Lana Grossa Jacket Cardigan Knitting Pattern

Lana Grossa Jacket in Alta Moda Alpaca

What Is Being Made

This is a knitted jacket design from Lana Grossa, specifically Design 09 from Filati Journal 58. The jacket is available in sizes 36 to 50 and features a sophisticated construction with separate front panels, back panels, and upper back sections that are seamed together. The design showcases an elegant butterfly stitch pattern worked throughout the garment body.

Construction Method and Techniques

The Lana Grossa Jacket is constructed using a bottom-up, worked-flat approach with seamed construction. This means individual pieces are knitted flat on straight needles and circular needles, then carefully joined together at the seams. The garment begins with ribbed edging at the lower edges, followed by the main pattern work. The jacket features distinct sections including left front, right front, left half of upper back, right half of upper back, and a lower back panel, each worked separately and later assembled.

The construction process involves placing markers at strategic points to indicate armhole placement and shaping. The pattern uses both straight needles and circular needles during the knitting process, allowing for efficient stitch management across the various panels.

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

The jacket features two primary stitch patterns:

• Rib Pattern: A classic knit one, purl one (k1, p1) ribbing used for the lower edge finishing. This ribbing is worked for approximately 6 cm from the cast-on edge and provides elasticity and structure to the garment edges.
• Butterfly Stitch: The main decorative stitch pattern worked according to a provided chart. The butterfly stitch is repeated across the body of the jacket, with a 10-stitch pattern repeat worked multiple times across the width. The stitch pattern is worked over 12 rows, creating a textured, dimensional surface. This pattern is continued for approximately 13 to 14 cm after the ribbing, then again for the upper sections of the jacket.

The gauge for this project is 16 stitches and 32 rows equaling 10 x 10 cm when worked in butterfly stitch on size 7 mm needles, making accurate gauge swatching essential for proper fit.

Materials and Tools

The Lana Grossa Jacket requires 600 grams of yarn for the smaller size (36-44) and 650 grams for the larger size (46-50). The yarn specified is Lana Grossa Alta Moda Alpaca, a premium blend containing 90% alpaca, 5% pure wool, and 5% polyamide. This luxurious fiber composition provides softness, warmth, and durability. The yarn is worked at a yardage of 140 meters per 50-gram ball and is used in the Greige Mélange (color 15), a sophisticated neutral tone.

The needles required include size 7 mm straight needles for the flat sections, one size 7 mm circular needle measuring 80 cm in length for larger stitch counts, and one set of size 7 mm double-pointed needles for any ribbing or finishing work. These needle sizes work in harmony with the yarn weight and fiber content to achieve the specified gauge.

Finishing and Assembly

After all pieces are knitted, the jacket undergoes professional finishing. The pieces are pinned to the specified measurements and blocked to shape, which helps even out the butterfly stitch pattern and ensures consistent dimensions. The separate front panels, back panels, and upper back sections are then joined together using seamed construction, creating a polished, tailored appearance.