Brace yourselves and your loved ones for the winter months and knit the “Lava” project with us. It is a beginner- to intermediate-friendly cabled vest that is knitted bottom-up. Our example has been crafted on 4.5 mm circular knitting needles using one thread of alpaca wool and one thread of brushed lamb silk yarn.
The “Lava” vest makes for a pretty fast knit but comes with a few challenges for newbies: The project features two long side slits, a double turtleneck, dropped shoulders, and a loosely braided, two-coloured cable that leisurely runs from bottom to top.
What you need
2 pairs of straight or circular knitting needles, 4 mm and 4.5 mm. We have used the Knitpro Smartstix interchangeable knitting needles. They work pretty fast and have an incorporated measure on the needle body and cords.
1 tape measure, 1 darning needle, 1 pair of scissors, stitch markers and a row counter (optional), 250 - 350 g of wool, light worsted weight, or 2 threads of fingering weight.
Knitting gauge:
18 st. x 24 rows in stocking stitch = 10 x 10 cm (4 x 4”)
Change to a larger needle if you get too many stitches on 10 cm with the recommended needle size. If you get too few stitches, go down a size. The indicated sizes are S (M, L, XL, XXL). For size L, a total of 250 g of wool was used in the background colour and approx. 30 g for the coloured parts of the cable.
Required knitting skills:
The piece is knitted bottom-up in rows in stocking stitch, i.e., knit stitches on the RS (right side) and purl stitches on the WR (wrong side).
On the left-hand side is a braided cable knitted in two colours in a technique that basically works like knitting intarsia. Learn more about knitting cables here.
The armholes are shaped, and the shoulders are rounded using German short rows with the turn and wrap technique, which we explain in detail below.
Start the pattern here:
Back: With 4.0 mm needles, cast on 85 (88, 91, 95, 100) stitches in background colour and knit 8 cm in ribbing stitch (1k, 1p).
Switch to larger needles, and knit 2 rows in stocking stitch. Shape the slits as follows: 1k, 1 p, 1 k in every row, no matter whether it is the right or the wrong side. Craft the garter stitch edge for a total of 7 cm or any desired length of the side slit.
Braided cable pattern:
After 2 rows of stocking stitch in background colour, knit 18 (20, 20, 22, 22) st. and start the braided, two-coloured cable as follows using a stitch marker to mark the beginning and end of your pattern: p2, k5 using the coloured thread, k5 in background colour, k5 in coloured thread, p2 in background colour.
Continue to work 8 rows in stocking stitch before starting to cross the stitches.
Row 9: p2, slip 5 st. onto cable needle (cn) and hold in front (i.f.), k5, slip stitches from cable needle back onto your working needle or knit straight from the cable needle, k5, p2.
Rows 10 - 16: Work in stocking stitch.
Row 17: p2, k5, slip 5 st. onto cable needle (cn) and hold in back (i.b.), k5, slip stitches from cable needle back onto your working needle or knit straight from the cable needle, p2.
Rows 18 - 24: knit in stocking stitch.
Repeat rows 9 - 24 until the end of the piece.
After 38 (40, 43, 43, 45) cm start shaping the armholes. Cast off 2 (2-3-4-4) stitches at the beginning of the next row for the armholes, then 1(1-1-1-1) stitch every 2nd row for 3 rows.
Continue with stocking stitch. When the piece measures 56 (59-61-62-63) cm, cast off the middle 34 (34-36-36-38) stitches for the neck and finish each shoulder separately. Cast of 2 (2-2-3-3) stitches at the beginning of the next row and continue to work in stocking stitch for 2 cm.
Dropped shoulders: A shaped shoulder that gently slopes downwards will give the vest a better drape. We have used 2 German short rows with the Wrap & Turn-technique in order to create a slight drop.
The first short row is worked 6 (7-7-8-8) stitches from the end of the row, i.e. where your shoulders are supposed to end. Knit to indicated turning point. The next stitch becomes the wrap stitch.
Slip the next stitch on the left to your right hand needle. Bring the working thread to the back between the needles. Slip the slipped stitch back onto the left needle. Turn the work and bring the yarn to the back between the needles. This way, you form the wrap stitch. When crafting this stitch in the following row, pick it from the right side with the right needle tip and place it on the left needle. Then purl the wrap and following stitch together to avoid creating a hole.
The second short row is worked 2 (2-3-3-4) few stitches from the end of the first short row. Knit a row over your last short row, then bind all stitches off.
Front piece: Knit exactly as back, until the piece measures 54 (57-59-60-60) cm, cast off the middle 32 (32-34-36-38) stitches for the neck and finish each shoulder separately. Cast of 2 (2-2-3-3) stitches at the beginning of the next row, and 1 st. at the beginning of the next 2 rows and continue to work in stocking stitch for 4 cm.
Then shape the shoulders as in the back piece and bind all stitches off.
Assemble:
After weaving in all yarn tails and wetblocking, sew shoulders together. Then sew the sides starting at the end of the slits.
With knitting needles, size 4mm, pick up 96 (96-98-98-102) stitches at each armpit and knit 3 rows in rib stitch in background colour, then 2 rows in cable colour and bind off with knit, yarn-over, purl, yarn-over.
For the turtleneck, pick up 100 - 106 stitches and work 20 cm (or the length you are comfortable with) in rib stitch, double the neck on the inside of your vest and sew the brim onto the picked-up stitches.
There should be a little something for you beside of a free pattern, right?
We’ve got you covered! During our KAL, we will hand out exciting prizes every week. And at the end of the month, a big prize is waiting for the fastest knitter among you.
Free Pattern for "Lava" Winter Vest
Prizes for our Fastest Knitter of the KAL
Week 1 - Any four sizes of Smart interchangeable needle tips plus two knitting cables of different lengths.
Week 2 - One Mindful Project bag and the Teal Tape Measure from our Mindful Collection.
Week 3 - A set of Ginger DPNs plus a Ginger fixed circular knitting needle.
Week 4 - The Believe Set of 5” interchangeable circular knitting needles from our Mindful Collection.
Before you start knitting, don’t forget to read the Terms and Conditions below, so you know how you can enter the KAL giveaway.
Terms & Conditions
? The knit along takes place from the 1/12/2022 – 30/12/2022. The knit along ends on the 30/12/2022 at 07:00pm GMT.
? Start knitting the pattern and take pictures every couple of days.
?Post your progress and images in the comment section of this or other KAL-related posts on this channel. Please do NOT tag or DM us, as only the photos and profiles in our comments will make it into the lottery.
?This knit along is in no way sponsored, administered, or associated with Instagram inc. or Facebook. By entering, entrants confirm they are 18+ years of age, release Instagram and Facebook of responsibility, and agree to their terms of use. No purchase necessary.
This will be so much fun. Cross your needles, steady, and go!
