Pattern Scout
Pattern Scout: Dopamine for your Next Slipover
The Holiday Slipover by PetiteKnit was the first official garment I knitted and finished (emphasis on finished). You can check out my original post here.
That yellow inspired me in a way not much else does. Color has always had a stronghold on my creative process, so I guess it should come as no surprise that it inspires me to knit like a fiend.
I have been craving another slipover (you can also call it a vest, if you like) project so I can get my layer game on. Sometimes, you just need a little somethin’ to toss over what you’re already wearing.
I went looking for a slipover with a colorwork pattern to keep me extra interested. Here are a few that are at the top of my list.
Make Myself Flowers Vest by Vexnot Studio
I have been saving this pattern for a while now. I love the large-scale floral design—not your dinky and demure flowers of yore.
I love the colorway shown in the sample, but I encourage you to stroll through other Ravelry users’ projects. There are some incredible color combinations (I think a blatantly primary color combo would be super cool—red, blue, and yellow—so Bauhaus). This pattern also goes up to a 5X, which I love to see.
Moodiversary Slipover by Spektakelstrik – Mie Firring
Yet another one I have been sitting on for a bit. It used to intimidate me but now that I know how encouraged I am by a pattern of repeating colorwork, I’m all in. We could all use a few more smiley faces in our lives.
Forever Vest with the Mosaic Band by Karen Templer
Sometimes I crave a more simplistic feel to my knits, so this band of mosaic on such a beautifully designed vest nabbed my attention right away. I love that is more graphic than other colorwork out there and that green as the main color is chef’s kiss.
Fruity Slipover by HipKnitShop
Last winter I knit the Fruity Sweater by HipKnitShop and took some creative license with the color of the strawberries. I had a vision for monochromatic blues and I love how it came out. And it’s fine—you can call them blue raspberries if you must.
I plan on knitting the Fruity motif again, so why not make a Slipover version?! Lemons would be super fun and maybe I’d SLIP in a focal Lemon in a different color just to mix it up.
Holes Vest Pattern by DEGEN
I’m such a DEGEN fan. there is just something about Lindsay’s eye for color and texture that I love. Last year I started working on the Hole Sweater but did not finish because I was unhappy with my yarn choice.
I used TOV DK thinking it would be a super cozy slouchy piece, but I realized halfway through the front panel that the sweater would benefit from a bit more structure in the yarn.
Perhaps I will pivot to the vest version and use our Jane to give it the right amount of tactility. Bluebell with Persimmon holes would be oh-so-good.
Here’s to more vests, more dopamine, and more knitting for 2025. Happy New Year!
What fun!
I’ve been planning a slipover for months…. However there are so many patterns!
I heart Degen’s designs so bloody hard. Holes has been on my queue for freaking ever. This might be the kick in the pants I need to get on it.
If you are a DEGEN fan, why not put a 4-letter word on the front of your yellow vest?
Holiday Slipover was a challenge for me because of the enormous needle sizes. My hands just never took to the 17s and it was a slow going project that took me months to finish for my daughter. Meanwhile I know Nell Ziroli is coming out soon with a must knit vest in MDK’s own yarn, Jane. Can’t wait!
This is probably a dumb question, but isn’t a slipover or popover the same thing as a vest? Maybe a bit looser fit? Or am I just old school? I don’t see looser sweaters with a new name… Regardless of the name, I like the bold flower design.
Thank you Ashley! I love the posts with sweater patterns most of all. I would not mind if MDK brought back the Sweet Sixteen sweater voting competition thing that you used to have – that was so fun!
love these!! Excellent scouting.
I’ve been looking at that flowers vest too. But terrified of intarsia
Lots of fun options! I have yet to knit a vest, so this is a great starting place.