Duck Tunic in Adriafil Candy - Downloadable PDF

Duck Tunic in Adriafil Candy – Free Knitting Pattern Summary

What You Are Making

The Duck Tunic is a relaxed, longline knitted tunic designed for women, available in three sizes: S, M, and L. With a finished chest measurement ranging from 90 cm to 110 cm and a length of 68 cm to 72 cm, this is a generously sized, comfortable garment that sits well below the hip. The pattern is designed and published by Adriafil and is available as a free downloadable PDF. The sample garment shown in the pattern photography is knitted in size L.

Materials Required

The tunic is worked in Adriafil Candy, a super chunky weight yarn, in colour 23. The quantity required depends on your chosen size:

• S: 650 g of Adriafil Candy
• M: 700 g of Adriafil Candy
• L: 750 g of Adriafil Candy

The recommended needle size is 8 mm, or whichever size is needed to achieve the correct tension. Because this is a super chunky project, 8 mm straight or circular knitting needles are standard, and the large needle size means the fabric grows quickly, making this an achievable project even for those relatively new to garment knitting.

Tension and Gauge

Achieving the correct tension is essential for a well-fitting garment. The pattern specifies a gauge of approximately 9 stitches and 13 rows over 10 cm in stocking stitch using 8 mm needles. Knitters are encouraged to work a tension swatch before beginning and to adjust needle size as needed to match this gauge.

Construction and Shaping

The Duck Tunic is constructed in separate pieces — at minimum a back section is detailed in the pattern, with the construction following a classic set-in or raglan shaping method at the armholes. The back is cast on and worked straight in stocking stitch for the lower body section before armhole shaping begins. Specifically:

• Cast on 41 (46) 51 stitches and work in stocking stitch for 13 (14) 15 cm
• When the piece measures 46 (47) 48 cm, bind off 4 stitches at the beginning of the next two rows to begin armhole shaping
• Raglan shaping then continues from this point, giving the garment a structured but comfortable shoulder and sleeve join

Raglan construction is a popular technique in knitwear because it creates a smooth, diagonal seam running from the underarm to the neckline, distributing ease evenly across the shoulder and offering a flattering fit across a range of body shapes.

Techniques Used

The Duck Tunic incorporates a variety of knitting techniques, making it a rewarding project for intermediate knitters who wish to develop their skills beyond basic stocking stitch:

• Stocking stitch (stockinette): The main fabric of the tunic, formed by knitting right-side rows and purling wrong-side rows, creating a smooth, classic knitted surface
• Seed stitch: Used as a textural detail, seed stitch alternates knit and purl stitches across the row and is offset on subsequent rows to create a bumpy, non-curling fabric
• Popcorn stitch: A decorative bobble technique where multiple stitches are worked into a single stitch — specifically, knitting into the front and back loops of the same stitch four times to create four stitches, working short rows over those stitches, then passing the extra stitches over to form a raised, three-dimensional bobble on the fabric surface
• Raglan armhole shaping: Worked by binding off stitches at the armhole edge and then decreasing on subsequent rows to create the characteristic diagonal raglan line
• Yarnover (YO): Used to create decorative eyel