Fisherman's Rib Vest

an original pattern designed for Chris — squishy, stretchy, and deliberately roomy

🧶 Drops Karisma (DK) · finished chest ≈ 63″ relaxed · V-neck, ribbed bands

The design, and why the numbers are what they are

Built from your measurements: 54″ chest, 60″ at the widest. The widest point rules the fit, so the body is a straight tube — no waist shaping to cling anywhere — at ≈ 63″ around, relaxed. That's 3″ of ease over your widest point in a fabric that can stretch far wider, which means the vest hangs from the shoulders and simply never touches down. At the chest it's roomier still. Nothing hugs.

It's knit flat in two pieces and seamed — the same fisherman's rib you're knitting for Luka's jumper, worked exactly the same way, so your hands already know it. The side seams matter here: fisherman's rib is heavy, and seams act like tent poles that keep a big garment from sagging and growing. Deep V-neck with a mitred rib band, ribbed armhole bands, generous armholes.

What you need

Yarn: Drops Karisma (DK, 100% wool, 50 g / 100 m, machine-washable on a gentle wool cycle) — about 1,700 m, which is 17 balls minimum; secure 19 (950 g), all one dye lot. Fisherman's rib is a glutton, but DK makes a vest with drape instead of armor — and Karisma's 100 m balls go further than Nepal's 75.
Needles: 4.5 mm for the body, 3.5 mm for hem and bands — plus a 3.5 mm circular (80 cm) for the neckband and a shorter 3.5 mm circular or DPNs for the armhole bands.
Notions: stitch holders or spare yarn, a safety pin (for the V's center stitch), tapestry needle, 2 removable markers.

Before you cast on — count your balls. Make sure you have at least 17 balls of Karisma in one dye lot, ideally 19. If you're short, buy the rest now while the dye lot is still available. Built-in checkpoint: the Back takes about 45% of the total — weigh your remaining yarn when the Back is done, and you'll know for certain whether you'll clear the finish line.

Tension (gauge)

21 stitches × 36 rows = 10 cm in fisherman's rib on 4.5 mm needles, measured relaxed, not stretched. Same stitch as Luka's jumper, finer yarn — the fabric comes out lighter and drapier. Swatch first; a vest this wide magnifies every fraction of a stitch.

Row counter & gauge

Counters save to the project — phone, laptop, back again; your place keeps.

My gauge check

Swatch in fisherman's rib on the 4.5 mm needles, wash it, lay it flat relaxed, and measure over 10 cm. Enter what you actually get — the verdict updates live and saves with the project. The needle that lands you on 21 stitches is the right one; if a different needle gets you a fabric you love, say the word and the pattern gets renumbered for that gauge.

Stitches I get
Rows I get (optional)

The stitch (same as the jumper)

Hem/band rib — Row 1 (RS): P1, then repeat [ K1, P1 ] to the end. Row 2 (WS): K1, then repeat [ P1, K1 ] to the end. Fisherman's rib — Row 1 (RS): knit every stitch. Row 2 (WS): K1, then repeat [ P1, knit-one-below (K1B) ], ending the last repeat P1, K1.

All shaping lands on the all-knit right-side rows, so decreases are plain k2tog and ssk — no working decreases "in pattern." After edges shift from shaping, keep the rhythm by reading your knitting: K1B into the deep fat V columns, P1 between them; unruly edge stitches disappear into seams and bands.

The Back

With 3.5 mm needles, cast on 167 stitches. Work the hem rib for 6 cm (2½″), ending after a wrong-side row. Change to 4.5 mm and work fisherman's rib until the piece measures 43 cm (17″) from the cast-on, ending after a wrong-side row. (Length lever: add or subtract rows here if you want the vest longer or shorter — decide once and do the same on the Front.) Armholes: cast off 10 stitches at the beginning of each of the next 2 rows. 147 stitches Decrease row (RS): K2 · k2tog · knit until 4 remain · ssk · K2 Work a wrong-side pattern row. Repeat this pair 15 times in total. 117 stitches Work straight until the armhole measures 27 cm (10¾″) from the cast-off row, ending after a wrong-side row. Shoulders: cast off 33 stitches at the beginning of each of the next 2 rows. Slip the remaining 51 back-neck stitches onto a holder. Back done. 🎉 Now weigh your yarn — the Back is ≈45% of the project.

The Front

Work exactly as the Back through the armhole cast-offs. 147 stitches Split for the V (RS): knit 73 · slip the next stitch (the center, number 74) onto a safety pin · leave the remaining 73 waiting on the needle or a holder. Work the left side first on its 73 stitches.

Left side (73 stitches) — armhole edge at the start of RS rows

Armhole decreases — at the start of right-side rows: K2 · k2tog on every RS row, 15 times in total (matching the Back). V-neck decreases — at the end of every other RS row (i.e. every 4th row): …knit until 4 remain · ssk · K2 — 25 times in total. The first V decrease happens on the same row as the first armhole decrease; after row 29 the armhole decreases are finished and only the V continues. When all decreases are done you have 33 stitches (73 − 15 − 25). Work straight if needed until the armhole measures 27 cm, matching the Back exactly (count rows if in doubt). Cast off the 33 shoulder stitches.

Right side (73 stitches) — mirror image

Rejoin the yarn at the neck edge with the right side facing. Neck decreases now come at the start of RS rows (K2 · k2tog, every 4th row × 25) and armhole decreases at the end (…until 4 remain · ssk · K2, every RS row × 15). Same schedule, same totals. At 33 stitches and 27 cm of armhole, cast off the shoulder. Front done. 🎉

Bands & making up

Join the shoulder seams (33 sts each side) — mattress stitch or backstitch, right sides matched. Neckband — with the 3.5 mm circular, right side facing, starting at the left shoulder seam: pick up and knit about 3 stitches for every 4 rows down the left V edge · knit the pinned center stitch and hang a removable marker on it · pick up the same number up the right V edge · rib across the 51 held back-neck stitches, decreasing 1 at the center back if needed to make your total even. Join and work K1, P1 rib in the round, arranging the rib so the marked center stitch is a knit. Mitre the V on every round: rib to 1 stitch before the marked center · slip 2 together knitwise (that's the stitch before + the center) · K1 · pass both slipped stitches over. This eats 2 stitches per round and folds the band crisply into the V. Work 8 rounds, then cast off in rib, still decreasing at the center on the cast-off round. Sew the side seams, hem band to underarm. Armhole bands — with 3.5 mm, right side facing, pick up an even number around each armhole (≈3 per 4 rows along the slopes, 1 per cast-off stitch — expect roughly 130). Join, work K1, P1 rib for 8 rounds, cast off loosely in rib. Repeat on the other armhole. Weave in ends. Soak gently, press out water in a towel, lay flat and pat — don't stretch — to about 63″ around. Dry flat completely (Nepal holds water; give it a day or two). Wear immediately and often. 🎉

Fit insurance: after the Back and the seaming of one shoulder, you can try the whole thing against yourself. Fisherman's rib grows a touch with wear and blocking — if anything, err smaller in length, never in width; the width is engineered to clear the middle without touching.

Project photos

Progress shots and the finished vest — photos upload straight from your phone and stay with the project.

Page settings

Checking sync…

Clears every checkbox and counter. Photos are kept (delete those individually with the ✕).

Fisherman's Rib Vest — an original pattern designed for Chris Malone from his own measurements.
Fabric and techniques shared with Sunbeam No. 1081; the numbers are all his.

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