Vests are just the best. I love not having to make sleeves! Pattern: I didn't have one.
Yarn: Classic Elite Skye tweed. 2 balls main color, 3 balls of contrasting colors.
Needles: Size 7
For: Libby, age 9.
Notes: Really, anyone can make this. I got the gauge off of Charlie's sweater (same yarn). Decided how big I wanted it. Cast on with contrasting color, changed to main color, joined, and did a 2x1 rib for 3 inches.
I knit in the round until the underarms. Then following my "drawn pattern", decreased for the armholes and neck. After sewing the shoulder seams, I picked up around the arm and neck and did the same 2x1 rib, finishing by binding off in the contrasting color.

As far as the fair isle designs, anything goes. The thing is, you have to make sure that the design fits into the number of stitches you have. I used graph paper and drew different designs making sure the repeat was divisible by the number of stitches I had. Just a striped vest would be great too. That would require a lot less figuring.