Top Down Tunic in Bergere de France Unic - Downloadable PDF

Top Down Tunic in Bergere de France Unic – Knitting Pattern Summary

This Top Down Tunic is a children's knitting pattern designed by Bergere de France, available as a free downloadable PDF. The pattern is rated intermediate in difficulty and is worked in the round from the top down, making it a seamless construction that is both practical and beginner-friendly for knitters ready to advance their skills. The tunic is sized for children aged 4, 6, 8, and 10 years, making it a versatile wardrobe staple for growing kids.

Garment Overview

The design produces a classic, relaxed-fit tunic silhouette worked entirely in the round using circular needles. The top-down construction method means the yoke and body are shaped progressively as you knit downward, eliminating the need for seaming separate pieces together at the end. This approach also makes it easy to try the garment on as you go and adjust the length to suit individual preferences.

Construction Method

The tunic begins at the neckline with a top-down, seamless construction worked on circular needles. The yoke is shaped through a series of increase rounds, where stitches are added at regular intervals to create the rounded yoke shape. Specific increase rounds are worked by adding one stitch every set number of stitches — for example, increasing one stitch every 7 stitches, then every 8 stitches, and so on — building up the stitch count in stages across multiple rounds.

Once the yoke is complete, the sleeves are separated from the body by casting off underarm stitches and placing the sleeve stitches on hold. New stitches are then cast on at each underarm to bridge the gap, and the body continues in the round down to the hem. This is a classic set-in-round yoke technique widely used in top-down seamless knitting.

Stitches Used

• Garter Stitch in the Round (Point Mousse en Rond) – worked on the smaller circular needles (size 3.5 mm), this stitch is created by alternating a knit round with a purl round. It produces a dense, textured fabric with a characteristic ridged appearance and is used in the yoke section of the tunic.
• Stockinette Stitch in the Round (Jersey Endroit en Rond) – worked on the larger circular needles (size 4 mm), this is achieved by knitting every round when working in the round. It creates a smooth, flat fabric and is used for the main body of the tunic below the yoke.

Techniques Used

• Top-down seamless construction – the entire garment is worked from the neck downward in one piece, avoiding seams
• Working in the round on circular needles throughout
• Yoke shaping with evenly spaced increases – multiple increase rounds are worked to expand the stitch count progressively
• Sleeve separation – sleeve stitches are bound off and new underarm stitches are cast on to continue the body
• Casting on new stitches mid-work at the underarms to maintain body circumference
• Needle changes between smaller and larger circular needles to achieve different stitch textures

Sizing and Stitch Counts

The pattern provides detailed stitch counts for each of the four sizes. The yoke begins with a set number of stitches and increases through several rounds — reaching stitch counts such as 112, 126 stitches at various stages, then expanding to 128, 144, and 162 stitches as the yoke grows. Each size follows its own specific count, clearly laid out in the pattern instructions. After sleeve separation, the body stitch count is adjusted with new cast-on stitches at the underarms before continuing down to the hem in stockinette stitch.

Materials Required

• Yarn: Bergere de France Unic in colorway Ecru/Bouteille (shade 10103) – a DK weight yarn. One ball is required for each size (4, 6, 8, and 10 years), making this an economical project.
• Needles: