#1352 Gala - Jacket Knitting Pattern for Women in Valley Yarns Chester - Downloadable PDF

Pattern Summary: #1352 Gala Jacket Knitting Pattern for Women by Julie Turjoman

About This Pattern

The #1352 Gala is a women's cardigan coat knitting pattern designed by Julie Turjoman and published by Valley Yarns. This pattern is available as a downloadable PDF and is rated Advanced Beginner in skill level, making it an accessible yet satisfying project for knitters who have moved beyond the basics and are ready to tackle a full garment with real structure and style. The finished piece is a relaxed, elegant cardigan coat designed to transition effortlessly from casual weekend wear to polished evening outings.

What Is Being Made

The Gala is a women's cardigan coat — a long, open-front jacket with a stand collar. It is designed with generous positive ease of 6–8 inches, giving it a relaxed, draped silhouette that flatters a wide range of body types. The pattern is sized from XS through 5XL, with finished bust measurements ranging from 36 to 68 inches and hip measurements from 40 to 72 inches, making it a truly inclusive design. The sample shown in the pattern is knitted in size S in Cream colorway.

Construction Techniques

The Gala is constructed using a classic, structured approach that results in a polished, well-fitting garment:

• Bottom-up construction: The pieces are worked from the lower edge upward, which allows knitters to easily adjust length before committing to the armhole shaping.
• Worked flat: The body and sleeves are knitted flat, back and forth in rows, rather than in the round. This is the traditional method for seamed garments and produces clean, stable fabric edges.
• Seamed finishing: The individual pieces — front panels, back, and sleeves — are joined using seams. Seaming adds structure and durability to the finished coat, helping it hold its shape over time. A matching fingering or sport weight yarn is recommended specifically for seaming, which helps keep the seams neat and unobtrusive against the textured boucle fabric.
• Stand collar: A stand collar is worked as a finishing detail, adding a refined, tailored touch to the neckline.

Stitches and Skills Used

While the pattern is rated Advanced Beginner, it incorporates a range of fundamental knitting techniques that build confidence and skill:

• Basic knit and purl stitches form the foundation of the fabric, worked in combinations to create the garment's texture and structure.
• Shaping techniques including increases and decreases are used to form the armholes, sleeve caps, and neckline.
• Seaming is a key finishing skill in this pattern, requiring knitters to join pieces neatly for a professional result.
• Collar construction using circular needles adds a practical element of working in a modified round or short flat section for the stand collar detail.

Yarn and Materials

This pattern is written specifically for Valley Yarns Chester, a super chunky weight yarn with a distinctive character. Chester is composed of 30% Superfine Alpaca and 70% Highland Wool, and each skein contains 100g / 89 yards. The alpaca content gives the yarn an airy lightness and softness against the skin, while the Highland Wool provides structure, elasticity, and durability. Chester features a curly boucle surface, which adds beautiful texture and visual interest to the finished fabric without requiring any complex stitch patterns — the yarn does the decorative work on its own.

Because Chester is a super chunky yarn, the Gala knits up quickly — an ideal feature for knitters who want a substantial, impressive finished garment without months of work. Yardage requirements range from 7 skeins for XS up to 16 skeins for 5XL.

Needles Required

• US size 10.5 (6.5 mm) circular needles in 16" and 32"–40" lengths, plus double-pointed needles