Celtic braid sweater vest and hat

I designed this sleeveless sweater for myself as I had a “bargain bag” of yarn that I knew wouldn’t stretch to a sweater with sleeves, and I’m so pleased with it – I incorporated pockets (to keep my hands warm) and a collar that can be buttoned right up (I hate wearing scarves). The cable pattern looks more complicated than it is – there are only two types of cable, the Celtic pattern I used in the Sweater with shirt collar and cable trim, and a simple rope cable, doubled in the centre of the pattern.

I’m not sure what the yarn is, it could be Jarol Heritage, which is a wool-rich mix. The colour is a beautiful deep red, which for some reason is really hard to photograph accurately with my camera, you’ll just have to take my word for it! I had enough yarn left to make a matching hat – the patterns for both are here.

Materials:

Jarol Heritage DK (55% wool/25% acrylic/20% nylon): 350g for sweater vest, 80g for hat

7 x ½” (12 mm) buttons for sweater vest

Pair UK8/4 mm needles plus one spare.

Pair UK9/3.75 mm needles

Pair UK10/3.25 mm needles

Cable needle

Stitch holders/safety pins

Tension:

22 sts and 30 rows to 4”/10 cm over stocking stitch

Measurements:

Sweater vest to fit 40” to 42” (101-106 cm) bust/chest – actual measurement 44” (112 cm), length 26” (66 cm).

Hat to fit head 23”-24” (58-61 cm) circumference – can be adjusted

Abbreviations:

K	knit	C4B	Slip next 2 stitches onto a cable needle and leave at back of work. K2, then K2 from cable needle
P	purl
st st	stocking stitch
patt	pattern	C4F	Slip next 2 stitches onto a cable needle and leave at front of work. K2, then K2 from cable needle
tog	together
st(s)	stich(es)
inc	increase	T4B	Slip next 2 stitches onto a cable needle and leave at back of work. K2, then P2 from cable needle
dec	decrease
RS	right side
WS	wrong side	T4F	Slip next 2 stitches onto a cable needle and leave at front of work. P2, then K2 from cable needle
in	inch(es)
rem	remaining
yrnc	yarn round needle clockwise

Pattern panel (54 sts)

Row	Rope A	Celtic braid A	Double rope	Celtic braid B	Rope B
1	P1, K4	P3, C4B, P4, C4B, P3	K8	P3, C4F, P4, C4F, P3	K4, P1
2	K1, P4	K3, P4, K4, P4, K3	P8	K3, P4, K4, P4, K3	P4, K1
3	P1, C4F	P1, (T4B, T4F) twice, P1	C4B, C4F	P1, (T4B, T4F) twice, P1	C4B, P1
4	K1, P4	K1, P2, K4, P4, K4, P2, K1	P8	K1, P2, K4, P4, K4, P2, K1	P4, K1
5	P1, K4	P1, K2, P4, C4F, P4, K2, P1	K8	P1, K2, P4, C4B, P4, K2, P1	K4, P1
6	K1, P4	K1, P2, K4, P4, K4, P2, K1	P8	K1, P2, K4, P4, K4, P2, K1	P4, K1
7	P1, C4F	P1, (T4F, T4B) twice, P1	C4B, C4F	P1, (T4F, T4B) twice, P1	C4B, P1
8	K1, P4	K3, P4, K4, P4, K3	P8	K3, P4, K4, P4, K3	P4, K1

Detail of cable pattern

Sweater vest instructions

Back:

Using 3.25 mm needles, cast on 128 sts and work in double rib as follows for 3” (7.5 cm)

1st rib row: K1, (P2, K2) to last 3 sts, P2, K1

2nd rib row: K3, (P2, K2) to last 5 sts, P2, K3

Inc row: Rib 8, (inc in next st, rib 15) 7 times, inc in next st, rib 7 (136 sts).

Change to 4 mm needles and continue as follows, working the pattern panel from the 1st row:

Next row: K41, work 54 sts of patt panel, K41.

Next row: P41, work 54 sts of patt panel, P41.

Continue in pattern as set until work measures 16.5” (42 cm) or desired length to armhole shaping.

Shape armholes: Dec 6 sts at start of next 2 rows, then dec 1 st at each end of the next 7 rows. Dec 1 st at each end of the next 10 RS rows (90 sts).

Continue until work measures 9.5” (24 cm) from start of armhole decreasing, ending with a WS row (26”/66 cm total).

Shape shoulders: Cast off 6 sts at start of next 6 rows. Place rem 54 sts on stitch holder for collar.

Pocket linings (make 2):

With 4 mm needles, cast on 25 sts and work 16 rows in st st. Leave sts on stitch holder.

Front:

Cast on and work ribbing (including inc row) as for Back. Change to 4 mm needles and work 16 rows as for back.

Divide for pockets: K16, K25 from top of pocket lining, turn and, using spare 4 mm needle, st st 39 rows on these 41 sts, thus ending with a RS row. Cast off 25 sts and P to end. Leave rem 16 sts on stitch holder.

Rejoin yarn to sts on main needle and work 104 sts keeping continuity of patt, turn, placing last 16 sts on a stitch holder, and, using spare needle, work 40 rows in patt on these 104 sts. Leave these sts on needle.

Place 16 sts from stitch holder then 25 sts of second pocket lining on left hand needle, rejoin yarn and work 40 rows in st st. Cast off 25 sts.

Keeping the 16 sts on the left hand needle, replace the 104 sts from the main part and the 16 sts from the right hand part back onto this needle (136 sts). Continue in patt as for back until front matches back to armhole shaping.

