Free intarsia vest pattern 🔴 Chroma Vest by Knit Sis

Dare to knit the Chroma Vest, a modern, colorful and free intarsia vest pattern designed by Knit Sis @knitterssisters. Knit this wide vest with a V-neckline in your favorite color combination of Katia Super Merino.

This pattern combines knitting flat and in the round: the body is worked flat, with the intarsia technique only on the front, and the waist and armhole ribbing is knit in the round. Follow the chart and row-by-row instructions to enjoy a geometric design with a retro vibe that is completely customizable.

Knit Sis: colorful creativity

Knit Sis are Lenny and Louise, two sisters who are passionate about knitting and who grew up in a family where needles and yarn were part of day-to-day life. When they were little, they learned how to knit with their grandmother and aunt and naturally wanted to share their passion by creating their own designs.

Each design they come up with—cardigans, sweaters, tops and vests—are designed to combine comfort, style and the pleasure of knitting. They love to play with colors, textures and geometric shapes to create unique, cheerful and accessible pieces. For them, knitting is a way of reconnecting with yourself and enjoying the creative process of making something with your hands.

Chroma Vest: color and geometry with the intarsia technique

Chroma is a vest with a colorful geometric design that celebrates textile art. Use the intarsia technique to draw a big red circle, a vertical yellow stripe and a blue and lilac background. A striking pattern where each stitch conveys creativity.

Sizes or measurements

Single size – 55 x 50 cm

Materials

Katia Super Merino

• 1 ball in Mint (color 49) = COLOR A
• 2 balls in Ultramarine Blue (color 45) = COLOR B
• 1 ball in Light Mauve (color 48) = COLOR C
• 1 ball in Ochre (color 32) = COLOR D
• 1 ball in Maroon (color 24) = COLOR E
• 1 ball in Coral (color 39) = COLOR F

5.5-mm circular needles, with a 40-cm and 80-cm cord

7-mm circular knitting needles, with an 80-cm cord

Tapestry needle

Scissors

Stitch markers

Stitches and techniques

• Stockinette stitch ▶️ SEE VIDEO
• Changing color in intarsia (see chart) ▶️ SEE VIDEO
• 3-needle bind-off
• Decreases: ssk (slip, slip, knit), k2tog (knit 2 stitches together)
• 1×1 ribbing in the round
• Tubular bind-off ▶️ SEE VIDEO
• Twist: hold the first stitch in front of the work and knit the second stitch. Next, knit the first stitch
• Picking up stitches ▶️ SEE VIDEO
• Grafting ▶️ SEE VIDEO

Gauge

With 7-mm needles, in stockinette stitch

13 sts x 17 rs = 10 x 10 cm or 4 x 4”

Abbreviations

** rep – repeat instructions between asterisks

k2tog – knit 2 stitches together

R(s) and r(s) – row(s) and round(s)

ssk – slip, slip, knit

st(s) – stitch(es)

Body

With 5.5-mm needles and color A (mint – 49), cast on 144 sts.
Work 10 rounds in 1×1 ribbing in the round.

Change to color B (ultramarine blue – 45) and the 7-mm needles.
From now on, knit flat to start the intarsia technique.

On the first row, work an increase after the first st and before the last st. [146 sts]

Work 8 rows in color B.

From R9, follow chart or the following row-by-row instructions.
Note: knit all odd rows and purl all even rows.

*R9: work 11 sts in color B, 39 sts in color C (light mauve – 48), 18 sts in color D (ochre – 32), 83 sts in color B.
R10: work 83 sts in color B, 18 sts in color D, 39 sts in color C, 11 sts in color B.* Rep ** 8 times.

Gráfico

R25: work 11 sts in color B, 39 sts in color C, 18 sts in color D, 83 sts in color B.

R26: work 83 sts in color B, 18 sts in color D, 12 sts in color C, 10 sts in color E (maroon – 24), 12 sts in color C, 11 sts in color B.

R27: work 11 sts in color B, 10 sts in color C, 14 sts in color E, 10 sts in color C, 18 sts in color D, 83 sts in color B.

