Damenweste in Schachenmayr Trachetenwolle - 5405 - Downloadable PDF

Damenweste in Schachenmayr Trachtenwolle – Free Knitting Pattern for a Women's Waistcoat

This free downloadable PDF from Schachenmayr provides instructions for knitting a classic women's waistcoat (Damenweste) worked in Schachenmayr Trachtenwolle, a worsted-weight yarn with a traditional Bavarian and Alpine character. The design features a structured, fitted silhouette with shaped side seams, armhole shaping, shoulder shaping, and a neckline opening — all hallmarks of a well-constructed hand-knitted waistcoat. A decorative Jacquard colourwork panel on the front sections adds a distinctly folkloric, Trachten-inspired aesthetic, making this piece ideal for traditional costume styling or as a statement knitwear layer.

What Is Being Made

The pattern instructs knitters to construct a sleeveless women's waistcoat worked in separate pieces: a back panel and at least one front panel (the left front panel is described in detail in the excerpt). The garment is shaped with side increases and armhole and shoulder decreases worked symmetrically. A centre-front button band (Blende) is integrated directly into the front panel knitting, avoiding the need for a separately picked-up band. The pattern is written in German and includes stitch counts for three sizes.

Construction and Shaping Techniques

• Side shaping: Stitches are increased on both sides every 22nd row, three times, to create a gently flared silhouette below the waist.
• Armhole shaping: At a height of 28.5 cm (89 rows), stitches are cast off at both edges in a stepped sequence — first 3 stitches, then 2 stitches three times, then 1 stitch four times every second row — creating a smoothly curved armhole.
• Shoulder shaping: Worked at approximately 48.5–51 cm height (depending on size), with stepped cast-offs every second row to produce a sloped shoulder seam for a professional, tailored finish.
• Neckline shaping: Begun simultaneously with the first shoulder decrease; centre stitches are cast off and further decreases are worked on both sides every second row to shape the front neck opening.
• Integrated button band: On the left front, 6 stitches are worked in kraus (garter stitch) throughout to form the button band, with 1 stitch worked in stocking stitch (glatt links) as a dividing column.
• Jacquard colourwork panel: Beginning at 8 cm (25 rows) height on the front sections, a stranded two-colour Jacquard motif is introduced using a chart (Zählmuster), worked over 25 stitches in the centre of the front panel.

Stitches and Stitch Patterns Used

• Kraus rechts (garter stitch): The primary background stitch for the body panels, worked by knitting every stitch on every row. This creates a dense, textured fabric with good elasticity and body — well suited to a structured waistcoat.
• Glatt links (reverse stocking stitch / purl stitch on right side): Used along the centre back stitch and as a dividing column within the front panel, providing a subtle textural contrast line.
• Jacquard (stranded colourwork): A charted motif worked over 25 stitches using at least two colours — Jeans Tweed as the main colour and a contrasting colour — following a stitch chart included in the PDF. Jacquard knitting involves carrying the unused yarn across the back of the work to create a coloured pattern on the right side.
• Increases (Zunahmen): Single stitch increases worked at side seam positions to shape the body.
• Decreases (Abnahmen): Stepped cast-offs and paired decreases worked at armholes, shoulders, and neckline.

Materials Referenced

• Yarn: Schachenmayr Trachtenwolle in the colourway Jeans Tw