My second project from my 2026 fall list is the Dagmar Jacket by the legendary PetiteKnit, and I love texture knits, with cables being eight at the top.
Project Summary
Pattern: Dagmar Jacket (by PetitKnit)
Total time: 36 days (5 weeks and 1 day), roughly 2 hours of knitting daily
Yarn: I Love This Yarn (Hobby Lobby), approximately 4.5 skeins used
Needles and hooks: 2.75 mm for cuffs and collar, 3.75mm for the body, 2mm crochet hook for closing off the cuffs
Rating: 3 out of 5
Knitting Experience Notes:
The design is absolutely gorgeous, and overall I enjoyed the experience. My only real complaint is that it took so long, and towards the end it was a bit overstaying its welcome... I got bored. As for the yarn, I had very conflicting feelings about it: overall I loved the color, but there were a couple of moments in the beginning where I didn't like the feel of it. Towards the end I actually started to enjoy it again... maybe Stockholm syndrome.
Pattern feedback:
Overall it was easy to follow, but in the end I had to create my own checklists and modify some parts to make it work for me. I am also still dumbfounded about the sleeve casting on discrepancy. In the end I made it work, but I am not sure where it stopped making sense for me to follow the pattern.
I would definitely knit this pattern again, but will have to rely on my personal notes to make sense of it again.
Overall, the pattern clarity is top notch, but the layout could use some work. The back yoke chart is at the end of the pattern while the symbol instructions are almost at the beginning, which meant a lot of flipping back and forth. I ended up recompiling it for my needs and printing the instructions and symbols separately so I could reference the chart and instructions at the same time.
The increases were intense and I definitely messed up more than once, but that's more on me than the pattern. I also found that the recommended pickup ratio for the sleeves (two stitches on every three rows) left me coming up short, and I ended up needing three stitches every four rows instead.
Overall, a beautiful and well-written pattern that just needs a little page-order tweaking for maximum convenience.
September 8, 2026 - Day 1: Gathering Tools & Making Swatches
And so it begins! Today was all about gathering my tools and making swatches for the Dagmar Jacket.
Once again, I went to my stash to "shop" around for the yarn, and I settled on Hobby Lobby's "I Love This Yarn" (medium weight) in Linen. It's a beautiful off-white, gray-ish color and so, so soft.
I had a hard time matching my swatches to the recommended gauge, but in the end I think I settled on size 5 knitting needles for the body, which was a huge surprise for me. The recommended needle size was 4.5, and I usually have to size down quite considerably with my needles, but this is definitely the first time I've had to size up.
I also absolutely love the toggle buttons, and I'm so excited to start the process. This is the first sweater with European shoulder construction for me, so I'm excited to learn a new technique!
September 9, 2026 - Day 2: Back Yoke (Day 1)
Aaaand I already have complaints about the pattern... as far as clarity, it is top notch. HOWEVER, the order of the pages is not very convenient. The scheme for the back yoke is at the end of the pattern, however the instructions for the symbols are almost at the beginning. After going back and forth a few times, I decided to recompile the pattern for my needs and have the instructions and symbols printed separately so that I can reference the scheme and look at the instructions at the same time when needed.
Also, the increases are intense... I definitely messed up once or twice (more like 5) and had to unravel the whole thing and start from scratch... nothing to worry about, I just want to make it perfect!
September 10, 2026 - Day 3: Back Yoke (Day 2)
Ok, the increases are done! I still struggled with them until the very end, but I'm so happy that they're finished and now it's just the back piece. I quite enjoy the process of knitting the cables and I'm happy to settle into this rhythm for a day or two.
September 11, 2026 - Day 4: Back Yoke (Day 3)
The back yoke is growing! I've finally memorized the pattern by now, so it's easy breezy. The cables are flowing nicely and I can see the texture really starting to come together. It's one of those satisfying stretches of a project where you can just knit without constantly checking the chart. Hoping to make some good progress over the next few days!
September 12, 2026 - Day 5: Right Panel (Day 1)
I've cast on the right shoulder! The European shoulder technique is completely new to me, so I am trusting the process! So curious how it will turn out!
September 13, 2026 - Day 6: Right Panel (Day 2)
A rainy weekend day is just perfect for knitting. However, I didn't have muuuuuch time for that, as I volunteered setting up our town's library book sale. I love being surrounded by books, so as much as I miss my current knitting project, I was equally excited to be surrounded by the books (and I got myself a handful of new books to read too! First dibs perks for all volunteers!). Just a couple of rows, but progress is progress.
