You Just Might Need a Roma Vest!
There’s a sample at My Sister Knits that has caught my eye for quite a while. It’s the Roma Vest designed by Mochiknits, using Circus Tonic Merino Possum. Now, I don’t wear vests, or I haven’t until I saw this one! The details are exquisite, as are the buttons and the yarn. This vest would be a 3 season staple to anyone’s wardrobe! I’d love to throw it over whatever I have on as I get cooler in the evening. Sometimes a sweater is too much.
The thought put into the small details are what makes it so visually appealing. The pattern is well written with diagrams and stitch counts to help all along the way. There’s also a list of videos to help with all of the techniques used. One thing to remember is that if a particular technique video is confusing, you can always search YouTube for others until you find one that you like. An instruction new to me is to pick up stitches using the short tail method. This video explains not only how to do it but why you might want to. It’s always fun to try a new way of doing things
Yarn options left to right: Kelbourne Woolens Scout, Blacker Yarns Samite, Les Garcons British DK, Circus Tonic Merino Possum, Woolfolk Brise.
The pattern that makes this so eye-catching is a simple two row slipped stitch stockinette. On the right side, you K1, S1 (slip 1 stitch purl-wise) all the way across and on the wrong side you purl all the way across. There’s no seaming; you cast on and work the back shoulders, then you pick up stitches for the front shoulders and work down to the armholes. At that point you join the fronts and back and work the body.
You have two choices to finish the armhole; you can either do an i-Cord or a 1x1 rib. The collar is finished by folding it down and using a crochet hook to attach it, another ingenious idea that results in a beautiful collar detail that could be used for any cardigan. And, yes, there is a video! Mochi also shows us how to add an elastic thread to collars to help them keep their shape. I’m going to do that to a cardigan I wear often because I’ve been worried about the collar stretching out of shape.
You can add mohair to a fingering weight yarn for fuzziness.
If you’d like to use a different yarn, My Sister Knits has some good options for you. We’d be happy to help you choose something you love! There are possibilities that will give you a sturdier vest and ones that will give you a more drapey one. Which do you want? Also, if you’d like a fuzzy one, you can put some mohair with a fingering weight yarn. You have lots of choices!
Remember that any gift certificates purchased in December will be 10% off!
Holiday Feminine Hygiene Drive
During December, we are collecting any and all hygiene items for The Giving Tree at FoCo Cafe. It’s a community resource cart where people can freely take essential items and others can donate. Ideas are shampoo, soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, diapers, period products. We welcome anything you can think of to make someone’s life more pleasant. Each donation gives you an entry to win a $50 My Sister Knits gift card!
Happy knitting,
