Rita Vest in Berroco Paperie - Downloadable PDF

Rita Vest in Berroco Paperie – Knitting Pattern Summary

The Rita Vest is an intermediate-level knitting pattern designed by Åsa Buchta and published by Berroco in 2025. Available as a downloadable PDF, this pattern produces a stylish, wearable layering vest with a wrap-style silhouette, overlapping fronts, and a clean, structured finish. It is knitted in Berroco Paperie, a worsted-weight yarn, making it an approachable yet satisfying project for knitters who have moved beyond the beginner stage.

What Is Being Made

The Rita Vest is a sleeveless, wrap-front vest featuring split tapered hems at the lower edge and overlapping front panels that close with three ¾" / 19 mm buttons. The finished garment has a relaxed, flattering silhouette with a recommended ease of approximately 2–6" / 5–15 cm of positive ease. The sample shown is knitted in size 3 (39" / 99 cm bust), modeled with approximately 5" / 12.5 cm of positive ease, giving a sense of the intended drape and fit.

The vest is offered in a generous range of 12 sizes, with finished bust measurements spanning from 32" / 81.5 cm up to 71" / 180.5 cm, making it highly inclusive across a wide range of body types. Finished lengths range from approximately 18¾" to 22" / 47.5 to 56 cm depending on the size chosen.

Construction Method

The Rita Vest uses a thoughtful, seamless-style construction approach. The back hem and front hems are worked separately as split tapered pieces, then joined together so that the body is worked in one piece from the joining point up to the underarms. At the underarms, the work is divided, and the back and fronts are completed separately. This method minimizes seaming while still creating a well-shaped, structured garment. Knitters will appreciate the logical flow of the construction, which builds confidence in managing multiple sections of a project.

Techniques Used

• Split tapered hem construction – back and front hems are worked independently before being joined
• Working in one piece – the body is knitted as a single flat piece after the hems are joined, reducing finishing work
• Dividing for back and fronts – the work is separated at the underarms and each section is completed individually
• Circular needle used flat – a 32" / 80 cm circular needle is used to accommodate the stitch count, though the fabric is worked back and forth, not in the round
• Blocking – gauge is measured after blocking, and blocking is an important finishing step for this pattern
• Button band finishing – the overlapping front panels are fastened with three buttons
• Stitch holding – waste yarn is used to hold stitches during construction

Stitches Used

• Garter Stitch – the primary stitch pattern throughout the vest; gauge is set at 18 stitches and 36 rows = 4" / 10 cm in Garter Stitch after blocking. Garter stitch is created by knitting every row when working flat, producing a squishy, ridged fabric with excellent drape and elasticity that is well-suited to a relaxed layering garment.
• Cast on – a standard cast on is used to begin the back hem and front hem sections

Materials

• Yarn: Berroco Paperie, a worsted-weight yarn sold in 50 g balls. The pattern calls for color #9077 Sea Fog. Depending on size, the pattern requires between 6 and 11 balls — smaller sizes (1–2) use 6 balls, while the largest sizes (11–12) require 11 balls.
• Needles: One 32" / 80 cm circular needle in size