Tunic with cable detail - Tunic Knitting Pattern For Women in Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Chunky by Debbie Bliss

Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Chunky Tunic with Cable Detail – Knitting Pattern Summary

This is a women's knitted tunic pattern designed by Debbie Bliss, worked in her signature Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Chunky yarn. The design features elegant cable detail edgings alongside a textured body pattern, creating a stylish and substantial layering piece suitable for cooler seasons. It is available as a downloadable PDF and is rated intermediate in difficulty, making it an ideal project for knitters who are comfortable with basic techniques and ready to explore cable work.

What Is Being Made

The finished garment is a women's tunic — a longer-length top designed to be worn over leggings, trousers, or skirts. It is sized to fit a wide range of bust measurements, from 81–92 cm (32–36 in) up to 127–137 cm (50–54 in), with four size options in total. The finished width, excluding the cable edgings, ranges from 72 cm to 88 cm (28¼ in to 34¾ in), and the length to shoulder ranges from 74 cm to 80 cm (29 in to 31½ in), giving it a relaxed, comfortable silhouette.

Construction and Techniques

The tunic is constructed using a bottom-up, worked flat, seamed method. This means each piece — including the back — is knitted flat on straight needles, beginning at the cast-on edge and working upward toward the shoulders. The individual pieces are then seamed together to form the finished garment. This traditional construction approach gives knitters full control over shaping and finishing, and is well suited to chunky-weight projects where seams add structure and stability.

• Bottom-up construction: Knitting begins at the lower edge and progresses upward, allowing easy length adjustments before the armhole shaping begins.
• Worked flat: All pieces are knitted back and forth in rows on straight needles, rather than in the round.
• Seamed finishing: The completed pieces are joined using seaming techniques, producing neat, durable edges.
• Cable edgings: Decorative cable panels run along the edges of the tunic, providing a refined, structured border to the design.

Stitches and Cable Techniques

The pattern incorporates both a body pattern stitch and specific cable crossings that form the signature detail of this tunic. Cables are a classic knitting technique in which stitches are crossed over one another using a cable needle, creating twisted rope-like or braided textures that stand out in relief against the background fabric.

• C6B (Cable 6 Back): Slip the next 3 stitches onto a cable needle and hold at the back of the work, knit 3 stitches from the left needle, then knit the 3 stitches from the cable needle. This crossing twists to the right.
• C6F (Cable 6 Front): Slip the next 3 stitches onto a cable needle and hold to the front of the work, knit 3 stitches from the left needle, then knit the 3 stitches from the cable needle. This crossing twists to the left.
• Knit (k) and Purl (p): The fundamental stitches used throughout the body pattern and cable panels.

The use of both C6B and C6F crossings gives the cable edgings a dynamic, symmetrical appearance. Working cables in a chunky weight yarn produces bold, highly visible texture that makes a strong visual statement even at a relatively simple cable repeat.

Materials Required

The pattern calls for Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Chunky yarn in the colourway Sky 15. This is a luxurious chunky-weight yarn blending the softness of cashmere with the warmth and elasticity of merino wool, making it both comfortable to wear and pleasant to knit with. The quantity required is 19 (21: 22: 24) × 50g balls, depending on the size being made.