Elba Jacket in Adriafil Spillo - Downloadable PDF

Elba Jacket in Adriafil Spillo – Free Knitting Pattern (Downloadable PDF)

The Elba Jacket is a children's knitted jacket designed to fit ages 7 to 8 years, worked in Adriafil Spillo chunky yarn. This free downloadable PDF pattern combines a decorative cable stitch border with a classic knitted stitch body, finished with a 44 cm blue zipper for a neat, sporty look. The design is a wonderful introduction to combining textural stitch patterns with straightforward construction techniques.

What Is Being Made

The pattern produces a children's zip-up jacket sized for 7 to 8 year olds. The garment features a structured cable stitch border at the lower edges and a smooth knitted stitch body, giving it both visual interest and a comfortable, wearable finish. The blue zipper closure adds a practical and colourful detail.

Materials Required

• Yarn: Adriafil Spillo in colour no. 75 – 250 g total required
• Knitting Needles: Size no. 5 and size no. 5½
• Double pointed auxiliary needle – used for working the cable stitch crossings
• Zipper: One 44 cm blue zipper
• Tapestry needle for seaming and finishing

Adriafil Spillo is a chunky weight yarn, which means it knits up quickly on larger needles and produces a warm, substantial fabric – ideal for a children's outerwear jacket. The chunky weight also makes the cable stitch pattern bold and clearly defined.

Tension and Gauge

The stated gauge for this pattern is 15 stitches and 19 rows to 10 x 10 cm, measured over knitted stitch using size no. 5½ knitting needles. Achieving the correct tension is important for ensuring the jacket fits the intended age range of 7 to 8 years. Always work a tension swatch before beginning the main pieces.

Stitches Used

• Elastic Rib: Used for the very beginning of the border edge, worked over 4 rows to create a neat, stretchy foundation.
• Cable Stitch: Worked over a multiple of 6 stitches plus 2, this stitch pattern forms the decorative lower border of the jacket. The cable is worked over 9 rows, with the key crossing row on Row 5, where 2 stitches are placed on the auxiliary needle at the back of the work, 2 stitches are knitted, and then the held stitches are knitted up. This creates the classic twisted rope effect characteristic of cable knitting. The pattern repeat begins again from Row 1 after Row 9.
• Knitted Stitch (Stocking/Stockinette Stitch): Used for the main body of the jacket, worked on the larger no. 5½ needles after the border section is complete.

Techniques Used

• Casting on and setting up the initial stitch count
• Ribbing for the border foundation rows
• Cable crossing using a double pointed auxiliary needle – a classic technique where stitches are temporarily held to create a twisted, rope-like pattern
• Increasing stitches across a row when transitioning from the border to the body section, to adjust the stitch count for the main fabric
• Shaping the back and other pieces as directed in the working instructions
• Zipper insertion for the front opening, sewn in using a tapestry needle

Construction Overview

The back piece is begun by casting on 56 stitches with the smaller no. 5 needles. The border is worked first: 4 rows of elastic rib followed by 20 rows of cable stitch, tot