Allie Vest in Ella Rae Classic Heathers - E18-06 - Downloadable PDF

Allie Vest in Ella Rae Classic Heathers – Pattern E18-06

The Allie Vest is a knitted waistcoat (sleeveless vest) designed for older children and teenagers, available in three sizes: 11–12 years, 13–14 years, and 15–16 years, with corresponding bust measurements of 80 cm, 85 cm, and 90 cm. This downloadable PDF pattern is published by Ella Rae and uses their Classic Heathers yarn in a two-colour design, combining a colourwork graph section at the lower body with clean, classic shaping throughout. The finished garment features a ribbed hem, a shaped armhole, and a front neck shaping that gives it a polished, structured silhouette suitable for layering.

What Is Being Made

The pattern produces a sleeveless knitted vest — sometimes called a waistcoat — worked in two separate pieces: a back and a front. Both pieces begin with a ribbed hem worked in a contrast colour, transition into a colourwork graph section, and then continue in a single main colour up to the armhole and neck shaping. The vest is designed to be a neat, fitted layer appropriate for the stated age range.

Materials Required

• Yarn: Ella Rae Classic Heathers in two shades:
  • Shade #127 (Colour A – Main Colour): 200 g for sizes 11–12 and 13–14 years; 300 g for size 15–16 years
  • Shade #137 (Colour B – Contrast Colour): 100 g across all three sizes
• Needles: One pair of 4 mm (US 6) straight needles, one pair of 4.5 mm (US 7) straight needles, and one set of 4 mm (US 6) circular needles (used for finishing, such as picking up neckband stitches)

Ella Rae Classic Heathers is a worsted weight yarn, making it an ideal choice for a structured garment like this vest. Worsted weight yarn knits up relatively quickly and produces a fabric with good stitch definition, which is particularly beneficial for the colourwork graph section of this design.

Tension / Gauge

Achieving the correct tension is essential for this pattern. The stated gauge is 20 stitches and 24 rows over 10 cm / 4 inches of Stockinette stitch using 4.5 mm needles. Knitters are strongly advised to work a tension swatch before beginning and to adjust needle size as needed to match this gauge, as even small differences can significantly affect the finished bust measurement.

Stitches and Techniques Used

• 2×2 Rib (k2, p2 rib): Used for the hem band, worked over 6 cm on the smaller 4 mm needles. The rib is worked in Shade B (Colour #137) and creates a neat, elasticated lower edge. The rib pattern alternates knit 2 and purl 2 stitches on the right side, with the reverse on the wrong side.
• Stockinette Stitch (St st): The main body fabric of the vest is worked entirely in Stockinette stitch — knit on right side rows, purl on wrong side rows — using the larger 4.5 mm needles. This smooth, classic fabric allows the colourwork graph to read clearly and gives the body of the vest a clean finish.
• Colourwork / Intarsia or Stranded Colourwork: A 23-row graph is worked at the base of the body, immediately following the rib section. The pattern instructs knitters to refer to a provided graph for pattern placement and colour changes between Shade A and Shade B. This section adds visual interest and a decorative motif to the lower portion of the vest.
• Increases (inc): A single stitch increase is worked at the transition between the colourwork graph section and the plain Stockinette body, bringing the stitch count up