Woman's Jacket in Hayfield Bonus Chunky - 8297 - Downloadable PDF

Woman's Jacket in Hayfield Bonus Chunky – Pattern 8297

This intermediate-level knitting pattern from Hayfield produces a classic women's jacket worked in the brand's popular Bonus Chunky yarn. The design is available as a downloadable PDF and covers six sizes, making it a versatile project suitable for a wide range of figures. With its structured silhouette, textured stitch pattern, and single-button fastening, this jacket is a practical and stylish addition to any handknitted wardrobe.

What Is Being Made

The finished garment is a women's jacket featuring a back, two fronts, and set-in sleeves. It is designed with a neat, tailored appearance and closes with a single button. The pattern is sized to fit bust measurements ranging from 81/86 cm (32/34 in) through to 132/137 cm (52/54 in), with actual finished measurements spanning approximately 97 cm (38 in) to 149 cm (58¾ in) across the chest. Full length ranges from 60 cm (23¾ in) to 70 cm (27½ in) depending on size, and sleeve length is approximately 45–47 cm (17¾–18½ in), noted as adjustable to suit individual preference.

Techniques Used

• Thumb cast-on method – used when casting on stitches for the back and fronts, giving a firm and elastic edge well suited to chunky-weight fabric.
• Garter stitch (g-st) – the very first row is worked in knit and is thereafter referred to as garter stitch, forming a tidy foundation row and border detail.
• Box stitch pattern – the main body fabric of the jacket is worked throughout in a box stitch pattern, a classic textured arrangement of knit and purl blocks that creates a neat, structured surface with good body and visual interest.
• Shaping – the pattern includes standard garment shaping techniques such as decreasing and increasing at appropriate points to form armholes, sleeve caps, and front edges.
• Casting off in pattern – shoulder and neckline stitches are cast off while maintaining the established box stitch pattern, keeping the fabric consistent to the very edge.
• Working in the round (optional) – a 5½mm circular needle is listed as an alternative tool, which may be used for picking up and working neckband or border stitches if preferred.

Stitches Used

• Knit (k) – a fundamental stitch used throughout the pattern in both the garter stitch sections and as part of the box stitch repeat.
• Purl (p) – combined with knit stitches to create the box stitch texture across the main body and sleeves.
• Garter stitch – all knit rows forming a ridged, reversible fabric used at the foundation and border areas.
• Box stitch pattern – an alternating arrangement of knit and purl blocks, typically worked over a small repeat, that produces a raised, grid-like texture. This stitch is both decorative and practical, adding structure and warmth to the chunky fabric.
• Decrease stitches (dec, tog) – used during armhole and neckline shaping to reduce stitch counts neatly.
• Increase stitches (inc) – worked at sleeve and body points to add width where required by the garment construction.

Materials

The jacket is knitted in Hayfield Bonus Chunky yarn, specifically shade 700 (colour reference F060). This is a chunky-weight yarn, ideal for producing a warm, substantial fabric that works up quickly on larger needles. The quantity required ranges from 6 to 10 balls of 100g depending on the size being made, with the larger sizes naturally requiring more yarn.

Two pairs of knitting needles are needed: 6½mm (UK 3 / USA 10.5) needles for the main body fabric, and 5½mm (UK 5 / USA 9) needles for the cast-on edges and any border or rib sections. An 80 cm 5½mm circular needle may be substituted where