September 14, 2026 - Day 7: Right Panel (Day 3)
The right shoulder and panel keep growing, and it looks so elegant. I am starting to regret my yarn choice though, a little bit. It feels a little thinner than I would've preferred, but I will keep going.
September 15, 2026 - Day 8: Left Panel (Day 1)
The left shoulder is flying off the needles... I honestly think I will be done with it in a day! It helps that it is not a busy weekend day, and I have a bit more quiet time. Just me, my needles, and that soothing cable rhythm.
September 16, 2026 - Day 9: Body (Day 1)
The left panel is done, and all the pieces are joined into a body! It was so nice to try it on and see how it fits. There's just something magical about that moment when a pile of knitted pieces suddenly becomes an actual garment. It's really starting to look like a jacket now, and I couldn't be happier!
September 17, 2026 - Day 10: Body (Day 2)
Settled in for a long stretch of repetitive body rows, and honestly? This post is just an appreciation post for the pattern and texture! Just look at it! The cables, the twists, the way the texture catches the light... I could stare at it all day. Repetitive rows have never looked so good.
September 18, 2026 - Day 11: Body (Day 3)
Slow but steady, I added another inch or so! Every row is getting me closer, and honestly, I'm just enjoying the ride.
September 19, 2026 - Day 12: Body (Day 4)
Still chugging along on the body, so this is another pattern appreciation blog. I just can't get over how beautiful these cables look with every passing row. The texture, the depth, the way it all comes together... PetiteKnit really knows what she's doing. Honestly, the repetitive rows don't even feel tedious when the result looks this good.
September 20, 2026 - Day 13: Body (Day 5)
As usual, the ending of the body has crept up on me. I am technically at the length listed for my size in the pattern, but I definitely want to make it longer. Maybe it's the chilly weather we had in New England yesterday, but I just don't feel the cropped style for this jacket. Give me all of the cozy vibes!
September 21, 2026 - Day 14: Body (Day 6)
I am facing a dilemma! I am at the point where I need to make a decision about the length. I can start ribbing now and cast off after knitting 1x1 rib for 7 cm, which will give me more of a cropped look, but it may look a bit awkward on my figure. Or I can commit to knitting another repetition, which will give me a more covered look but in return may lose the modern aesthetic of the design. Lots of trying, eyeballing, and spinning in front of the mirror for me next.
September 22, 2026 - Day 15: Body (Day 7)
Well, today was a bit of a bust. After deciding that I'd rather go with the shorter look, I started knitting the rib. After almost finishing it, I realized... oh horror, I forgot to switch to smaller size needles... 1 hour worth of work had to be undone... I did have time to catch up though.
Next, I am facing another dilemma: the bind-off. The pattern recommends Italian bind-off... but I JUST HATE doing Italian bind-off on longer edges, the thread just gets all tangled and it's just a pain... I'd rather do a stretchy bind-off. We will see...
And after that, I am facing another choose-your-own-adventure. I can either go to knitting sleeves, or I can finish up the body by knitting button bands and the collar. Decisions, decisions.
September 23, 2026 - Day 16: Body (Day 8)
I don't know why, but I keep fumbling finishing this rib. At one point I measured it and I thought I saw that I made it longer than necessary, so I unravelled 3 rows, just to find out that it wasn't. So I had to re-knit the same rows again. Measure thrice next time!
At least I decided on the cast-off. I think I'll attempt the Italian bind-off after all. And I think I'll start one of the sleeves. I just need a break from 1x1 rib and calculations for a bit.
September 24, 2026 - Day 17: Body (Day 9)
The Italian bind-off is in progress, and it is as painful as I expected. To be completely honest, I am not quite sold on how it looks, but I think it will have to remain because worse than Italian bind-off is frogging Italian bind-off. Nope. Not doing that. We don't speak of such horrors here.
At least I am winning the yarn chicken game somehow! Living dangerously and thriving.
September 25-27, 2026 - Day 18, 19 and 20: Completing the Body and Casting On the Right Sleeve
I don't know why, but for the last three days, it has been a struggle bus. I cast off the body, and after trying it on, I am a little unsure about the length. It turned out to be longer than I expected. But I think I'll have to live with this and make it work.
The biggest problem came with casting on the sleeve. The pattern recommended picking up two stitches on every three rows. But after trying to cast on, I still was coming up short. After trying three or four times, I gave in and asked ChatGPT to calculate it for me. Essentially, I said how many rows I have and that I need to evenly pick up the recommended number of stitches, and then I asked it to generate a stitch-by-stitch count checklist that I printed out. After that, picking up stitches was way easier! It turned out that I needed to pick up three stitches every four rows or something like that.
But that was just the beginning. After knitting a couple of rows, I realized that going from knitting in the flat to knitting in the round has changed my gauge quite a bit. The pattern started to look smaller, and I was frustrated quite a bit. I spent a couple of rows just trying to fix it and trying to knit a little bit looser. But then, after a while, I noticed that I had missed a couple of rows and made a complete mess, so I had to unravel one more time. 😅
I think I'm back on track now. The gauge seems nice, and I have yet again created another round-by-round tracker that I have to check off after I finish every round. I hope the second sleeve is not going to be as problematic, as I have learned all my lessons on this sleeve.
September 28, 2026 - Day 21: Right Sleeve (Day 2)
I think I am mostly back on track! The checklist of decreases is a huge, HUGE help. Hoping to finish the sleeve in a couple of days!
September 29, 2026 - Day 22: Right Sleeve (Day 3)
The sleeve keeps growing, and growing, and growing! I'm finally at the point where I'll be switching to ribbing, and hopefully casting it off soon. It's been such a fun stretch of this project, just me and my cables, cruising round after round. Fingers crossed this sleeve behaves and finishes up nicely. Then it's on to sleeve number two!
September 30, 2026 - Day 23: Right Sleeve (Day 4)
The right sleeve cuff is officially in progress! Just a couple more rows of 1x1 rib and I can start casting it off. So close I can almost taste it! The finish line for sleeve number one is in sight, and I am very ready to celebrate.
October 1, 2026 - Day 24: Left Sleeve (Day 1)
I can’t believe it’s October 1! Happy spooky season! 🎃 👻 🍂
I have finished the right sleeve and immediately cast on the left one! Lessons learned from the first sleeve meant the cast-on was smooth (I only started over once, and only because I wasn't paying attention!). I've already finished 10 rows of the sleeve!
Reusing both of my row and stitch counter checkbox lists to keep me on track, and I can see the finish line!!!
October 2, 2026 - Day 25: Left Sleeve (Day 2)
October 3-5, 2026 - Day 26-28: Left Sleeve (Day 3-5)
I did end up making a mistake. Knitting in the round can lull you into doing cable switches more often. TLDR: I noticed that the main diamond cables started to look wonky, so I had to unravel half of the sleeve and start over.
Then I looked at my right sleeve, and there is a mistake there too... Luckily it only requires unravelling 1/3 of the sleeve, but I still have to deal with frogging the Italian bind-off... le sigh. 😩
October 6, 2026 - Day 29: Left Sleeve (Day 6)
The mistakes in the left sleeve are fixed, the rows and cable pattern have been quadruple checked, and the cast-off is in progress... Right sleeve mistake... I am coming for you next!
October 7-8, 2026 - Day 30-31: Fixing Mistakes
Left sleeve done, right sleeve almost done... is it possible that I can move on to finishing this whole thing up?! The end is officially in sight, and I am so ready to get this jacket off the needles and onto my shoulders. Fingers crossed, the next update might just be the big finish!
October 9-12, 2026 - Day 32-35: Knitting part is officially over
Another busy New England LONG weekend! Prioritizing family time and fall activities over knitting (gasp)... but I finished the button panels and the collar. The pre-finish fitting results? It's a little bit roomier than I wanted, but ultimately perfect for winter hibernation. 🐻❄️
Now onto weaving in all of the ends (unpopular opinion... it is NOT that bad!) and sewing on those gorgeous toggle buttons. We're in the home stretch now! ✨
October 13, 2026 - Day 36: Finished!
Finished!!! It is even more pretty in the picture... not going to lie... it has been real at times, overall I enjoyed the ride... and it was worth it... but 36 days!!! Sheesh!
From that first trip to my stash to "shop" for yarn, to the size 5 needle surprise, to the intense increases I had to unravel more than once (more like five times), to memorizing the cables, to the European shoulder adventure, to the Italian bind-off saga, to the sleeve mistakes that humbled me... this jacket has been a journey. And now, here we are, toggle buttons and all. It is roomy, it is cozy, and it is ready for winter hibernation season.