Caithness Sideways Jacket

Free Sideways Jacket Knitting Pattern

I named this jacket Cliffs of Caithness, because the stripes of the Mushishi yarn remind me of the rocky shores of northern Scotland.

I've had Mushishi yarn for some time in my stash and couldn’t decide on the right pattern to do justice to this beautiful self-striping yarn. Finally, I decided to knit a jacket sideways, so that the direction of the stripes would be vertical. I combined it with some solid color yarn for contrast.

This jacket is worked sideways, starting from the left front opening, to the left sleeve, the back, the right sleeve and the right front. To finish the jacket and get the sleeves to the right width, I added wide black stripes to the side of the jacket and the underside of the sleeve. To balance these stripes out, I made the button bands also black and of the same width and added a black stripe to the center of the back. The hem of the jacket and the cuffs of the sleeves are finished with wide black garter stitch bands. Since the sides of the jacket are joined with the 3-needle bind off, the pattern is practically seamless.

The jacket features an elegant, A-line shape that is achieved using short rows.

Sizes: S (M, L, XL, 2X, 3X)

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Chest: 36 [40, 44, 48, 52, 56] inches (90 [100, 110, 120, 130, 140] cm)
Length: 28 [29, 30, 31, 31, 31] inches (70 [72, 75, 78, 78, 78] cm)
Upper arm circ: 11 [12, 14, 16, 17.25, 18] inches (28 [30, 35, 40, 43, 45] cm)
Sleeve length: 17.5 [18, 18.25, 18.25, 18.25, 18.25] inches (44 [45, 46, 46, 46, 46])

Skills Required/Techniques Used:
-Knit & purl, cast on & bind off
-Short rows
-3-Needle-bind-off
-Pick up and knit

Materials: Plymouth (affiliate link) Yarn Mushishi worsted weight yarn (95% Wool, 5% Silk), 491 yards(449 meters)/250 gr, color 06 – 2 (2, 2, 3, 3, 3) skeins (MC)
Cascade (affiliate link) 220 worsted weight yarn (100% Wool), 220 yards(201 meters)/100 gr, color Black – 3 (3, 3, 3, 4, 4) skeins. (CC)

Notions: yarn needle, stitch markers, six 1" buttons, sewing needle and sewing thread of matching color to attach buttons.

Needles: size 7 (4.50 mm) needles OR SIZE NEEDED TO OBTAIN GAUGE.

Gauge: 16 st x 26 rows = 4" x 4" (10 x 10 cm) in stockinette stitch.

Abbreviations:
k - knit
p - purl
k2tog - knit 2 together
w&t - wrap and turn
pu&k- pick up and knit
St, sts – stitch, stitches
Sl st – slip stitch
RS - right side
WS - wrong side
m1 - make 1 increase - I used the increase described by Elizabeth Zimmerman: make a backward loop over the right-hand needle and in the next row/round purl/knit it as a regular stitch.


Pattern Notes:

Garter Stitch in rows:
All rows – knit

Garter stitch in rounds:
Round 1: knit
Round 2: purl
Repeat 1-2 rounds

Stockinette Stitch in rows:
Row 1 (RS): knit
Row 2: purl
Repeat 2 rows.

The selvedge/edge stitches for chain selvedge are worked as follows: slip the first st and purl the last one.
Note: it is important to work chain selvedge on the edges of the jacket, since the stitches for the border and the center of the jacket are picked up along the chain selvedge.

Wrap and turn in the short rows:
With RS/WS facing ... With yarn in front slip 1 stitch to the right needle.
Move yarn between the needles to the back.
Slip the stitch back to the left needle.
Turn the work and bring yarn back to the wrong side between the needles.

3-needle bind off: is used to seam the edges of the knitted work. For this, fold the working piece, RS inside, and align the edges that should be connected, RS to RS. Both edges are on needles. Hold the needles parallel in your left hand and insert the third (working) needle into the first stitch on each of the two parallel needles. Wrap yarn around the working needle and knit the two stitches together. Allow the first stitch from each of the parallel needles to fall from the needles.

*Knit together the new first stitch / next stitch on both parallel needles in the same way as above. There will be two stitches on the working needle. Pass the first stitch on the working needle over the second stitch and off the needle, as you normally would when binding off.

Repeat from * until only one stitch remains on the working needle. Cut yarn and pull the end through the last stitch to tie off.


Provisional cast-on: A provisional cast-on is a temporary cast-on that can be removed to reveal live stitches, which you can continue working. There are several methods to do a provisional cast-on. You can use your favorite.



