free pattern friday: cowgirl butterfly astronaut vest

When we were little, we had playclothes and good clothes. We wore our good clothes to church and to other events that required good grooming, and most days I couldn't wait to get home and tear off my fancy clothes to put on my overalls (or as my Grandmom called them, "dungarees"), and go play outside. My little sister on the other hand loved to wear fancy clothes, the frillier the better, and would beg to be allowed to wear her shiny patent leather Mary Janes (which she called "clacks"), out to play.

This vest is an homage to all the girls in clacks, who want to be frilly while they play outside. I imagine it being worn over a T-shirt and jeans, while they play cowgirls or astronauts or whatever else they want to do, and look good at the same time. It's knit all in one piece, bottom-up, starting at the ruffle, and finishes with a ruffle as the cap sleeve. Have fun making this for your favorite dress-up girl.

Edited on 6.19.2010 to correct several errata.

size: girls' 2 (4, 6)

measurements:
chest: 27 (30, 31.5) inches
back length: 12 (13, 14) inches

materials
1 (1, 2) ball/s Cascade Sierra (color B) 100g/192 yd
2 balls Cascade Sierra Quatro (color A) 100g/192 yd
size 7 (4.5 mm) circular needles
size 5 (3.75 mm) circular needles
tapestry needle
3 (three) 1/2-inch buttons

gauge: 16 st / 26 rows / 4 inches over the K4, P2 rib (lightly stretched)

broken block pattern
(8 row pattern repeat)
R1 and R3: *(K4, P2), Rep from * to end.
R5 and R7: *(P2, K4), Rep from * to end.
All even rows: Knit the K's and Purl the P's.

cast on
You will start with the ruffle at the bottom edge. Using color B and larger needles, CO 248 (274, 288) st.
K 2 rows (garter st).
R3, 5: Purl
R4: Knit
R6: K2tog every st to end. 124 (137, 144) st rem.
R7: Purl
R8: Change to color A. *(K4, P3). Rep from * to end. K2tog 1 (0, 0) times. K to end.
R9 (WS): K all P's and P all K's.
Cont in K4, P3 patt for 6 rows (each RS row begins and ends with K4).
Next RS row: K4, *(P2tog, P 1, K4). Rep from * to end. 106 (118, 124) st rem.
Cont in K4, P2 patt until piece measures 6.5 (7, 7) in from cast on row.



(high) waistband
Next RS row: Change to color B. K to end.
WS: K to end.
Next RS row: Change back to color A and beg Broken Block patt. Patt 4 rows.

divide for sleeves - right side
Patt 26 (29, 30) st, turn. Place rem st on a st holder - you will now be working just these 26 (29, 30) st.
Next 2 WS rows: BO 3, patt to end.
Next WS row: K2 tog 0 (1, 1) times, patt to end. 20 (22, 23) st rem.

shape neck - right side
Cont in patt until armhole meas 3.5 (4, 4.5) in.
Next RS row: BO 4 (4, 6), patt to end.
Next RS row: BO 2 (2, 2), patt to end.
Next 2 RS rows: K2tog 1 (2, 2) time(s), patt to end. 12 (12, 13) st rem.
Cont in patt until armhole meas 5.5 (6, 7) in.
Place the 12 (13) shoulder st on a holder.

back
Join yarn, BO 3, Patt 49 (57, 61) st, turn work. Leave rem st on holder.
Next row: BO 3, Patt to end.
At start of next 2 rows, BO 2 (2, 3).
Next 2 (1, 1) rows, dec 1 st at each end. 40 (44, 50) st rem.
Cont in patt until armhole meas 4.5 (5, 5.5) in.

shape back neck
(RS): Patt 16 (17, 19), BO 8 (10, 12), Patt to end
Next row and all WS rows: K across in patt
Next RS row: BO 2, patt to end.
Next 2 (3, 2) RS rows: Dec 1 (1, 2), Patt to end.
Cont in patt until armhole meas 5.5 (6, 7) in. Place rem 12 (12, 13) st on holder.
Repeat in reverse for other side of neck. Place rem 12 (12, 13) st on holder.

shape left side
Join yarn and repeat as for right side, above.

Using the 3-needle bind off method, join shoulder seams.



sleeves
You will pick up all the armhole stitches and create a small ruffled sleeve cap using short rows. The cap sleeve is knit back & forth, rather than in the round. You will sew the small underarm seam when finished.

Using color B and smaller needles:
Starting in the middle of the underarm, pick up and knit the BO st as you move up the front of the garment. Pick up and knit 3 out of every 4 selvedge st, all the way around the front and back of the armhole until you meet the BO st on the other side. Pick up and knit all the remaining BO st until you reach your starting point. Do not join. You will have about 60 (70, 80) st on the needle.

Turn work and knit 3 rows in garter st (not in the round).

Next RS row: BO 9, then Kfb every st until 9 st rem. Place these rem 9 st on holder and turn work.

Next row (WS): Purl. As you work your way back, place a st marker at the center top of the shoulder. P to 20 (24, 26) st beyond M, wrap & turn.
Next row (RS): K to 20 st beyond M, wrap & turn.

Next row (WS): P to 4 st beyond the last turning point, wrap & turn.
Next row (RS): K to 4 st beyond the last turning point, wrap & turn.
Repeat these last two rows 2 more times.

Next row (WS): P to end.
Turn work and K 4 rows in garter st.
Next RS row: BO all st, incl the st rem on holder.
Sew underarm seam.

Repeat for second sleeve cap.

button bands
Using smaller needles and color B, pick up 3 out of every 4 st up the right side of the garment - approx 52 (57, 60) st.
Knit 3 rows in garter st. BO.

Repeat on the left side, picking up st and knitting one row.
R2 (buttonhole row) : K to waistband. K1, YO, K2tog. K to halfway point (towards neckline), YO, K2tog. K to last 4 st, YO, K2tog, K to end.
R3: Knit.
R4: BO.

collar
Using smaller needles and color B, starting at right front, pick up and knit about 17 (18, 20) st on right front. Pick up and knit about 22 (26, 30) back neck st and about 17 (18, 20) st on left front.
K 3 rows in garter st. BO.

finishing
Mark button placement and sew on buttons.
Weave in all loose ends.

important notice: This is a free pattern and you are welcome to use it for all the non-commercial purposes you like. However, you may not reproduce this pattern to sell, and you may not sell what you make with it. You may donate what you make with it to charity, and you may use it for charity fundraisers only if 100% of the proceeds are donated to the charity (and by charity I don't mean your kid's college fund). Thanks for understanding!