String Mini Pea Coat Knitting Pattern

String Mini Pea Coat

What is Being Made

The String Mini Pea Coat is a classic cardigan-style coat designed for infants and toddlers in sizes 6-9 months, 12-18 months, and 24 months. This knitted garment features a structured pea coat silhouette with button closures, making it both a functional and elegant layering piece for young children. The finished chest measurements range from 21½ inches to 26 inches, with length to shoulder ranging from 12 to 14 inches depending on size.

Techniques Used

The String Mini Pea Coat is constructed using a bottom-up building method, meaning the knitter begins at the lower edge and works upward toward the shoulders. The garment is worked flat on straight needles, with individual pieces created separately and then seamed together to form the finished coat. This modular approach allows for precise shaping and easier construction compared to working in the round.

The design incorporates raglan shaping at the armholes, a classic tailoring technique that creates diagonal decreases from the underarm toward the neckline. This shaping is achieved through strategic decreasing rows that reduce stitches progressively, first every 4 rows and then every other row, creating the characteristic raglan sleeve cap. Buttonholes are integrated into the front bands using a yarn-over and knit-two-together decrease technique, allowing for secure button placement.

Stitches Used

The primary stitch throughout the String Mini Pea Coat is Garter Stitch, created by knitting every row. This fundamental stitch produces a dense, textured fabric with horizontal ridges on both sides, making it reversible and ideal for structured garments. The pattern employs standard knitting abbreviations including k (knit), p (purl), k2tog (knit two stitches together), ssk (slip, slip, knit), and yo (yarn over). The yarn-over stitches create the decorative buttonholes while maintaining structural integrity.

Materials and Gauge

The String Mini Pea Coat is designed to be knitted with STRING CLASSICA, a luxurious 100% cashmere yarn in the almond colorway (color 200007). The yardage requirements are 4 balls for the 6-9 month size, 5 balls for the 12-18 month size, and 6 balls for the 24 month size. Each ball contains 1.75 ounces (50 grams) and yields 125 yards (115 meters).

Knitting is worked on size 8 (5.0mm) needles, and the pattern gauge is 16 stitches and 32 rows equals 4 inches (10 centimeters) in Garter Stitch. Achieving the correct gauge is essential for proper fit, particularly in a fitted garment like a pea coat. The pattern also requires 6 buttons measuring 5/8 inch in diameter, stitch holders for securing stitches during construction, and a yarn needle for seaming and finishing.

Construction Overview

The coat is assembled from multiple pieces: a back panel, two front panels (one with buttonholes and one with a button band), and sleeves. Each piece begins with a cast-on row and is worked in Garter Stitch to the appropriate length before raglan shaping begins. The decreases are strategically placed to create a smooth, fitted armhole and shoulder line. Once all pieces are completed, they are seamed together using the yarn needle, and buttons are attached to correspond with the buttonholes, completing the functional closure system.