Damentunika in Schachenmayr Belisia - 2044

Damentunika in Schachenmayr Belisia – Pattern 2044: A Detailed Summary

This free downloadable PDF knitting pattern (Design 2044) from Schachenmayr provides instructions for a women's tunic (Damentunika) knitted in the brand's Belisia yarn. The design is a classic, elegant top-length garment featuring a refined multi-colour stripe detail at the hem and a clean, smooth stockinette body. It is available in multiple sizes, covering sizes 32/34, 36/38, 40/42, and 44/46, making it accessible to a wide range of knitters.

What Is Being Made

The finished project is a women's tunic — a relaxed, slightly longer top designed to be worn over trousers or leggings. The silhouette features subtle side shaping for a flattering fit, as well as armhole shaping worked in the traditional set-in style. The garment is constructed in separate pieces (back and front) that are seamed together, following classic European flat-knitting construction methods.

Yarn and Materials

The pattern is designed specifically for Schachenmayr Belisia, a DK weight yarn. The design uses a palette of three colours:

• Ecru – the primary body colour
• Aqua – used in the stripe sequence
• Mint – used as an accent stripe colour

As a DK weight yarn, Belisia knits up at a medium gauge, making it suitable for both beginner and intermediate knitters seeking a relatively quick project with good stitch definition. Appropriate knitting needles for DK weight yarn are typically in the 3.5 mm to 4 mm range, though knitters should always check their tension swatch against the pattern gauge.

Techniques Used

The tunic employs several key knitting construction techniques that are worth understanding before casting on:

• Flat knitting – the pieces are worked back and forth in rows, not in the round
• Colour striping – a structured sequence of colour changes is worked at the lower hem, alternating between Ecru, Aqua, and Mint in a precise row-by-row pattern
• Side seam shaping – decreases are worked at both sides of the back and front pieces to create a waist-in effect, beginning at 10 cm from the cast-on edge
• Armhole shaping – set-in armholes are formed by casting off stitches at each side and then working further decreases every right-side row
• Decreasing methods – the pattern uses two specific decrease techniques for neat, mirrored shaping: k2tog (knit two together, a right-leaning decrease) and skpo/psso (slip one, knit one, pass slipped stitch over — a left-leaning decrease), ensuring the shaping lines are symmetrical on both sides of the garment

Stitches Used

The pattern calls for a combination of stitch patterns, each serving a distinct visual and structural purpose:

• Stockinette stitch (glatt rechts) – the main body fabric, worked by knitting all right-side rows and purling all wrong-side rows, producing a smooth, classic surface
• Reverse stockinette (glatt links) – used within the stripe sequence at the hem, creating a textural contrast against the smooth stockinette sections
• Ribbing (Bündchenmuster) – incorporated into the stripe section at the lower hem, adding elasticity and a decorative banded effect; this alternates with the smooth stripe rows to create a rhythmic, structured border
• Edge stitches (Randmaschen) – selvedge stitches are consistently worked at each end of every row to ensure clean, stable edges for seaming

Construction and Shaping Details

The back piece is cast on with 102