R28: work 83 sts in color B, 18 sts in color D, 8 sts in color C, 17 sts in color E, 9 sts in color C, 11 sts in color B.

R29: work 11 sts in color B, 7 sts in color C, 20 sts in color E, 7 sts in color C, 18 sts in color D, 83 sts in color B.

R30: work 83 sts in color B, 18 sts in color D, 6 sts in color C, 22 sts in color E, 6 sts in color C, 11 sts in color B.

R31: work 11 sts in color B, 6 sts in color C, 23 sts in color E, 5 sts in color C, 18 sts in color D, 83 sts in color B.

R32: work 83 sts in color B, 18 sts in color D, 5 sts in color C, 24 sts in color E, 5 sts in color C, 11 sts in color B.

R33: work 11 sts in color B, 4 sts in color C, 26 sts in color E, 4 sts in color C, 18 sts in color D, 83 sts in color B.

R34: work 83 sts in color B, 18 sts in color D, 4 sts in color C, 26 sts in color E, 4 sts in color C, 11 sts in color B.

R35: work 11 sts in color B, 4 sts in color C, 27 sts in color E, 3 sts in color C, 18 sts in color D, 83 sts in color B.

R36: work 83 sts in color B, 18 sts in color D, 3 sts in color C, 27 sts in color E, 4 sts in color C, 11 sts in color B.

R37: work 11 sts in color B, 4 sts in color C, 27 sts in color E, 3 sts in color C, 18 sts in color D, 83 sts in color B.

R38: work 83 sts in color B, 18 sts in color D, 3 sts in color C, 27 sts in color E, 4 sts in color C, 11 sts in color B.

R39: work 11 sts in color B, 4 sts in color C, 27 sts in color E, 3 sts in color C, 18 sts in color D, 83 sts in color B.

R40: work 83 sts in color B, 18 sts in color D, 3 sts in color C, 27 sts in color E, 4 sts in color C, 11 sts in color B.

R41: work 11 sts in color B, 4 sts in color C, 26 sts in color E, 4 sts in color C, 18 sts in color D, 83 sts in color B.

R42: work 83 sts in color B, 18 sts in color D, 4 sts in color C, 26 sts in color E, 4 sts in color C, 11 sts in color B.

R43: work 11 sts in color B, 5 sts in color C, 24 sts in color E, 5 sts in color C, 18 sts in color D, 83 sts in color B.

R44: work 83 sts in color B, 18 sts in color D, 5 sts in color C, 23 sts in color E, 6 sts in color C, 11 sts in color B.

R45: work 11 sts in color B, 6 sts in color C, 22 sts in color E, 6 sts in color C, 18 sts in color D, 83 sts in color B.

R46: work 83 sts in color B, 18 sts in color D, 7 sts in color C, 20 sts in color E, 7 sts in color C, 11 sts in color B.

R47: work 11 sts in color B, 9 sts in color C, 17 sts in color E, 8 sts in color C, 18 sts in color D, 83 sts in color B.

R48: work 83 sts in color B, 18 sts in color D, 10 sts in color C, 14 sts in color E, 10 sts in color C, 11 sts in color B.

Armholes

Next, shape the armholes to then knit the front and back separately.

R49: bind off 4 sts, work 7 sts in color B, 13 sts in color C, 9 sts in color E, 12 sts in color C, 18 sts in color D, 7 sts in color B, bind off 6 sts, work 74 sts in color B.

R50: bind off 4 sts, work all the sts in color B.

Put front sts on hold.

Back

Continue working the front and back separately. The back is knit only in color B.

Decrease the armholes: *k2, ssk, k to last 4 sts, k2tog, k2*, rep 3 times on right side rows.

There will be 64 sts left.

Continue knitting until you have 45 cm or 78 rows.

Back neckline

R79: bind off the 30 center sts.

Next, work the right shoulder and left shoulder separately. Leave the right shoulder sts on hold.

On the left shoulder, decrease:

*k2, ssk, k to end of r*, rep twice on right side rows.

