Locus vest

Locus Vest by Katya Frankel

What is Being Made

The Locus Vest is a seamless knitted waistcoat designed by Katya Frankel as an intermediate-level knitting project. This downloadable PDF pattern creates a sophisticated vest featuring beautiful lace panels that run up the center front and back of the body, paired with simple stockinette stitch detailing at the armholes and neckline for a polished, impeccable finish.

Construction Method and Techniques

The Locus Vest employs a bottom-up seamless construction technique, meaning the garment is worked from the lower edge upward to the armholes without requiring seaming. Once the body reaches the armhole depth, the pattern divides the stitches to allow the front and back sections to be finished separately. This seamless approach creates a smooth, professional appearance while minimizing finishing work.

The pattern requires intermediate-level knitting skills and incorporates several key techniques:

• Knitting in the round and flat — The vest transitions between circular needles for the body sections and flat needles for individual front and back pieces
• Lace stitching — Decorative lace panels are worked both in the round and flat, requiring yarn overs and decreases to create the openwork pattern
• Simple increases and decreases — Used for shaping the garment and creating lace motifs
• Finishing techniques — Final assembly and blocking to achieve the intended drape and fit

Stitches Used

The primary stitches featured in this pattern include:

• Stockinette stitch (St st) — Used for the body base and the clean, simple trim around the armholes and neckline
• Lace stitches — Yarn overs combined with decreases create the beautiful lace panels that form the visual centerpiece of the front and back

Materials and Specifications

The Locus Vest is designed to be knitted in Malabrigo Silky Merino, a luxurious singles yarn composed of 51% silk and 49% merino wool. This fiber blend is specifically chosen to showcase the lace stitches to stunning effect, as the silk content adds sheen and drape while the merino provides warmth and softness.

Yarn quantity: 3 to 5 skeins depending on size, with each skein containing 50 grams and 150 yards (135 meters). The pattern calls for #41 Burgundy colorway in the provided example.

Needles and gauge: The pattern is worked using 3.75mm (US 4) needles. The gauge is 22 stitches and 30 rows over 4 inches (10 cm) in stockinette stitch, measured after light blocking. Achieving the correct gauge is essential for proper fit and drape of the finished vest.

Fit details: The Locus Vest is designed to be worn with 0 to 2 inches (0 to 5 cm) of positive ease, meaning the finished garment will be slightly larger than your body measurements for comfortable wear over layers or for a relaxed silhouette.