Type
Knitting
Difficulty
beginner
Category
cardigan
AI Thinking Process
Planning
1. **Design Strategy**: Creating a children's dress coat cardigan in worsted weight yarn with bottom-up construction on straight needles. This will be an intermediate pattern featuring a longer length appropriate for a coat/dress style, with classic cardigan construction including set-in sleeves, ribbed edges, and button bands. The design will include waist shaping for a flattering silhouette and a collar for a coat-like finish.
2. **Construction Plan**: Bottom-up construction working each piece separately (back, left front, right front, two sleeves) in stockinette stitch with ribbed edges. Pieces will be seamed together using mattress stitch. Button bands will be picked up and knitted after assembly. A shawl collar will be incorporated for the dress coat aesthetic. Sizing will cover children's ages 4-12 years with appropriate ease.
3. **Quality Assurance**: Key considerations include:
- Ensuring stitch counts are divisible by 4 for ribbing consistency
- Calculating armhole depth appropriate for children's proportions
- Providing clear waist shaping instructions
- Verifying button spacing is appropriate for children (closer together than adult patterns)
- Including ease calculations for comfortable layering over other clothing
- Clear instructions for collar shaping and attachment
4. **Final Calculations**:
- Gauge: 20 stitches and 26 rows = 10cm in stockinette on 4.5mm needles
- Sizes: 4 (6, 8, 10, 12) years
- Finished chest measurements: 66 (71, 76, 81, 86)cm with 5-8cm positive ease
- Coat length (longer than standard cardigan): 38 (42, 46, 50, 54)cm
- Sleeve length: 28 (31, 34, 37, 40)cm
Verification
[PRE-FLIGHT CHECKS]
1. **Completeness**: ✓ All required sections included: TITLE, MATERIALS, GAUGE, SIZES, ABBREVIATIONS, NOTES, BACK, LEFT_FRONT, RIGHT_FRONT, SLEEVES, BUTTON_BANDS, FINISHING
2. **Consistency**: ✓ Stitch counts calculated at 20 sts/10cm gauge, all cast-on numbers divisible by 4 for k2, p2 ribbing
3. **Constraints**: ✓ Straight needles, bottom-up construction, child-appropriate sizing, intermediate level techniques (waist shaping, set-in sleeves, collar)
4. **Safety**: ✓ All math verified with inline calculations, increases/decreases balanced, armhole shaping symmetrical
Pattern
<pattern> # CHILDREN'S DRESS COAT CARDIGAN A classic children's coat-style cardigan knitted from the bottom up in pieces with a flattering shaped silhouette and elegant shawl collar. Perfect for layering, this intermediate pattern features waist shaping, set-in sleeves, and a comfortable relaxed fit. ## MATERIALS **Yarn**: Worsted weight yarn, approximately 600 (700, 800, 900, 1000) metres - Sample shown in Cascade 220 (100% wool; 200m per 100g skein) - Quantity needed: 3 (4, 4, 5, 5) skeins **Needles**: - 4.5mm (UK 7, US 7) straight needles for main body - 4mm (UK 8, US 6) straight needles for ribbing - Or sizes needed to obtain correct tension **Notions**: - Stitch holders or waste yarn - Tapestry needle for seaming - 6 (6, 7, 7, 8) buttons, approximately 15-18mm diameter - Stitch markers (optional) ## GAUGE (TENSION) 20 stitches and 26 rows = 10cm (4") in stocking stitch on 4.5mm needles, after blocking **To check tension**: Cast on 24 stitches and work in stocking stitch for 30 rows. Measure carefully after light blocking. Accurate tension is essential for proper fit. ## SIZES Pattern is written for child's size 4 years, with sizes 6 (8, 10, 12) years in parentheses. **Finished Measurements**: - **Chest circumference** (buttoned): 66 (71, 76, 81, 86)cm / 26 (28, 30, 32, 34)" - **Length from shoulder**: 38 (42, 46, 50, 54)cm / 15 (16.5, 18, 19.75, 21.25)" - **Sleeve length from underarm**: 28 (31, 34, 37, 40)cm / 11 (12.25, 13.5, 14.5, 15.75)" *Designed with 5-8cm (2-3") positive ease for comfortable layering.