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Suzette Vest, Panties and Step-Ins

Vintage vest, panties and shape-wear

Materials

PEARSALL’S “IRIS” Lingerie Silk – the original was worked with Pink (shade 111).

Two UK No 12/2.75mm/US 2and two UK No 13/2.25mm/US 1 Knitting Needles.

One UK No 00/2.5mm/US B-1 or C-2 (there is no exact equivalent) Steel Crochet Hook

1½ yds. Ribbon

Three Buttons

1 yd. narrow Elastic.

Quantities of Silk Required:

The Step-Ins – 2oz

The Panties – 2oz

The Vest – 2oz

Measurements

The Step-Ins

Centre Top to Top of Gusset – 19 ins.
Width across front at under-arm – 12½ ins.
Width at lower edge of knickers – 18½ ins.

The Panties

Length at centre front – 12 ins.

The Vest

Length – 20 ins.

Width all round at underarm to fit – 34 ins to 36 ins (actual measurement, 32 ins.)

Tension

Work at a tension to produce 7½ stitches to the inch, measured over the plain , smooth fabric.

Pattern

The Step-Ins

The Knickers (Front) – The Right Leg

Using the No. 12 Needles, cast on 69 stitches.

1st row: * K3, P3, repeat from * to the last 3 stitches, K3.

Repeat the 1st row nine times.

Proceed as follows:

1st row: K9, turn.

2nd and alternate rows: Purl to the last stitch, K1.

3rd row: K18, turn.

5th row: K27, turn.

7th row: K36, turn.

9th row: K45, turn.

11th row: K54, turn.

13th row: K63, P3, K3 .

14th row: K3, P3, K3, purl to the last stitch, K l.

Repeat the 13th and 14th rows for 1¾ inches.

Break off the Silk, and leave these stitches on a spare needle.

The Left Leg

Using the No. 12 Needles, cast on 69 stitches.

1st row: * K3, P3, repeat from * to the last 3 stitches, K3.

Repeat the 1st row nine times.

Proceed as follows:

1st row: K3, P3, knit plain to the end of the row.

2nd row: K1, P8, turn.

3rd and alternate rows: Knit plain to end of the row.

4th row: K1, P17, turn.

6th row: K1, P26, turn

8th row: K1, P35, turn.

10th row: K1, P44, turn.

12th row: K1, P 53, turn.

14th row: K1, P59, K3, P3, K3 .

15th row: K3, P3, knit plain to the end of the row.

Repeat the 14th and 15th rows for 1¾ inches.

In the next row, work across the stitches from both needles (138 stitches).

Keeping the border of 9 stitches in pattern at each end of the needle, work for 3 inches, ending with a purl row.

In the next row, K3, P3, K61, (K2tog) twice, K61, P3, K3.

Keeping the borders, decrease twice at the centre in this manner in every following 8th row, until 120 stitches remain.

Using the No. 13 Needles, proceed as follows:

1st row: K2, * P1, K1, repeat from * to the end of the row.

Repeat this row for 2 inches.

Using the No. 12 Needles, and with the right side of the work facing, proceed as follows:

1st row: K60, increase once in the next stitch, knit plain to the end of the row.

Work 9 rows in plain, smooth fabric.

Break off the Silk and leave these 121 stitches on a spare needle.

The Back

Work exactly as given for the Front, until the ribbing is completed.

Using the No. 12 Needles, and with the right side of the work facing, proceed as follows:

1st row: K59, K2tog, knit plain to the end of the row (119 stitches).

2nd row: P10, * K3, P3, repeat from * to the last 13 stitches, K3, P10.

3rd row: K13, * P3, K3, repeat from * to the last 16 stitches, P3, K13.

Repeat the 2nd and 3rd rows three times.

10th row: P10, K3, P3, K3, cast off 81 stitches, K3, P3, K3, P10. Break off the Silk.

The Top

Using the No. 12 Needles, and with the right side of the work facing, join in the silk at the end of the cast-off stitch, and proceed as follows:

Keeping the border at each end of the needle, work the last 19 stitches of the back, work across the stitches of the front, and work the first 19 stitches of the Back (159 stitches). Decreasing once (inside the border) at each end of the needle in every following 4th row, until 151 stitches remain, then in every alternate row until 89 stitches remain .

With the right side of work facing, proceed as follows :

1st row: K3, P3, K3, K2tog, K26, (P3, K3) twice, P3, K26, K2tog, K3, P3, K3.

