Serena Coat in Adriafil New Zealand Print - Downloadable PDF

Serena Coat in Adriafil New Zealand Print – Free Knitting Pattern (Downloadable PDF)

The Serena Coat is a beautifully structured, full-length knitted coat designed for confident intermediate to advanced knitters. Released as a free downloadable PDF by Adriafil Yarns, this pattern produces a sophisticated, shaped coat featuring a distinctive combination of textured ribbing panels and smooth stockinette sections. The interplay between these stitch patterns creates a garment with visual interest, flattering shaping, and a polished, tailored silhouette.

What Is Being Made

The finished project is a classic knitted coat worked in separate pieces — a back panel and two front panels (right and left) — which are then seamed together. The coat features shaped armholes, slanted shoulder shaping, and a structured border. Fastening is achieved with 4 large press studs, giving the front a clean, uncluttered finish. The pattern is sized for a size 46 (with smaller sizes 42–44 also included), making it suitable for a range of adult wearers.

Materials Required

• Yarn: Adriafil New Zealand Print in colour no. 40 — 900 grams required. This is an aran weight yarn, known for its warmth, stitch definition, and the beautiful tonal or printed colourways characteristic of the New Zealand Print range.
• Knitting Needles: Two sizes are used — 3.5 mm (no. 3½) and 4.5 mm (no. 4½) straight knitting needles.
• Notions: A tapestry needle for seaming, and 4 large press studs for the front closure.

Gauge

Achieving the correct gauge is essential for this coat to fit as intended. The stated gauge is 17 stitches and 25 rows over 10 × 10 cm, worked in knit stitch on 4.5 mm needles. Always work a swatch and block it before beginning the main pieces.

Stitches and Techniques Used

• Elastic Rib: Used at the borders (beginning and end sections) to provide a neat, stretchy edge that frames the coat cleanly.
• K2/P2 Rib Stitch: A classic two-by-two ribbing pattern used across multiple sections of the coat body. This stitch alternates two knit stitches with two purl stitches, creating vertical columns of texture that add elasticity and visual structure. It appears prominently in the mid-body waist section, helping to define the silhouette.
• Knit Stitch (Stockinette / Stocking Stitch): The primary stitch used for the main body panels, worked on the larger 4.5 mm needles. This smooth, flat fabric allows the printed colourway of the New Zealand Print yarn to show beautifully.
• Purl Stitch: Used in combination with the knit stitch across the ribbed sections.
• Knit Stitch to Bind the Elastic Rib: A specific finishing technique used to neatly transition from the elastic rib border into the main fabric, ensuring a tidy and stable edge.

Construction and Shaping Techniques

The Serena Coat involves a range of shaping techniques that give it its structured, fitted appearance:

• Needle changes for texture transitions: The pattern moves deliberately between the smaller 3.5 mm needles for ribbed sections and the larger 4.5 mm needles for stockinette sections. This technique controls the fabric density and drape in each zone of the coat.
• Evenly spaced decreases and increases: When transitioning between stitch patterns, stitches are decreased or increased evenly across a single row to compensate for the difference in gauge between ribbing and stockinette. For example, on the back piece, 30 stitches are decreased evenly when moving from rib to knit stitch, and 28 stitches are increased when returning to rib at the