Bodkin Vest in Rowan Pure Alpaca - Downloadable PDF

Bodkin Vest in Rowan Pure Alpaca – Pattern Summary

The Bodkin Vest is a classic knitted vest designed by Martin Storey and published by Rowan. This intermediate-level pattern produces a sophisticated, structured sleeveless garment worked in the luxuriously soft Rowan Pure Alpaca yarn. With its clean lines, shaped armholes, and carefully constructed shoulders, the Bodkin Vest is an elegant wardrobe staple suitable for layering over shirts or wearing as a standalone piece across multiple seasons.

What Is Being Made

The pattern creates a fitted knitted vest with shaped armholes and shoulders. The garment is designed to sit close to the body with a structured silhouette, making it a versatile piece for both casual and smart-casual occasions. The vest is available in a generous range of sizes to suit a wide variety of body types.

Size Range

• To fit chest: 71–76 cm / 28–30 in through to 152–157 cm / 60–62 in (nine sizes in total)
• Actual chest measurement of garment: 81 cm / 32 in through to 162.5 cm / 64 in

Yarn and Materials

The pattern is written specifically for Rowan Pure Alpaca, a 50 g ball weight yarn celebrated for its exceptional softness, natural warmth, and beautiful drape. Pure Alpaca is a premium yarn spun from 100% alpaca fibre, giving finished garments a lightweight yet insulating quality with a subtle lustre that enhances stitch definition.

• Yarn: Rowan Pure Alpaca, 50 g balls
• Shade shown: Mizzle (shade 113)
• Yarn quantity: Ranges from 4 balls for the smallest sizes up to 7 balls for the largest sizes

Because alpaca fibre has little to no elasticity compared to wool, it is particularly important to check tension carefully before beginning this project. The natural drape of alpaca can affect the finished dimensions of the garment if tension is not matched precisely.

Craft and Techniques

The Bodkin Vest is a knitting pattern rated at intermediate difficulty, making it well suited to knitters who are comfortable with basic shaping techniques and following a multi-size pattern. The construction involves flat knitting in separate pieces that are subsequently seamed together, a traditional method that produces a neat, structured finish.

Key Techniques Used

• Armhole shaping: Worked by casting off a set number of stitches at the beginning of two consecutive rows, followed by paired decreases at each end of right-side and wrong-side rows to create a smooth, curved armhole. For example, in the mid-range sizes, stitches are cast off at the start of two rows, then decreases are worked on several consecutive rows followed by alternate rows until the correct stitch count is achieved.
• Shoulder shaping: Achieved through a stepped cast-off method worked over multiple rows, giving the shoulder seam a clean, angled line that sits neatly when seamed.
• Pattern stitch: The body of the vest incorporates a stitch pattern (referred to throughout the instructions as patt), which is maintained throughout all shaping sections. Knitters are instructed to keep the pattern correct while working increases and decreases, which requires careful attention to stitch counts and pattern repeats — a hallmark of intermediate-level knitting.
• Casting off and decreasing: Both standard cast-off methods and single decreases (dec 1 st) at each end of rows are used throughout the shaping sections.

Stitches Used

• Patterned stitch: The main body fabric is worked in a specified stitch pattern that gives the vest its textural character. Knitters must be able to read and maintain this pattern through shaping rows.
• Standard knit and purl stitches form the foundation of the construction throughout.
• Decrease stitches are used at armhole edges to shape the garment smoothly.

Construction Overview

The vest is constructed using a traditional flat-kn