"Cissi Swing Coat" - Coat Knitting Pattern For Girls in MillaMia Naturally Soft Merino

Cissi Swing Coat – Girls' Coat Knitting Pattern by MillaMia

The Cissi Swing Coat is a charming girls' coat knitting pattern from MillaMia, designed in a classic 1960s swing silhouette that flares gently from the shoulders for a timeless, playful look. Available in four sizes to fit ages 1–2, 2–3, 4–5, and 6–7 years, this pattern is rated Beginner / Improving, making it an excellent project for knitters who are building their confidence beyond the very basics. One of its most distinctive design features is a built-in scarf — a clever and practical detail that ensures children never misplace their scarf, while adding a fun, fashion-forward twist to the classic coat shape.

What Is Being Made

The finished garment is a fully seamed swing coat for girls, worked in pieces and joined together. It features set-in or structured sleeves with fold-back cuffs, a button-front opening fastened with 8 buttons (approximately 23mm in diameter), and the integrated scarf detail that sets it apart from conventional children's coat patterns. The coat is designed with a generous, A-line swing shape inspired by 1960s fashion, making it both stylish and comfortable for active children. Actual chest measurements range from 69 cm (27 in) to 82 cm (32 in), with lengths to shoulder ranging from 39 cm to 48 cm depending on size.

Construction Techniques

• Bottom-up construction: The coat is worked from the lower edge upward, a logical and beginner-friendly approach that allows easy length adjustments before the armhole shaping begins.
• Worked flat: All pieces are knitted back and forth in rows on straight needles, rather than in the round, keeping the technique straightforward and accessible.
• Seamed finishing: Individual pieces — fronts, back, and sleeves — are completed separately and then sewn together, producing a structured, durable garment with clean seam lines.
• Buttonhole technique: The button band incorporates worked buttonholes to accommodate the 8 coat buttons, giving knitters practice in a fundamental garment-making skill.
• Yarn held double: Throughout the entire pattern, the yarn is used double — two strands held together simultaneously. This technique produces a thicker, warmer fabric than a single strand would, speeds up the knitting considerably, and gives the coat excellent body and structure appropriate for outerwear.

Stitches Used

• Stocking stitch (Stockinette stitch): The primary stitch used for the main body and sleeves, creating a smooth, classic fabric surface. Tension is measured over stocking stitch at 18 stitches and 24 rows to 10 cm / 4 in using 5mm needles and yarn double.
• Garter stitch: Likely used for borders, bands, or edging details, providing a neat, non-curling finish at edges.
• Moss stitch (Seed stitch in US terminology): A textured stitch created by alternating knit and purl stitches, commonly used in MillaMia patterns for button bands and trims, adding visual interest and a firm edge.
• Standard increases and decreases: Including k2tog (knit two stitches together) for shaping, and m1 / m1p (make one) increases for adding stitches during shaping sections such as sleeve tapers and the swing silhouette.
• Buttonholes: Worked into the front band to create neat, functional openings for the coat buttons.

Materials

• Yarn: MillaMia Naturally Soft Merino in Storm (102) — a sport weight merino wool yarn, sold in 50g / 1¾ oz balls. The pattern requires 12 (13: 14: 15) balls depending on size. Because the yarn is used double throughout, the effective knitting weight becomes closer to a DK or light worsted, contributing to the coat's warmth and structure. MillaMia Naturally Soft Merino is a 100% merino yarn known for its soft