Women's Knitted Tunic in Novita Nalle Taika - 35 - Downloadable PDF

Women's Knitted Tunic in Novita Nalle Taika – Pattern Summary

About This Design

This pattern by designer Lea Petäjä for Novita produces a women's knitted tunic worked seamlessly from the top down, beginning at the neckline and finishing at the hem. The construction is elegant and efficient, eliminating the need for seaming and allowing the knitter to try on the garment as they go. The tunic is designed in five sizes — S, M, L, XL, and XXL — with a finished body circumference ranging from 94 cm to 126 cm and a side length of 49 to 53 cm. The inner sleeve length is a short 5 to 7 cm, giving the garment a relaxed, casual silhouette suitable for layering or wearing alone.

Construction Method

The tunic is knitted seamlessly and top down, starting at the neckline. This top-down, seamless approach is a hallmark of modern knitting construction and is particularly rewarding for experienced knitters. The yoke is shaped with strategic increases that create a smooth, fitted transition from the neck into the body and sleeves. Sleeve stitches are placed on hold while the body is worked, and short underarm sections are cast on to bridge the gap — a classic raglan-adjacent technique that gives a clean, professional finish.

After the yoke, the body is worked in the round with side shaping that uses both increases and decreases simultaneously to create a subtle A-line flare toward the hem. The sleeves are picked up and worked in the round on double-pointed needles, completing the seamless construction throughout.

Stitches and Techniques Used

• Garter stitch in the round — achieved by alternating a purl round and a knit round (*purl 1 round, knit 1 round*, repeat), this creates the characteristic ridged texture of garter stitch without knitting flat
• Garter stitch worked flat — all rows knitted, used in applicable flat sections
• Stockinette stitch — used specifically for the middle 3 stitches of both the front and back panels, providing a subtle visual contrast against the garter stitch background
• Top-down seamless construction — the entire garment is worked from the neckline downward with no seaming required
• Increases — worked every 4th round throughout the yoke and continuing into the body to shape the silhouette
• Decreases (k2tog) — worked on both sides of side markers to balance the stitch count while the body widens, maintaining the total number of stitches
• Holding stitches — sleeve stitches are placed on hold while the body is completed, then returned to needles for the sleeve sections
• Picking up and knitting stitches — at the underarms to join the body and sleeves seamlessly
• Binding off in pattern — a loose bind-off in pattern is used at the hem to maintain drape and elasticity

Materials

• Yarn: Novita Nalle Taika in shade 887 Moor — a DK weight yarn; quantity required is 300 g (S), 350 g (M), 400 g (L), 450 g (XL), or 450 g (XXL)
• Needles: Novita circular needles in sizes 40 cm, 60 cm, and 80 cm, all 4 mm (or size needed to obtain gauge); 4 mm double-pointed needles for the sleeves
• Gauge: 19 stitches and 37 rows of garter stitch = 10 cm

Difficulty and Format

This pattern is rated advanced, making it best suited to knitters who are comfortable with top-down construction, working in the round on multiple needle types, managing simultaneous increases and decreases, and reading multi-size instructions. The pattern is available as a downloadable PDF and is offered free of charge.