Hooded Ski Vest in Lion Brand Homespun - 60376

Hooded Ski Vest in Lion Brand Homespun – Free Knitting Pattern 60376

This free downloadable knitting pattern from Lion Brand Yarn (Pattern Number 60376) guides knitters through creating a cozy hooded ski vest — a sleeveless, zip-front waistcoat complete with an attached hood. Rated Easy in skill level, it is an accessible project for knitters who are comfortable with basic shaping techniques. The finished vest is worked in separate pieces — Back, Left Front, Right Front, and Hood — which are then seamed together and finished with a separating zipper for a polished, functional look.

Sizes and Finished Measurements

The pattern is written in three sizes to accommodate a wide range of adult figures:

• Small/Medium: Finished chest 42 in. (106.5 cm), length 22 in. (56 cm)
• Large/1X: Finished chest 48 in. (123 cm), length 23 in. (58.5 cm)
• 2X/3X: Finished chest 54 in. (137 cm), length 24 in. (61 cm)

Knitters are advised to circle all numbers pertaining to their chosen size before beginning, making it easy to follow along without confusion.

Materials and Yarn

The pattern calls for two distinct Lion Brand yarns held together to create a richly textured, extra-bulky fabric:

• Lion Brand Homespun® in Fuchsia (shade 790-385): 2 balls used as a single strand (Yarn A). Homespun is a beloved chunky-weight yarn known for its soft, woven-look texture.
• Lion Brand Lion Bouclé in Licorice (shade 930-214): 10 balls used as a double strand (Yarn B). Lion Bouclé is a loopy, textured yarn that adds incredible loft, warmth, and visual interest to the fabric.

Holding one strand of Homespun and two strands of Lion Bouclé together throughout produces an exceptionally thick, plush fabric that is ideal for a warm outerwear vest. The combination of Fuchsia and Licorice creates a striking colour contrast woven through the bouclé loops.

Needles and Additional Materials

• Lion Brand Size 50 (25 mm) 'Speed Stix' knitting needles — used for the main body and hood sections
• Lion Brand Size 17 (13 mm) knitting needles — used for finer detail work
• Large-Eye Blunt Needles (set of 6) — for seaming the finished pieces
• 20 in. (50 cm) separating zipper — sewn in at the centre front opening
• Sewing needle and thread — for attaching the zipper

Gauge

The pattern gauge is 4 stitches and 4 rows to 4 in. (10 cm) in Stockinette Stitch using the larger (Size 50) needles with one strand of Yarn A and two strands of Yarn B held together. Checking gauge before beginning is strongly recommended, as the oversized needles and multi-strand yarn combination can vary significantly between knitters.

Techniques and Construction

The vest is constructed using straightforward knitting techniques, making it well-suited to confident beginners and intermediate knitters looking for a quick, satisfying project. The main fabric is worked entirely in Stockinette Stitch (knit on the right side, purl on the wrong side), which creates a smooth, classic surface that contrasts beautifully with the bouclé texture of the yarn.

• Stockinette Stitch (St st): The primary stitch pattern used throughout the Back, Left Front, Right Front, and Hood pieces.
• Armhole shaping: Simple bind-off shaping at the beginning of rows creates the armhole openings on both the Back and Front pieces.
• M1 (Make 1) increase: A neat, nearly invisible increase stitch used during hood construction. It is worked by lifting the horizontal thread lying between the needles, placing it onto the left needle, and knitting through