Freeport Shawl Collar Vest

Freeport Shawl Collar Vest...I have worn this each day since I completed it and have received many compliments. Some are saying it is their favorite of my knits so far. You've gotta try this pattern! There could be endless possibilities with the color combos really.....I had fun with my garnet red stripes against the backdrop of the brown. I am honored to have my photo up on The Brown Stitch's blog, as she is showing samples of what projects people have knit using her patterns. You can check it out and see her other cool patterns over there.

...and look at the texture...

 

Definitely love it even more after blocking. Blocking just makes every stitch fall into place and lay smoothly and I got a bit of length out of it too. Photo shoot outside today by my wonderful husband.

 Shown before blocking.

Shown blocking.

Here's my version of Freeport Shawl Collar Vest by Elizabeth Smith. View her blog, The Brown Stitch and you can get her pattern there too! Or off Ravelry. She's on my sidebar link to the right! Mine was done with less than 3 skeins of Cascade Soft Spun, and less than one skein Malabrigo, both non-plied. I used a size 10 needle throughout. Of course I can never wait to model and wear my finished items before blocking, so I am wearing it here prior to blocking.

 Shown before finishing armholes and blocking...I tried it on and it fits! I am always so happy when this happens. You do a project and make modifications and hope that you got the gauge right and that it all works out fine. Usually it does! In this case, I think I got the correct needle size, gauge and so far it looks like this one will be a winner. Cute pattern!

After a few more rows I will bind off the collar and start on the armhole stitches.

Working on the short rows to shape the shawl collar here....

The Freeport Shawl Collar Vest... a lovely pattern. I liked the stripes in garter stitch and in contrast to the main stockinette body.  Since my yarn is a Cascade Soft Spun with brown and flecks of a red in it, I chose a Malabrigo in burgundy as my accent color for the stripes. Both yarns are soft and not plied. I am doing the medium size on size 10  circular needles. This pattern is seamless from the bottom up. Then you work the front pieces upward separately, putting one side on hold while knitting the other. The back is also knit upward. The stripes are made by alternating to the contrast color every two rows, and done in garter stitch. The shoulders will be sewn using a 3 needle bind off and the shawl collar will be picked up and short rows used to shape it.

Here is the piece layed out flat. You can see where you bind off stitches at the underarm. Modifications: I am omitting the waist shaping called for in the pattern, as well as omitting the "fake seam" called for down the armhole to the hem.I could have probably done the waist shaping, but thought it might be snug on me. It probably would've been just fine if I'd done it.

I think it's coming along well and soon I'll be ready to put the back stitches on hold while I finish knitting up the other "front" side. 

I am working on the picking up of the collar stitches now and getting ready to do the short row wraps for the shawl collar.  It's a cute pattern and vests are my new favorite thing so I look forward to finishing this one.

I am very happy with this pattern and recommend it.  Note: I would not recommend the Cascade Soft Spun necessarily as it seems to "crease" a little bit. Odd, never had a yarn do that. But it then shakes out. Maybe since it is so soft.