Susan Pandorf - Mithril Vest

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MITHRIL VEST Fellowship of the Ring Series a lace vest from the needles of Susan Pandorf Materials: 700 yds fingering weight yarn 1000 size 8 seed beads size 3 40 inch circular needle 9 markers Gauge: 4 st = 1 inch (blocked out) in repeating side panel pattern

A Elbereth Gilthoniel, silivren penna miriel o menel aglar elenath… 'O Elbereth Star-kindler, Glittering white light slants down, sparkling like jewels From the glorious firmament of the starhost…

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The name mithril comes from two words in Sindarin — mith, meaning "grey" or "mist", and ril meaning "glitter". The metal's Quenya name is mistarillë. Mithril was also called "true-silver" or "Moria-silver"; the Dwarves had their own secret name for it. Gandalf explained mithril to others while passing through Khazad-dûm: "Mithril! All folk desired it. It could be beaten like copper, and polished like glass; and the Dwarves could make of it a metal, light and yet harder than tempered steel. Its beauty was like to that of common silver, but the beauty of mithril did not tarnish or grow dim." The Noldor of Eregion made an alloy out of it called ithildin ("star moon"), which was used to decorate gateways, portals and pathways. It was visible only by starlight or moonlight. The West Gate of Moria bore inlaid ithildin designs and runes. Once the Balrog destroyed the kingdom of the Dwarves at Khazad-dûm, the only source of new mithril ore was cut off. Before Moria was abandoned by the Dwarves, while it was still being actively mined, mithril was worth ten times its weight in gold. After the Dwarves abandoned Moria and production of new mithril stopped entirely, it became priceless. Of all items made of mithril in the works of Tolkien, a notable example is the "small shirt of mail" retrieved from the hoard of the dragon Smaug, and given to Bilbo Baggins by Thorin Oakenshield. Gandalf says the value of this mithril-coat was "greater than the value of the whole Shire and everything in it." "Also there is this!" said Bilbo, bringing out a parcel which seemed to be rather heavy for its size. He unwound several folds of old cloth, and held up a small shirt of mail. It was close-woven of many rings, as supple almost as linen, cold as ice, and harder than steel. It shone like moonlit silver, and was studded with white gems. Bilbo wore the mithril shirt during the Battle of the Five Armies and took it with him when he left the Shire. Later, he gave the shirt to Frodo Baggins when the younger hobbit embarked on his quest in The Lord of The Rings. In Moria, the mail saved Frodo's life when he was hit by an Orc spear during the battle in the Chamber of Mazarbul. It saved Frodo's life when an Orc-arrow struck him while escaping Moria and again when he was struck by another Orc-arrow while crossing the River Anduin. The Dwarves' beloved metal appears also in Gondor. The Guards of the Citadel of Minas Tirith wear helmets of mithril, "heirlooms from the glory of old days". As a result, the Citadel Guards are the only soldiers in Gondor that still bear the emblems of the lost Kings during the days of the Stewards: regular armour wore out over the centuries and was replaced, but as mithril armour never degrades it never needed to be replaced, and as mithril objects were no longer replaceable, the Stewards would not discontinue use of the rare and valuable armour despite the emblems they bore.

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Construction notes: Pattern includes 1000 beads, applied using the crochet hook method. Again, should you choose not to use them, simply substitute a purl stitch for the beaded purl. See key on last page for a link to an explanation of this method Vest is constructed in one piece, from the bottom up. Your cast on is your bottom hem. You will knit around the entire piece for 70 rows, before splitting into one back & two front sections. Pattern is symmetrical: charts are mirror image, so you may choose to work to center & reverse rather than use all the charts. Fronts & backs are then shaped separately with short rows to bring them up to horizontal, before completing. All shaping is done outside of the main lace panels. Size is dependent upon how many repeats of the "blue" stitches you work for your side panels. I recommend using transparent tape or a movable row marker to keep track of your row as stitches are not always contiguous on the charts, due to the organic nature of the pattern. Pattern is intended to be oversized for Medium through 2X, with a finished bust measurement of [42, 46, 50, 54, 58] inches. If you wish a smaller vest, I suggest you go down a needle size This pattern has 12 charts: 1. right front 2. left front 3. right lower back 4. left lower back 5. right middle back 6. center middle back 7. left middle back 8. right upper back 9. middle upper back 10. left upper back 11. short rows right front 12. short rows left front Cast on [266, 282, 298, 314, 330] stitches. Place markers to divide sections as follows:       

after st 7 (right front band) after st 54 ( right front lace panel - 47 sts) after st [70, 74, 78, 82, 86] (right front side panel – [16, 20, 24, 28, 32] sts) after st [86, 94, 102, 110, 118] ( right back side panel – [16, 20, 24, 28, 32] sts) after st [133, 141, 149, 157, 165] ( right back lace panel - 47 sts) after st [180, 188, 196, 204, 212] ( left back lace panel - 47 sts) after st [196, 208, 220, 232, 244] (left back side panel – [16, 20, 24, 28, 32] sts)

