Merry Coat in Rowan Alpaca Soft DK - ZB328-00007-DEP - Downloadable PDF

Merry Coat in Rowan Alpaca Soft DK – Pattern Summary

About This Design

The Merry Coat is an elegant, full-length or longline coat design by Lisa Richardson, published as part of the Rowan pattern collection under reference ZB328-00007-DEP. Available as a downloadable PDF in both English and French, this intermediate-level knitting pattern is designed to suit a wide range of body sizes, making it an accessible yet rewarding project for confident knitters looking to add a sophisticated outerwear piece to their wardrobe.

Sizes Available

The pattern is graded across nine sizes, designed to fit bust measurements of:

• 71–76 cm, 81–86 cm, 91–97 cm, 102–107 cm, 112–117 cm, 122–127 cm, 132–137 cm, 142–147 cm, and 152–157 cm

The actual knitted bust measurements range from 100 cm to 181.5 cm, providing generous positive ease throughout the size range — a hallmark of a relaxed, wearable coat silhouette.

What Is Being Made

The Merry Coat is a knitted coat featuring a structured front opening with a button band, a raglan-style yoke construction, and a colourwork panel worked using a chart (Zählmuster). The coat includes shaped front panels — both a left front and, by implication, a right front — along with corresponding back and sleeve sections typical of a raglan coat construction. The front edges are finished with a neat garter stitch border worked consistently throughout in the main colour, giving the garment a clean, polished edge. The coat fastens with two metal buttons, 2.5 cm in diameter, adding a refined, minimal closure detail.

Construction and Techniques

This coat is knitted flat in separate pieces and features several notable construction techniques:

• Raglan shaping: The yoke is shaped using classic raglan decreases, with armhole and sleeve-cap shaping worked symmetrically across the front, back, and sleeves.
• Garter stitch borders: The lower hem and front button bands are worked in garter stitch (knit every row), providing a firm, non-curling edge. The front border stitches are maintained in Colour A (Dark Burgundy) throughout, even while the body transitions into the colourwork pattern.
• Colourwork chart: The body of the coat features a 16-row repeating colourwork chart, worked in stocking stitch (stockinette). The chart is worked across the majority of the front and back stitches, creating a decorative pattern that gives the coat its distinctive character.
• Stitch increases on the body: After the initial garter stitch hem, stitches are increased evenly across a set-up row before transitioning to the larger needle and beginning the colourwork pattern — a technique that ensures the correct stitch count and gauge for the main fabric.
• Front neck and armhole shaping: The left front (and right front) features carefully staged cast-off sequences at the armhole and front neck edges, with decreases worked at the beginning of right-side and wrong-side rows to create smooth, angled shaping.
• Stitches placed on hold: At certain construction points, live stitches are placed on a stitch holder or spare needle to be rejoined later — a standard technique in garment knitting for managing shoulder or yoke joins.

Stitches Used

• Garter stitch – used for hems, cuffs, and front button bands
• Stocking stitch (stockinette) – the main fabric of the coat body and sleeves
• Colourwork / chart knitting – a 16-row repeating pattern worked across the main body panels
• Raglan decreases – worked at regular intervals to shape the yoke
• Make one increase (M zun) – used during the set-up row to increase to the correct stitch