Martinica Vest in Adriafil Fruttamix - Downloadable PDF

Martinica Vest Knitting Pattern in Adriafil Fruttamix – Free Downloadable PDF

The Martinica Vest is a stylish, shaped knitted vest designed for a size 44 fit. This free downloadable PDF pattern from Adriafil uses their distinctive Fruttamix yarn to create a garment with beautiful textural interest, combining multiple stitch patterns and a clever double-strand construction technique for the lower body. The vest features tailored shaping at the sides, armholes, and neckline, making it a rewarding project for knitters with some experience in garment construction.

About the Yarn and Materials

The pattern calls for Adriafil Fruttamix yarn in colour no. 45, a sport-weight yarn with a characterful, multicoloured appearance that gives the finished vest its signature look. The total yarn requirement is 250 g. A key feature of this pattern is that the lower sections of both the back and front are worked with the yarn held doubled, using knitting needles no. 5½, which creates a denser, more structured fabric at the hem. The upper body sections transition to a single strand worked on smaller needles, producing a lighter, more refined fabric above.

• Yarn: Adriafil Fruttamix, colour no. 45 – 250 g
• Knitting needles: No. 4½, No. 5, and No. 5½
• Additional materials: Tapestry needle for finishing

Tension and Gauge

Two different tension swatches are given, reflecting the pattern's use of different needle sizes and stitch patterns across the garment:

• Fancy rib stitch on no. 4½ needles: 17 stitches and 26 rows = 10 x 10 cm
• Alternated stitch on no. 5 needles: 16 stitches and 16 rows = 10 x 10 cm

Checking your tension carefully before beginning is especially important in this pattern, as the garment transitions between needle sizes and stitch patterns, each of which produces a different fabric density.

Pattern Stitches Explained

Fancy Rib Stitch

The fancy rib stitch is worked over a multiple of 3 stitches plus 1 and creates a distinctive textured fabric with a subtle slip-stitch effect. It is the primary stitch used throughout the vest.

• Row 1: K1, slip 2 knitted stitches without working them, passing yarn at back of work, k1; repeat from * to * across the row.
• Row 2: K1, p2, k1; repeat from * to * across the row.

The slipped stitches in Row 1 create elongated columns that give the fabric a rib-like appearance with added visual depth. Each section begins and ends with 1 end stitch in garter stitch, which keeps the edges neat and stable for seaming.

Garter Stitch

Garter stitch (knitting every row) is used for the selvedge edge stitches throughout the pattern, providing a clean, non-curling border on each piece.

Purled Stitch

Purled stitch is listed among the pattern stitches and contributes to the textural variety of the fabric, particularly in the transitional sections of the front piece.

Construction: The Back

The back of the Martinica Vest is worked flat from the bottom up. It begins with knitting needles no. 5½ and the yarn held doubled, casting on 87 stitches and working in fancy rib stitch, with 1 garter stitch at each end as a selvedge.

• Side shaping: Decrease 1 stitch at each end every 12 rows, 5 times, creating