As if overnight, there are more May flowers in New York City than I could possibly count, and among them is the beautiful Foxglove. Its sweeping lines and delicate bloom inspired this simple stockinette stitch vest.

Foxglove Vest | Purl Soho

I’m especially excited by the intuitive way I constructed this Foxglove Vest. It just seemed to blossom in my hands! To make it, you work in one piece from the bottom up. Along the way you use short rows to shape a subtle curved hem; you graft the shawl collar stitches together at the back neck; and you tack the right front over the left front to create a pullover with the look of a casual cardigan. Thoughtfully placed neckline and armhole decreases give the finished vest a polished look.

Foxglove Vest | Purl Soho

Purl Soho’s single ply Flax Down highlights the structure of this garment, and its sumptuous alpaca, wool, and linen blend lends a gentle drape. Flax Down comes in a range of colors from soft Foxglove purples through shades of gray (and more!). I chose Lavender Opal, a new addition to our palette and a beautiful ode to spring flowers! -Laura

Foxglove Vest | Purl Soho

Designed by Purl Soho designer, Laura Ferguson.

Share your progress and connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho, #PurlSohoBusyHands, #PurlSohoFoxgloveVest, and #PurlSohoFlaxDown. We can’t wait to see what you make!

Materials

Foxglove Vest | Purl Soho
  • 3 (3, 4, 4, 4) skeins of Purl Soho’s Flax Down, 43% baby alpaca, 43% extra fine merino, 15% linen. Each skein is 219 yards/ 100 grams; approximately 525 (595, 680, 770, 860) yards required. We used Lavender Opal. (NOTE: We no longer offer Flax Down, but choose from one of our other light worsted/dk weight yarns.)
  • US 7 (4.5mm), 32-inch circular needles
  • US 7, 16-inch circular needles
  • Stitch holders or scrap yarn
  • 1 stitch marker

Gauge

21 stitches and 28 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch

Sizes

NOTE For help picking a size, please check out our Understanding Ease + Selecting Size Tutorial!

32 (36, 39 ½, 43 ½, 47)

  • Finished Chest Circumference: 32 (36, 39 ½, 43 ½, 47) inches
  • Finished Length from Shoulder to Bottom Edge of Back: 20 (20 ¾, 21 ¾, 23, 24) inches
  • Finished Length from Underarm to Bottom Edge (measured at side): 11 ¾ (12, 12 ½, 13 ¼, 13 ¾) inches

EASE: This garment is designed with a 2- to 4-inch ease around the chest.
SAMPLE: The sample pictured here is size 36 inches modeled with 3 inches of ease.

Foxglove Vest | Purl Soho

Notes

Wrp-t (wrap and turn):

  • On the right side: Keeping the yarn in back, slip the next stitch purlwise from the left needle to the right needle. Bring the yarn to the front. Return the slipped stitch to the left needle. Bring the yarn to the back. Turn the work so the wrong side is facing you.
  • On the wrong side: Keeping the yarn in front, slip the next stitch purlwise from the left needle to the right needle. Bring the yarn to the back. Return the slipped stitch to the left needle. Bring the yarn to the front. Turn the work so the right side is facing you.

Slip:

  • On right side rows, slip stitches knitwise with yarn in back.
  • On wrong side rows, slip stitches purlwise with yarn in front.

Pattern

Body

Cast 182 (202, 222, 242, 262) stitches onto the longer circular needles. We used a basic Long Tail Cast On.

Do not join; work back and forth in rows.

Shape Front Right Bottom Edge

NOTE: For this portion of the pattern, you will be working back and forth in short rows, turning the work partway through each row rather than continuing to the end of the row. For extra help, see both the Notes section and our Short Rows Tutorial.

Row 1 (wrong side): Purl to end of row.

Row 2 (right side): [Slip 1 knitwise (see Notes)] 2 times, k15 (20, 17, 22, 19), wrap and turn (wrp-t; see Notes).

Row 3: Purl to end of row.

Row 4: [Slip 1 knitwise] 2 times, knit to wrapped stitch, work wrapped stitch with its wrap, k3 (3, 4, 4, 5), wrp-t.

Repeat Rows 3 and 4 seven more times.

Repeat Row 3 one more time.

Next Row (right side): [Slip 1 knitwise] 2 times, knit to wrapped stitch, work wrapped stitch with its wrap, knit to end of row.

