London. The inspiration for the design is a pattern found in a bronze sculpture from Benin, West Africa. Mino – meaning ‘our mothers’ – was the name given to an all-female military regiment from the Kingdom of Dahomey (now Benin). These female warriors are immortalised in the highly successful Black Panther film.
 
The vest is a scoop neck garment designed for wearing over a shirt or top with short/long sleeves.
The colourwork pattern uses stranded colourwork technique with the front and back of garment knit flat in pieces from tthe ribbed bottom and seamed together at the end. The ribbed neckband and armbands are worked in the round from stitches picked up after seaming the pieces. The vest length can be shortened for a more cropped look. Note: This garment can be knit in the round bottom up to the armhole before splitting the front and back to be knitted separately flat.
 
This pattern was first published in By Hand Serial Lookbook #12:
 
Sizes: 1 (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9) Sweater is intended to be worn with 0-7.5 cm / 0-3” positive ease. Model is wearing size 3 with a 3” ease.
Bust (Finished Circumference): 78.5 (89, 99, 109, 118.5, 129.5, 139.5, 150, 160) cm / 31 (35, 39, 43, 46.75, 51, 55, 59, 63)“ Hem to Armhole length: 30 cm / 11¾” Shoulder width: 33 (34.5, 37, 38, 39.5, 42, 45.5, 47, 47) cm / 13 (13½, 14½, 15, 15½, 16½, 18, 18½, 18½)” Neckline depth: 12.5 cm / 5”
 
Yarn John Arbon Knit by Numbers 4-ply (fingering weight; 400 m / 437 yds per 100g skein or 100 m / 109.25 yds per 25 g mini skein; 100% Falklands Merino)
MC: 2 (2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3) skeins in shade 018
CC1: 1 (1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2) skeins in shade 076
CC2: 1 (1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2) mini skeins in shade 094
 
 
Or approx. 658 (765, 864, 961, 1061, 1167, 1299, 1406, 1541) m / 721 (836, 945, 1052, 1160, 1276, 1419, 1535, 1682) yds of 4ply yarn as follows:
MC: 423 (491, 556, 618, 682, 750, 834, 902, 988) m
CC1: 189 (220, 248, 276, 305, 335, 373, 404, 443) m shade 094 46 (54, 60, 67, 74, 82, 92, 100, 110) m
CC2: 463 (537, 608, 676, 745, 819, 910, 984, 1078) yds shade 076: 207 (240, 271, 302, 333, 366, 407, 440, 482) yds shade 094: 51 (59, 66, 74, 82, 91, 102, 111, 122) yds
 
Gauge: 30 sts x 36 rows = 10 cm / 4” measured over colourwork pattern knitted flat on larger needles, blocked
 
Needles: 3.25 mm/US 3 knitting needles or circular needle, 80 cm / 32“ or size to give the right gauge (larger needles) 2.75 mm/US 2 knitting needles AND circular needle, 80 cm / 32” length or size to give the right gauge (smaller needles)
 
Notions: 2 stitch holders or waste yarn 2 stitchmarkers Tapestry needle