Shakerag Skirt!

 #knittedskirtsarethenewsweatpants  ~yvonne

After making and wearing my Rowan Denim skirt last spring,
I knew that I would love to have another one (or more).

A discontinued cotton blend de-stash was purchased with a skirt in mind, and a lace edge that I had been playing with (as a sweater hem) since 2016 found its true home.  

The skirt was smashing.  

With a little adjustment to the prototype pattern, the skirt is now written to be knit with a currently available and slightly lighter-weight yarn, Rowan Creative Linen.  

I shared my progress on our Shakerag Zoom gatherings; it became a KAL test and was named for the event that has bound us all together.   

An overview of the pattern and options:

Cast on at the hem, the scalloped and lacy edge creates a beautiful, yet not too fussy border.

The A-line is flattering to many shapes, but you can knit this as more of a pencil shape if that’s your style.

Short rows can be added to drop the back hem, and again below the waistband, to raise the upper back, for hug and flow over your curves.

The skirt top ends with a self-turning waistband casing for elastic, creating comfort and a little more fit.

The pattern is written to Standards, but who is shaped just so?  

There are notes to adjust for many sizes and can be made with little, no, or however much ease you want and is easy to make a custom fit.

Applied I-cord

 Hello, hello.

While finishing the edges of a friend's project with an applied I-cord, I came up with a time-saving technique that helped me to track the 3 out of 4 columns to pick up along the selvage edge. 

I did not pick up the stitches around the rectangle as directed by the pattern, rather worked the I-cord directly.

To begin, using DPNs, cast on 3 stitches (I used an e-loop or thumb cast on), pick up and knit into the selvage stitch where the I-cord begins, (not at the corner!) then slide the 4 stitches to the other end of the needle.

*Knit 2, ssk, pick up a stitch, slip to the other end*

The formula for working along the selvage edge is to pick up 3 stitches along the selvage column and then skip one column. 

I spent a lot of knitting time trying to recall just where I was in that 3 step process.  

My Solution

Ready to begin, the I-cord is complete (3 stitches), skip one column stitch, 

pick up and knit the first of the next 3 column stitches. Use the left-hand needle to scoop the next 2 column stitches up; tip down in stitch #3, and tip up in stitch #2 -  

resulting in just one loop over the needle.

Then slip the loop from the left-hand needle to the right-hand needle

then slip all stitches to the other end of the DPN.

At the end of the next round of I-cord, pick up and knit into the opening, 

leaving the final pick up on the left-hand needle, slip as above.

The final round of the I-cord 

Pick up the final column stitch, and begin again.

Hello, Untarsia

 

A few years ago, I started thinking about my Untarsia™ technique. 

I believe that I had a book(let) in mind.

There are many, many samples with charted, (mostly) written designs.

Many of these hats have a different band and top shaping. 

All are knit in the round and each motif is linear - as in a single stitch of contrast color.

Today I have published a pattern with 2 of the designs.

My plan is to add more designs - as well as an alphabet, to accompany this pattern.

I can't wait to see where this takes us, me and you. 

 

Notice is my 2022 word, 

the pom was inspired by the very clever Degen.

Listen might be my 2023 word... what's yours?

Also, please note that as I add to the pattern, the price will increase. 

Springboard - My Perfect Knit Skirt

Welcome to Springboard. 

As I was sorting through my stash,  I found a bag of Rowan Denim. It sparked the idea to create a knitted version of my perfect skirt. This favorite jersey skirt was a thrift store dress that I had cut across the empire line where I stitched a narrow casing for elastic.  

I searched through knitting patterns and found Hibiscus, by Amy Christoffers of SavoryKnitting.  The recommended yarn is Modern Cotton, a blend that behaves similarly to my cotton, the shape through the hips was just right, and the 4-panel design is the shape I was searching for. 

Now for the measuring and math. The pattern gauge was firmer than my beautiful swatch. 

Working stockinette in the round, my gauge was a nice even 20 stitches to 4"/10cm.  

See blogpost for a great way to swatch, and be sure to use the very needles that you will knit your project with.

The pattern gauge is 24 stitches to 4"/10cm or 6 stitches to 1"/2.5cm, my swatch was 5 stitches to 1"/2.5cm. The pattern is written for 6 sizes, which offered me a lot of options for adjusting the numbers.

I measured my hips and my skirt at the widest point.  I also thought about the density of the Denim yarn as compared to the jersey skirt, which is a blend of very stretchy fibers. 

I added 1"/2.5cm to all measurements. 

The next thing was to measure my waist, where the knitting begins. That measurement multiplied by 5 (the number of stitches in 1"/2.5cm of fabric lined up with the 3rd size. I used the provisional cast on and went right to a knit 1, purl 1 rib for the 1"/2.5cm of casing fabric, worked the turn round and skipped the knit together, preferring to sew the fabric together for the casing.

The increases are made at each qaurter of the fabric, and I used my favorite [knit, YO, knit] into one stitch and stacked those spacing them on the 4th, then 5th, then 6th, then 7th... adding 1 more round between each increase round to 13 rounds between the final increases and creating a 52"/132cm hem.

I continued even to the depth I wanted 21"/53cm - then I worked an extra 21 rounds, which Rowan Denim recommends to offset their predicted shrinkage in length.  Those rounds are worked in this 

Textured Border which is - 

Purl one round, 

knit one round, 

*knit 1, purl 1* around, 

knit one round.

Bind off on the purl round.

Liminal Two, again

Liminal Two, knit with Berroco Modern Cotton

Liminal Two is just published, I am already tinkering with the beginning of this 

top-down favorite to make a cold-weather wool version.  

Seven Sisters Zodiac in Zinnia and Fogbound

I have swatched to see if I like the cadence of the stripes as 6/12 (6 rows solid, 12 single striped), and am pondering how to use a contiguous provisional cast-on and short rows to raise the back neck - and perhaps will supplement that rise with a slightly angled ribbing that will be worked up from the provisional cast-on.  

Then, I'll need to apply it to the 9 written sizes, as an addendum to the pattern...

While we were taking pictures of the new Chai Popover, 

I heard and then saw the swallows yesterday, 14 April 2021. Welcome back.

Saki KAL

Join the Saki Clog Sock KAL fun on Instagram!

I've posted some tutorials in my Highlights

 

The Wrapped Cast-On

And rearranging the stitches 

To create the toe!

Post your questions and your progress with the hashtag

#SakiKAL

Yarns Shown Above

The Special in Worsted from SkeinCocaine

Frank Ochre in Rios from Malabrigo

Uptown Electric in Classy from Dream in Color

Possibly- Fired Pumpkin in Mere from Little Fox Yarn, but am not 100% on that.

I hope to see you on Instagram or anywhere...

Stay Safe and Be Well.

VOTE

Greener Pastures

I have been taking much respite in this early spring. 

Here are some shots a few of the plants found in my area:

 

 

 

Allium is my newest pattern, shown here in Little Fox Yarns Bosa, and plans are being laid to use the lovely motif in a summery pullover in another Little Fox yarn, Linea.

I'm excited that Endeavor is included in the first round of MDK's March Madness!

Have you signed up for Clara Parkes's daily delight email?

Are you following  #livefromhome on IG? Many are like a tiny, tiny desk concert.

“Knit on with confidence and hope through all crises.” 

Elizabeth Zimmermann