Little-Sew Lacy Vest Pattern

I am always looking for ideas for garments that don’t require too much construction, drape well, and flatter most figures. I came across such a garment at a gift market. It was a commercial piece with wonderful drape, and I bought it mostly to copy the style. Here it is, slightly modified. It is basically a shawl that, with a little folding and stitching and a clever little neckband, wears like a vest. Working on a rigid-heddle loom, I used two finger-controlled weaves to create a lacy effect: leno and Danish medallion. An alpaca/cotton yarn gives the fabric its drape; a variegated colorway adds overall interest. A thicker yarn is used for outlining the Danish medallions, and a yarn with a bit of sheen brings out the sections of leno. The style is just about a one-size-fits-all, and you can invent your own interesting closures at the front.

Structure: Plain weave with leno and Danish medallions.
Finished Size: 16" × 72".
Yarns: Warp: Serena (60% baby alpaca/40% pima cotton, 170 yd/50 g skein, 1,552 yd/lb, Manos del Uruguay), Mermaid #9796, 528 yd; Boysenberry #2621, 144 yd. Weft: Serena, Boysenberry, 62 yd; Mermaid, 367 yd. Silk Blend (30% silk/70% merino, 150 yd/50 g skein, 1,370 yd/lb, Manos del Uruguay), Deep Sea #3302, 25 yd. Captiva (60% cotton/23% polyester/17% acrylic, 98 yd/50 g skein, Berroco), Seedling #5541, 32 yd.
Warp Ends: 224.
Warp Length: 100" long (rigid-heddle loom) or 3 yd long (shaft loom); allows 4" take-up, 22" loom waste (rigidheddle) or 30" (shaft loom).
Setts: EPI: 12 PPI: 12
Width in the Reed: 18 2/3"
Take-up and Shinkage: 14% in width and 3% in length.
* Originally Published: Handwoven May/June 2011.