2nd row: K3, P3, K3, P24, (K3, P3) three times, K3, P24, K3, P3, K3.

3rd row: K3, P3, K3, K2tog, K25, P3, K3, cast off 3 stitches, K3, P3, K25, K2tog, K3, P3, K3.

Leave the first 41 stitches on a spare needle, and work on the last 41 stitches as follows:

Keeping the border of 9 stitches at each end of the needle, decrease once (inside the border) in every alternate row,
until 21 stitches remain, ending with a purl row.

In the next row, work 8 stitches in pattern, K2tog, K1, K2tog Work 8 stitches in pattern.

Keeping the continuity of the pattern, decrease once in the centre of every row, until 9 stitches remain.

Cast off.

Join in the Silk at the centre edge, and work the other side to correspond.

The Back Gusset

Using the No. 12 Needles, cast on 3 stitches.

Work in plain, smooth fabric, increasing once at each end of the first and every alternate row, until there are 33 stitches on the needle.

Work 3 rows without shaping.

In the next row, * K3, P3, repeat from * to the last 3 stitches, K3.

Repeat this row twenty-nine times.

Cast off.

The Front Gusset

Work exactly as given for the Back Gusset, but making three button-holes in the 25th and 26th rows of the border as follows:

25th row: K3, cast off 5 stitches, work 6 stitches in pattern, cast off 5 stitches, work 6 stitches in pattern, cast off 5 stitches, K3.

26th row: K3, cast on 5 stitches, work 6 stitches in pattern, cast on 5 stitches, work 6 stitches in pattern, cast on 5 stitches, K 3.

The Side Straps

Using the No. 12 Needles, cast on 27 stitches.

Work 24 rows in pattern.

Cast off.

Make another Strap in the same manner.

To Make Up the Step-Ins

With a damp cloth and hot iron, press carefully.

Sew up the side seams at ribbing.

Sew the gussets and side straps in position.

Sew on the ribbon.

Sew on the buttons to correspond with the buttonholes.

The Panties

The Left Leg

Using the No. 12 Needles, cast on 110 stitches.

1st row: K2, * P1, K1, repeat from * to end of row.

Keeping the continuity of the rib of (K1, P1), and increasing once at each end of the needle in the next and every alternate row, work 12 rows.

Still increasing once at each end of needle in every alternate row, work in plain, smooth fabric, until there are
150 stitches on needle. Work 11 rows without shaping.

Decrease once at the beginning of the needle in the next and every following 12th row, until the work measures 15 inches from the commencement.

Proceed as follows:

1st row: Knit plain to the last 40 stitches, turn.

2nd and alternate rows: Purl to the last stitch, K1.

3rd row: Knit plain to the last 60 stitches, turn.

Continue working 20 stitches less in every alternate row in this manner until all the stitches are worked off, ending with a purl row.

Work 1 row.

Proceed as follows:

1st row: K2, * P1, K1, repeat from * to the end of the row.

Repeat this row nine times.

11th row: * K1, P1, yo, K2tog, repeat from * to the end of the row.

12th row: Like the 1st row.

Cast off.

The Right Leg

Work exactly as given for the Left Leg, but working the shapings at the opposite end of the needle.

The Gusset

Using the No. 12 Needles, cast on 25 stitches.

Work 25 rows in plain, smooth fabric. Cast off.

To Make Up the Panties

With a damp cloth and hot iron, press carefully.

Sew up the back and front seams.

Sew the gusset in position.

Sew up the leg seams.

Thread the required length of elastic through the eyelet holes at the waist.

The Vest

The Front

Using the No. 12 Needles, cast on 120 stitches.

Work in plain, smooth fabric until the work measures 11 inches from the commencement.

Proceed as follows:

1st row: K2, * P1, K1, repeat from * to the end of the row.

Repeat this row for 2 inches.

Continue working in plain, smooth fabric, until the work measures 19 inches from the commencement.

Proceed as follows:

1st row: K2, * P1, K1, repeat from * to the end of the row.

Repeat this row for 1 inch. Cast off.

The Back

Work exactly as given for the Front.

To Make Up the Vest

With a damp cloth and hot iron, press carefully.

Work 1 row of double crochet down each side seam.

Sew up the seams.

Work 1 row of double crochet round the lower edge.

Sew on the ribbon for shoulder straps


The original publication of this pattern is in the public domain, however, this digital version with updated text is copyright Sarah Bradberry, July 11th 2012. All rights reserved.