Jacke in Schachenmayr Catania - 4764 - Downloadable PDF

Jacke in Schachenmayr Catania – Free Knitting Pattern for a Jacquard Sleeveless Jacket (Pullunder)

This free downloadable PDF pattern from Schachenmayr provides instructions for knitting a classic sleeveless jacket, known in German as a Pullunder or slipover. The design features a distinctive Jacquard colorwork pattern combined with a neat ribbed hem, a shaped V-neckline, and tailored armhole shaping — making it a versatile layering piece suitable for a range of skill levels comfortable with stranded knitting techniques.

What Is Being Made

The finished garment is a sleeveless knitted jacket or slipover (Pullunder) worked in two sizes. It is constructed in separate pieces — a back piece (Rückenteil) and a front piece (Vorderteil) — which are then seamed together at the shoulders and sides. The front features a classic V-neck opening, while the back has a more standard rounded neckline. The overall finished height of the garment is approximately 27.5 cm for the smaller size and 31.5 cm for the larger size.

Garment Construction and Shaping Details

Back Piece (Rückenteil)

The back is cast on with 94 or 102 stitches in the colorway Jeans. The lower edge begins with a garter stitch hem (kraus gestrickt) worked over 5 rows, measuring approximately 1 cm, which creates a firm, flat border. The body of the back is then worked in the Jacquard colorwork pattern, which is set up by working rows 1 and 2 once, then repeating rows 3 through 6 continuously. The Jacquard motif is based on an 8-stitch repeat, with edge stitches maintained on each side.

After approximately 13 cm (smaller size) or 15 cm (larger size) from the hem — corresponding to 40 or 46 rows — armhole shaping begins on both sides simultaneously. Shaping is worked by casting off 3 stitches once, then decreasing 2 stitches every second row twice, followed by 1 stitch every second row four times on each side, resulting in 72 or 80 stitches remaining. After a further 12.5 cm or 14.5 cm of armhole depth (38 or 44 rows), the neckline is shaped by casting off the central 32 stitches and then 2 stitches on each side once. The remaining 18 or 22 shoulder stitches are cast off on the following second row.

Front Piece (Vorderteil)

The front piece is worked identically to the back until the point of V-neck shaping, which begins after approximately 13.5 cm (42 rows) for the smaller size or 17.5 cm (54 rows) for the larger size from the hem. At this point, the work is divided at the center and each shoulder section is completed separately. The V-neck slope is created by decreasing 1 stitch every second row, 18 times on each side. The remaining 18 or 22 shoulder stitches are cast off at the same total height as the back — 27.5 cm or 31.5 cm — ensuring a perfect shoulder alignment when seamed.

Techniques Used

• Jacquard / Stranded Colorwork Knitting: The main body fabric is worked in a repeating Jacquard motif using an 8-stitch repeat, a classic technique where two or more colors are carried across the row to create patterned designs.
• Garter Stitch (Kraus gestrickt): Used for the lower hem band, garter stitch is created by knitting every row, producing a ridged, non-curling fabric ideal for borders.
• Simultaneous Armhole Shaping: Decreases are worked symmetrically on both sides of the fabric in a structured sequence of cast-offs and paired decreases every second row.
• V-Neck Shaping: The work is split at the center front and each half is worked independently, with gradual single-