Jacket & Sweater in King Cole Baby Alpaca DK - 4367 - Downloadable PDF

Jacket & Sweater in King Cole Baby Alpaca DK – Pattern 4367

This downloadable PDF knitting pattern from King Cole provides instructions for two classic adult garments: a button-up jacket and a pullover sweater, both knitted in the luxuriously soft King Cole Baby Alpaca DK yarn. Designed for intermediate knitters, the pattern covers a generous range of sizes from 71/76 cm to 112/117 cm (28/30 in to 44/46 in) chest, making it suitable for a wide variety of adult figures. Both garments share the same yarn and needle specifications, allowing knitters to choose whichever style suits them — or to knit both as a coordinating set.

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About the Yarn and Materials

King Cole Baby Alpaca DK is a double knit weight yarn celebrated for its exceptional softness, natural warmth, and beautiful drape. Alpaca fibre is naturally hypoallergenic and breathable, making garments knitted in this yarn comfortable to wear against the skin. The pattern uses a Main yarn alongside a Contrast yarn, allowing for subtle colour detailing — particularly visible in the jacket's design, where the contrast colour is introduced and then broken off before returning to the main shade.

• Yarn: King Cole Baby Alpaca DK (double knit weight)
• Needles: 4mm knitting needles (or size required to achieve correct tension)
• Tension: 22 stitches and 28 rows to 10 cm (4 in) over stocking stitch using 4mm needles
• Additional notions: Stitch holders (used for pocket linings and shaping)

As with all knitting patterns, it is strongly recommended to knit a tension square before beginning. If you achieve fewer stitches than stated over 10 cm, switch to finer needles; if you achieve more stitches, switch to larger needles. Working to the correct tension is essential for the finished garments to match the stated measurements.

The Jacket

Design Overview

The jacket is a structured, shaped garment featuring set-in armholes, pocket linings, and classic tailored shaping. It is designed to be a versatile layering piece, suitable for everyday wear. The use of a contrast yarn adds a decorative touch to the design, giving the jacket visual interest without complex colourwork techniques.

Construction and Shaping

The jacket is knitted in separate pieces — including front panels, a back, and sleeves — which are then seamed together. The pocket linings are worked first: stitches are cast on and worked in stocking stitch for 28 rows, then left on a stitch holder to be incorporated into the fronts later. This creates neat, functional inset pockets — a satisfying detail that elevates the garment beyond a basic knit.

Shaping is achieved through a combination of increases (M1 — make one stitch) and decreases, worked at regular intervals to create the fitted silhouette. The M1 increase is worked by picking up the loop between the last and next stitch and working into the back of the loop, preventing a hole and creating a neat, invisible increase. Armhole shaping involves decreasing one stitch at each end of right-side rows and every following alternate row until the armhole reaches the required depth.

Stitches and Techniques Used

• Stocking Stitch (St-St): The main fabric of the jacket, created by knitting on right-side rows and purling on wrong-side rows. This produces a smooth, classic knitted fabric ideal for showcasing the softness of the Baby Alpaca DK yarn.
• Moss Stitch: Used for borders and edging details. Moss stitch is worked by alternating knit and purl stitches across the row, then repeating the same sequence on every subsequent row (knitting the purls and purling the knits). This creates a firm, textured, non-curling edge — perfect for jacket bands and hems. The moss stitch border is worked for approximately 3 cm before transitioning to the main body fabric.