Vest in Hayfield Bonus Chunky - 10599 - Downloadable PDF

Hayfield Bonus Chunky Vest – Pattern 10599: A Detailed Summary

This downloadable PDF knitting pattern from Hayfield provides full instructions for knitting a colourwork vest (waistcoat) using Hayfield Bonus Chunky yarn. Rated as intermediate in difficulty, this project is ideal for knitters who are comfortable with basic shaping and are ready to explore stranded colourwork techniques. The vest is worked in a classic silhouette with a relaxed, wearable fit across a wide range of sizes.

What Is Being Made

The pattern produces a knitted vest (waistcoat) — a sleeveless upper-body garment designed to be worn over a shirt or layered under a jacket. It features a Fair Isle colourwork pattern as the main decorative element, giving it a traditional yet stylish appearance. The vest is available in six sizes, ranging from a chest measurement of 81/86 cm (32/34 inches) up to 132/137 cm (52/54 inches), making it suitable for a broad range of body types.

The finished garment measurements are generous, with actual knitted widths ranging from 98 cm (38½ inches) at the smallest size to 148 cm (58¼ inches) at the largest. Full lengths range from approximately 55 cm (21¾ inches) to 59 cm (23¼ inches) depending on size, giving a comfortable, hip-grazing fit.

Colourwork and Design Details

One of the most distinctive features of this vest is its Fair Isle colourwork pattern, worked using three colours of Hayfield Bonus Chunky yarn. Fair Isle is a traditional stranded knitting technique originating from the Shetland Islands of Scotland, in which two or more colours are used across a row, with the unused yarn carried (stranded) loosely across the back of the work. This creates a fabric with beautiful repeating motifs and a slightly thicker, warmer texture.

The three specific shades used in this pattern are:

• Yarn A – Shade 565 Lavender
• Yarn B – Shade 659 Lemon
• Yarn C – Shade 604 Gentle Jade

This soft, nature-inspired palette of lavender, lemon, and jade creates a fresh, contemporary colourway that works beautifully within the geometric or floral repeats typical of Fair Isle knitting. The combination of these three colours gives the finished vest a light, springlike feel.

Yarn and Materials

The pattern is written specifically for Hayfield Bonus Chunky, a 100g chunky weight yarn. The yarn requirements are modest, reflecting the sleeveless nature of the garment:

• Yarn A (Lavender 565): 2 balls in all sizes
• Yarn B (Lemon 659): 2 balls for sizes S through XXL, 3 balls for size XXXL
• Yarn C (Gentle Jade 604): 2 balls in all sizes

These quantities are based on achieving the correct tension with Hayfield Bonus Chunky yarn as specified in the pattern. Using a different yarn or failing to achieve gauge may affect the total yardage required.

In addition to yarn, knitters will need:

• One pair of 6½mm knitting needles (UK size 3 / USA size 10.5) — used for the main body and Fair Isle sections
• One pair of 6mm knitting needles (UK size 4 / USA size 10) — typically used for ribbing or edging sections
• A stitch holder for managing live stitches during shaping

Tension and Gauge

Achieving the correct tension is essential for this pattern, particularly because the Fair Isle colourwork section must match the stated gauge precisely to ensure accurate sizing. The tension for the Fair Isle pattern on 6½mm needles is: