Pattern of the Month

Coat Instructions.

Instructions for larger sizes given in brackets. Where one set of figures is given this applies to all sizes.
The original coat was knitted in coloured stripes of garter stitch using a tweedy yarn. The basic design is very simple made up of block rectangles and can easily be knitted in a single colour if preferred.

Left Front

**
With No 8 (4mm) needles and using yarn C double, cast on 45 (47 : 49) stitches and work 5 rows in garter stitch.

Continue with double yarn and garter stitch and work 2 rows A; 6 rows C. Break off C and one strand of A.

Change to No 6 (5mm) needles and continue in garter stitch with single yarn, working in stripes as follows:
6 rows A
2 rows B
6 rows A
6 rows B
2 rows C
6 rows B
6 rows C
2 rows A
6 rows C

These 42 rows form the striped pattern. Repeat them 4 times more, then rows 1-24 inclusive again. **

Continue in pattern but shaping neck as follows:
Next row: knit to the last 3 stitches, cast off 3.
Break yarn.

Rejoin yarn at neck edge and keeping side edge straight, decrease 1 stitch at the neck edge the next 3 rows, then on the following 4 alternate rows, ending at side edge.

Shape shoulder as follows:
1st row: cast off 4 (5 : 6), knit to end
Work one row straight.
3rd row: cast off 5, knit to the last 2 stitches, k2tog.
Work 1 row straight
5th row: cast off 5, knit to end.
Work 1 row
7th row: as 3rd row.

Now cast of 5 stitches at the beginning of the following 2 alternate rows.
Work 1 row.
Cast off remaining 4 (5 : 6) stitches.

Right Front

Work as for left front from ** to **.
Next row: Cast off 3, knit to end.

Finish to correspond with left front reversing shapings.

Back

With No 8 (4mm) needles and using yarn C double, cast on 95 (99 : 103) stitches. Continue with double yarn and work 5 rows in C; 2 rows A; 6 rows C.
Break off C and one strand of A.

Change to No 6 (5mm) needles and continue in garter stitch with single yarn, continue in garter stitch striped pattern as for left front.

Work straight until back measures same as front to the start of the shoulder shaping, ending with same row as left front.

Shape shoulders by casting off 4 (5 : 6) stitches at the beginning of the next 2 rows, 5 (5 : 5) stitches at the beginning of the next 10 rows, then 4 (5 : 6) stitches at the beginning of the following 2 rows.
Cast off remaining 29 stitches.

Sleeves

With No 8 (4mm) needles single yarn C, cast on 105 stitches.

1st row: * k1, p1; repeat from * to last stitch, k1.
2nd row: k2 * p1, k1; repeat from * to last stitch, k1.

Repeat the 1st and 2nd rows until sleeve measures 7 inches, ending with a 1st row.

Next row: k2 * k2tog, k5; repeat from * to last 5 stitches, k2tog, k3. [90 sts]

Join in A and work in garter stitch striped pattern, as given for Left Front, repeating the 42 rows 3 times in all, and then rows 1-5 inclusive again.

Cast off.

Right Border (for a man - left border for a woman)

With No 8 (4mm) needles single yarn C, cast on 15 stitches.

1st row (right side facing): k2 * p1, k1; repeat from * to last stitch, k1.
2nd row: * k1, p1; repeat from * to last stitch, k1.

Repeat the 1st and 2nd rows until border fits up the front - when slightly stretched - to the start of the neck shaping, ending with a 2nd row.
Cast off in rib, and sew border in position.

Left Border (for a man - right border for a woman)

Work to correspond with right border, with the addition of 6 buttonholes, the first to come 6 inches up from the lower edge and the 6th to come ¾ inch below the start of the neck shaping and the rest spaced evenly in between.

First mark the positions of the buttons on the opposite border, and work the holes to correspond.

To make a buttonhole:
With right side facing, rib 6, cast off 3, rib to end. On the next row cast on 3 stitches over those cast off.

Sew second border in position, taking care that the stripes are level with those on the opposite front.

Pockets (make 2)

With No 6 (5mm) needles and C, cast on 31 stitches and work in garter stitch stripes as follows:

5 rows C
2 rows A
6 rows C
6 rows A
2 rows B
6 rows A
6 rows B
2 rows C
6 rows B
6 rows C
2 rows A

Break off B and A.

Change to No 8 (4mm) needles and join in an extra strand of C - using C yarn double, knit a further 5 rows.
Cast off knitwise.

Make a second pocket in the same way.

Collar

With No 8 (4mm) needles single yarn C, cast on 113 stitches.

1st row: * k1, p1; repeat from * to last stitch, k1.
2nd row: k2 * p1, k1; repeat from * to last stitch, k1.

Repeat these 2 rows for 7 inches, ending with 2nd row, and cast off in rib.

To Make Up

Press parts lightly on wrong side following instructions on the ball band. Join shoulder seams.
Place a marker at side edges on back and fronts 9 inches down from shoulder seams, then sew cast-off edge of sleeves between markers.
Join side and sleeve seams, matching stripes and reversing seam for cuffs. Turn back 4 inch cuffs and catch in position on sleeve
seam.
Sew cast-on edge of collar to neck edge, starting and ending in centre of front borders.
Fold collar in half to right side and oversew double edges neatly.

Pin pockets on fronts, lower edge of pocket to come at start of 3rd broad stripe in C, 1¼ inches from side seam.
Sew pockets neatly in position taking care to match stripes with main work.
Press seams.
Sew on buttons

Materials

5 (5 : 6) 50g balls in colour A (beige); 4 (4 : 5) in B (pink); 8 (9 : 9) in C (olive) worsted or DK.

A pair each of Nos
8 (4mm) and 6 (5mm) needles.

6 buttons.

Tension

The tension is given as 18sts and 32 rows to 4 inches in garter stitch using 5mm needles.

Size matters

The pattern is given in three sizes to fit chest: 38 (40 : 42) inches or 97 (102 : 107) cm.
Length from top of shoulders 34½ ins or 88 cm, all sizes.

Abbreviations

k2tog or p2tog: knit or purl 2 sts together (decrease one stitch).

tbl: through back loops. [k2tog tbl also known as "ssk" or slip, slip, knit]

garter stitch: every row knit.

A word on the wool.

The original yarns was Patons Bracken Tweed which was a somewhat heavy DK (or worsted/Aran) type weight.

The original yarn I remember from the 1960s was almost certainly 100% wool; however it seems a later incarnation was with 40% acrylic and it is likely that this pattern refers to that yarn. I can't offer any insights on yardage for either of these vintage yarns.

Disclaimer
(well...almost)

In transposing any pattern it is always a risk that errors will be introduced, in spite of dedicated proof reading.
If you have any problems with this pattern, please and I will try and assist.

Slipover Instructions.

Instructions for larger sizes given in brackets. Where one set of figures is given this applies to both sizes. The slipover is worked in one colour.

Front

**
With No 8 (4mm) needles, cast on 103 (107 : 113) stitches.

1st row: k2 * p1, k1; repeat from * to last stitch, k1.
2nd row: * k1, p1; repeat from * to last stitch, k1.

Repeat the 1st and 2nd rows for 4 inches, ending with a 2nd row.

Change to No 6 (5mm) needles.

Next row (right side facing): knit 5 (7 : 4), k2tog, * k4, k2tog; repeat from * to last 6 (8 : 5) stitches, knit to end. [87 (91 : 95) sts]

Continue in garter stitch and work straight until front measures 16 (16 : 16½) inches ending with right side facing.
**

Shape armholes by casting off 5 (6 : 7) stitches at the beginning of the next 2 rows, then decrease 1 stitch at each end of the next and every alternate row until 69 (71 : 73) stitches remain.
Work 1 row straight.

Continue shaping armhole and shape neck as follows:

Next row: k2tog, k32 (33 : 34). Turn and leave remaining stitches on a spare needle.

Continue on these 33 (34 : 35) stitches only for the first side, and work 3 rows straight, then decrease 1 stitch at each end of the next and every following 4th row until 27 (28 : 29) stitches remain.

Now keep armhole edge straight and continue decreasing 1 stitch at the neck edge on every 4th row until 16 (17 : 18) stitches remain.

Work a few rows straight until front measures 25 (25 : 25½) inches, ending at the armhole edge.

Shape shoulder by casting off 4 (5 : 5) stitches at the beginning of the next row, then 4 (4 : 4) stitches at the beginning of the following 2 alternate rows. Work 1 row straight.
Cast off remaining 4 (4 : 5) stitches.

With right side facing, slip centre stitch on to a safety pin, and rejoin yarn to remaining stitches; knit to the last 2 stitches, k2tog.

Finish to correspond with first side, reversing shapings.

Back

Work as for front from ** to **.
Shape armholes by casting off 5 (6 : 7) stitches at the beginning of the next 2 rows.

Now decrease 1 stitch at each end of the next and every alternate row until 67 (69 : 71) stitches remain, and then on every following 4th row until 61 (63 : 65) stitches remain.

Work straight until back matches front to shoulder at armhole edge.

Shape shoulders and back neck as follows:
Cast off 4 (5 : 5) stitches the beginning of the next 2 rows.
Next row: Cast off 4, k11 (11 : 12), turn, and leave remaining stitches on a spare needle.

1st row: k2tog, knit to end.
2nd row: Cast off 4, knit to the last 2 stitches, k2tog.
3rd row: k2tog, knit to end.

Cast off remaining 4 (5 : 5) stitches.

With right side facing, leave centre 23 stitches on a spare needle, rejoin yarn to remaining stitches, knit to end.

Finish to correspond with first side.

To Make Up

Press as for coat. Join right shoulder seam.

Neck Border:
With No 8 (4mm) needles and right side facing, pick up and knit 54 stitches down left side of neck, k1 from safety pin, (mark this stitch), pick up and knit 53 stitches up right side, then 5 down shaped edge of back, k23 from spare needle, increasing 4 stitches evenly, pick up and knit 5 up left edge of back neck. [145 sts].

1st row (wrong side facing): * p1, k1; repeat from * to within 2 stitches of centre marked stitch, p2tog, p1, p2tog tbl, ** k1, p1; repeat from ** to end.
2nd row: k1, * p1, k1; repeat from * to within 2 stitches of marked stitch, p2tog, k1, p2tog tbl, k1 ** p1, k1; repeat from ** to end.

Repeat 1st and 2nd rows twice more, and then 1st row again.
Cast off in rib decreasing at centre stitch as before.

Join left shoulder seam and border.

Armhole Borders:
With No 8 (4mm) needles and right side facing, pick up and knit 116 (118 : 120) stitches all round each armhole.
Work in 7 rows in k1/p1 rib.
Cast off in rib.

Join side seams and armhole borders.

Press seams.

Materials

Materials

6 (6 : 7) 50g balls in colour A (beige) worsted or double knitting.

A pair each of Nos
8 (4mm) and 6 (5mm) needles.

Tension

The tension is given as 18sts and 32 rows to 4 inches in garter stitch using 5mm needles.

Size matters

The pattern is given in three sizes to fit chest: 30 (40 : 42) inches or 97 (102 : 107) cm.
Length from top of shoulders 25 (25 : 25½) inches or 63 (63 : 65) cm.

Abbreviations

k2tog or p2tog: knit or purl 2 sts together (decrease one stitch).

tbl: through back loops. [k2tog tbl also known as "ssk" or slip, slip, knit]

garter stitch: every row knit.

Disclaimer
(well...almost)

In transposing any pattern it is always a risk that errors will be introduced, in spite of dedicated proof reading.
If you have any problems with this pattern, please and I will try and assist.