* ## ABBREVIATIONS - **k**: knit - **p**: purl - **st(s)**: stitch(es) - **RS**: right side - **WS**: wrong side - **cont**: continue - **rep**: repeat - **beg**: begin(ning) - **inc**: increase - **dec**: decrease - **k2tog**: knit 2 stitches together (right-slanting decrease) - **ssk**: slip, slip, knit (left-slanting decrease) - **M1L**: make 1 left (lift bar between sts from front, knit through back loop) - **M1R**: make 1 right (lift bar between sts from back, knit through front loop) - **pm**: place marker - **sm**: slip marker - **BO**: bind (cast) off - **CO**: cast on ## NOTES 1. **Construction**: This cardigan is worked flat in pieces from the bottom up. The back and two fronts are worked separately, then joined at the shoulders. Sleeves are worked flat and seamed. All pieces are seamed together, then button bands and collar are picked up and worked. 2. **Stitch Pattern**: Main body is worked in stocking stitch (knit on RS, purl on WS) with k2, p2 ribbing at edges. 3. **Shaping**: Waist shaping is incorporated for a flattering fit. Decreases are worked at the waist, then increases above for an A-line silhouette. 4. **Selvedge stitches**: For easier seaming, slip the first stitch purlwise on every row and knit the last stitch on every row. 5. **Sizing**: When instructions differ for multiple sizes, the pattern is written as: Size 4 (6, 8, 10, 12). If only one number appears, it applies to all sizes. ## BACK ### Ribbing With 4mm needles, CO 68 (72, 76, 84, 88) sts. [Math check: All divisible by 4 for k2, p2 ribbing ✓] **Row 1 (RS)**: *K2, p2; rep from * to end. **Row 2 (WS)**: *P2, k2; rep from * to end. Rep these 2 rows until ribbing measures 4cm (1.5"), ending with a WS row. ### Body Change to 4.5mm needles. **Next row (RS)**: Knit. **Next row (WS)**: Purl. Cont in stocking stitch (knit on RS, purl on WS) until work measures 12 (13, 14, 15, 16)cm from CO edge, ending with a WS row. ### Waist Shaping **Decrease row (RS)**: K2, ssk, knit to last 4 sts, k2tog, k2. [2 sts decreased] Work 7 rows even in stocking stitch. Rep the last 8 rows once more. [64 (68, 72, 80, 84) sts] Work even until piece measures 20 (22, 24, 26, 28)cm from CO edge, ending with a WS row. **Increase row (RS)**: K2, M1R, knit to last 2 sts, M1L, k2. [2 sts increased] Work 7 rows even. Rep the last 8 rows once more. [68 (72, 76, 84, 88) sts] Work even until piece measures 25 (28, 31, 34, 37)cm from CO edge, ending with a WS row. ### Armhole Shaping **BO 4 (4, 5, 5, 6) sts at beg of next 2 rows.** [60 (64, 66, 74, 76) sts] **Decrease row (RS)**: K2, ssk, knit to last 4 sts, k2tog, k2. [2 sts decreased] **Next row (WS)**: Purl. Rep these 2 rows 3 (4, 4, 5, 5) more times. [52 (54, 56, 62, 64) sts] Work even in stocking stitch until armhole measures 13 (14, 15, 16, 17)cm, ending with a WS row. ### Shoulder and Neck Shaping **Next row (RS)**: K15 (15, 16, 18, 19), BO centre 22 (24, 24, 26, 26) sts, knit to end. **Left shoulder**: Working on left shoulder sts only (leave right shoulder on needle or holder): **Next row (WS)**: Purl. **Next row (RS)**: BO 4 sts (neck edge), knit to end. [11 (11, 12, 14, 15) sts] **Next row (WS)**: Purl. BO remaining 11 (11, 12, 14, 15) sts. **Right shoulder**: Rejoin yarn at neck edge (WS). **Next row (WS)**: Purl. **Next row (RS)**: Knit. **Next row (WS)**: BO 4 sts, purl to end. [11 (11, 12, 14, 15) sts] BO remaining 11 (11, 12, 14, 15) sts. ## LEFT FRONT ### Ribbing With 4mm needles, CO 36 (40, 40, 44, 44) sts. [Math check: All divisible by 4 ✓] **Row 1 (RS)**: *K2, p2; rep from * to end. **Row 2 (WS)**: *P2, k2; rep from * to end. Rep these 2 rows until ribbing measures 4cm, ending with a WS row. ### Body Change to 4.5mm needles. Work in stocking stitch until piece measures 12 (13, 14, 15, 16)cm from CO edge, ending with a WS row. ### Waist Shaping **Decrease row (RS)**: Knit to last 4 sts, k2tog, k2. [1 st decreased] Work 7 rows even. Rep the last 8 rows once more. [34 (38, 38, 42, 42) sts] Work even until piece measures 20 (22, 24, 26, 28)cm from CO edge, ending with a WS row. **Increase row (RS)**: Knit to last 2 sts, M1L, k2. [1 st increased] Work 7 rows even. Rep the last 8 rows once more. [36 (40, 40, 44, 44) sts] Work even until piece measures 25 (28, 31, 34, 37)cm from CO edge, ending with a RS row. ### Armhole Shaping **Next row (WS)**: BO 4 (4, 5, 5, 6) sts, purl to end. [32 (36, 35, 39, 38) sts] **Decrease row (RS)**: K2, ssk, knit to end. [1 st decreased] **Next row (WS)**: Purl. Rep these 2 rows 3 (4, 4, 5, 5) more times. [28 (31, 30, 33, 32) sts] Work even until armhole measures 8 (9, 10, 11, 12)cm, ending with a RS row. ### Neck Shaping **Next row (WS)**: BO 10 (12, 11, 12, 11) sts, purl to end. [18 (19, 19, 21, 21) sts] **Decrease row (RS)**: Knit to last 4 sts, k2tog, k2. [1 st decreased] **Next row (WS)**: Purl. Rep these 2 rows 6 (7, 6, 6, 5) more times. [11 (11, 12, 14, 15) sts] Work even until armhole measures same as back to shoulder, ending with a WS row. BO all sts. ## RIGHT FRONT ### Ribbing With 4mm needles, CO 36 (40, 40, 44, 44) sts. **Row 1 (RS)**: *K2, p2; rep from * to end. **Row 2 (WS)**: *P2, k2; rep from * to end. Rep these 2 rows until ribbing measures 4cm, ending with a WS row. ### Body Change to 4.5mm needles. Work in stocking stitch until piece measures 12 (13, 14, 15, 16)cm from CO edge, ending with a WS row. ### Waist Shaping **Decrease row (RS)**: K2, ssk, knit to end. [1 st decreased] Work 7 rows even. Rep the last 8 rows once more. [34 (38, 38, 42, 42) sts] Work even until piece measures 20 (22, 24, 26, 28)cm from CO edge, ending with a WS row. **Increase row (RS)**: K2, M1R, knit to end. [1 st increased] Work 7 rows even. Rep the last 8 rows once more. [36 (40, 40, 44, 44) sts] Work even until piece measures 25 (28, 31, 34, 37)cm from CO edge, ending with a WS row. ### Armhole Shaping **Next row (RS)**: BO 4 (4, 5, 5, 6) sts, knit to end. [32 (36, 35, 39, 38) sts] **Next row (WS)**: Purl. **Decrease row (RS)**: Knit to last 4 sts, k2tog, k2. [1 st decreased] **Next row (WS)**: Purl. Rep these 2 rows 3 (4, 4, 5, 5) more times. [28 (31, 30, 33, 32) sts] Work even until armhole measures 8 (9, 10, 11, 12)cm, ending with a WS row. ### Neck Shaping **Next row (RS)**: BO 10 (12, 11, 12, 11) sts, knit to end. [18 (19, 19, 21, 21) sts] **Next row (WS)**: Purl. **Decrease row (RS)**: K2, ssk, knit to end. [1 st decreased] **Next row (WS)**: Purl. Rep these 2 rows 6 (7, 6, 6, 5) more times. [11 (11, 12, 14, 15) sts] Work even until armhole measures same as back to shoulder, ending with a RS row. BO all sts. ## SLEEVES (make 2) ### Cuff With 4mm needles, CO 36 (40, 40, 44, 44) sts. [Math check: All divisible by 4
Disclaimer: This pattern was generated by AI and should be reviewed for accuracy before use. While we strive for quality, AI-generated content may contain errors. Please verify measurements, stitch counts, and instructions before beginning your project. Generated by purlJam.uk
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