Up or Down Vest in BC Garn Semilla - 2296BC-R - Downloadable PDF

Up or Down Vest in BC Garn Semilla – Pattern Summary (No. 2296BC-R)

The Up or Down Vest is a free, downloadable PDF knitting pattern designed by Jytte Slente and published by BC Garn. This cleverly conceived reversible waistcoat is worked as a single long rectangular piece of stocking stitch with ribbed borders, meaning it can be worn either end up to create either a long vest or a short vest — two looks from one garment. The pattern is rated intermediate in difficulty and is available in two sizes: S/M and L/XL.

Design Concept and Construction

What makes this vest particularly inventive is its fully reversible, two-directional design. Because the piece is constructed as one continuous rectangle of striped stocking stitch, there is no fixed hemline or neckline in the traditional sense. The knitter simply decides which end faces up when wearing it, giving the garment genuine versatility for everyday styling. A kilt pin is used as a fastening accessory, adding a decorative and functional detail that suits the relaxed, contemporary aesthetic of the design.

The construction method is straightforward: the main body is cast on and worked flat in stripes, then folded and finished with ribbed front bands picked up on a circular needle. A separate corsage is also included in the pattern, worked from its own cast-on and featuring a textured stitch arrangement, adding an optional decorative flourish to the finished vest.

Techniques Used

• Flat knitting on straight 4 mm needles for the main body
• Circular needle knitting using a 4 mm circular needle of at least 80 cm for picking up and working the front bands
• Stripe knitting — alternating 32-row stripes in Colour A and Colour B throughout the body, totalling 19 stripes (10 in Colour A, 9 in Colour B)
• Folding and seaming to shape the vest from the single rectangular piece
• Ribbed borders worked over 31 rows to create neat, stretchy edges
• Corsage construction using a combination of knit and purl stitches in a set repeat to create a textured decorative piece
• Darning in ends and wet finishing — the pattern instructs knitters to rinse the finished piece and lay flat to dry

Stitches Used

• Stocking stitch (st st) — the primary stitch used throughout the main body of the vest
• Rib stitch — used for the front band borders, worked over 31 rows for structure and stretch
• Knit and purl combination — used in the corsage, with a repeat of P8, K8 flanked by edge stitches to create a textured relief pattern
• Edge stitches — a single knit stitch maintained on every row at each side of the corsage for a clean, stable selvedge

Materials

Yarn

• BC Garn Semilla — a DK weight yarn, used in two colours throughout
• Colour A: 300 g for size S/M, 350 g for size L/XL
• Colour B: 200 g for both sizes S/M and L/XL

Needles and Extras

• 4 mm straight needles for the main body
• 4 mm circular needle, minimum 80 cm length, for the front bands
• Kilt pin as a decorative fastening accessory

Tension

The pattern specifies a tension of 22 stitches and 33 rows over 10 x 10 cm in stocking stitch using 4 mm needles. Achieving the correct tension is important for ensuring the vest measures correctly across both sizes and that the stripe proportions align as intended in