Free Pattern: HarVest and Pumpkin HarVest!

Harvest is a baby vest perfect for apple picking or pumpkin season. This colorwork project is fun to make and adorable on any little one (doesn't Florence, below, look smashing?). I've designed the vest in one size for now, but hope to write up the pattern for many sizes, should there be interest. Until then, I hope you'll make it for a little one in your life.

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HarVest and Pumpkin HarVest

by Holly Klein

Size: Baby, 3-6 months

Yarn: Fingering Weight/4 ply yarnFor HarVest: Approx. 370 yards of yellow, 125 yards of green, 150 yards of red.For Pumpkin HarVest: Approx. 370 yards of black, 125 yards of green, 150 yards of orange.

Gauge: 26 stitches to 4 inches on a size 1 (2.25mm) needle.

Needles: Size 1 (2.25) 40 cm circular needle. Set of Size 1 (2.25mm) double pointed needles.

Notions: 1 stitch marker, waste yarn (or stitch holders), darning needle for weaving in ends.

Suggested yarns: Louet Gems Fingering Weight, Cascade Heritage, Colinette Jitterbug, or any other yarn that knits to guage.

Charts (click to enlarge if needed):

Instructions:

Begin Body of Vest:

1. Cast on 180 stitches on circular needle with yellow yarn (for Apple Vest) or black yarn (for Pumpkins). Join, being careful not to twist.

2. Work in 2x2 ribbing for 2 inches.

3. In last row of ribbing, decrease 36 stitches evenly around vest to 144 stitches.

4. Changing to Knit stitch for all rows, Knit 2 rows.

5. Begin chart for appropriate vest. Work rows 1-48 of chart once.

Split Body for Front/Back:

6. Repeating Row 1 of pattern, work 72 stitches. Place next 72 stitches on waste yarn.

7. Turn work. Bind off 9 stitches and work 2 of chart, purling all stitches.

8. Next row: Bind off 9 stitches and work row 3 of chart, knitting all stitches.

9. Work rows 4-24 of chart, knitting or purling as appropriate (54 stitches remaining).

Split vest for front neck/shoulders:

1. Work 18 stitches of Row 25 of chart. Put these stitches on waste yarn.

2. Work next 18 stitches of Row 25. Put these stitches on separate waste yarn.

3. Work next 18 stitches in pattern. Turn work. Purl 18 stitches in pattern, and work these 18 stitches to Row 37 in chart. Put stitches on waste yarn.

4. With Wrong Side facing, pick up first 18 stitches from waste yarn and purl back, following chart to shape other side of vest front. Once completed, put these 18  stitches onto waste yarn.

Work back neck/shoulders:

5. With RS facing, pick up 72 stitches on other side of vest. Work in an identical manner as front.

Join Shoulders:

6. Put each group of shoulder stitches on one double pointed needle. Turn vest inside out, so wrong side faces you. Using a three needle bind-off, join shoulder stitches. (A great 3 needle bind-off can be found here).

Pick up neck stitches and knit neck:

1. Starting at one shoulder, pick up 18 stitches down the side of each neck side, knit across 24 stitches from waste yarn, pick up 18 stitches along other side of neck, knit across other 24 stitches from waste yarn (total: 84 stitches).

2. Work in 2x2 ribbing (K2P2) for 1.5 inches. Bind off stitches.

Pick up armhole stitches:

3. Using double pointed needles, pick up 68 stitches around armholes. Work in 2x2 ribbing for 1.5 inches. Bind off all stitches.

4. Using a darning needle, weave in all stray ends.

5. Wet block or steam block vest (if needed) to obtain proper size.

6. Try on baby, and enjoy!