Morag

Morag Tartan and Fair Isle Edge to Edge Jacket

What Is Being Made

The Morag is a tailored knitted jacket designed by Judy Furlong, featuring a sophisticated blend of tartan and Fair Isle colorwork. This edge-to-edge jacket is constructed with gently sloping fronts that provide extra coverage at the hip, making it both a stylish and practical layering piece. The design was first published in The Knitter, Issue 79 (December 2014), and was featured on the front cover of that issue. The jacket showcases vibrant Scottish-inspired yarns produced at the historic New Lanark mills, combining traditional tartan patterns with classic Fair Isle motifs for a distinctly Scottish aesthetic.

Sizing and Fit

The Morag is available in four sizes to fit bust measurements of 71-86 cm (28-34 in), 91-106 cm (36-42 in), 111-128 cm (44-50 in), and 133-147 cm (52-58 in). The actual bust measurement across twice the back width is 101 cm (39½ in), 121 cm (47 in), 141 cm, and 161 cm respectively. The pattern notes that the fronts slope gently to the shoulders, and knitters should select their size based on personal fit preferences rather than exact measurements alone.

Techniques Used

The Morag employs several intermediate-level colorwork techniques that create visual interest while remaining accessible to knitters with some experience. The Fair Isle sections are worked using the stranded technique, where multiple yarn colors are carried across the back of the work to create the traditional Fair Isle patterns. The tartan elements utilize a combination of approaches: the stranded technique is used for some sections, while the vertical tartan bands are worked using the intarsia technique. In the intarsia sections, separate bobbins are used to carry the yarns for the vertical bands, preventing long floats and maintaining fabric integrity. The pattern includes helpful tips for working the tartan colorwork to demystify what can otherwise be a confusing process for knitters unfamiliar with this technique.

Stitches Used

While the PDF excerpt does not detail the specific stitch abbreviations or comprehensive stitch list, the construction relies on fundamental knitting stitches combined with the colorwork techniques described above. The stranded Fair Isle and tartan work requires competency with knit and purl stitches while managing multiple yarn colors simultaneously. The intarsia tartan sections require careful stitch work to maintain even tension and clean color transitions where bobbins are joined.

Materials

The Morag is designed to be worked in DK weight yarn, which provides a refined drape suitable for a tailored jacket. The pattern recommends using the vibrant colored yarns produced at New Lanark mills, which inspired the design. Knitters will require needles appropriate for DK weight yarn and multiple bobbins for managing the intarsia sections of the tartan colorwork. The specific yardage requirements and exact yarn quantities are not detailed in the provided excerpt but would be specified in the complete pattern.

Difficulty Level

The Morag is rated as an intermediate project. While the colorwork techniques—Fair Isle stranding and tartan intarsia—are not described as particularly demanding, they do require prior knitting experience and comfort with managing multiple yarn colors. The pattern acknowledges that tartan work can be confusing and provides guidance to support knitters through this aspect of the design. This makes it an excellent project for knitters looking to expand their colorwork skills beyond basic Fair Isle or to develop confidence with intarsia techniques.