Cardigans in Sirdar Supersoft Aran Rainbow Drops - 5182 - Downloadable PDF

Knitting Pattern: Children's Matinee Coats in Sirdar Supersoft Aran Rainbow Drops 5182

This downloadable PDF knitting pattern from Sirdar presents two charming variations of a classic children's matinee coat: a Collared Matinee Coat and a Hooded Matinee Coat. Both designs are worked in Sirdar Supersoft Aran Rainbow Drops, a self-striping yarn that adds playful, automatic colour variation without the need to change yarns manually. The pattern is rated intermediate in difficulty, making it well suited to knitters who are comfortable with basic techniques and ready to tackle cable work and bobble stitches.

Designs Covered in This Pattern

Collared Matinee Coat

The Collared Matinee Coat is a neat, traditional-style baby and toddler coat featuring a classic fold-down or stand collar. It is worked in Sirdar Supersoft Aran Rainbow Drops shade 852 and is designed to sit beautifully over everyday clothing. The coat fastens with 3 buttons and is finished with neat button bands. The rainbow drops self-striping effect of the yarn creates a vibrant, multicoloured result with minimal effort, making this a visually striking garment that is still straightforward to construct once the cable panel is understood.

Hooded Matinee Coat

The Hooded Matinee Coat shares the same overall construction and stitch detailing as the collared version but replaces the collar with a cosy, practical hood — ideal for keeping little ones warm outdoors. It is worked in Sirdar Supersoft Aran Rainbow Drops shade 853 and also fastens with 3 buttons. The hood adds a slightly greater yarn requirement, particularly in the larger sizes. Both versions share the same body shaping, sleeve construction, and decorative cable panel, meaning knitters who enjoy one design will find the other very accessible.

Sizes and Fit

The pattern covers six sizes ranging from 0–6 months through to 6–7 years, with chest measurements from 41 cm (16 in) up to 66 cm (26 in). The actual finished measurements are generously sized for comfortable wear, ranging from 46 cm to 70 cm around the chest. Full lengths range from 27 cm to 50 cm, and sleeve lengths — noted as adjustable — range from 15 cm to 33 cm, measured just below the armholes. This wide size range makes the pattern excellent value, covering everything from newborn gifts to garments for school-age children.

Techniques Used

Both matinee coat designs incorporate a range of knitting techniques that give the garments their textural interest and structured appearance:

• Cable knitting — a central cable panel of 19 stitches runs as a decorative feature; this is worked using a cable needle and involves the specialist cable crosses T4B, T4F, and T5B
• T4B (Twist 4 Back) — slip 2 stitches to the back on a cable needle, knit 2, then purl 2 from the cable needle, creating a right-leaning cable cross
• T4F (Twist 4 Front) — slip 2 stitches to the front on a cable needle, purl 2, then knit 2 from the cable needle, creating a left-leaning cable cross
• T5B (Twist 5 Back) — slip 3 stitches to the back on a cable needle, purl 2, then purl 3 from the cable needle
• Bobble making (MB) — a five-row bobble worked by increasing into a single stitch to create 3 stitches, working short rows, then decreasing back to one stitch, adding charming three-dimensional detail to the fabric
• Stocking stitch — the main body fabric is worked in stocking stitch, giving a smooth, classic appearance that allows the yarn's colour pooling and striping to show clearly
• Shaping — standard knitting increases and decreases are used for armhole, sleeve, and neckline shaping
• Button band construction — neat front bands are worked to accommodate the 3-button fastening
• Hood construction (Hooded version only) — the hood is shaped and se