There will be 15 sts left.

Continue knitting until you have 51 cm or 86 rows.

Put sts on hold.

Return the right shoulder sts to the needles.

On the right shoulder, decrease:

*k to last 4 sts, k2tog, k2*, rep 2 times on right side rows.

There will be 15 sts left.

Continue knitting until you have 51 cm or 86 rows.

Put sts on hold.

Front

Return the front sts to the needles.

Decrease the armholes:

 *k2, ssk, k to last 4 sts, k2tog, k2*, rep 3 times on right side rows.

At the same time, follow the chart or the following row-by-row instructions to work the intarsia motif:

R50: work 7 sts in color B, 18 sts in color D, 34 sts in color C, 7 sts in color B.

R51: work 2 sts in color B, ssk, 3 sts in color B, 34 sts in color C, 18 sts in color D, 3 sts in color B, k2tog, 2 sts in color B.

R52: work 6 sts in color B, 18 sts in color D, 40 sts in color B.

R53: work 2 sts in color B, ssk, 36 sts in color B, 18 sts in color D, 2 sts in color B, k2tog, 2 sts in color B.

R54: work 5 sts in color B, 18 sts in color D, 39 sts in color B.

Front neckline

R55: work 2 sts in color B, ssk, 23 sts in color B, k2tog, 1 st in color B, twist 2 sts, 1 st in color B, ssk, 2 sts in color B, 13 sts in color D, 1 st in color B, k2tog, 2 sts in color B.

Left front neckline

R56: work 4 sts in color B, 18 sts in color D, 7 sts in color B.

R57: work 2 sts in color B, ssk, 3 sts in color D, 4 sts in color B.

R58: work 4 sts in color B, 18 sts in color D, 6 sts in color B.

R59: work 2 sts in color B, ssk, 2 sts in color B, 18 sts in color D, 4 sts in color B.

R60: work 4 sts in color B, 18 sts in color D, 5 sts in color B.

R61: work 2 sts in color B, ssk, 2 sts in color B, 12 sts in color D, 4 sts in color B.

R62: work 4 sts in color B, 17 sts in color D, 5 sts in color B.

R63: work 2 sts in color B, ssk, 2 sts in color B, 15 sts in color D, 5 sts in color B.

R64: work 6 sts in color B, 13 sts in color D, 6 sts in color B.

R65: work 2 sts in color B, ssk, 3 sts in color B, 11 sts in color D, 7 sts in color B.

R66: work 11 sts in color B, 3 sts in color D, 10 sts in color B.

Decrease: *k2, ssk, k to end of row*, rep ** 9 times.

There will be 15 sts left.

Right front neckline

Decrease: *knit to last 4 sts, k2tog, k2*, rep ** 14 times.

There will be 15 sts left.

Bind off the front and back shoulder sts together using a 3-needle bind-off.

Neckline

With the 5.5-mm needles and color A (mint – 49), pick up 3 out of every 4 sts around the entire neckline, starting at the back.
Pick up 1 st in the center st of the V-neckline and place a marker. Always k this st.

*R1: work in 1×1 ribbing.
R2: work in 1×1 ribbing to 2 sts before marker and work the following decrease:

• First, slip the next 2 sts (including the center V st) onto the right-hand needle, inserting the needle into the center V st first.
• Next, k the next st immediately after the 2 slipped sts.
• Lastly, pass the 2 slipped sts over the k st.*

Rep ** 4 times.

Bind off the stitches with a tubular bind-off.

Armholes

Graft the body together.

Pick up 3 out of every 4 sts around the armhole with the 5.5-mm needles.

With color F (coral – 39), work 7 rounds in 1×1 ribbing in the round.

Bind off the stitches with a tubular bind-off.

Repeat on the other armhole.

Finishes

Cut yarn and weave in the ends.

Block the vest.

Ta-da! Your very own Chroma Vest is ready to wear!

Do you have questions or want to show off your Chroma?

Contact @knitterssisters on Instagram to share your version or ask any questions. Undoubtedly, knitting is fun when shared!