Jacket

The jacket is worked sideways, starting from the the left front edge, then to the left sleeve, the back, the right sleeve and the right front, finishing with the right front edge. The top of the jacket and the slightly flaring silhouette are shaped with short rows. The black stripes at the sides of the jacket and the underside of the sleeves are worked afterwards, separately, as one stripe along the side of the jacket and the sleeve. The stripes are worked on the front and back parts of the jacket sideways and then joined with a 3-needle bind-off. The bottom of the jacket, button bands and the bottom of the sleeves are finished with garter stitch in black yarn.

Note: short rows are numbered as full rows.


Left Front

With MC yarn cast on 103 (112, 117, 122, 124, 128) stitches, using your favorite provisional cast on method.
Note: the 1st and the last stitches are selvedge sts. The first st is to be slipped, the last to be purled.
Place markers after 0 (76th, 81st, 81st, 78th, 82nd) stitch. This will be the location of the dart where decreases will be made. There are no darts in size S. Slip marker while working.
Row 1 (RS): sl1, knit to the last st, p1.
Row 2 (WS and all WS rows): sl1, purl to the end of the row.
Row 3: sl1, knit to the last 7 (8, 8, 9, 10, 10) sts, w&t.
Row 5: sl1, knit to the last 13 (15, 15, 17, 19, 19) sts, w&t.
Row 7: sl1, knit to the last 19 (22, 22, 25, 28, 28) sts, w&t.
Row 9: sl1, knit to the last 25 (29, 29, 33, 37, 37) sts, w&t.
Row 11: sl1, k 30, w&t.
Row 13 (same as row 1): sl1, knit to the last sts, work wrapped stitches together with wrap, p1.
Rows 14-24: repeat rows 2-12.

Repeat rows 13-24 three (three, four, five, five, six) more times. Total 48 (60, 72, 84, 84, 96) rows.


AT THE SAME TIME, starting from row 0 (25, 27, 29, 25, 27), begin making decreases at the marker for the breast dart. There is no dart for size S (that is why the row number is 0). Decrease for 1 st before marker by working k2tog in every 4th row 0 (6, 8, 10, 11, 13) times. Total sts after the last decrease 103 (106, 109, 112, 113, 115) sts.

Next row (RS): transfer 71 (69, 72, 70, 66, 68) sts to a length of waste yarn, knit the remaining sts to the last st, work wrapped stitches together with wrap, p1. This row is the first row of the left sleeve. =32 (37, 37, 42, 47, 47) sts

Left Sleeve

Row 2 (WS): sl1, purl to the end of the row, cast on 62 (64, 65, 65, 65, 65) sts, using provisional cast on method. = 94 (101, 102, 107, 112, 112) sts
These are stitches for the sleeve. If you would like to change the length of the sleeve, you have to change the number of stitches to cast on, keeping in mind that there will be a 2" (5 cm) garter st cuff.

Row 3: sl1, knit to the last 7 (8, 8, 9, 10, 10) sts, w&t.
Row 4 (WS and all WS rows): sl1, purl to the end of the row.
Row 5: sl1, knit to the last 13 (15, 15, 17, 19, 19) sts, w&t.
Row 7: sl1, knit to the last 19 (22, 22, 25, 28, 28) sts, w&t.
Row 9: sl1, knit to the last 25 (29, 29, 33, 37, 37) sts, w&t.

Row 11 (RS): sl1, knit to the last st, work wrapped stitches together with wrap, m1, p1. (m1 is the increase to shape the back of the neck)
Row 13: sl1, knit to the last 7 (8, 8, 9, 10, 10) sts, w&t.
Row 15: sl1, knit to the last 13 (15, 15, 17, 19, 19) sts, w&t.
Row 17: sl1, knit to the last 19 (22, 22, 25, 28, 28) sts, w&t.
Row 19: sl1, knit to the last 25 (29, 29, 33, 37, 37) sts, w&t.


Repeat rows 11-20 three more times. Total number of sts after the last repeat is 98 (105, 106, 111, 116, 116) sts.

Row 51: sl1, knit to the last sts, work wrapped stitches together with wrap, p1.
Row 53: sl1, knit to the last 7 (8, 8, 9, 10, 10) sts, w&t.
Row 55: sl1, knit to the last 13 (15, 15, 17, 19, 19) sts, w&t.
Row 57: sl1, knit to the last 19 (22, 22, 25, 28, 28) sts, w&t.
Row 59: sl1, knit to the last 25 (29, 29, 33, 37, 37) sts, w&t.

Repeat rows 51-60 0 (1, 2, 3, 4, 4) more times.