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 

after st [212, 228, 244, 260, 276] ( left front side panel – [16, 20, 24, 28, 32] sts) after st [259, 275, 291, 307, 323] ( left front lace panel - 47 sts)

You should have 7 st left (left front band)

BOTTOM OF VEST You are ready to work charts 1, 2, 3, & 4. Begin at the bottom with row 1. Charts 1 & 2 are mirror images, as are charts 3 & 4. Furthermore, charts 1 & 3 and charts 2 & 4 are mirrored as well (with the exception of the blue stitch reps & the front bands) until row 37, when you begin the background mesh pattern in the lace panels. Exception: All double yarnovers are worked the same way; regardless of chart or side, in the WS rows following you will purl the first yo and purl the second yo through back loop. You will work chart 1 on first four sections - work sts 1-7, slip marker, then skip to sts 44-88, slip marker, work sts 89-92 [4, 5, 6, 7, 8] times for front side panel, slip marker, work sts 89-92 another [4, 5, 6, 7, 8] times for back side panel, slip marker. You will work charts 3 & 4 on next two sections - work sts 59-103 of chart 3, slip marker, work sts 145 of chart 4, slip marker. You will work chart 2 on remaining four sections, reversing what you did on the right side - work sts 14 [4, 5, 6, 7, 8] times for back side panel, slip marker, work sts 1-4 another [4, 5, 6, 7, 8] times for front side panel, slip marker, work sts 5-49, slip marker, work sts 86-92. The row numbers remain constant across all 4 charts. On right side rows work charts 1, 3, 4, 2 from right to left. On wrong side rows, work charts 2, 4, 3, 1 from left to right. You will work [8, 10, 12, 14, 16] reps of blue stitches for side panels (half on front & half on back). Continue to work in this fashion until you have completed row 58. This completes charts 3 & 4. You will continue to work charts 1 & 2, on fronts & sides while switching back two sections to charts 5, 6, & 7. Row numbers remain constant. Continue with row 59 (and subsequent right side rows) on charts 1, 5, 6, 7, & 2 from right to left. Work back on wrong side rows on charts 2, 7 ,6, 5, & 1 fromfleft to right. When you come to row 71, you are ready to divide your work for the armholes. Work across row 71 of chart 1 for right front & side and across row 71 of back charts 5, 6, & 7.

BACK Do not work chart 2. Instead you will begin your short rows to bring the back of the vest up to horizontal. You can leave the front sections on your needle is using a 40 inch or longer circular

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needle & just work back & forth on the back, or you may choose to put front sections on a spare needle or holder. Slip marker, bring yarn to front. Transfer next st from left needle to right & take yarn to back. Transfer stitch back to left needle. You have just wrapped your working yarn around the first st in the left back side panel. Turn your work and work back across row 72 of charts 7, 6, & 5 from left to right. Slip marker and bring yarn to front. Transfer next st from left needle to right & bring yarn to back. Transfer stitch back to left needle. You have just wrapped your working yarn around the first st in the right back side panel. Turn your work and work across row 73 of charts 5, 6, & 7 from right to left. Slip marker. When you reach the first st in the left back side panel (which was wrapped in row 71) pick the wrap loop up on your left needle and knit it together with the wrapped stitch. Now wrap the 2nd stitch as before. Turn your work and work back across row 74 of charts 7, 6, & 5 from left to right. Slip marker. When you reach the first st in the right back side panel (stitch you wrapped in row 72) pick the wrap loop up on your left needle and purl it together with the wrapped st. Now wrap the 2nd stitch as before. Continue working in this manner, working up the middle back charts & adding an additional stitch to the stockinette knitting on opposite sides each row. Work short rows until you have used up all the stitches of the back side panels - [32, 40, 48, 56, 64] rows. For a tutorial on short row shaping, go here: http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEsummer03/FEATbonnetric.html From this point you are working the back normally. Work center stitches in lace (using charts) & side stitches (not charted) in stockinette. SIZE M At the beginning of the next two rows, bind off 8 for ARMHOLES. Then bind off 4 at the beginning of the next two rows. Bind off 2 at the beginning of the next three rows You will have 2 stockinette stitches on either side of your back lace panel. SIZE L & XL At the beginning of the next two rows, bind off 8 for ARMHOLES. Then bind off 4 at the beginning of the next two rows. Bind off 2 at the beginning of the next four rows You will have [4, 8] stockinette stitches on either side of your back lace panel. SIZE 1X & 2X At the beginning of the next two rows, bind off 8 for ARMHOLES. Then bind off 4 at the beginning of the next four rows.

