Matinee Coat, Double Breasted Matinee Jacket, Cardigan, Bonnet, Hat & Bootees in King Cole Comfort DK - 4690 - Downloadable PDF

King Cole Comfort DK Pattern 4690 – Matinee Coat, Double Breasted Matinee Jacket, Cardigan, Bonnet, Hat & Bootees

Pattern 4690 from King Cole is a comprehensive baby knitting collection offering six coordinating designs: a Matinee Coat, a Double Breasted Matinee Jacket, a Cardigan, a Bonnet, a Hat, and Bootees. All pieces are knitted in King Cole Comfort DK yarn and are sized to fit chest measurements of 36–51 cm (14–20 inches), making the collection suitable for newborns through to older babies. The pattern is rated advanced in difficulty, making it best suited to knitters with solid experience. It is available as a downloadable PDF, so you can begin your project immediately after purchase.

King Cole donates to the Pink Ribbon Foundation with every pattern purchase, adding a charitable dimension to your crafting.

Yarn & Materials

All six designs are worked in King Cole Comfort DK, a double knit (DK) weight yarn. The recommended needle size throughout the collection is 4mm. Knitters are strongly advised to work a tension square before casting on any garment, as achieving the correct tension is essential for accurate sizing.

• Yarn: King Cole Comfort DK
• Weight: Double Knit (DK)
• Needles: 4mm knitting needles
• Tension: 22 stitches and 28 rows to 10 cm (4 in) over pattern and stocking stitch on 4mm needles

Techniques & Stitches Used

The pattern employs a range of knitting techniques suited to experienced knitters. The combination of stitch types across the six designs creates texture, structure, and decorative detail appropriate for a coordinated baby layette set.

Core Stitches

• Knit (K) and Purl (P): The fundamental building blocks used throughout all six designs.
• Stocking Stitch (st-st): The primary fabric stitch, worked by alternating knit rows on the right side and purl rows on the wrong side, producing a smooth, classic finish.
• Garter Stitch (gst): Every row knitted, creating a ridged, reversible fabric often used for borders, cuffs, and edges to add stability and prevent rolling.
• Pattern Stitch (patt): Decorative stitch patterns are incorporated across the garments to add visual interest and texture beyond plain stocking stitch.

Shaping & Construction Techniques

• Increasing (inc): Used to shape sleeves, body panels, and other sections that require widening.
• Decreasing (dec): Applied for armhole shaping, necklines, crown shaping on the hat and bonnet, and toe and heel shaping on the bootees.
• Pass Slipped Stitch Over (psso): A decrease technique that creates a neat, left-leaning reduction, commonly used in decorative shaping and lace-effect details.
• Pull Up Loop (p.u.l.): A technique where the right-hand needle is inserted into the loop lying between the last stitch worked and the next stitch, and the loop is slipped onto the left-hand needle before being worked. This method is used to avoid gaps and create smooth joins or additional stitches in specific construction points.

The Six Designs at a Glance

Matinee Coat

The Matinee Coat is a traditional long baby coat, extending past the hips to provide full coverage for a baby. Matinee coats are a classic element of a hand-knitted layette and are typically worked with decorative stitch detailing across the skirt section, transitioning to a more structured bodice. Shaping techniques including increases and decreases are used to define the waist and shoulder areas, while garter stitch borders provide neat, stable edges at the hem, cuffs, and front bands.