HORIZONTAL VERTICAL KIMONO
I love this very simple Kimono‐style vest because it is both horizontal and vertical at the same time. Horizontal
because it is knit from side‐to‐side. Vertical because the pattern which would normally be horizontal gets turned
on its side so it is vertical. Cascade 220 Superwash Quatro is perfect for this garment.
Sizes: Extra‐small (Small, medium, large). Directions are written for size extra‐small with changes in parentheses.
These sizes refer to bust size, the length can be either short, average, or tall. The only direction that matters for
the length is the number of stitches cast on. The remainder of the directions refer to the size around. The Kimono
in the picture is an extra‐small‐average.
Measurements: Bust 36(39,42,45) inches. Length short – about 24 inches, average – about 28 inches, tall about
31 inches from shoulder to mid‐thigh. Feel free to make the garment shorter or longer by casting on less or more
stitches.
Materials: 5(6,6,7) balls of Cascade 220 Superwash Quatro,
Kimono in picture is color #1955.
Purchase an extra ball if you plan to make the vest extra long.
Size 7 needles or Size Required to Obtain Gauge.
The body and bottom border can be worked on straight needles, the sleeve caps require a 16” circular and the
final border requires a 29‐36” circular. One 1‐1/2 to 2 inch button.
Gauge: 5 sts per inch in stockinette stitch. Cascade 220 Superwash looks best at a somewhat tight gauge so I
made mine at 5 stitches to the inch. HOWEVER, because the Kimono is knit side‐to‐side, the rows per inch gauge
(which is 1‐1/2 inches per pattern repeat) is more important than the stitches per inch gauge. Be sure that the
row gauge is correct. Come as close as you can to the 5 stitches per inch and adjust the number of stitches cast
on if you need to in order to obtain the desired length.
Note: Remember, you are working sideways. The cast on edge is the right side edge of the front running from
neck to mid‐thigh and the bound off edge is the left side edge of the front. The whole body is worked in one
piece with slits for the armholes and then stitches are picked up all around to work the borders.
Pattern for body of Kimono: odd number of stitches
Row 1: Knit
Row 2: Purl
Row 3: Knit
Row 4: Purl
Row 5: Knit
Row 6: Purl
Row 7: Knit
Row 8: Knit, not a mistake you are putting a purl ridge on the right side
Row 9: Knit
Row 10: P1, *YO, P2tog, rep. from * across row
Row 11: Knit
Row 12: Knit, see note on row 8
Repeat rows 1‐12 for pattern.
Pattern for Borders (double seed stitch): even number of stitches
Rows 1 and 2: K1, P1
Rows 3 and 4: P1, K1
Directions Page 2
Directions:
Cast on 109(125, 131) stitches for a mid‐thigh length in short, average, tall at 5 stitches per inch gauge. Feel free
to make it shorter or longer, or to correct number if your gauge is not quite 5 stitches per inch. Just be sure to
have an odd number of stitches. Remember that the border will add 3‐3‐1/2 inches.
Work in pattern starting on row 1(7,1, 7). Repeat pattern through row 12 4(4,5,5) times. Work rows 1 and 2 of
pattern. Next row (pattern row 3), bind off 40(40,45,45) stitches at beginning of row, finish row maintaining pattern.
You have completed the right front. Next row (pattern row 4), work in pattern to end of row. Cable cast on
40(40,45,45) stitches. You have now created the first armhole and begun the back. Continue in pattern until you
have completed row 12 of the pattern 12(13, 14, 15) times from the armhole. Work rows 1‐4 of pattern. Make
another armhole by binding off on next row and casting back on on row after that. Now work left front to same
size as right ending on pattern row 6(2,6,2) and bind off.
Sew shoulders: First gather the front shoulders in about one inch and then sew front shoulders to back, leaving a
reasonable gap for the back of the neck. The gathering creates a slightly vee’d neckline.
Borders: For the sleeves, really just caps, use a 16” circular needle. With right side facing, pick up one stitch in
each bound off or cast on stitch around armhole, place marker and join in round and work in double seed st. for 2
‐3 inches or however long you want the sleeve cap. Bind off loosely.
The border around the fronts and neck and bottom is worked in 2 parts (the bottom is one piece and the first
front around neck and down other front is the second). Work the bottom border first. With the right side facing,
pick up 8 sts for each repeat of the pattern on the bottom edge, 5 stitches in the stockinette section and 3 in the
mesh ridge. Be sure you have an even number of stitches. Work double seed stitch for 3(3,3‐1/4,3‐1/2) inches.
Now work the edge and neck border. With right side facing, pick up 15(15,17,18) stitches in bottom border, one
stitch for each bound off or cast on stitch on the front edges and again 8 for each pattern repeat across neck and
ending with another 15(15,17,18) stitches on other side of bottom border. Again, be sure you have an even number
of stitches. Work in double seed stitch for 2 inches of the border, make one single 3‐stitch buttonhole approximately
across from the bottom of the armhole by binding off 3 stitches on the first row and casting back on
3 stitches on top of the bound off stitches on the next row. Complete border to same length as bottom border.
Bind off nice and loosely.
Finishing: Weave in ends. Sew button opposite buttonhole.
