Chamomile Waistcoat in Rowan Cotton Wool (DE) - RB001-00001-DEP - Downloadable PDF

Chamomile Waistcoat by Erika Knight in Rowan Cotton Wool – Pattern Summary

About This Design

The Chamomile Waistcoat is an elegant, wearable knitting pattern by celebrated British designer Erika Knight, published by Rowan under the reference RB001-00001-DEP. Available as a downloadable PDF, this pattern is part of the Bloom collection and is rated as an intermediate difficulty project. The finished garment is a classic knitted waistcoat — a sleeveless, tailored vest designed to be worn as a stylish layering piece. The design is photographed in Pickles 208, a shade from the Rowan Cotton Wool palette, giving it a soft, natural aesthetic perfectly suited to the yarn's character.

Sizing and Fit

The Chamomile Waistcoat is offered in five sizes, accommodating a wide range of body measurements:

• Bust: 81–86 cm, 91–97 cm, 102–107 cm, 112–117 cm, and 122–127 cm
• Knitted bust measurements: 108 cm, 116.5 cm, 130 cm, 139 cm, and 152 cm

The generous knitted measurements relative to actual bust sizes suggest a relaxed, comfortable fit with ease built into the construction. The pattern includes detailed shaping instructions for the armhole extensions, with specific stitch counts given for each size throughout, making it straightforward to follow your chosen size consistently.

Yarn and Materials

This pattern is designed specifically for Rowan Cotton Wool, a DK weight yarn sold in 50 g balls. Depending on the size being knitted, the pattern requires:

• 9 balls for the smallest size
• 10 balls for the second size
• 11 balls for the third size
• 12 balls for the fourth size
• 13 balls for the largest size

Rowan Cotton Wool is a blend yarn that combines the breathability and crispness of cotton with the softness and warmth of wool. This combination makes it an excellent choice for a waistcoat, providing structure and stitch definition while remaining comfortable against the skin. The DK weight ensures the finished fabric is neither too heavy nor too delicate, ideal for a garment intended to be worn across seasons.

Needles and Tools

The pattern calls for knitting needles in two sizes:

• 4 mm needles — typically used for ribbing, borders, or any tighter-tension sections
• 4½ mm needles — used for the main body of the waistcoat
• An additional 4½ mm needle is also specified, likely for a three-needle cast-off or a similar joining technique at the shoulders or seams

The use of two needle sizes is a common approach in garment knitting to achieve a neat, well-defined edge or border before transitioning to the main fabric at a slightly looser tension.

Techniques and Construction

The Chamomile Waistcoat involves a number of intermediate knitting techniques that make it a rewarding project for knitters looking to develop their skills beyond basic construction:

• Stitch increases and decreases — the pattern makes extensive use of specific increase methods, including yarn-over increases (referred to as Zun in the German-language instructions) and decorative increases worked with double yarn-overs (1 M re mit 2 Uzus). These create the textured, lace-like detailing characteristic of Erika Knight's aesthetic.
• Armhole shaping — the pattern includes detailed armhole extension shaping, with multiple rows of increases worked in pattern, followed by cast-on stitches to form the armhole edge. This is a more advanced shaping technique that gives the waistcoat its structured silhouette.
• Casting on mid-row — stitches are cast