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Bind off 2 at the beginning of the next four rows You will have [8, 12] stockinette stitches on either side of your back lace panel. ALL SIZES Continue working up middle back charts to row 126. Now you will switch to charts 8, 9, & 10. Work rows 127 - 166 (below blue stitches). SIZE M & L Bind off [14, 16]. Knit [54, 60]. Bind off [14, 16] SIZE XL, 1X, & 2X Continue in background mesh pattern as established, repeating rows 167-170 (blue rows) for an additional [8, 12, 16] rows (or as needed- may adjust here for custom armhole fit) Bind off 20. Knit [60, 60, 68]. Bind off 20. ALL SIZES You have now completed the back of your vest. You may choose to leave the live back stitches on your needle or transfer them to a spare needle or stitch holder.

RIGHT FRONT Breaking yarn, return to row 72 (WS) of right front (chart 1) bind off [14, 16, 20, 20, 20] & work remaining sts in pattern from left to right. Work row 73 as given on chart 1. Turn work. Before continuing with row 74, start short rows in chart 11, wrapping & turning as before, but this time working as charted in the mesh background stitch. How much of chart 11 you work is dependent upon size. You will work the portion of the chart to the right and above the colored line. Begin chart on (WS) row:  M - 21 (green line)  L - 17 ( red line)  XL & 1X - 9 (blue line)  2X - 1 (entire chart) On row 47 of chart 11, work back across the wrong side from left to right, then return to beginning of row 74 on chart 1 and work from left to right in established pattern. Continue up chart 1, working front panel stitches as given in lace pattern and side stitches in stockinette, as established to top row of chart SIZE M & L On row 100, work [14, 16] as charted, place 7 neck band sts on holder - turn & bind off [14, 16] st.

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SIZE XL, 1X, & 2X Work row 100 across all stitches, including neck band. Work even in established mesh pattern, repeating rows 97-100 (above red line) for additional [8, 12, 16] rows (or to match back, if you adjusted for custom fit). On last repeat of row 100, work 20 sts as charted, place 7 neck band sts on holder - turn & bind off 20 sts.

LEFT FRONT Breaking yarn, return to row 71 (RS) of left front (chart 2) bind off [14, 16, 20, 20, 20] & work remaining sts in pattern from right to left. Work row 72 as given on chart 2. Turn work. Before continuing with row 73, start short rows in chart 12, wrapping & turning as before, but this time working as charted in the mesh background stitch. How much of chart 12 you work is dependent upon size. You will work the portion of the chart to the right and above the colored line. Begin chart on (RS) row:  M - 21 (green line)  L - 17 ( red line)  XL & 1X - 9 (blue line)  2X - 1 (entire chart) On row 47 of chart 12, work back across the row from right to left, then return to beginning of row 73 on chart 2 and work from right to left in established pattern. Continue up chart 2, working front panel stitches as given in lace pattern and side stitches in stockinette, as established to top row of chart. SIZE M & L On row 100, work entire row, including neck band as charted - turn, place 7 neck band sts on holder, & bind off remaining [14, 16] sts. SIZE XL, 1X, & 2X Work row 100 across all stitches, including neck band. Work even in established mesh pattern, repeating rows 97-100 (above red line) for additional [8, 12, 16] rows (or to match back, if you adjusted for custom fit). On last repeat of row 100, work entire row, including neck band as charted - turn, place 7 neck band st on holder, & bind off remaining 20 sts.

FINISHING Soak & block vest flat to measurements. Make sure everything is symmetrical and even. Sew shoulder seams. Neckband

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Transfer back stitches to working needle, if you have placed them on holder. Place 7 neck band stitches on same circular needle to either side of back stitches. With new yarn, and right side facing, continue the neckband beaded rib pattern ( k1 tbl, p1, k1 tbl, etc.) on first 7 stitches, but on final stitch of right side rows, ssk final stitch together with next live back stitch, continuing to twist top st as before. You will continue to bead on the wrong side rows. When you have used half the back stitches and attached neckband to right side of back, bind off 7 sts. Repeat on left side, reversing shaping, working a k2tog tbl at the beginning of RS rows with the live stitch from back. Sew neckband edges together at center of back.

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CHART 1 – right front

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CHART 2 – left front

CHART3 – right lower back

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CHART 4 – left lower back

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CHART 5 – right mid back

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CHART 6 – center mid back

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CHART 7 – left mid back

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CHART 8 – right upper back

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CHART 9 – left upper back

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CHART 10 – center upper back

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CHART 11 – short rows right front

CHART12 – short rows left front

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LARGE PRINT PATTERN AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST Pattern is intended for private use only. Copying or use of pattern for commercial purposes is forbidden without permission of designer