Rowan Teddy Coat Cardigan Knitting Pattern

Rowan Teddy Coat

What is Being Made

The Rowan Teddy Coat is a knitted cardigan-style coat designed for a comfortable, relaxed fit. This garment is available in five sizes ranging from 32-34 inches to 48-50 inches bust measurement, with actual finished bust measurements from 44¼ inches to 60 inches. The coat features a classic button-band construction with garter stitch edging and is photographed in the colorways Snow 600 and Biscuit 608.

Techniques Used

This knitting project employs a bottom-up construction method, meaning the coat is worked from the lower edge upward. The garment is worked flat on straight needles rather than in the round, and all pieces are seamed together after completion. The design includes structured shoulder shaping achieved through strategic cast-off decreases, and the fronts feature a five-stitch garter stitch band for a finished edge. Sleeves are increased gradually using single-stitch increments at each end to create a comfortable sleeve cap.

Stitches Used

The primary stitch throughout the Rowan Teddy Coat is reverse stockinette stitch (abbreviated as rev st st), which creates a textured, bumpy fabric surface that complements the bouclé yarn. Reverse stockinette is achieved by purling on right-side rows and knitting on wrong-side rows. The front bands are worked in garter stitch, which is created by knitting every row and produces a ridged, elastic edging ideal for button bands and structural elements.

Materials

The Rowan Teddy Coat is knitted using Rowan Soft Bouclé yarn, a textured yarn that creates a soft, looped surface. The pattern requires 12 to 15 balls of 50-gram yarn depending on size selection. The yarn is held double throughout the project, meaning two strands are worked together simultaneously to achieve the correct gauge and fabric density. Knitting is worked on 12 mm needles (US size 15/17), which are appropriately sized for the doubled yarn weight. The pattern also requires stitch holders for managing stitches during construction and stitch markers to track pattern repeats and increases.

Gauge and Fit

The tension for this project is 8 stitches and 12.5 rows to 10 centimeters (4 inches) when measured over reverse stockinette stitch using 12 mm needles with yarn held double. Achieving the correct gauge is essential for proper fit, as the coat is designed with specific finished measurements. The back length measures approximately 82-86 centimeters depending on size, providing substantial coverage typical of a coat silhouette.

Construction Details

The coat is constructed in separate pieces: a back panel, two front panels, and two sleeves. The back is cast on with 45 to 61 stitches depending on size and worked straight in reverse stockinette until the desired length is reached. Shoulder shaping is created by casting off 15 to 22 stitches at the beginning of two consecutive rows. The front panels are cast on with 30 to 39 stitches each and feature a five-stitch garter stitch band on the front edge, with the remaining stitches worked in reverse stockinette. The fronts are shaped to match the back at the shoulders. Sleeves are cast on with 22 to 26 stitches and increased one stitch at each end at regular intervals (every 5th row initially, then every 8th or 10th row depending on size) to create gradual sleeve cap shaping. All pieces are subsequently seamed together to complete the garment.