*Patsy’s Perfect Tunic: Free Pattern!!

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STOP whatever you are doing/making right now and RUN like mad to your stash or your LYS to buy some Super Bulky yarn!!

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Now! Do not pass GO! Do not collect $200!

Well, if someone offers you $200, take it, so you can buy some yarn and make this tunic!

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That’s how I felt when I saw my mom wearing hers…immediately the questions began:

What pattern? Which yarn? Size needles? What stitch? etc. She has actually knitted two of them with different gauge yarns, one chunky, one super bulky. They are both to die for! So, of course, I had to make one for myself. After plying her with a zillion questions (because she had just “made it up”!), here’s how I made mine:

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Patsy’s Perfect Tunic

Design by Pat (Patsy) Pilkington

Pattern written by her daughter Jennifer:)

Written for sizes Small (Medium, Large, Extra Large)

Difficulty Level: Perfect for Beginners!

Materials:

4 hanks of Noro Iro (each hank has 132 yards)

Size 10 1/2 or 11 needles. (I used size 11)

Yarn Needle

Begin: (Make 2 of these Rectangles)

Cast On 50 (60, 70, 80) sts. (Mine pictured here is a Medium. Mom’s pictured below is a Small.)

Work 2 Rows Seed Stitch (Row 1: K1, P1; Row 2: Knit the Purls, Purl the Knits:)

Work 5 x 5 BasketWeave Stitch (*K5, P5 for 6 Rows; P5, K5 for 6 Rows; Rep. from *) until you have length desired. (I just knitted until I was near to finishing 2 hanks.)

Work 2 Rows Seed Stitch.

Bind Off in pattern.

Put Together:

Using Yarn Needle and Mattress Stitch, seam the top shoulders leaving a neck opening of approximately 9 (10, 11, 12) inches.

Then Seam the sides leaving arm openings of approximately 8 (9, 10, 11) inches (or however large you desire!). I began the side seams about 3 inches from the bottom to have a side slit for easier wear.

Block:

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Blocking really made this tunic “sing”! I dunked the finished tunic into my sink of sudsy water, rinsed it, and rolled it GENTLY between two towels to pat out as much water as I could. DO NOT WRING! Then I pinned the tunic to my blocking board so as to make the length and shape I wanted. I wanted the bottom part to be slightly larger than the shoulder area (to accommodate the hips, ahem…)

I could hardly wait for the thing to dry! I was invited to a Sarah Addison Allen book reading/signing and just HAD to wear this tunic, so I yanked it off the blocking board whilst it was still a teensy bit damp! It has grown a little bit as I’ve worn it and worn it and worn it. But I just like it even more! It’s the perfect thing to wear with jeans, over leggings, with boots, etc!!

I can’t wait to start my next one!!

Some alternative yarn choices:

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Mom has knitted hers with combinations of Noro’s Silk Garden Chunky and Silver Thaw. I think she has had to use smaller needles (like a 10?) for these and adjusted the amount of basketweave “squares” to fit. But they are gorgeous yarns!! (And isn’t my mom beautiful??!! She’s an amazing artist whose mediums are oils as well as fibers!)

In looking on line, I found this yarn and this one, in the Super Bulky range I love so much!! Personally it’s all about the COLORS that are self-striping and variegated which make this tunic so lovely!! But, of course, you could knit this with any solid or multi-colored yarn you like!!! Heck, even combine numerous individual yarns together for a fun, whimsical look to your tunic!

The point of it all is to HAVE FUN!!! To make something OH SO SIMPLE that is lovely to wear in the SAME SEASON  that you begin making it! Ha! Ha!

Enjoy!

10 thoughts on “*Patsy’s Perfect Tunic: Free Pattern!!

  1. freebirdsings says:

    Lol, “to wear in the SAME SEASON that you begin making it”! I love that. It looks wonderful. If we had cold weather I would make it. Can you believe we got to 84 degrees today? Your mom looks as good in hers as you do in yours. It’s very nice of you to work up the pattern for free. It’s super when a project works out so very well!

  2. Thomasina Tittlemouse says:

    I have bookmarked this to come back to and try – it’s the first knitting pattern for something to wear adult-size that I’ve seen that I think I might actually have a hope of making without messing up! Believe me that’s a milestone! My knitting history is rather a sorry one! I love the variegated yarn in both colourways. Both you and your Mom look beautiful – how lovely that your Mom is an artist too – loved the glimpse of her paintbrushes! Thank you so much for your comment on my blog – you’ll have had a little preview of what’s in the post for you, I fear, but then perhaps that’s quite nice as well as a surprise! E x

  3. The Twisted Yarn says:

    Yup, that tunic does indeed look pretty much perfect, both on you and on your mum. Gorgeous work. I love the simple, elegant shape, and that just shows off beautiful yarn. And now I’ve got to resist the temptation to go and copy you by casting on… I will resist… I will resist…

  4. Marti F says:

    I’ve stumbled on your website and love your fun patterns. I bookmarked some and can’t wait to try them. I just today had carpal tunnel surgery and I’m praying I get most of the use back in my hand, as it was pretty bad. I don’t know what I’ll do if I can’t crochet, knit, and do my other crafts.
    Thank you so much for the FREE PATTERNS!! It’s so nice of you, and helps us on fixed incomes.
    Marti

    • Jennifer Edwards says:

      You are very welcome Marti! I hope your hands heal perfectly so that you can continue to make things with your hands. You could try arm knitting and crocheting while you recuperate…might not be taxing on your hands at all. Have an artful day! -Jennifer

  5. G. Alexandria Hansen says:

    Hi Jenn I just luv luv luv this tunic. Both you & mom are gorgeous. I’m not as great or fast at knitting as I am at crocheting. Someone mentioned the basket weave pattern and I had a thought of I could do this in crochet no problem. With your permission I would like to translate your pattern in crochet language so I can make and wear in 2-3 days rather than 2-3 months! Lol! I would still absolutely give you & mom the credit for the design and I promise not to share it with anyone without linking to your website if not at all. Let me know what u think?
    Thanx ,
    Alex h.

    • Jennifer Edwards says:

      Hi Alex! I’m glad you like this and I’m so glad you are going to make a crochet version! A couple of my students (I’m a knit and crochet teacher in a local yarn shop) have done exactly this! I’d love to see the end result. Have fun and enjoy! You are kind to inquire about it. It will certainly go faster than a knitted version, although using bulky weight yarn, mine worked up pretty fast. Happy crocheting! -Jennifer

  6. Lynn Nicholl says:

    I am a beginner knitter. I wanted to try something a little more complicated than a hat or a dishcloth and have been searching the internet for hours tonight looking for a garment I actually stood a chance of making & just before I gave up & decided to make yet another winter hat I found this tunic pattern. Its perfect & your mom looks beautiful in it! ! If the snow in our forecast holds off I’m going yarn shopping for yarn tomorrow.
    Thank you so much for sharing your pattern!

    • Jennifer Edwards says:

      I’m so glad you found it and I’m tickled you will be knitting it! My mom and I have made several of these and each one is a delight to knit and wear! Enjoy! And thank you Lynn for leaving a comment telling me about this…it made my day!

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