Backbone Vest by Danielle Chalson

Backbone Vest

Knitting
October 2025
Aran (8 wpi) ?
16 stitches and 24 rows = 4 inches
in stockinette stitch
US 8 - 5.0 mm
530 - 1245 yards (485 - 1138 m)
37¾ (41¾, 45¾, 49¾, 53¾, 57¾) (61¾, 65¾, 69¾, 73¾)" / 96 (106, 116.25, 126.25, 136.5, 146.75) (156.75, 167, 177.25, 187.25) cm
English
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The essence of comfort: a gently oversized vest, perfect for layering, in soothing stockinette stitch with an eye-catching cable panel to provide just enough knitting variety. An (optional) notched hem is a fun and flattering feature, while the attached i-cord edging echoes the intentional simplicity of this design.

The vest is knit flat. The right front, back, and left front are each knit individually at first, joined to create the notched hem, and then the body is worked in one piece up to the armholes. The right front, back, and left front are separated again, each is knit up to the neck, and they are seamed at the shoulders. An attached i-cord edging is worked around each armhole and the body.

Choose a size that provides approximately 5-6” of positive ease in the chest, and choose a yarn with more body or structure to support the i-cord edging.

Finished Chest Circumference
37¾ (41¾, 45¾, 49¾, 53¾, 57¾) (61¾, 65¾, 69¾, 73¾)“

96 (106, 116.25, 126.25, 136.5, 146.75) (156.75, 167, 177.25, 187.25) cm

Materials
Heavy worsted-weight or light Aran yarn:
» 530 (595, 655, 735, 820, 900) (970, 1070, 1145, 1245) yds
» 485 (545, 600, 675, 750, 825) (890, 980, 1050, 1140) m
» Shown in Peace Fleece Worsted Weight (50% Navajo Rambouillet, 30% fine wool; 20% mohair; 200 yds (183 m) per approx 113 g (4 oz)): “Zarya Fog.”

US 8 (5.0 mm): 32” (80 cm) circular needles, or size needed to obtain gauges
US 8 (5.0 mm): 2 double-pointed needles (DPNs) for attached i-cord edging

Stitch markers; removable stitch markers; waste yarn; cable needle; yarn needle; crochet hook (for provisional cast-on used in attached i-cord edging)

Gauges
16 sts / 24 rows = 4” (10 cm) in stockinette st, after blocking
40 sts / 16 rows = 7¼” (18.5 cm) wide and 2 5/8” (6.75 cm) high in Cable Panel patt, after blocking