Shape Front Left Bottom Edge

NOTE: You will continue to work in short rows for this portion of the pattern.

Row 1 (wrong side): [Slip 1 purlwise] 2 times, p15 (20, 17, 22, 19), wrp-t.

Row 2 (right side): Knit to end of row.

Row 3: [Slip 1 purlwise] 2 times, purl to wrapped stitch, work wrapped stitch with its wrap, p3 (3, 4, 4, 5), wrp-t.

Repeat Rows 2 and 3 seven more times.

Repeat Row 2 one more time.

Next Row (wrong side): [Slip 1 purlwise] 2 times, purl to wrapped stitch, work wrapped stitch with its wrap, purl to end of row.

Work Body Evenly

Continue in stockinette stitch with the knit-in I-cord edge as follows:

Row 1 (right side): [Slip 1 knitwise] 2 times, knit to end of row.

Row 2 (wrong side): [Slip 1 purlwise] 2 times, purl to end of row.

Repeat Rows 1 and 2 until piece measures 11 ¾ (12, 12 ½, 13 ¼, 13 ¾) inches from cast-on edge (measured at center back), ending with a wrong side row.

Separate Fronts + Back

Row 1 (right side): [Slip 1 knitwise] 2 times, k42 (47, 51, 55, 59), place previous 44 (49, 53, 57, 61) stitches on stitch holder or scrap yarn for Right Front; bind off the next 10 (10, 12, 14, 16) stitches for Right Underarm; k73 (83, 91, 99, 107), place previous 74 (84, 92, 100, 108) stitches on stitch holder or scrap yarn for Back; bind off the next 10 (10, 12, 14, 16) stitches for Left Underarm, knit to end of row. [44 (49, 53, 57, 61) stitches remain for Left Front]

Left Front

Shape Armhole

NOTE: You may find it more comfortable to work the Left Front and Right Front on the shorter circular needles.

Next Row (wrong side): [Slip 1 purlwise] 2 times, purl to end of row.

Decrease Row 1 (right side): K4, ssk, knit to end of row. [1 stitch decreased]

Decrease Row 2: [Slip 1 purlwise] 2 times, purl to last 6 stitches, p2tog tbl, p4. [1 stitch decreased]

Repeat Decrease Rows 1 and 2 zero (one, one, one, two) more times. [42 (45, 49, 53, 55) stitches remain]

Repeat Decrease Row 1. [41 (44, 48, 52, 54) stitches remain]

Next Row (wrong side): [Slip 1 purlwise] 2 times, purl to end of row.

Repeat Decrease Row 1 every right side row 1 (1, 2, 4, 4) more time(s), ending with a right side row. [40 (43, 46, 48, 50) stitches remain]

Shape Neckline

Next Row (wrong side): [Slip 1 purlwise] 2 times, p15, place marker, purl to end of row.

Decrease Row 1 (right side): Knit to 2 stitches before marker, k2tog, slip marker, knit to end of row. [1 stitch decreased]

Row 2: [Slip 1 purlwise] 2 times, purl to end of row.

Row 3: Knit to end of row.

Row 4: Repeat Row 2.

Repeat Rows 1-4 seven (eight, nine, nine, ten) more times. [32 (34, 36, 38, 39) stitches remain]

Work Evenly

Row 1 (right side): Knit to end of row.

Row 2 (wrong side): [Slip 1 purlwise] 2 times, purl to end of row.

Repeat Rows 1 and 2 until piece measures 7 ½ (8, 8 ½, 9, 9 ½) inches from the Underarm, ending with a wrong side row.

Next Row (right side): Knit to 1 stitch before marker, place previous 14 (16, 18, 20, 21) stitches on stitch holder or scrap yarn for Front Left Shoulder, k1, remove marker, knit to end of row. [18 stitches remain]

Continue Evenly for Left Collar

Row 1 (wrong side): [Slip 1 purlwise] 2 times, purl to end of row.

Row 2 (right side): Knit to end of row.

Repeat Rows 1 and 2 until piece measures 3 ½ (3 ¾, 4, 4, 4 ¼) inches from on-hold Left Shoulder stitches, ending with a wrong side row.

Cut yarn, leaving a 20-inch tail.

Place Left Collar stitches on stitch holder or scrap yarn and set aside.

Right Front

Shape Armhole

Slip 44 (49, 53, 57, 61) on-hold Right Front stitches onto circular needles. Join yarn to wrong side and…

Next Row (wrong side): Purl to end of row.

