I was inspired by a design I did almost 20 years ago to do a stranded vest in summer colors. The stitch pattern is simple, and by the time I did the last repeat, I had almost memorized it.

I do stranded work flat. I know this is shocking, but I find that my stranded tension is much better. I tend to tighten up the stranding when working in the round. I don’t mind steeks, I just prefer this method. I’ve graded this pattern as Complex, so feel free to work it in the round if that is your preference.

The finishing techniques I used also contribute to the Complex grading. I used the double-band pickup technique for all of the bands. If I am doing a piece which I think might fall into the “heirloom” category, I take the extra step to take the finishing up a level or two. This is another area where you can use the finishing techniques you prefer.

The vest’s length is slightly below the waist. The number of pattern repeats is the same for all sizes. (The difference in length is in the ribbing and the main color, before the first motif and after the last motif.) Should you want the vest longer, I suggest adding additional rows between the pattern repeats.