Honeycomb vest - Spring 2008

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by Sarah Castor I will soon be returning to work after three years in graduate school. Three years turned out to be the exact amount of time needed to convert a wardrobe of trousers and button-downs into one consisting entirely of jeans, t-shirts, and cozy sweaters. Not one item of my school attire was professional enough for the workplace. Honeycomb came out of an effort to knit something that would stand up to a formal business environment. The combination of a soft-yet-sophisticated yarn, relatively small needles, and an all-over texture gives this shell a refined feeling. Subtle shaping in the body ensures that Honeycomb looks tailored and flatters the figure, but still has enough room so that a button-down shirt won’t bunch at the waist when worn underneath. Trims in a twisted rib pattern have just enough definition to set them off from the body of the sweater, as well as allowing for the use of only one needle size for the whole piece. Of course, Honeycomb doesn’t have to be for work only. It’s light enough to wear alone or with a lace-trimmed camisole peeking out the top when the weather turns warm.
model: Sarah Castor photos: Matthew Castor


SIZE
XS [S, M, L, 1X, 2X, 3X] (shown in size S)

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Chest: 26.5[30, 34.5, 38, 41.5, 46, 49.5] inches Length: 20.25[20.75, 21.5, 22.5, 23.5, 24, 24.5] inches Important Note: The Honeycomb Cable pattern is very stretchy. The garment shown is worn with 4 inches of negative ease. Choose a size with a finished chest measurement of approx. 4 inches less than your actual bust measurement.

MATERIALS
Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool [65% wool, 35% silk; 192yd/175m per 50g skein]; color: #011 Brown; 3[4, 4, 5, 5, 6, 6] skeins Recommended needle size: 1 set US #4/3.5mm straight needles (optional) 1 24-inch US #4/3.5mm circular needle 1 16-inch US #4/3.5mm circular needle [always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below -- every knitter's gauge is unique] Stitch holders Stitch marker Tapestry needle

GAUGE
28 sts/38 rows = 4 inches in Honeycomb Pattern, blocked 28 sts/36 rows = 4 inches in Twisted 2x2 Rib, blocked

PATTERN NOTES
[Knitty's list of standard abbreviations and techniques can be found here]
You may find that this piece goes more quickly if you cable without a cable needle. Instructions may be found here. Decreasing in Pattern: There are no row-specific directions for increases and decreases. Incorporate the shaping into the stitch pattern, as follows: If the 2 sts to be worked together would be a C2F following the pattern, work ssk. If they would be a C2B, work k2tog. If the next st in pattern should be a k st, work k2tog at the beginning of the row, or ssk at the end of the row. If the st should be a p st, work p2tog. The abbreviation used to indicate that the next 2 sts should be worked together is “dec 1 st”. C2B: Slip next st to cable needle and hold to back of work; k1, k1 from cable needle. C2F: Slip next st to cable needle and hold to front of work; k1, k1 from cable needle. P1 tbl: P1 through back loop. Twisted 2x2 Rib (worked back and forth over a multiple of 4 sts + 2): Row 1 [RS]: K1, [k1 tbl, p2, k1 tbl] to last st, k1. Row 2 [WS]: P1, [p1 tbl, k2, p1 tbl] to last st, p1. Repeat these 2 rows for Twisted 2x2 Rib. Twisted 2x2 Rib (worked in the round over a multiple of 4 sts): Round 1: [K2 tbl, p2] to end. Repeat this round for Twisted 2x2 Rib. Honeycomb Pattern (worked over a multiple of 4 sts + 2): Row 1 [RS]: K1, [C2F, C2B] to last st, k1. Even-Numbered Rows 2-6 [WS]: P1, [k1, p2, k1] to last st, p1. Odd-Numbered Rows 3-5 [RS]: K all sts. Row 7 [RS]: K1, [C2B, C2F] to last st, k1. Even-Numbered Rows 8-12 [WS]: [P2, k2] to last 2 sts, p2. Odd-Numbered Rows 9-11 [RS]: K all sts. Repeat Rows 1-12 for Honeycomb Pattern. Three-Needle Bind Off: Hold both pieces of knitting with right sides together. Insert needle into first st on front needle and first st on back needle, and knit them together. Repeat this for the next st on the front and back needles. Draw first st worked over second st. Repeat from * to * until all sts have been bound off. Break yarn and draw through remaining st.