Next row (RS): transfer 62 (64, 65, 65, 65, 65) sts to a length of waste yarn, knit the remaining sts
to the last st, work wrapped stitches together with wrap, p1. This row is the first row of the back. = 36 (41, 41, 46, 51, 51) sts

Back

Row 2 (WS): sl1, purl to the end of the row, cast on 71 (69, 72, 70, 66, 68) sts, using provisional cast on method. These are stitches for the back. Total 107 (110, 113, 116, 117, 119) sts

Row 3: sl1, knit to the last 7 (8, 8, 9, 10, 10) sts, w&t.
Row 4 (WS and all WS rows): sl1, purl to the end of the row.
Row 5: sl1, knit to the last 13 (15, 15, 17, 19, 19) sts, w&t.
Row 7: sl1, knit to the last 19 (22, 22, 25, 28, 28) sts, w&t.
Row 9: sl1, knit to the last 25 (29, 29, 33, 37, 37) sts, w&t.
Row 11: sl1, k 30, w&t.

Row 13: sl1, knit to the last sts, work wrapped stitches together with wrap, p1.
Row 15: sl1, knit to the last 7 (8, 8, 9, 10, 10) sts, w&t.
Row 17: sl1, knit to the last 13 (15, 15, 17, 19, 19) sts, w&t.
Row 19: sl1, knit to the last 19 (22, 22, 25, 28, 28) sts, w&t.
Row 21: sl1, knit to the last 25 (29, 29, 33, 37, 37) sts, w&t.
Row 23: sl1, k 30, w&t.

Repeat rows 13-24 three (three, four, five, five, six) more times.

Work the next 12 rows in stockinette st with CC yarn (no short rows).: RS rows knit, WS row purl.

Continue in MC yarn. Repeat rows 13-24 five (five, six, seven, seven, eight) more times.

Next row (RS): transfer 71 (69, 72, 70, 66, 68) sts to a length of waste yarn, knit to the last st, work wrapped stitches together with wrap, p1. This row is the first row of the right sleeve. 36 (41, 41, 46, 51, 51) sts.

Right Sleeve

Row 2 (WS): sl1, purl to the end of the row, cast on 62 (64, 65, 65, 65, 65) sts, using provisional cast on method. These are stitches for the right sleeve. If you changed the number of stitches for the left sleeve, you will have to cast on the same number of stitches. 98 (105, 106, 111, 116, 116) sts.

Row 3: sl1, knit to the last 7 (8, 8, 9, 10, 10) sts, w&t.
Row 4 (WS and all WS rows): sl1, purl to the end of the row.
Row 5: sl1, knit to the last 13 (15, 15, 17, 19, 19) sts, w&t.
Row 7: sl1, knit to the last 19 (22, 22, 25, 28, 28) sts, w&t.
Row 9: sl1, knit to the last 25 (29, 29, 33, 37, 37) sts, w&t.

Row 11: sl1, knit to the last sts, work wrapped stitches together with wrap, p1.
Row 12 (WS and all WS rows): sl1, purl to the end of the row.
Row 13: sl1, knit to the last 7 (8, 8, 9, 10, 10) sts, w&t.
Row 15: sl1, knit to the last 13 (15, 15, 17, 19, 19) sts, w&t.
Row 17: sl1, knit to the last 19 (22, 22, 25, 28, 28) sts, w&t.
Row 19: sl1, knit to the last 25 (29, 29, 33, 37, 37) sts, w&t.

Repeat rows 11-20 zero (once, twice, three, four, four) more times.

Row 21 (31, 41, 51, 61, 61): sl1, knit to the last 3 sts, work wrapped stitches together with wrap, k2tog, p1. (this is the decrease to shape the back of the neck)
Row 23 (33, 43, 53, 63, 63): sl1, knit to the last 7 (8, 8, 9, 10, 10) sts, w&t.
Row 25 (35, 45, 55, 65, 65): sl1, knit to the last 13 (15, 15, 17, 19, 19) sts, w&t.
Row 27 (37, 47, 57, 67, 67): sl1, knit to the last 19 (22, 22, 25, 28, 28) sts, w&t.
Row 29 (39, 49, 59, 69, 69): sl1, knit to the last 25 (29, 29, 33, 37, 37) sts, w&t.

Repeat rows 21-30 (31-40, 41-50, 51-60, 61-70, 61-70) three more times. Total after the last repeat 94 (101, 102, 107, 112, 112) sts.

