Jacke mit Ajourmuster in Schachenmayr Cotton Bamboo Batik - S8011

Knitted Lace Jacket in Schachenmayr Cotton Bamboo Batik – Design S8011

This free downloadable PDF pattern from Schachenmayr guides knitters through the construction of an elegant lace-patterned jacket (Jacke mit Ajourmuster), design reference S8011. The garment is worked in a lightweight DK weight yarn and features an intricate openwork (Ajour) stitch pattern that gives the finished jacket a delicate, airy quality — ideal for warmer seasons or as a refined layering piece.

Yarn and Materials

• Yarn: Schachenmayr SMC Cotton Bamboo Batik in colorway Exotic Color Fb 00080 — a DK weight blend that combines the softness of cotton with the subtle sheen of bamboo fibres, producing a fabric with beautiful drape and a gentle colour gradient thanks to its batik-style dyeing.
• Yarn quantity: 300–350–400–450–500 g depending on size, accommodating a range from the smallest to the largest size.
• Knitting needles: Milward knitting needles in sizes 3.5 mm and 4 mm. The smaller needles are used for ribbing details, while the larger 4 mm needles are used for the main lace body.
• Buttons: 6 Coats pearl buttons, approximately 18 mm in diameter, available from specialist retailers, providing a classic, polished finish to the front opening.

Techniques and Construction

The jacket is constructed in separate pieces — a back section (Rückenteil), front sections, and sleeves — which are then seamed together. This traditional flat-knitting approach gives knitters full control over shaping at every stage. The pattern provides instructions for multiple sizes, with stitch counts listed consecutively from smallest to largest, separated by dashes.

• Cast-on and body: The back piece begins with a cast-on of 97–109–121–133–145 stitches on 4 mm needles, worked immediately into the lace pattern starting with a wrong-side (return) row.
• Armhole shaping: After approximately 21 cm from the cast-on edge, stitches are bound off on both sides for the armholes (6–7–9–11–12 stitches each side), followed by gradual decreases every right-side row to shape the armhole curve.
• Neckline shaping: After 16–20 cm from the start of the armhole (varying by size), the centre stitches are bound off for the neck opening, with further decreases worked on both sides to create a smooth, rounded neckline.
• Shoulder shaping: Shoulder shaping is worked simultaneously with the final neckline decreases, creating a neat, professional slope.

Stitches Used

• Ribbing (Rippenmuster): A classic 1 knit, 1 purl rib alternated across the row, typically used at cuffs and borders to provide elasticity and a tidy edge.
• Lace / Openwork Pattern (Ajourmuster): Worked from a written chart (Strickschrift), this is the centrepiece stitch pattern of the jacket. It is based on a 6-stitch repeat with an 8-row repeat, creating a rhythmic, symmetrical openwork design. Right-side rows are read from right to left and wrong-side rows from left to right on the chart.
• Yarn-overs (Umschläge) and decreases (zusammengestrickte Maschen): These are the fundamental building blocks of any lace pattern. Yarn-overs create the decorative holes characteristic of openwork knitting, while paired decreases maintain the stitch count. The pattern specifically instructs knitters to ensure that yarn-overs and their corresponding decreases always balance one another at row beginnings and ends — if this is not possible due to shaping, the affected stitches should be worked in plain stockinette rather than pattern, preserving the integrity of the lace design.

Gauge

Using 4 mm needles and the lace pattern, the stated gauge is 23 stitches and 30