Abayomi Coat Cardigan Knitting Pattern

Abayomi Coat in Berroco Quechua

What is Being Made

The Abayomi Coat is an intermediate-level knitted cardigan-style coat designed by Donna Yacino from Berroco Booklet #389. This garment features an open-front design with overlapping fronts, offering a forgiving fit with approximately 4–6 inches of ease built into the construction. The coat is available in multiple sizes ranging from 32 inches to 56 inches in finished bust measurement, with a consistent length of 38½ inches measured down the center back across all sizes. The design showcases a sophisticated charted pattern detail combined with stockinette stitch sections, creating visual interest and texture throughout the garment.

Knitting Techniques Used

This intermediate knitting project employs several essential techniques to create the structured coat silhouette. The construction begins with casting on stitches and establishing a charted pattern section in the center back, flanked by stockinette stitch sections on either side. Stitch markers are used to clearly delineate pattern sections and maintain consistency throughout the piece. The garment incorporates strategic shaping through repeated decreasing rows worked every 16 rows to create fitted side seams, demonstrating proper understanding of garment shaping and proportion. The pattern includes both knit and purl rows to create texture variation, and the open-front design requires careful attention to maintaining pattern continuity while shaping the fronts and back pieces separately before assembly.

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

• Stockinette Stitch (St st): The primary stitch used throughout the majority of the garment, created by alternating knit rows on the right side with purl rows on the wrong side, providing a smooth, classic fabric base
• Charted Pattern: A 64-stitch repeat pattern worked in the center back section, adding textural and visual complexity to the design
• Decreasing Stitches: K2tog (knit two together) and SSK (slip, slip, knit) decreases are used symmetrically at the sides to shape the coat, with decreases occurring every 16 rows for a gradual, flattering silhouette
• Stitch Markers: Used to separate the charted pattern section from the stockinette sections, helping maintain pattern accuracy and ease of reading instructions

Materials: Yarn and Needles

Yarn: Berroco Quechua in colorway #1306 Eden is the specified yarn for this project. Berroco Quechua is a worsted-weight yarn with 50 grams per hank. The yardage required varies by size, ranging from 11 hanks for the smallest size (32 inches) to 19 hanks for the largest size (56 inches). This yarn choice provides excellent stitch definition for both the charted pattern and stockinette sections.

Needles and Notions: The pattern calls for US Size 6 needles (4.00 mm) as the primary working needles, with an additional spare needle of the same size for holding stitches during construction. Two stitch markers and two stitch holders are required to manage pattern sections and temporarily hold stitches during shaping and assembly.

Gauge

Achieving proper gauge is critical for this project's success. The specified gauge is 24 stitches and 32 rows equal 4 inches when worked in stockinette stitch. For the charted pattern sections, 64 stitches measure 10 inches. Knitters are strongly advised to knit a gauge swatch before beginning the project to ensure finished measurements match the pattern specifications, as variations in individual knitting tension can significantly affect the final garment fit and drape.