Pattern for hand knitted v-neck slipover or vest with dropped shoulder and ribbed base
Introducing “Deep Dive” by Annabelle Drumm
Looking for Inspiration
This was one of the first vest design ideas that came to me. I was browsing through Ravelry and couldn’t find exactly what I was looking for. I had a pendant necklace and wanted to find a vest or slipover with a deep v-neck. In the wardrobe, I already had a wing sleeve knitted top with a suitable neck but noticed that, although it was slim fitting around the hips, the vest would slip back behind the neck. Unfortunately, it would either fall off one shoulder or show a bra strap.
I decided the wing sleeve with the deep v-neck was not working so well and this is where the design inspiration came from. I made a firm, wide ribbed band around the hips, a slow increase in the round up to a low armhole, then added the hand knitted v-neck that was well fitted across back of the neck. Now, the vest did not slip back but sat perfectly all day.
Sourcing the Yarn
I’d only just discovered Lovecrafts website in the UK and found their marketing ploys very interesting. They tended to over-price all the yarns, higher than most other retail stores, then run a constant stream of discount sales that look like they are taking a huge amount off the price. Very clever and irresistible to knitters!
I was looking on their site frequently to see what came up in the sales and soon, I found what I was looking for. The main colour (MC) was The Yarn Collective Bloomsbury DK 100% merino wool, colour 110 Sand. For the contrast colour (CC) I chose Scheepjes Our Tribe 70% merino wool, 30% polyamide, colour 961. I won’t put direct links to these yarns which may break over time, so here is the link to their homepage where you can search for the brand in the search box. https://www.lovecrafts.com/en-gb/
Previously, I’ve found that buying online can be very hit-and-miss when it comes to colour matching. Luckily, Lovecrafts were very accurate with the photos of these two yarns. When they arrived in the post I was relieved to find they matched beautifully.
The two yarns had a slightly different feel and texture but the finished result was very pleasing. The Yarn Collective Bloomsbury was luxurious, smooth and soft, making a gentle rib. If you want a firmer rib band, opt for a more traditional wool that has more grip. The Scheepjes Our Tribe was more loose and fluffy. The polyamide made it feel a little more synthetic. However, the texture didn’t detract from the overall effect as the Scheepjes is only used in the wide neck binding around the knitted v-neck.
Altering the Pattern
The most fitted part of the vest is the hips with plenty of ease around the bust area. In the knitting pattern, I’ve included instructions on how to adjust the width and length. Generally, I would advise leaving the deep v-neck shape as is and making all your adjustments below this. If you adjust above the split for the v-neck, you may find the v doesn’t match at the shoulders by the time you reach the top of the garment.
You may be surprised how low the v-neck is when working the pattern in the round from bottom up. Relax! This is not the true depth. A thick binding around the neck is added once you’ve completed the front and back. Stitches are picked up all the way down the front on both sides and in a square shape across the back of the neck. Then, a slip stitch pattern with a gradient colour fade is worked through the rows of the binding.
How to wear the Deep Dive Vest Slipover
The luxury yarn I used to make this slipover means it can be added to fairly formal outfits for work or going out to dinner. The low armhole creates a vent making it easy breezy to include in your office wear wardrobe or in air conditioned rooms. You can even fit it under a blazer.
Wear it over a turtleneck, t-shirt or cowl neck blouse with slim or no sleeves. I probably wouldn’t advise a wide sleeve top unless the fabric is very lightweight and translucent. If you’re going for the “big” top half silhouette, keep the bottom half (skirt or trousers) slim line and a darker colour.
The knitted v-neck is great for showing off your favourite pendant or scarf. A business shirt can be unbuttoned down the front. The wide ribbed band around the hips makes it perfect for pairing with a pencil skirt or the latest voluminous linen pants.
If you match your bottom half in a similar colour, like the photo shown here, it creates a long lean silhouette giving the illusion of more height and a strong, grounded first impression – perfect for when you want to make a powerful first impression.
Outside of work, I’ve found this vest to be just as lovely over a pair of jeans, casual print shirt and hair caught up in a messy bun for a relaxed lunch. You will get plenty of wear out the Deep Dive vest.
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