Herrenjacke in Schachenmayr Trachetenwolle - 5412 - Downloadable PDF

Herrenjacke in Schachenmayr Trachtenwolle – Men's Traditional Jacket Knitting Pattern (Free Downloadable PDF)

This free downloadable PDF pattern from Schachenmayr presents a classic men's jacket worked in Schachenmayr Trachtenwolle, a worsted-weight yarn well suited to structured, traditional knitwear. The design draws on the rich heritage of Trachten — the folk costume tradition of German-speaking Alpine regions — and combines multiple textured stitch patterns into a tailored, fully fashioned garment with functional button bands, pockets, and carefully shaped armholes and shoulders.

Garment Overview

The pattern constructs a men's cardigan-style jacket worked in separate pieces that are later seamed together. The construction includes a back piece, a left front panel, a right front panel, and sleeves. Shaping is worked at the armhole and shoulder on all main pieces, and the neckline is finished with a dedicated facing or border. The finished garment length is approximately 61 / 63 / 65 cm depending on size, reflecting a traditional, slightly longer jacket silhouette typical of Trachten styling.

Techniques Used

• Fully fashioned armhole shaping: Stitches are cast off in a stepped sequence — for example, 3 stitches on each side, then 2 stitches twice, then 1 stitch four times — creating smooth, tailored curves at the armscye.
• Shoulder slope shaping: Worked over approximately 22 / 24 / 26 cm of armhole depth, with stitches bound off in groups (7 / 7 / 6 stitches, then 5 / 6 / 7 stitches three times) to produce a clean diagonal shoulder line.
• Buttonhole construction: Horizontal buttonholes are formed by binding off 4 stitches mid-row and casting them back on in the following row. A total of 7 buttonholes are worked — the first in row 4 / 8 / 12, then five more every 26th row, and a final one every 24th row, with the last buttonhole placed in the neckline border.
• Pocket construction: Pocket openings are integrated into the left front panel at a height of 12 cm above the ribbed hem, with a pocket flap worked over the opening.
• Stitch increases: Targeted increases are worked within the cable panel setup row to accommodate the cable's draw — specifically, 2 stitches are increased over the 14-stitch cable section.
• Seaming and finishing: Pieces are worked flat and assembled, consistent with traditional structured jacket construction.

Stitch Patterns Used

• Bündchenmuster (Ribbing): Used for the hem borders and button band sections, providing elasticity and a neat, traditional edge. The ribbing begins with a specific offset on the return row (starting with 1 purl stitch after the selvedge) to ensure correct alignment.
• Perlmuster (Seed Stitch / Moss Stitch): A classic alternating knit-and-purl texture worked over a wide central section of the front panels — 32 / 35 / 38 stitches wide — giving the fabric a dense, pebbly surface characteristic of traditional Alpine knitwear.
• Zopf A (Cable Pattern A): A defined cable motif worked over 14 stitches, charted in the pattern. Cables are a hallmark of Trachten-style garments, adding vertical sculptural interest and referencing the decorative traditions of folk costume knitting.
• Selvedge stitches (Randmaschen): Consistent edge stitches are maintained throughout all pieces to facilitate clean seaming.

Materials

• Yarn: Schachenmayr Trachtenwolle, a worsted-weight yarn designed specifically for traditional Trachten garments. Its structure supports crisp stitch definition, making it ideal for cables and textured patterns.
• Needles: Straight or circular knitting needles appropriate for worsted-weight yarn, as specified in the original PDF gauge and materials section.