What you need
| Sizes | XS, S, M, L, XL, 2XL · To fit bust 26, 31, 35, 40, 44, 49 inches · Finished chest 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55 inches — 4 to 6 inches of positive ease. |
|---|---|
| Yarn | Chunky wool or wool blend, about 100 yd / 91 m per 100 g: 400 to 1030 yards (4 to 11 balls), one dye lot. Fisherman's rib is double-thick and uses roughly half as much yarn again as stockinette. |
| Needles | US 10.5 / 6.5 mm circulars: 32-inch for the body, 16-inch for the collar, yoke and armhole bands. One needle size for the whole garment. |
| Gauge (tension) | 16 sts and 28 rows = 4 inches in fisherman's rib, relaxed; 16 sts and 24 rows = 4 inches in 1x1 rib, same needle. |
Skills you’ll use
- Knit
- Purl
- Knit one below (k1b) - the only new thing, one movement you will have by the end of the first round
- M1 and k2tog
- Knitting in the round
- Picking up stitches
- No wrong-side rows, no charts, and no seaming at all.
What’s in the PDF
- 13-page PDF, fully written out for six sizes
- A diagram of the stitch, showing exactly what "knit one below" catches
- A map of the raglan yoke, showing why the shoulder straps must not grow
- A page on the hem, including how to work the vest bottom-up instead
- A construction diagram, a full schematic, and a page of what-went-wrong fixes
- Every stitch count checked by calculation - cast-on, every raglan round, underarm division, hem and bands close exactly at every size
Questions about this pattern
What is fisherman's rib?
An ordinary 1x1 rib with one change: every knit stitch is worked into the row below, catching a strand across it. That makes the fabric twice as thick, deeply ribbed and very squashy.
Why does it need so much yarn?
Fisherman's rib is a double-thick fabric - it uses roughly half as much yarn again as stockinette over the same area. The yardages in the pattern are right, even if they look high.
How should I care for it?
Never hang it, wet or dry - fisherman's rib has almost no memory lengthwise and will grow several inches on a hanger. Fold it to dry and fold it to store.
