Duffel Jacket - Coat Knitting Pattern for Kids in Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino

Debbie Bliss Duffel Jacket – Kids' Coat Knitting Pattern in Baby Cashmerino

This Duffel Jacket is a classic, structured children's coat knitting pattern designed by Debbie Bliss and worked in her beloved Baby Cashmerino yarn. Combining timeless duffel coat styling with the softness and warmth of a luxury sport-weight blend, this pattern is an ideal project for intermediate knitters looking to create a polished, wearable garment for kids. The downloadable PDF provides full written instructions using UK terminology with US terminology given in brackets throughout, making it accessible to knitters on both sides of the Atlantic.

About the Design

The Duffel Jacket takes its inspiration from the iconic duffel coat silhouette — a structured, cosy outerwear piece traditionally featuring toggle fastenings and a hood or wide collar. Translated into a hand-knitted children's garment by Debbie Bliss, this design brings that heritage style to life in a soft, lightweight yarn that is gentle enough for young skin. The result is a practical yet charming jacket suitable for everyday wear, making it a popular choice for handmade children's gifts and wardrobe staples alike.

Yarn and Materials

The pattern is written specifically for Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino, a premium sport-weight yarn celebrated for its exceptionally soft handle and versatility. Baby Cashmerino is a blend of merino wool, microfibre, and cashmere, which gives finished garments a luxurious feel, excellent stitch definition, and gentle warmth — all highly desirable qualities in a child's coat. Knitters should always check their tension/gauge carefully when substituting yarns, as the fine sport weight is integral to achieving the correct sizing and drape.

• Yarn: Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino
• Weight: Sport weight
• Recommended needles: As specified in the pattern tension/gauge section

Techniques and Construction

Rated as an intermediate difficulty project, the Duffel Jacket is well-suited to knitters who are comfortable with basic shaping, working flat pieces, and seaming garment sections together. The pattern draws on a range of standard knitting construction methods and finishing techniques that build confidence and skill.

Key Techniques Used

• Casting on — forming the foundation row of loops on the needle to begin each garment piece
• Casting off (binding off) — securing finished edges to prevent unravelling, including casting off in ribbing to maintain the elasticity of rib borders
• Increasing — adding stitches to shape the garment, using methods such as kfb (knit into the front and back of a stitch), pfb (purl into the front and back), and m1 (make one, lifting the strand between stitches and working into the back of it)
• Decreasing — reducing stitch counts for shaping, using techniques including k2tog (knit two together), p2tog (purl two together), skpo (slip one, knit one, pass slipped stitch over), sk2togpo (slip one, knit two together, pass slipped stitch over), and s2togkpo (slip two stitches together, knit one, pass two slipped stitches over)
• Pick up and knit / pick up and purl — working into loops along finished edges to add borders, button bands, or collar sections neatly
• Seaming — joining knitted pieces together to assemble the finished coat

Stitches Used

• Garter stitch — knitting every row to create a ridged, reversible fabric with good body, often used for borders and structural elements
• Moss stitch (seed stitch) — alternating knit and purl stitches across rows to produce a firm, textured fabric that lies flat and resists curling; worked over both odd and even stitch counts as described in the pattern glossary
• Rib stitch — alternating columns of knit and purl