English version

Style HELENA HACK VEST/SWEATER is a knitwear pattern instructions.

The pattern comes in a PDF file, and can be downloaded and printed from the computer.

Size chart

Sizes: XS (S) M (L) XL (XXL)

Bust circumference: 105 (112) 119 (126) 133 (140) cm

Body length to shoulder: 56.5 (60) 64 (65) 65 (65)  cm

Helenavest is designed with approximately 25–35 cm of positive ease, especially in the smaller sizes, with gradually less positive ease in the larger sizes. Positive ease refers to how much larger the vest is compared to your body’s bust measurement.

All measurements are based on the vest after washing and blocking.

Level

Knitting & purling, picking up stitches, yarn over, increases and decreases, Kitchener stitch, cable knitting.

Material

Hand-dyed Chunky Baby Alpaca, 100% baby alpaca wool from Thelma Steimann.

A super soft and wonderful yarn to work with. Each hank: 100 m / 100 g

Chunky Baby Alpaca: 6 (6) 7 (7) 8 (9) hanks

& for sleeves :

Chunky Baby Alpaca: 2 (2) 3 (3) 3 (3) hanks

2 leather snaps from Striksakken to attach the sleeves

Needles & notions

Circular needles 6 mm (40/80/100 cm)

Circular needles 4.5 mm (40 cm)

Additional DPN or cable needle for cables

Stitch markers

Tapestry needle for weaving in ends and stitching shoulders

Holding cord or scrap yarn for resting stitches

Gauge (tension sample)

Always check your gauge before starting.

Cast on 15 sts and work k2, p2 for 16 rows using 6 mm needles to make a 10 × 10 cm swatch. Wash and block sample.

If your gauge is too tight, change to larger needles.

If your gauge is too loose, change to smaller needles.

Good to know

This pattern is a collaboration between Thelma Steimann and Striksaken.

Helena Hack Vest is a combination of a vest and a sweater.

The vest is worked from the bottom up in the round until the armholes. From there, the work continues back and forth. Follow the diagrams throughout and adjust according to your size. The front is opened for the neckline and shaped with decreases and later increases, before being joined to the back using Kitchener stitch. The neckline is worked in ribbing in the round, incorporating cables as shown in the diagram. Stitches for the armholes are picked up along each side and worked in ribbing in the round.

The sleeves are worked in the round following the diagram. The sleeves are optional and can be attached to the vest using leather snaps from Strikksaken.

Yarn quantities are approximate and based on average usage.

To achieve an even color distribution, I recommend alternating between two hanks. Simply switch yarn every other row, as if working stripes.

Video tutorial for this technique:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtxBXfi5g6w

Please read the entire pattern before starting.