Vest with design inspired by the highly-textured bark of the cottonwood tree, native to the American plains. Pattern is created with combination of stranded two-color knitting and cable knitting, worked from a chart. Except for bottom border facing, vest is knitted circularly up to shoulders, with steeks for the center front, neck, and armholes.

Measurements:

• Note: Larger sizes are made by using larger needles. For this reason, doing a gauge swatch is very important.
• Size A: 41.5” / 105.5 cm chest; 21.5” / 54.5 cm length
• Size B: 44.5” / 113 cm chest; 23” / 58.5 cm length
• Size C: 48.25” / 122.5 cm chest; 25” / 63.5 cm length

Yarn: (all sizes)

• Cheryl Oberle’s Dancing Colors Hand-Dyed Yarn (50% merino/ 50% mohair, 490 yd / 448 m = 8 oz): 1 hank in Ruby
• 600 yd / 549 m of black sportweight wool

Needles:

• 24” / 60 cm circular needles in US 7 / 4.5 mm for Size A; US 8 / 5 mm for Size B; US 9 / 5.5 mm for Size C.
• 24” / 60 cm and 16” / 40 cm circular needles, four sizes smaller than needles used for body

Gauge (in pattern stitch on larger needles):

• Size A: 28 sts and 27 rows = 4” / 10 cm
• Size B: 26 sts and 25 rows = 4” / 10 cm
• Size C: 24 sts and 23 rows = 4” / 10 cm
• Note: Gauge determines fit, so swatch until you get it right!

Notions:

• One 22-24” separating zipper, black (too long is better than too short as zipper can be shortened)
• Sewing needle
• Sewing thread to match zipper
• Cable needle
• Stitch markers
• Stitch holders

Techniques: (included in book)

• Two-color stranded knitting
• Steeks
• Backward-loop cast-on
• Chart reading
• Pick up stitches by knitting
• Three-needle bind-off