoulder to analogous sts on back, end off.
Right Shoulder
With Front RS facing, count 2 shells from garment left edge. Working over ch 5 of last row, join yarn in 5th dc of this shell.
Row 8 (10, 12, 12, 14): Ch 1, sc in same dc, 9 dc in V-st, sc in next shell, 5 dc in tch, turn.
Row 9 (11, 13, 13, 15): Rep row 11 of Left Shoulder.
Rows 10-12 (12-14, 14-16, 14-16, 16-18): Rep rows 8-10 (10-12, 12-14, 12-14, 14-16) of Left Shoulder.
Rows 13-17 (15-19, 17-21, 17-21, 19-23): Rep rows 9-13 (11-15, 13-17, 13-17, 15-19) of Right Shoulder.
Join Front and Back Right Shoulder
Draw loop on hook through first st on back. Work sl st seam, drawing up one loop from front and one from back, joining all sts of right shoulder to corresponding sts on back, end off. 