Next row (RS): transfer 62 (64, 65, 65, 65, 65) sts to a length of waste yarn, knit to the last st, work wrapped stitches together with wrap, p1. This row is the first row of the right front. 32 (37, 37, 42, 47, 47) sts

Right Front

Row 2 (WS): sl1, purl to the end of the row, cast on 71 (69, 72, 70, 66, 68) sts, using provisional cast on method. These are stitches for the right front. = 103 (106, 109, 112, 113, 115) sts

Place marker after 0 (70th, 73rd, 71st, 67th, 69th) stitch. That will be the placement of the dart, where increases will be made.
Row 3: sl1, knit to the last 7 (8, 8, 9, 10, 10) sts, w&t.
Row 4 (WS and all WS rows): sl1, purl to the end of the row.
Row 5: sl1, knit to the last 13 (15, 15, 17, 19, 19) sts, w&t.
Row 7: sl1, knit to the last 19 (22, 22, 25, 28, 28) sts, w&t.
Row 9: sl1, knit to the last 25 (29, 29, 33, 37, 37) sts, w&t.
Row 11: sl1, k 30, w&t.

Row 13: sl1, knit to the last sts, work wrapped stitches together with wrap, p1.
Row 15: sl1, knit to the last 7 (8, 8, 9, 10, 10) sts, w&t.
Row 17: sl1, knit to the last 13 (15, 15, 17, 19, 19) sts, w&t.
Row 19: sl1, knit to the last 19 (22, 22, 25, 28, 28) sts, w&t.
Row 21: sl1, knit to the last 25 (29, 29, 33, 37, 37) sts, w&t.
Row 23: sl1, k 30, w&t.

Repeat rows 13-24 three (three, four, five, five, six) times.


AT THE SAME TIME, starting from row 3, begin making increases before the marker for the breast dart. There is no darts for size S. Increase for 1 st before the marker by working m1in every 4th row 0 (6, 8, 10, 11, 13) times. Total sts after the last increase 103 (112, 117, 122, 124, 128) sts.

Do not cast off. Transfer sts to a length of waste yarn.

Side Panels

Transfer the left front side stitches from the waste yarn to long circular needle. Remove the waste yarn from the provisional cast on from the left sleeve and transfer the stitches to the same needle.

With CC yarn, with RS facing, work 6 rows of stockinette st.:
Row 1 (RS): sl1, knit to last st, p1.
Row 2 (WS): sl1, purl to the end of the row. Repeat row 1-2 two more times. Leave the sts on the needle.

Transfer the left sleeve stitches from the waste yarn to another circular needle. Remove the waste yarn from the provisional cast on from the back and transfer the stitches to the same needle.

With CC yarn, with RS facing, work 6 rows of stockinette st. Leave the sts on the needle.

Align the sides/edges of the jacket, RS inside, and work 3-needle bind-off (see instructions above).

Repeat for the other side of the jacket.

Neck Band

With CC yarn pu&k stitches along the neckline and work 18 rows in garter st. Bind off.


Bottom Band


With CC yarn pu&k stitches along the bottom of the jacket and work 18 rows of garter st.
In row 7 increase for 11 sts per row, spacing them evenly, by working m1.

Repeat the increase row in row 9.

Bind off.

Button Bands


For the button bands you'll need 2 pairs of long circular needles.

Left button band: Remove the waste yarn from the provisional cast on and transfer the stitches to the circular needle. With RS facing, using another pair of circular needles and CC yarn, pu&k stitches along the short edge of the neck band. Knit all sts of the front to the bottom band, pu&k sts along the short edge of the bottom band. Turn. Knit all sts back. Continue to work button band in garter st, total 18 rows. Bind off.


Right button band: Remove the waste yarn from the provisional cast on and transfer the stitches to the circular needle. With RS facing, using another pair of circular needles and CC yarn, pu&k stitches along the short edge of the bottom band. Knit all sts of the front up to the neck band, pu&k sts along the short edge of the neck band. Turn. Knit all sts back. Continue to work button band in garter st.

In row 9 (RS), work as follows:
Count 98 sts from the end of the row, place marker,
sl1, knit to the marker, *yo, k2tog, k18, from * repeat 5 more times, k2, p1.
In the next row knit all yos. Work total 18 rows. Bind off.

Sleeve Bands

Sleeve bands are worked in the round, on short circular or dpn needles.

With CC yarn, pu&k stitches along the bottom/hem of the sleeve, join to the beginning of the round and continue to work garter stitch in rounds. Place marker at the beginning of the round. Work 18 rounds.

To shape the sleeve band, in rounds 5 and 9, increase for 3 sts per round, spacing them evenly, by working m1.

Finishing

Weave in yarn ends. Block. Sew on 6 buttons.

Have fun!