Berkeley Square

Berkeley Square Sleeveless Vest by Jennie Atkinson

What is Being Made

Berkeley Square is an extra-long sleeveless vest featuring a deep V-neckline and sophisticated eyelet diamond patterning throughout. This intermediate-level knitting project creates a refined layering piece suitable for multiple seasons. The design offers versatility through its construction—the lower pattern sections can be omitted entirely to shorten the finished length, allowing knitters to customize the garment to their preferred proportions.

Garment Specifications

The vest is available in five size ranges: S-M, L, 1XL-2XL, 3XL-4XL, and 5XL-6XL, accommodating bust measurements from 81.5 cm (32 inches) to 152.5 cm (60 inches). Finished bust measurements range from 101 cm (39¾ inches) in the smallest size to 165 cm (65 inches) in the largest. The actual length varies by size from 79.5 cm (31¼ inches) to 84 cm (33 inches), creating an intentionally elongated silhouette that works beautifully as a layering garment over long-sleeved shirts or worn as a standalone piece.

Knitting Techniques Used

This intermediate project employs several fundamental and decorative knitting techniques. Eyelet work forms the diamond patterns characteristic of the design, created through strategic yarn-over increases paired with corresponding decreases. The vest utilizes shaping techniques including standard decreases and increases to form the V-neckline and achieve proper fit across the bust and shoulders. Knitters will work with stitch markers to track pattern repeats and shaping points throughout the construction.

Stitches and Stitch Abbreviations

The pattern incorporates essential knitting stitches including:

• Knit and purl stitches as the foundation of the fabric
• Yarn overs (yo) to create the eyelet openings within the diamond patterns
• Slip, slip, knit decrease (ssk) and slip, slip, purl decrease (ssp) for left-leaning decreases
• Slip one stitch, knit two together, pass slip stitch over (s2kpo) and slip one stitch, purl two together, pass slip stitch over (s2ppo) for centered double decreases
• Slip marker (slm) to maintain pattern alignment

The combination of yarn overs with these decrease variations creates the geometric eyelet diamond motifs that define the Berkeley Square design.

Materials and Yarn

Berkeley Square is knitted in DK weight yarn, specifically Erika Knight British Blue, a 100% British Bluefaced Leicester wool available in the shade Mrs Dalloway. Each 100-gram skein provides 220 meters (240 yards) of yarn. Yardage requirements scale with size: the smallest size (S-M) requires 4 skeins, while the largest size (5XL-6XL) requires 8 skeins. The Bluefaced Leicester fiber provides excellent stitch definition, allowing the eyelet patterns to display with clarity and the diamond motifs to read distinctly in the finished fabric.

Design Origin

This pattern was originally published in The Knitter magazine, Issue 135, and is designed by Jennie Atkinson. The design has been made available as a downloadable PDF format for modern knitters seeking the pattern independently.