Play with Fisherman’s Rib in This Fun Long Vest Project

Brioche knitting has been popular for a while now, but I feel like maybe fisherman’s rib is starting to catch up in terms of seeing it more in patterns. They have a very similar look but a lot of people feel that fisherman’s rib is easier. (I do, too, and I know a lot of people love it because one of the most popular posts on my blog is a fisherman’s rib scarf.)

Both brioche and fishermans rib make a kind of thick, squishy fabric that might not feel appropriate for hotter weather, but the Yapa vest by Cecilia Lalanne and Maria Cano for Maos del Uruguay definitely feels like something you can wear when the weather is warm.

It’s worked flat in pieces from the bottom up, so you can make it any length you like, but I like this long version. It uses two different colors of their Alegria yarn, which is a fingering weight blend of merino wool and polyamide, which brings a little coolness to the party (as do these pretty candy colors).

The pieces include integrated I-cord edging, which makes the finishing that much easier. All you have to do is sew the shoulder seams together and join the sides as much or as little as you want. (As shown the color change and the armhole shaping mark the border of where the sides are joined, but if you don’t want such a deep armhole or split hem you can sew up more of it.)

The pattern comes in eight sizes ranging from a bust circumference of 34.5 to 56.5 inches, or 88 to 144 cm. It looks best with a few inches of ease and is shown here with 4.5 inches/12 cm of positive ease.

This is a free pattern available as a download on Ravelry.

If you need help learning how to knit fisherman’s rib, check out my post on the subject.

[Photo: Manos del Uruguay]

Fisherman’s Rib Scarf Knitting Pattern

Knit a Bunch of Comfort in this Fisherman’s Rib Blanket Knitting Pattern

Fisherman’s Rib and Brioche Stitch: What’s the Difference?

Not too long ago I did a test knit for another designer that was for a cabled cardigan. It’s really cozy and nice but it just about broke me in a ton of different ways. I couldn’t get gauge, which I suppose is my own problem, but mainly I was somehow both bored and forced to pay attention at the same time.

Because it used the same cable all over, I always had to know what row I was on, but nine out of ten of those rows, nothing in particular was going on. So I couldn’t stop paying attention, but what I needed to attend to was boring.

It may have ruined me for knitting cabled sweaters, but maybe I just need something that’s more engaging. Like this Modern Aran Cardigan pattern from Lion Brand Yarn.

This is a reworking of an old pattern from their archives, and you can tell that form the classic look of the cables and the oversized feel (nothing cropped about this one!). It has allover cables, but like a classic Aran sweater it’s not the same cable, so you’ll have to pay attention to what row you’re on and what cable turns happen for which cables on that row.

Because of this, it’s considered an intermediate knitting pattern, but if you’re comfortable working from multiple charts at once it shouldn’t be a problem for you. There are three different charts and seven different cable moves.

Also because the pattern is so big and boxy there are only two sizes available, with a finished chest measurement of either 49 or 63 inches (that’s 124.5 or 160 cm). It’s up to you to decide how much ease you would like and whether that will work for your body.

The pattern uses worsted weight yarn (and calls for another classic, Lion Brand Fisherman’s Wool). It calls for six buttons and includes pockets to make it extra cozy.

This one looks like a great winter project to make and to wear if you’re up for a bit of a challenge. You can grab the free pattern or buy a kit with the yarn needed direct from Lion Brand Yarn.

[Photo: Lion Brand Yarn]

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