Decrease Row 1 (right side): [Slip 1 knitwise] 2 times, knit to last 6 stitches, k2tog, k4. [1 stitch decreased]

Decrease Row 2: P4, p2tog, purl to end of row. [1 stitch decreased]

Repeat Decrease Rows 1 and 2 zero (one, one, one, two) more times. [42 (45, 49, 53, 55) stitches remain]

Repeat Decrease Row 1. [41 (44, 48, 52, 54) stitches remain]

Next Row (wrong side): Purl to end of row.

Repeat Decrease Row 1 every right side row 1 (1, 2, 4, 4) more time(s), ending with a right side row. [40 (43, 46, 48, 50) stitches remain]

Shape Neckline

Next Row (wrong side): P23 (26, 29, 31, 33), place marker, purl to end of row.

Decrease Row 1 (right side): [Slip 1 knitwise] 2 times, knit to marker, slip marker, ssk, knit to end of row. [1 stitch decreased]

Row 2: Purl to end of row.

Row 3: [Slip 1 knitwise] 2 times, knit to end of row.

Row 4: Repeat Row 2.

Repeat Rows 1-4 seven (eight, nine, nine, ten) more times. [32 (34, 36, 38, 39) stitches remain]

Work Evenly

Row 1 (right side): [Slip 1 knitwise] 2 times, knit to end of row.

Row 2 (wrong side): Purl to end of row.

Repeat Rows 1 and 2 until piece measures 7 ½ (8, 8 ½, 9, 9 ½) inches from the Underarm, ending with a right side row.

Next Row (wrong side): Purl to 1 stitch before marker, place previous 14 (16, 18, 20, 21) stitches on stitch holder or scrap yarn for Front Right Shoulder, p1, remove marker, purl to end of row. [18 stitches remain]

Continue Evenly for Right Collar

Row 1 (right side): [Slip 1 knitwise] 2 times, knit to end of row.

Row 2 (wrong side): Purl to end of row.

Repeat Rows 1 and 2 until piece measures 3 ½ (3 ¾, 4, 4, 4 ¼) inches from on-hold Right

Shoulder stitches, ending with a right side row.

Cut yarn.

Foxglove Vest | Purl Soho

Collar

Graft Left + Right Collar Stitches

Slip the Left Collar stitches onto the circular needles (see photo, above). Then, with the right side facing you, use the left-hand end of the needles to slip the Right Collar stitches onto the needles. Slide each set of stitches to their respective ends of the needles, and hold the two needles parallel with the wrong sides of the fabric together. Thread the long tail onto a tapestry needle and use Kitchener Stitch to graft the Left and Right Collar stitches together.

Shoulders

Pick Up + Set Aside

Foxglove Vest | Purl Soho

With the right side facing, slip the 14 (16, 18, 20, 21) 16 on-hold Front Left Shoulder stitches onto the shorter circular needles. Join yarn and with left-end of needles, pick up 38 (40, 42, 42, 44) Back Neck stitches along the bottom edge of the Collar (pick up approximately at 3 out of every 4 rows). Cut yarn. Lastly, slip the 14 (16, 18, 20, 21) Front Right Shoulder stitches onto the left-end of the needles. Set this aside while you finish the Back. [66 (72, 78, 82, 86) stitches]

Back

Slip the 74 (84, 92, 100, 108) on-hold Back stitches onto longer circular needles. Join yarn to wrong side and…

Next Row (wrong side): Purl to end of row.

Decrease Row 1 (right side): K4, ssk, knit to last 6 stitches, k2tog, k4. [2 stitches decreased]

Decrease Row 2: P4, p2tog, purl to last 6 stitches, p2tog tbl, p4. [2 stitches decreased]

Repeat Decrease Rows 1 and 2 zero (one, one, one, two) more times. [70 (76, 84, 92, 96) stitches remain]

Repeat Decrease Row 1. [68 (74, 82, 90, 94) stitches remain]

Next Row (wrong side): Purl to end of row.

Repeat Decrease Row 1 every right side row 1 (1, 2, 4, 4) more time(s) [66 (72, 78, 82, 86) stitches remain]

Work Evenly

Work evenly in stockinette stitch…

Row 1 (wrong side): Purl to end of row.

Row 2 (right side): Knit to end of row.