DIRECTIONS
BACK Using straight needles or long circular needle, CO 94[106, 122, 134, 146, 162, 174] sts. Work in Twisted 2x2 Rib until work measures 2 inches, ending with a WS row. Work 2 rows in Honeycomb Pattern. Note: See Pattern Notes above re. decreasing in pattern. Decrease Row [RS]: K1, dec 1 st, work in pattern to last 3 sts, dec 1 st, k1. Work 7 rows in pattern. Repeat these 8 rows 3[3, 1, 1, 4, 4, 4] times more. 86[98, 118, 130, 136, 152, 164] sts. Sizes M, L, 2X, 3X Only: Work Decrease Row. Work 5 rows in pattern. Repeat these 6 rows -[-, 2, 2, -, 1, 1] times more. -[-, 112, 124, -, 148, 160] sts. All Sizes: Continue in pattern until work measures 6.75[6.75, 7, 7.25, 7.5, 8, 8] inches, ending with a WS row. Increase Row [RS]: K1, m1, work in pattern to last st, m1, k1. 88[100, 114, 126, 138, 150, 162] sts. Sizes M, L, 2X, 3X Only: Work 5 rows in pattern. Work Increase Row. Repeat these 6 rows -[-, 1, 1, -, 0, 0] time more. -[-, 118, 130, -, 152, 164] sts. All Sizes: Work 7 rows in pattern. Work Increase Row. Repeat these 8 rows 2[2, 1, 1, 3, 4, 4] times more. 94[106, 122, 134, 146, 162, 174] sts. Continue in pattern until work measures 12.5[12.75, 13, 13.5, 14, 14, 14] inches, ending with a WS row. Shape Armholes: BO 6[6, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8] sts at beginning of next 2[2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 4] rows. 82[94, 106, 118, 130, 146, 142] sts. BO 2[4, 4, 4, 6, 6, 6] sts at beginning of next 2 rows. 78[86, 98, 110, 118, 134, 130] sts. Sizes S, M, L, 1X, 2X, 3X Only: BO -[2, 2, 2, 4, 4, 4] sts at beginning of next -[2, 2, 4, 2, 4, 2] rows. -[82, 94, 102, 110, 118, 122] sts. Sizes 1X, 2X, 3X Only: BO 2 sts at beginning of next -[-, -, -, 2, 2, 4] rows. -[-, -, -, 106, 114, 114] sts. All Sizes: Decrease Row [RS]: K1, dec 1 st, work in pattern to last 3 sts, dec 1 st, k1. Work 1 row in pattern. Repeat these 2 rows 3[3, 5, 5, 5, 7, 7] times more. 70[74, 82, 90, 94, 98, 98] sts. Continue in pattern until work measures 6.25[6.5, 7, 7.5, 8, 8.5, 9] inches from beginning of armhole, ending with a RS row. Next Row [WS]: Work 23[23, 27, 27, 31, 31, 31] sts in pattern; attach second ball of yarn and BO next 24[28, 28, 36, 32, 36, 36] sts, continue in pattern to end. 23[23, 27, 27, 31, 31, 31] sts. In the directions that follow, “first half” will refer to the set of sts worked before the gap created by the BO sts at center back. Directions for first half and second half will be separated by a semi-colon. Working both sides at the same time using attached balls of yarn, continue as follows. Row 1 [RS]: Work first half in pattern; BO 6 sts, work in pattern to end. Row 2 [WS]: Work as for Row 1. 17[17, 21, 21, 25, 25, 25] sts in each half. Row 3 [RS]: Work first half in pattern; BO 4 sts, work in pattern to end. Row 4 [WS]: Work as for Row 3. 13[13, 17, 17, 21, 21, 21] sts in each half. Row 5 [RS]: Work first half in pattern; BO 2 sts, work in pattern to end. Row 6 [WS]: Work as for Row 5. 11[11, 15, 15, 19, 19, 19] sts in each half. Row 7 [RS]: Work in pattern to last 3 sts of first half, dec 1 st, k1; k1, dec 1 st, work in pattern to end. 10[10, 14, 14, 18, 18, 18] sts in each half. Continue in pattern until work measures 7.75[8, 8.5, 9, 9.5, 10, 10.5] inches from beginning of armhole. Break yarn and place sts on st holders. FRONT Work as for Back until work is 1 row shorter than Back at beginning of armhole shaping (ending with a RS row). Next Row [WS]: Work 35[39, 47, 51, 59, 65, 71] sts in pattern, place marker, work in pattern to end. Note: Read ahead! Armhole and neckline shaping are worked at the same time. Work armhole shaping as for Back. *AT THE SAME TIME:* Shape neckline as follows, beginning on second row of armhole shaping: Next Row [WS]: Work in pattern to marker, remove marker; attach second ball of yarn and BO next 24[28, 28, 32, 28, 32, 32] sts, work in pattern to end. In the directions that follow, “first half” will refer to the set of sts worked before the gap created by the BO sts at center front. Directions for first half and second half will be separated by a semi-colon. Working both sides at the same time using attached balls of yarn, continue as follows. Next Row: Work in pattern to end of first half; BO 2 sts, work in pattern to end of second half. Repeat this row 5 times more – total of 6 sts bound off at each side. Neckline Decrease Row [RS]: Work in pattern to last 3 sts of first half, dec 1 st, k1; k1, dec 1 st, work in pattern to end of second half. Work 1 row in pattern. Repeat these 2 rows 2[2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 3] times more. Work Neckline Decrease Row. Work 3 rows in pattern. Repeat these 4 rows 3[3, 3, 4, 4, 4, 4] times more. When all neckline and armhole shaping is complete, 10[10, 14, 14, 18, 18, 18] sts remain in each half. Continue in pattern until work measures same as Back to shoulder. Join sts of each shoulder to sts of corresponding Back shoulder using Three-Needle Bind Off.

FINISHING
Block to measurements shown in schematic. Sew side seams. Weave in ends. Neckline Edging: Using longer circular needle and beginning at left shoulder seam with RS facing, pick up and k 3 sts for every 4 rows and 1 st in each bound-off st around neckline edge. Place marker and join to work in the round. Count sts; in first round, decrease up to 3 sts if necessary to achieve a multiple of 4 sts. Work 8 rounds of Twisted 2x2 Rib. BO all sts in pattern. Armhole Edging: Using longer circular needle and beginning at top of side seam seam with RS facing, pick up and k 1 st in each bound-off st and 3 sts for every 4 rows around one armhole. Place marker and join to work in the round. Count sts; in first round, decrease up to 3 sts if necessary to achieve a multiple of 4 sts. Work 8 rounds of Twisted 2x2 Rib. BO all sts in pattern. Work edging for remaining armhole in the same way. Weave in remaining ends.
ABOUT THE DESIGNER
Sarah is a newly repatriated Oregonian, and after three years in sunny California, she’s finally getting some use out of all her handknit sweaters. She learned to knit 10 years ago, but only became addicted when a friend introduced her to Knitty in 2004. Her knitting blog is here.
Pattern & images © 2008 Sarah Castor. Contact Sarah