English Muffin Tunic in Valley Haydenville - 845 - Downloadable PDF

English Muffin Tunic in Valley Yarns Haydenville – Pattern #845

The English Muffin Tunic is a charming children's knitted tunic designed by Julie Turjoman and published by Valley Yarns as pattern #845. Available as a downloadable PDF, this pattern is rated as beginner-friendly and produces a gathered, feminine tunic that works beautifully styled with leggings or jeans. The design is sized to fit children from 6–12 months through 10–12 years, with finished chest measurements ranging from 18½" to 30½", making it a versatile pattern to return to as little ones grow.

What Is Being Made

The finished garment is a gathered tunic for girls, featuring a distinctive and structurally interesting 2-piece, side-to-side bodice construction. The gathered silhouette gives the tunic a soft, playful look, while the side-to-side bodice adds a unique design detail that sets it apart from standard top-down or bottom-up children's knits. The tunic is shown in Size 6–8YR in the sample photography.

Construction Techniques

• Bottom-up construction: The tunic is worked from the hem upward, a classic approach that allows knitters to easily adjust length before committing to the bodice shaping.
• Worked in the round: Circular knitting is used throughout much of the construction, minimizing seaming and creating a smooth, seamless fabric for the body of the tunic.
• Side-to-side bodice: The bodice is constructed in two pieces worked sideways rather than in the conventional vertical direction, creating the signature gathered effect at the waist and adding visual interest to the yoke area.
• Gathering: The gathered detailing is a key design element, giving the tunic its namesake "English Muffin" texture and volume at the bodice join.

Stitches Used

• Stockinette stitch: The primary stitch pattern used throughout the body of the tunic, creating a smooth, classic knitted fabric. Gauge is measured in stockinette stitch.

Yarn and Materials

The pattern calls for Valley Yarns Haydenville, a worsted weight yarn composed of 60% Superwash Merino Wool and 40% Acrylic Microfiber, available in 100g/220-yard skeins. The sample is knitted in Color 18 (Sage). Haydenville is specifically noted for its next-to-the-skin softness — an important quality for children's garments — as well as its practical machine wash and dry care properties, making it an ideal choice for kids' knitwear that sees frequent laundering.

Depending on the size being knitted, the pattern requires 2 to 4 skeins of Haydenville:

• 6–12MO and 1–2YR: 2 skeins
• 2–4YR, 4–6YR, and 6–8YR: 3 skeins
• 8–10YR and 10–12YR: 4 skeins

Needles and Notions

• US size 6 (4.00 mm) 40" circular needles for the main body
• US size 6 (4.00 mm) 24–32" circular needles
• US size 5 (3.75 mm) short needles for the bodice construction
• US size 5 (3.75 mm) 16" circular needle
• Stitch markers and a tapestry needle for finishing

Gauge

Achieving accurate gauge is important for proper sizing. The pattern specifies 20 stitches and 26 rows over 4 inches in stockinette stitch on