Zandra Rhodes Jacket in Rowan Kid Classic - Downloadable PDF

Zandra Rhodes Jacket in Rowan Kid Classic – Knitting Pattern Summary

This free downloadable PDF knitting pattern presents the Zandra Rhodes Jacket, an advanced-level design created by the iconic British fashion designer Zandra Rhodes in collaboration with Rowan. Published under pattern reference ROWEB-03273, this striking jacket is a wearable-art piece that reflects Zandra Rhodes' signature bold aesthetic, translated here into a hand-knitted garment using a sophisticated striped colourwork approach.

What Is Being Made

The pattern produces a striped jacket with shaped armholes, shoulders, and a structured silhouette. It is designed to fit a range of bust sizes, from 81–86 cm (32–34 in) through to 122–127 cm (48–50 in), covering five sizes: S, M, L, XL, and XXL. The construction involves careful shaping at the armholes and shoulders, with incremental increases and cast-on sections that give the jacket its tailored, fashion-forward form. This is firmly categorised as a jacket or coat-weight outer layer, suitable as a statement piece for those who appreciate designer knitwear with a couture edge.

Techniques Used

• Striped stocking stitch (striped st st) – the primary fabric technique used throughout the body of the jacket, creating clean, smooth stripes by alternating yarn colours across right-side and wrong-side rows.
• Armhole shaping – worked by increasing one stitch at the beginning of specified rows and alternate rows, building the sleeve or body curve with precision.
• Shoulder shaping – achieved through a combination of increases on alternate rows and every fourth row, producing a gradual, well-fitted slope.
• Casting on mid-row – the pattern instructs casting on groups of stitches (5 sts and 25 sts) at the beginning of specific rows, a technique used to create underarm or sleeve extensions within the flat knitting construction.
• Stripe sequence management – knitters must maintain the striped pattern consistently throughout all shaping sections, requiring careful row counting and colour tracking across the two yarn colours.

Stitches Used

• Stocking stitch (st st) – knit on right-side rows, purl on wrong-side rows, forming the smooth, classic fabric that showcases the stripe pattern to best effect.
• Increase stitches – single stitch increases worked at row beginnings to shape the armhole and shoulder sections throughout construction.

Yarn and Materials

The pattern is written specifically for Rowan Kid Classic, an aran weight yarn celebrated for its luxurious blend of lambswool, kid mohair, and nylon. Kid Classic produces a fabric with a beautiful halo and excellent stitch definition, making it ideal for both the smooth stocking stitch sections and the bold stripe sequences central to this design.

The striped version of the jacket calls for two colourways of Rowan Kid Classic:

• Colour A – Nightly (shade 846)
• Colour B – Feather (shade 828)

Yarn quantities vary by size. For Colour A (Nightly 846), the pattern requires 6, 7, 8, 8, or 9 x 50g balls across sizes S through XXL. For Colour B (Feather 828), 6 or 6 balls are noted for the smaller sizes, with quantities continuing for larger sizes as specified in the full pattern PDF.

Skill Level and Suitability

This pattern is rated advanced, making it best suited to experienced knitters who are comfortable with multi-section shaping, maintaining stripe continuity through complex construction, and working mid-row cast-ons. The combination of armhole shaping, shoulder increases, and strict stripe management across multiple sizes demands confident technique and careful attention to row-by-row instructions.

Pattern Format and Availability

The Zandra Rhodes Jacket pattern is available as a free downloadable PDF, published by MEZ Crafts UK Ltd. in 2018 under the Rowan brand. It