Whirlwind (DE) in Rowan - Downloadable PDF

Whirlwind Waistcoat Knitting Pattern by Lisa Richardson for Rowan

The Whirlwind pattern by designer Lisa Richardson, published by Rowan, is a knitted waistcoat (sleeveless vest) worked in a chunky-weight yarn. Available as a downloadable PDF, this intermediate-level design offers a relaxed, textural silhouette with clean edges and a classic shaping. The pattern is written in German (DE), making it ideal for German-speaking knitters seeking a contemporary Rowan design.

What Is Being Made

The pattern produces a waistcoat — a sleeveless, body-worn garment that is knitted in separate pieces: a back panel, a left front panel, and by implication a right front panel, which are then seamed together. The finished garment features a side slit at the lower hem, a shaped neckline with a neck border worked from held stitches, and optional leather buttons (4 buttons, 2.5 cm diameter) for a front opening. The design is sized to fit a wide range of bust measurements, from approximately 71–76 cm up to 152–157 cm, with nine sizes in total, giving a generous, inclusive size range. The knitted bust measurement ranges from 83 cm to 163 cm, providing positive ease across all sizes.

Yarn and Materials

The specified yarn is Tweed Haze by Rowan, a chunky-weight yarn sold in 50 g balls. The photographed sample is worked in the colourway Tornado 554. Depending on the size being knitted, the pattern requires between 5 and 9 balls of Tweed Haze. As the name suggests, Tweed Haze combines a tweedy, rustic character with a soft, hazy halo, giving the finished waistcoat a rich, textural appearance that suits the bold, simple stitch structure of the design.

• Yarn: Rowan Tweed Haze, chunky weight, 50 g balls
• Colourway shown: Tornado 554
• Quantity: 5–9 balls depending on size
• Needles: Single size — 6 mm (UK size 4) knitting needles
• Buttons (optional): 4 leather buttons, 2.5 cm diameter

Tension and Gauge

The stated tension for this pattern is 14.5 stitches and 20 rows to 10 × 10 cm, measured over stocking stitch (glatt rechts) using 6 mm needles. Achieving the correct tension is especially important in a garment of this weight and scale, as even small deviations will significantly affect the finished bust measurement and overall length. Knitters are advised to work a tension swatch before beginning and to adjust needle size if necessary.

Techniques Used

The Whirlwind waistcoat is constructed using a combination of straightforward but well-executed shaping techniques, making it an excellent project for an intermediate knitter looking to build confidence with garment construction. Key techniques include:

• Casting on and binding off (Anschlagen und Abketten): Standard long-tail or cable cast-on is used to begin each piece, with multiple bind-off steps used during armhole and shoulder shaping.
• Shoulder and back neck shaping: Worked using stepped bind-offs at the beginning of rows, combined with short-row-style turning to shape the shoulder slope. Stitches for the neck border are placed on a Hilfsnadel (stitch holder or spare needle) to be picked up and worked later.
• Neck border: The centre back neck stitches are held on a spare needle and the neck border is knitted up from these live stitches after the shoulders are complete.
• Side slit: A deliberate slit is incorporated at the lower side seam, with a marker placed at the end of the slit to define its top edge. This adds a relaxed, contemporary detail to the hem.