Lana Grossa Jacket Cardigan Knitting Pattern

Lana Grossa Mary's Tweed Jacket - Design 02

Garment Overview

The Lana Grossa Mary's Tweed Jacket is a classic cardigan design from the Classici 17 collection, available in three sizes: 36/38, 40/42, and 44. This seamed, bottom-up knit construction creates a structured, tailored jacket suitable for layering and everyday wear. The design features thoughtful shaping through full-fashion decreases that create elegant, finished edges along the sides and armholes.

Materials and Fiber Content

This jacket is crafted using Lana Grossa Mary's Tweed yarn in the colorway Dark Petrol Mélange (col 10). The yarn composition is a premium blend: 33% baby alpaca, 30% Merino wool, 26% polyamide, and 11% silk. This luxurious fiber combination provides softness, warmth, durability, and a subtle sheen. Yardage requirements vary by size: 550 grams (approximately 742 meters) for size 36/38, 650 grams (approximately 877 meters) for size 40/42, and 750 grams (approximately 1,012 meters) for size 44. Knitting is worked on size 5 mm needles.

Stitch Patterns and Techniques

The jacket employs two primary stitch patterns. The rib pattern consists of alternating purl 3 and knit 3 stitches, creating vertical columns of texture. This rib is used for the lower ribbed cuff sections and provides elasticity and structure.

The main pattern is a six-row repeat textured stitch that alternates between knit and purl rows to create visual interest and depth:

• Row 1 (Right Side): Knit all stitches
• Row 2 (Wrong Side): Knit all stitches
• Row 3 (Right Side): Purl all stitches
• Row 4 (Wrong Side): Knit all stitches
• Row 5 (Right Side): Knit all stitches
• Row 6 (Wrong Side): Purl all stitches

This repeating pattern creates a subtle, sophisticated texture throughout the body of the jacket.

Selvage and Edge Finishing

The pattern incorporates multiple selvage techniques to ensure neat, professional edges. A garter selvage (one knit stitch at the beginning and end of every row) frames the entire piece. Additionally, a three-stitch selvage is worked on right-side rows using slip stitches with yarn in front, and on wrong-side rows with alternating slip stitches. These techniques create clean, finished side seams when the garment is assembled.

Shaping and Decreases

The jacket features sophisticated full-fashion decreases that are worked several stitches in from the edges, creating decorative paired decrease lines that are visible on the finished garment. This technique is both functional and aesthetic, allowing the knitter to shape the armholes and side seams while adding visual interest.

Four distinct full-fashion decrease methods are employed throughout the pattern:

• Full-fashion dec 1: Uses paired purl two together decreases (p2tog) alternated with knit two together decreases (k2tog) to maintain stitch pattern consistency
• Full-fashion dec 2: A simpler decrease worked two stitches in from the selvage using slip, knit, pass slipped stitch over (skp) and k2tog
• Full-fashion dec 3: Worked eight stitches in from the selvage, with decreases chosen to maintain the main pattern
• Full-fashion dec 4: Positioned just two stitches into the main pattern, allowing decreases to blend seamlessly with the stitch pattern

Construction Method

The jacket is worked flat on straight needles, meaning each piece (back, fronts, and sleeves) is knitted separately in rows rather than in the round. The bottom-up construction begins with casting on stitches for the back piece and working upward toward the shoulders. The back piece begins with 131 stitches (137 for size 40/42, and 143