Tahki Knitting Patterns

Patterns that span the whole learning curve

Tahki's pattern range is unusually broad, which is what makes this collection useful rather than merely large. The same designer catalogue that offers a garter-stitch scarf a first-time knitter can finish also offers set-in sleeve jackets, textured coats and multi-colour garments that will occupy an experienced knitter for months. Everything is written for Tahki's own yarns, so the tension, drape and yardage in the pattern refer to a specific base you can buy alongside the PDF. That removes the biggest source of disappointment in yarn substitution — a pattern designed for a crisp cotton tape knitted in a soft woollen-spun wool will not look like the photograph, no matter how well you match tension.

The yarns these designs were written for

Tahki is best known for structured bases that are full of character: classic tweeds with flecks of contrast colour, smooth mercerised cottons, chunky wools and silk or linen blends. Each behaves differently. Tweeds are a little rustic on the needle and bloom into a soft, even fabric after washing, which suits jackets and jumpers with plain areas. Mercerised cotton is cool, shiny and heavy, so it excels in tops and summer garments and should not be used for a slouchy oversized shape unless you want it to lengthen. Silk and linen blends drape hard and are best in shawls, tanks and open cardigans rather than anything relying on ribbing to pull in.

Choosing by ability

• Easy: scarves, cowls and simple hats — one stitch pattern, no shaping, quick to finish.
• Improving: a top-down or drop-shoulder jumper, where the only new skill is increasing evenly.
• Confident: cardigans and jackets with button bands, pockets and collars.
• Adventurous: set-in sleeve tailoring, textured stitch patterns worked over many rows, and colour-blocked garments.
• For the home: throws and cushions, where a tweed's flecks look their best across a large plain area.

Tension, sizing and yardage

Knit a swatch at least 15cm square in the stitch pattern named, wash and dry it exactly as you will treat the finished piece, then measure across the centre. Cotton and linen blends in particular change after washing, usually relaxing in length. Choose your size by finished chest measurement: measure a garment you already wear flat across the chest, double it, and match the nearest number in the pattern rather than picking a clothing size. Then shop by metreage, not ball count, and buy the full quantity in one dye lot. If you are lengthening a body or sleeve, add a ball — it is far cheaper than finishing a sleeve in a different lot.

Substituting a different yarn

If you cannot get the exact Tahki base, match three things in this order: metres per 50g, ply structure and fibre behaviour. A yarn that matches the metreage but is a soft single where the original was a firm four-ply twist will give a fabric with far less body, and the shoulders of a jacket will droop. Swatch, wash, and hang the swatch overnight with a weight on it if you are unsure whether the yarn will grow.

Finishing well

Block the pieces to the schematic before seaming; almost every fit problem is easier to solve at this stage. Mattress stitch gives an invisible vertical seam, backstitch a firmer shoulder. Pick up button band stitches at a steady ratio — three stitches for every four rows is a reliable starting point on stocking stitch — and try the band against the front edge before you commit. Wash tweeds and wools by hand in lukewarm water, dry flat, and store folded.

Tahki pattern questions

Are Tahki patterns suitable for beginners? Yes, the range includes simple accessories as well as advanced garments.

Can I use a different yarn? You can if you match metreage, tension and ply structure — the fabric matters as much as the gauge.

How do the patterns arrive? As PDF downloads you can print and keep.

How do I choose a size? By finished chest measurement, taken from a garment that already fits you.

Which Tahki yarn suits a first garment? A plied wool or tweed in worsted or aran weight — forgiving, quick, and it blocks beautifully.