Street Chic Hooded Cable Vest

Free Vest Knitting Pattern

The Street Chic Hooded Cable Vest is a modern take on the traditional knitted cable vest. I replaced the button front with a zipper, and added a hood for a contemporary look. The bulky weight yarn makes this a substantial garment that's great for cool weather.

SIZE
S (M, L, XL, 2X)

Finished measurements:

Chest: 36 [40, 44, 48, 52] inches (92 [102, 112, 122, 132] cm
Length: 25 [25, 26, 27, 28] inches (64 [64, 66, 69, 71] cm

MATERIALS
Rowan (affiliate link) Felted Tweed Chunky super bulky weight yarn 55 yards (50 meters) / 50 gr, color 282 Midnight - 16 (17, 19, 21, 23) balls
Separating zipper


Needles
1 set of US #9 (5.5 mm) needles, straight or circular OR SIZE NEEDED TO OBTAIN GAUGE

GAUGE
13 sts x 18 rows = 4"x 4" (10 cm x 10 cm) in stockinette stitch

Pattern notes

k - knit
p - purl
C6F - slip 3 sts onto the cable needle (cn) and hold the cn in front of the work; knit 3 sts from the left needle; return 3 sts to the left needle and knit them.
C6B - slip 3 sts onto the cable needle (cn) and hold the cn behind the work; knit 3 sts from the left needle; return 3 sts to the left needle and knit them.
T4R (Twist 4 Right) - Slip the next stitch onto the cable needle and hold behind work. Knit the next three stitches from the left-hand needle, then purl the stitch from the cable needle.
T4L (Twist 4 Left) - Slip the next three stitches onto cable needle and hold in front of work. Purl the next stitch from the left-hand needle, then knit the three stitches from the cable needle.
T5L (Twist 5 Left) - Slip the next three stitches onto cable needle and hold in front of work. Purl the next two stitches from the left-hand needle, then knit the three stitches from the cable needle.
T5R (Twist 5 Right) - Slip the next two stitches onto cable needle and hold behind work. Knit the next three stitches from the left-hand needle, then purl two stitches from the cable needle.

Reverse stockinette st :
Row 1 (RS) purl
Row 2 knit. Repeat rows 1 and 2.

Rib 1x1: k1, p1

Back Cable

24 sts
Rows 1 and 3: p 2, k 6, p 8, k 6, p 2
Row 2 and all even rows: knit the knit sts and purl the purl and cable sts
Row 5: p 2, C6F, p 8, C6F, p 2
Row 7: p 1, T4R, T4L, p 6, T4R, T4L, p 1
Row 9: T4R, p 2, T4L, p 4, T4R, p 2, T4L
Row 11: k 3, p 4, T4L, p 2, T4R, p 4, k 3
Row 13: T4L, p 4, T4L, T4R, p 4, T4R
Row 15: p 1, T4L, p 4, C6B, p 4, T4R, p 1
Row 17: p 2, T4L, p 2, T4R, T4L, p 2, T4R, p 2
Row 19: p 3, T4L, T4R, p 2, T4L, T4R, p 3
Row 21: p 4, C6F, p 4, C6F, p 4
Row 23: p 3, T4R, T4L, p 2, T4R, T4L, p 3
Row 25: p 2, T4R, p 2, T4L, T4R, p 2, T4L, p 2
Row 27: p 1, T4R, p 4, C6B, p 4, T4L, p 1
Row 29: T4R, p 4, T4R, T4L, p 4, T4L
Row 31: k 3, p 4, T4R, p 2, T4L, p 4, k 3
Row 33: T4L, p 2, T4R, p 4, T4L, p 2, T4R
Row 35: p 1, T4L, T4R, p 6, T4L, T4R, p 1
Row 37: p 2, C6F, p 8, C6F, p 2


Front Cable

19 sts
Rows 1 and 3: p 3, k 6, p 7, k 3
Row 2 and all even rows: knit the knit sts and purl the purl and cable sts
Row 5: p 3, C6B, p 6, T4R
Row 7: p 2, T4R, T5L, p 3, T4R, p 1
Row 9: p 1, T4R, p 3, T5L, T4R, p 2
Row 11: T4R, p 6, C6F, p 3
Rows 13 and 15: k 3, p 7, k 6, p 3
Row 17: T4L, p 6, C6F, p 3
Row 19: p 1, T4L, p 3, T5R, T4L, p 2
Row 21: p 2, T4L, T5R, p 3, T4L, p 1
Row 23: p 3, C6B, p 6, T4L


Selvedge

The front openings of the vest are finished with Double Chain and Garter selvedge. There are 2 selvedge sts added at the beginning and the end of the row.
At the beginning of each row slip 1, knit 1
At the end of each row knit 1, purl 1

Wrap and turn in the short rows:
With yarn in front sl 1 stitch to the right needle
Move yarn between the needles to the back
Slip the stitch back to the left needle
Turn the work and bring yarn back to the wrong side between the needles

Directions

The vest is worked from the bottom up. The fronts and back is worked as one piece to the underarm. Then the fronts and back are worked from 3 balls of yarn. Hood is worked from the bottom up, the top is shaped as a sock heel.

Important: left front cable starts from the 13th row of the pattern (see pattern above) to have the left front cable mirror the right front cable.

Cast on 116 (128, 140, 152, 164) sts.
Work rib 1x1 for 9 rows. In the last row increase evenly for 30 sts. Now you have 146 (158, 170, 182, 194) sts.
Work the stitches as follows:
2 selvedge sts, 4 sts reverse stockinette st, 19 sts front cable starting from the 1st row, 36 (42, 48, 54, 60) sts reverse stockinette st, 24 sts back cable, 36 (42, 48, 54, 60) sts reverse stockinette st, 19 sts front cable starting from the 13th row, 4 sts reverse stockinette st, 2 selvedge sts.

Work as established for 60 (60, 64, 68, 72) rows or to desired length.
To shape the underarm bind off 14 (14, 16, 18, 20) sts at each side as follows:
2 selvedge sts, 4 sts reverse stockinette st, 19 sts front cable, 6 (9, 11, 13, 15) sts reverse stockinette st, 14 (14, 16, 18, 20) st bind off, 16 (19, 21, 23, 25) sts reverse stockinette st, 24 sts back cable, 16 (19, 21, 23, 25) sts reverse stockinette st, 14 (14, 16, 18, 20) st bind off, 6 (9, 11, 13, 15) sts reverse stockinette st, 19 sts front cable, 4 sts reverse stockinette st, 2 selvedge sts. Continue to work back and fronts from 3 balls of yarn.
Work as established for 38 (40, 42, 44, 46) rows.

Sizes S, M and L

Right Front

Row 1: bind off 5 sts, continue as est.
Row 2: as est.
Row 3: bind off 1 st, continue as est.
Row 4: as est.
Row 5: bind off 1 st, continue as est.
Row 6: as est.
Row 7: bind off 1 st, continue as est, when there are 6 st left, wrap, turn.
Row 8: as est.
Row 9: bind off 1 st, continue as est, when there are 12 st left, wrap, turn.
Row 10: as est.
Row 11: bind off 1 st, continue as est, when there are 18 st left, wrap, turn.
Row 12: as est.
Bind off all sts.

Left Front

Row 1: work as est.
Row 2: bind off 5 sts, continue as est.
Row 3: work as est.
Row 4: bind off 1 st, continue as est.
Row 5: work as est.
Row 6: bind off 1 st, continue as est, when there are 6 st left, wrap, turn.
Row 7: work as est.
Row 8: bind off 1 st, continue as est, when there are 12 st left, wrap, turn.
Row 9: work as est.
Row 10: bind off 1 st, continue as est, when there are 18 st left, wrap, turn.
Row 11: work as est.
Row 12: work as est.
Bind off all sts.