Armhole shaping and divide for neck: Cast off 6 sts at start of next row, work 58 sts, cast off next 8 sts and work to end.

Cast off 6 sts at start of next row, work to centre cast off, turn and work on these 58 sts.

**Dec 1 st at armhole edge on next 7 rows, then foll 10 RS rows (41 sts). At the same time keep neck edge straight and keep continuity of patt.

Work straight until you have completed 15 rows less than back to shoulder dec (14 rows less on other side of front).

Next row: Work to last 13 sts, place these sts on a large safety pin, turn and work on rem 28 sts. Dec 1 st at neck edge on next 7 rows, then each alt (RS) row 3 times (18 sts).

Shoulder shaping: Cast off 6 sts at start of next and foll alt row, work 1 row. Cast off rem 6 sts.

Rejoin yarn to rem 58 sts and work 1 WS row. Work from ** to complete other side of front, reversing all shapings.

Pocket edgings (both alike):

Sew pocket linings to inside of front. With 3.25 mm needles and RS facing, pick up 40 sts along outside edge of pocket opening and work 9 rows rib as for back. Cast off using a size larger needle.

Button band:

With 3.25 mm needles and RS facing, pick up 52 sts down left side of front opening (right side for a man) and complete as for pocket edgings.

Buttonhole band:

As for button band, but working two buttonhole rows on 5th and 6th rows as follows:

1st buttonhole row (WS): Rib 3, (yarn to back, yrnc, K2 tog, rib 10) 4 times, K1.

2nd buttonhole row (RS): rib as normal, working into the back of the loops made by the yrnc on the previous row.

Note: This method will give you neat holes which are almost invisible in wear, and you should not need to neaten the edges as with other methods. The buttonholes will be big enough for small buttons

Lap buttonhole band over button band at the bottom and stitch to cast off stitches at centre front.

Collar:

With 3.25 mm needles and RS facing, pick up 10 sts from top of buttonhole band (button band for a man). Work across 13 sts from safety pin, reducing to 10 sts as follows: K1, (K2 tog, K2) 3 times. Then pick up 20 sts along front left neck. Work across 54 sts from back neck, reducing to 40 as follows: (K2 tog, K2) 13 times, K2 tog. Pick up 20 sts along right front neck edge, work across 13 sts from safety pin, reducing to 10 as follows: (K2, K2 tog) 3 times, K1. Pick up 10 sts from top of other band. (120 sts).

Work 16 rows rib as for back, starting with 2nd row, then change to 3.75 mm needles and work another 21 rows. At the same time, make a buttonhole at the start of the 10th, 22nd and 34th rows as follows: K1, P2, yrnc, K2 tog, rib to end. Remember to work into the back of the buttonhole stitch on the return rows.

Cast off ribwise using a size larger needle.

Armbands (both alike):

Join shoulder seams. With 3.25 mm needles and RS facing, pick up 140 sts evenly along armhole edge and complete as for pocket edgings.

Join side seams and darn in ends. Press stocking stitch parts only according to ball band instructions. Sew on buttons to correspond with buttonholes.

Below are photos of the various ways of wearing the collar.

Hat instructions

With 4 mm needles cast on 32 sts Work foundation row as follows:

(K3, P4) twice, K4, (P4, K3) twice.

Continue in pattern, using the pattern panel chart but omitting the double rope and Celtic cable B columns and adding 2 K sts at the start of each row as follows:

Next row: K2, [Rope A], [Celtic cable A], [Rope B], K2.

Work in patt until the band is long enough to fit around the head when slightly stretched, ending with an 8th patt row. Cast off.

With 3.75 mm needles and RS facing, pick up 132 sts evenly along one long edge of the band. Work 6” (15 cm) double rib as follows (note: adjust length if you have a smaller head).

Rib row: (K2, P2) to end.

Shape top as follows:

1st row: (rib 10, P2 tog) 11 times (121 sts)

2nd row: (K1, rib 10) 11 times.

3rd row: (rib 6, P2 tog, K2, P1) 11 times (110 sts)

4th row: (K1, P2, K1, P2, rib 4) 11 times.

5th row: (K2, P2 tog, K2, P1, K2, P1) 11 times (99 sts)

6th row: (K1, P2) to end.

7th row: (K2, P1, K2, K2 tog, K1, P1) 11 times (88 sts)

8th row: (K1, P4, K1, P2) 11 times.

9th row: (K2, P1, K1, K2 tog, K1, P1) 11 times (77 sts)

10th row: (K1, P3, K1, P2) 11 times.

11th row: (K2, P1, K2 tog, K1, P1) 11 times (66 sts)

12th row: As 6th row.

13th row: (K2, K2 tog, K1, P1) 11 times (55 sts)

14th row: (K1, P4) 11 times

15th row: (K1, K2tog, K1, P1) 11 times (44 sts)

16th row: (K1, P3) 11 times

17th row: (K2 tog, K1, P1) 11 times (33 sts)

18th row: K1, (P1, P2 tog) 10 times, P2 tog (22 sts)

19th row: (K2 tog) 11 times (11 sts)

Cut yarn leaving a long tail and thread through rem 11 sts, draw up and stitch in place.

Join seam, changing to reverse side for band. Turn back band along picked up join. Work a line of backstitch, from the right side, about ¼” (0.5 cm) from the lower edge to hold in place. Do not pull too tight – the band still needs to stretch!