Jacket in Alta Moda Cotolana in Lana Grossa - 1712 - Downloadable PDF

Lana Grossa Alta Moda Cotolana Jacket – Pattern Summary (Design 17, Lookbook 12)

This downloadable PDF from Lana Grossa presents Design 17 from Lookbook 12, a sophisticated knitted jacket worked in the brand's signature Alta Moda Cotolana yarn. The pattern is rated intermediate in difficulty and is suitable for knitters who are comfortable working from charts, shaping garments, and managing multiple simultaneous instructions. The jacket is a classic layering piece with a refined, structured silhouette, making it a versatile addition to any handknitted wardrobe.

Yarn and Materials

The jacket is knitted in Lana Grossa Alta Moda Cotolana, a luxurious worsted-weight yarn with a distinctive fiber blend of 45% Merino wool, 45% Pima cotton, and 10% polyamide. This combination delivers the softness and warmth of fine Merino alongside the breathability and sheen of Pima cotton, with the polyamide adding durability and stitch definition. The yarn is used in Pastel Green (colour 35), giving the finished jacket a fresh, elegant tone ideal for transitional seasons.

• Yarn: Lana Grossa Alta Moda Cotolana, 150 m per 50 g skein
• Amount required: 500 g (size 36/38), 550 g (size 40/42), 600 g (size 44)
• Colourway: Pastel Green, colour 35
• Needles: Size 3.5 mm and size 4 mm knitting needles

Sizing

The pattern is written for three sizes: 36/38, 40/42, and 44. Instructions are given for the smallest size first, with figures for larger sizes in parentheses. Where only a single figure appears, it applies to all sizes. This standard European sizing approach makes it straightforward to follow the correct numbers throughout the pattern.

Construction and Techniques

The jacket is constructed using traditional flat knitting techniques, with separate pieces worked back and forth in rows. The pattern makes use of two needle sizes to create textural contrast: the smaller 3.5 mm needles are used for the ribbed or border sections, and the larger 4 mm needles are used for the main body fabric once the border is complete. This two-needle approach is a hallmark of well-structured knitwear, ensuring that cuffs, hems, and edges have a neat, firm finish while the body retains an open, drapey quality.

A key structural detail is the stitch increase at the transition point between needle sizes: stitches are increased evenly across the last wrong-side row before switching to the larger needles, ensuring the fabric opens up correctly and the stitch count aligns with the chart pattern. For example, in the front piece, 6 (10, 12) stitches are added evenly across this row, bringing the total to 77 (85, 93) stitches before chart work begins.

Chart-Based Stitch Pattern

The body of the jacket is worked from a stitch chart, which forms the decorative fabric of the garment. The chart is structured around a repeating pattern unit — the pattern repeat — which is worked 8 (9, 10) times across the row depending on the size being knitted. Stitches before and after the repeat are worked as given in the chart to balance the design at the edges. This kind of chart-based construction is typical of intermediate-level knitwear and requires the knitter to track both row position within the chart and any simultaneous shaping instructions.

Selvage Stitches

Throughout the pattern, selvage stitches are maintained at each end of every row. Selvage stitches are dedicated edge stitches that are not part of the decorative pattern; they create a clean, stable selvedge along the sides of each piece, making seaming significantly easier and neater. This is a professional finishing technique widely used in European knitwear design.

Neck Shaping

The front piece features neck shaping worked over 32 right-side rows, with one stitch decreased at the neck edge on each of those rows. This gradual, stepped decrease creates a smooth, gently sloping neck