Kimono Vest
I love this very simple Kimono‐style vest because it is both horizontal and vertical at the same time. Horizontal
because it is knit from side‐to‐side. Vertical because the pattern which would normally be horizontal gets turned
on its side so it is vertical. Cascade 220 Superwash Quatro is perfect for this garment.
Sizes: Extra‐small (Small, medium, large). Directions are written for size extra‐small with changes in parentheses.
These sizes refer to bust size, the length can be either short, average, or tall. The only direction that matters for
the length is the number of stitches cast on. The remainder of the directions refer to the size around. The Kimono
in the picture is an extra‐small‐average.
Measurements: Bust 36(39,42,45) inches. Length short – about 24 inches, average – about 28 inches, tall about
31 inches from shoulder to mid‐thigh. Feel free to make the garment shorter or longer by casting on less or more
stitches.
Materials: 5(6,6,7) balls of Cascade 220 Superwash Quatro,
Kimono in picture is color #1955.
Purchase an extra ball if you plan to make the vest extra long.
Size 7 needles or Size Required to Obtain Gauge.
The body and bottom border can be worked on straight needles, the sleeve caps require a 16” circular and the
final border requires a 29‐36” circular. One 1‐1/2 to 2 inch button.
Gauge: 5 sts per inch in stockinette stitch. Cascade 220 Superwash looks best at a somewhat tight gauge so I
made mine at 5 stitches to the inch. HOWEVER, because the Kimono is knit side‐to‐side, the rows per inch gauge
(which is 1‐1/2 inches per pattern repeat) is more important than the stitches per inch gauge. Be sure that the
row gauge is correct. Come as close as you can to the 5 stitches per inch and adjust the number of stitches cast
on if you need to in order to obtain the desired length.
Note: Remember, you are working sideways. The cast on edge is the right side edge of the front running from
neck to mid‐thigh and the bound off edge is the left side edge of the front. The whole body is worked in one
piece with slits for the armholes and then stitches are picked up all around to work the borders.
Pattern for body of Kimono: odd number of stitches
Row 1: Knit
Row 2: Purl
Row 3: Knit
Row 4: Purl
Row 5: Knit
Row 6: Purl
Row 7: Knit
Row 8: Knit, not a mistake you are putting a purl ridge on the right side
Row 9: Knit
Row 10: P1, *YO, P2tog, rep. from * across row
Row 11: Knit
Row 12: Knit, see note on row 8
Repeat rows 1‐12 for pattern.
Pattern for Borders (double seed stitch): even number of stitches
Rows 1 and 2: K1, P1
Rows 3 and 4: P1, K1
Directions Page 2
Directions:
Cast on 109(125, 131) stitches for a mid‐thigh length in short, average, tall at 5 stitches per inch gauge. Feel free
to make it shorter or longer, or to correct number if your gauge is not quite 5 stitches per inch. Just be sure to
have an odd number of stitches. Remember that the border will add 3‐3‐1/2 inches.
Work in pattern starting on row 1(7,1, 7). Repeat pattern through row 12 4(4,5,5) times. Work rows 1 and 2 of
pattern. Next row (pattern row 3), bind off 40(40,45,45) stitches at beginning of row, finish row maintaining pattern.
You have completed the right front. Next row (pattern row 4), work in pattern to end of row. Cable cast on
40(40,45,45) stitches. You have now created the first armhole and begun the back. Continue in pattern until you
have completed row 12 of the pattern 12(13, 14, 15) times from the armhole. Work rows 1‐4 of pattern. Make
another armhole by binding off on next row and casting back on on row after that. Now work left front to same
size as right ending on pattern row 6(2,6,2) and bind off.
Sew shoulders: First gather the front shoulders in about one inch and then sew front shoulders to back, leaving a
reasonable gap for the back of the neck. The gathering creates a slightly vee’d neckline.
Borders: For the sleeves, really just caps, use a 16” circular needle. With right side facing, pick up one stitch in
each bound off or cast on stitch around armhole, place marker and join in round and work in double seed st. for 2
‐3 inches or however long you want the sleeve cap. Bind off loosely.
The border around the fronts and neck and bottom is worked in 2 parts (the bottom is one piece and the first
front around neck and down other front is the second). Work the bottom border first. With the right side facing,
pick up 8 sts for each repeat of the pattern on the bottom edge, 5 stitches in the stockinette section and 3 in the
mesh ridge. Be sure you have an even number of stitches. Work double seed stitch for 3(3,3‐1/4,3‐1/2) inches.
Now work the edge and neck border. With right side facing, pick up 15(15,17,18) stitches in bottom border, one
stitch for each bound off or cast on stitch on the front edges and again 8 for each pattern repeat across neck and
ending with another 15(15,17,18) stitches on other side of bottom border. Again, be sure you have an even number
of stitches. Work in double seed stitch for 2 inches of the border, make one single 3‐stitch buttonhole approximately
across from the bottom of the armhole by binding off 3 stitches on the first row and casting back on
3 stitches on top of the bound off stitches on the next row. Complete border to same length as bottom border.
Bind off nice and loosely.
Finishing: Weave in ends. Sew button opposite buttonhole.
© Cascade Yarns – YarnBirds’ use, by permission.
yrs. Shown: sizes 6, 4, & 2.