Repeat Rows 1 and 2 until piece measures 7 ¼ (7 ¾, 8 ¼, 8 ¾, 9 ¼) inches from the Underarms, ending with a right side row.

Shape Shoulders

NOTE: For this portion of the pattern, you will once again be working back and forth in short rows.

Row 1 (wrong side): Purl to last 4 (5, 6, 7, 7) stitches, wrp-t.

Row 2 (right side): Knit to last 4 (5, 6, 7, 7) stitches, wrp-t.

Row 3: Purl to last 8 (10, 11, 13, 14) stitches, wrp-t.

Row 4: Knit to last 8 (10, 11, 13, 14) stitches, wrp-t.

Row 5: Purl to last 13 (15, 17, 19, 20) stitches, wrp-t.

Row 6: Knit to last 13 (15, 17, 19, 20) stitches, wrp-t.

Row 7: Purl to end of row, working wrapped stitches with their wraps as you come to them.

Row 8: Knit to end of row, working wrapped stitches with their wraps as you come to them.

Row 9: Purl to end of row.

Armhole measures approximately 7 ½ (8, 8 ½, 9, 9 ½) inches at side edge.

Cut yarn, leaving a 48-inch tail for joining.

Finish

Graft Back + Front Shoulders: Option 1

Foxglove Vest | Purl Soho

Turn work so that Back faces you and yarn for grafting is on the right-hand side, ready to work from right to left. With tail threaded onto a tapestry needle, use Kitchener Stitch to graft the Back stitches to the Front Shoulder and Back Neck stitches.

Graft Back + Front Shoulders: Option 2

If you aren’t up for working Kitchener Stitch across 66 (72, 78, 82, 86) stitches, you can use the 3-Needle Bind Off method instead.

First, turn the piece inside out and orient your work with the right sides of the fabric facing one another and the needles parallel.

Slide both sets of stitches to the right-hand end of the needles. Then, using the left-hand end of the longer needles as the working needle and the 48-inch tail as the working yarn, work 3-needle bind off, purlwise…

Next Row: P2tog (1 stitch from back needle together with 1 stitch from front needle) as follows: Insert the needle purlwise through the first stitch on the back needle, then purlwise through the first stitch on the front needle, and then purl these 2 stitches together, *p2tog (1 stitch from back needle together with 1 stitch from front needle), slip first stitch on right needle over stitch just worked and off the needle (binding off 1 stitch), repeat from * to end of row. [1 stitch remains on right needle.]

Pull tail through last stitch.

Edge the Armholes

NOTE: Do the following for each Armhole.

With the right side facing you, join yarn at center of Underarm and use the shorter circular needles to pick up stitches around the Armhole, binding off as you go. Here’s how…

Pick up 1 stitch, *pick up 1 stitch, slip first stitch on right needle over stitch just picked up (binding off 1 stitch), repeat from * to end of round. [1 stitch remains on right needle]

Cut yarn and pull tail through last stitch.

Tip: Beginning at the center of the Underarm stitches, pick up 1 stitch for each Underarm stitch; then working up the Armhole to the Shoulder, pick up 1 stitch in 3 of every 4 rows; continue in this fashion down the other side of the Armhole; and then pick up 1 stitch for each Underarm stitch back to where you started.

Seam the Fronts

NOTE: I used exaggeratedly loose stitching and a contrast yarn for demonstration purposes.
The vertical seaming technique I use here isn’t too different from Mattress Stitch, except that rather than placing the two pieces of fabric side-by-side, you overlap them. And rather than drawing the needle under ladders on the left side, you draw them over. You can check out our Mattress Stitch Tutorial if you think it may help, or just continue reading…

Thread a length of yarn onto a tapestry needle and overlap the Right Front over the Left Front.

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Begin by bringing the threaded tapestry needle through the Left Front from back to front, 5 knit columns over from the I-cord edge and at the cast-on edge.

Draw the needle through the Right Front, from back to front, 5 knit columns over from the I-cord edge and at the cast-on edge. Bring the needle back through the fabric 2 stitches above the previous exit point.

Draw the needle under 2 ladders on the Left Front (2 stitches above the previous exit point) and then back through the Right Front again (2 stitches above the previous exit point)…

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Continue working back and forth. Every 5 or so stitches, gently tug on the working yarn, drawing the Fronts together.

Seam the Fronts until you reach where the Neckline shaping begins.

Weave + Block

Weave in the ends and block as desired.

Foxglove Vest | Purl Soho