Ester Jacket in Ella Rae Phoenix DK - ER19-03 - Downloadable PDF

Ester Jacket in Ella Rae Phoenix DK (ER19-03) – Knitting Pattern Summary

The Ester Jacket is a charming knitted baby and children's jacket pattern published by Ella Rae, designed to be worked in Ella Rae Phoenix DK yarn. Available as a downloadable PDF, this pattern covers six sizes ranging from 0–6 months through 7–8 years, with chest measurements spanning 41 cm (16 in) to 66 cm (26 in), making it a versatile wardrobe staple for little ones from newborn through early school age.

What Is Being Made

The Ester Jacket is a classic children's cardigan-style jacket featuring a structured ribbed hem, an all-over textured body, and a neat stocking stitch button band along the front edge. The design is finished with 4 small buttons, giving it a tidy, traditional look that works equally well for everyday wear and special occasions. The shaped front neck and shoulder shaping lend the jacket a well-fitted, professional finish.

Materials Required

• Yarn: Ella Rae Phoenix DK, shade #1034 — quantities range from 100 g (0–6 months) up to 400 g (7–8 years)
• Needles: 1 pair 3.75 mm (US 5) straight needles, 1 pair 4 mm (US 6) straight needles, and 1 set of 3.75 mm (US 5) circular needles
• Notions: 4 small buttons

Yarn Weight and Tension

The pattern is written for DK weight yarn. The required tension is 23 stitches and 33 rows over 10 cm (4 in) worked in Moss stitch using 4 mm needles. Achieving the correct gauge is important in children's garments to ensure the finished jacket matches the intended chest measurement for each size. Knitters are encouraged to work a tension swatch before beginning.

Stitches and Techniques Used

• Moss Stitch (Seed Stitch): The primary stitch pattern used across the body of the jacket. It is worked by alternating knit and purl stitches on every row — Row 1 (RS): *k1, p1; repeat from * to last st, k1; Row 2 (WS): as Row 1. This two-row repeat creates a dense, textured fabric with excellent stitch definition that lies flat and resists curling, making it ideal for children's outerwear.
• 2x2 Rib: Used for the welts and cuffs. Worked over a multiple of 4 stitches as k2, p2 on right-side rows and p2, k2 on wrong-side rows. The rib is worked on the smaller 3.75 mm needles for approximately 4 cm before switching to the larger needles for the body, providing a snug, stretchy edging.
• Stockinette Stitch (St st): Used to create a smooth button band along the front edge of the jacket. This is achieved by maintaining a band of 4 stitches in knit on right-side rows and purl on wrong-side rows, running alongside the Moss stitch body.
• Front Neck Shaping: Worked using cast-off stitches and paired decreases. Stitches are cast off at the beginning of the wrong-side row, followed by k2tog decreases at each end on subsequent rows to create a smooth, angled neckline.
• Shoulder Shaping: Achieved through a simple cast-off method worked over two right-side rows, giving the shoulder seam a clean, structured finish.
• k2tog (Knit Two Together): A right-leaning decrease used throughout the neck and front shaping sections.
• yf (Yarn Forward): Listed in the abbreviations, indicating the pattern includes yarn-forward movements, typically used to create small buttonholes in the button band