UKHKA 37 Matinee Coat, Bonnet, Bootees and Mittens - UKHKA37pdf - Downloadable PDF

UKHKA 37 Matinee Coat, Bonnet, Bootees and Mittens – Complete Knitting Pattern Summary

This charming baby set from UKHKA (pattern number UKHKA 37) is a classic collection of four coordinating hand-knitted baby garments: a Matinee Coat, a Bonnet, Bootees, and Mittens. Worked in Double Knitting (DK) weight yarn, the set is designed to fit babies from Premature through to 3–6 months, making it a wonderfully versatile project for gifting or a new arrival. The pattern is rated as intermediate difficulty, making it ideal for knitters who are comfortable with basic techniques and ready to tackle shaping and construction details such as raglan decreases and stitch holders.

Sizing and Measurements

The pattern covers four sizes across the full set:

• Premature: To fit chest 31 cm / 12 in; actual measurement 38 cm / 15 in
• 0–3 months: To fit chest 36 cm / 14 in; actual measurement 43 cm / 17 in
• 3–6 months: To fit chest 41 cm / 16 in; actual measurement 47 cm / 18½ in
• 6 months: To fit chest 46 cm / 18 in; actual measurement 53 cm / 21 in

Full lengths range from 20 cm to 29 cm for the coat, sleeve lengths from 8 cm to 17 cm, bonnet width around the head from 23 cm to 28 cm, and bootees and mittens from 8 cm to 11 cm in foot/hand length.

The Matinee Coat

The Matinee Coat is the centrepiece of this pattern set. A matinee coat is a traditional British baby garment — longer than a standard baby jacket, typically reaching past the nappy for warmth and elegance. This version features a raglan sleeve construction, a classic and practical choice for baby knitwear as it creates a smooth, comfortable shoulder line with no hard seams pressing against delicate skin.

Construction and Shaping

• The coat is worked with raglan shaping, using k2tog decreases at raglan lines to shape the armholes and sleeves simultaneously.
• Stitches for the back are placed on a stitch holder while each front section is worked separately, a technique that keeps live stitches safe and allows neat finishing.
• The Left Front is shaped with a combination of knit and purl rows, maintaining a 4-stitch garter stitch border (knit every row) along the front edge for stability and a neat button or tie band.
• Raglan decreases are worked consistently: k2tog at the beginning and end of right-side rows, with plain wrong-side rows maintaining the front border.
• Cast-off sections of 4 stitches mark the underarm before the raglan shaping begins, a standard technique for creating a neat armhole base.

Techniques Used in the Matinee Coat

• Raglan shaping with paired decreases (k2tog)
• Stitch holder usage for back stitches
• Garter stitch border along front bands
• Stocking stitch body (knit on right side, purl on wrong side)
• Casting off for underarm shaping

The Bonnet

The Bonnet is a traditional baby hat designed to coordinate with the matinee coat. It is sized to fit a head circumference of 23 cm (9 in) for the two smaller sizes and 28 cm (11 in) for the two larger sizes. Baby bonnets of this style are typically worked flat and seamed at the back, with a shaped crown and a garter stitch or ribbed border framing the