Back
Rows 1-8: work as est.
Row 9: work as est, when there are 5 st left, wrap, turn.
Row 10: work as est, when there are 5 st left, wrap, turn.
Row 11: work as est, when there are 10 st left, wrap, turn.
Row 12: work as est, when there are 10 st left, wrap, turn.
Row 13: work as est, when there are 14 st left, wrap, turn.
Row 14: work as est, when there are 14 st left, wrap, turn.
Row 15: bind off 18 sts, work 26 sts as est, bind off 18 sts.

Sizes XL and 2X

Right Front

Row 1: bind off 5 sts, continue as est.
Row 2: as est.
Row 3: bind off 1 st, continue as est.
Row 4: as est.
Row 5: bind off 1 st, continue as est.
Row 6: as est.
Row 7: bind off 1 st, continue as est.
Row 8: as est.
Row 9: bind off 1 st, continue as est, when there are 6 st left, wrap, turn.
Row 10: as est.
Row 11: bind off 1 st, continue as est, when there are 12 st left, wrap, turn.
Row 12: as est.
Row 13: bind off 1 st, continue as est, when there are 18 st left, wrap, turn.
Row 14: as est.
Bind off all sts.

Left Front

Row 1: work as est.
Row 2: bind off 5 sts, continue as est.
Row 3: work as est.
Row 4: bind off 1 st, continue as est.
Row 5: work as est.
Row 6: bind off 1 st, continue as est.
Row 7: work as est.
Row 8: bind off 1 st, continue as est, when there are 6 st left, wrap, turn.
Row 9: work as est.
Row 10: bind off 1 st, continue as est, when there are 12 st left, wrap, turn.
Row 11: work as est.
Row 12: bind off 1 st, continue as est, when there are 18 st left, wrap, turn.
Row 13: work as est.
Row 14: work as est.
Bind off all sts.

Back
Rows 1-10: work as est.
Row 11: work as est, when there are 5 st left, wrap, turn.
Row 12: work as est, when there are 5 st left, wrap, turn.
Row 13: work as est, when there are 10 st left, wrap, turn.
Row 14: work as est, when there are 10 st left, wrap, turn.
Row 15: work as est, when there are 14 st left, wrap, turn.
Row 16: work as est, when there are 14 st left, wrap, turn.
Row 17: bind off 18 sts, work 26 sts as est, bind off 18 sts.

Leave 26 sts on the needle, they will be the center of the hood.
Block the vest. Join the shoulder seams.


Hood

Pick up 19 sts on both front necklines, starting from the 6th bind-offed stitch.
Work as follows:
16 sts reverse stockinette st, place marker, 3 sts reverse stockinette st, 24 st back cable, 3 sts reverse stockinette st, place marker, 16 sts reverse stockinette st.
Work as est for 42 rows. Increase for 1 st at marker 5 times in every right side row, 2 sts per row.
Block the hood before working the top of it.
The top of the hood is shaped as a sock heel as follows:
Row 1: 24 sts reverse stockinette st, 24 st back cable, p2tog, turn
Row 2: sl 1, 24 st back cable, k2tog, turn
Row 3: sl 1, 24 st back cable, p2tog, turn
Repeat rows 2-3 until all the stitches have been worked. Leave the sts on the needle.

Finishing

With right side facing pick up and knit 21 sts along the front edge of the hood, work cable sts k2tog, p 1 (decreasing 1/3 of the cable sts), pick up and knit 21 sts along the other edge of the hood. Work rib 1x1 for 8 rows. Bind off. Sew the rib sides of the hood to the beginning of the front neck line.
Pick up and knit 62 (64, 68, 72, 76) sts around the armholes and work 10 rows of rib 1x1. Bind off.
Sew the separating zipper onto the front of the vest.

Enjoy!