Girly-girl Skirty Soaker By Amy Kenagy
This pattern was one of those fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants patterns. The yarn I used was considered DK weight, though I found it to be slightly thicker than that. On the soaker part of the pattern and for the first couple of rows of the skirty I double stranded, which made my gauge differ on the skirt versus the soaker body. The choice to double strand for the first couple rows of the skirty was to add a little detail and fullness, so you can single strand there, too, if you want to. This is more a recipe than a pattern. I have had people just attach the skirty to their favorite longies or shorties by purling a row one to two inches below the waist band and then picking up those stitches like the pattern does to begin the skirty. There are two sizes of the pattern listed. If one of those won't work for you, just remember that your cast on number needs to be a multiple of 4 and then changing the pattern where needed to make the skirty pleats and the weird ribbed pattern at the top work out. I did not add short rows but feel free to add them to the back of the soaker if you need extra room. Yarn: Note: Yarn amounts for the small size assumes a double stranded soaker and single stranded skirty with DK weight or light worsted weigh yarn. The Large size assumes single stranded with a heavier worsted weight yarn. Small size: 280 yards (125 grams) of DK or light worsted weight wool Large size: 350 yards (166 grams) of worsted weight wool Needles: size 4 circular needles (16 inch) AND size 7 circular needles (24 inch) Gauge: 5 stitches single strand (4.5 sitches per inch double strand) and 6 rows on size $7=1$ inch Abbreviations: $\mathsf{k}=$ knit $p=p u r$ kfb $\lvert=$ knit front and back of stitch $k2{\sf t o g}=$ knit next two stitches together pfb $=$ purl front and back of stitch p2tog=purl two together
SOAKER:
On your smaller needles, cast on 72(96) stitches and join, being careful not to twist. Mark the beginning of the row. (This marker will note the start of the rows and the back of the soaker). Knit in a 2 x 2 rib pattern for 1.5 inches. Then the pattern switches up a bit. It opens it up a bit, makes it a little wider as it extends to the hip and Ilike the look of variant patterns so I did this: (If you don't like this or you cast on a number that is not a multiple of 8, just continue the 2x2 rib for 2.5 inches).
$^{\star}\mathsf{k}3\,\mathsf{p}1\,\mathsf{k}1\,\mathsf{p}1\,\mathsf{k}1\,\mathsf{p}1^{\star}$ for 5 rows.
Next row: $\mathsf{k}3\,^{\star}\mathsf{p}1\,\mathsf{k}1\,\mathsf{p}1\,\mathsf{k}5^{\star}$ repeat between \* untilast 5 stitches) p1 k1 p1 k2. Repeat this row for 4 more rows. Switch to larger needles and purl entire row. Knit in stockinette stitch for 5.5(6.5 inches) from your cast on row. Begin the leg holes on the back of the soaker: k19 (k25), bind off next 5, k25(k37), bind off next 5, k16(k24). Remove marker. Knit until 2 before bound off stitches. Move yarn to the front. Slip next two stitches purlwise to right needle. Turn your work. Move yarn to front and p2tog.Continue in stockinette until two before your BO stitches. Move yarn to front. Slip last two stitches purlwise onto right needle. Turn your work. Move yarn to back and k2tog. Knit until two before your bind off stitches. Move yarn to front. Slip next two stitches purlwise to right needle. Turn work and move yarn to the front. P2tog. Continue purling until two before your bind off stitches. Continue in this pattern until 18 (20) stitches remain between your bind off stitches on either hip. Leave these stitches live but cut the yarn (you'll weave it in later) and return to the front of the soaker. Begin the leg holes on the front of the soaker: Join new yarn (double stranding if you've been doing that) and knit until two stitches remain before the bind off stitches. Move yarn to the front. Slip last two stitches purlwise to right needle. Turn work and move yarn to the front. P2tog. Continue in stockinette until two stitches remain before the bind off stitches.Move yarn to back. Slip these two stitches purlwise onto right needle. Turn work. Move yarn to back. K2tog. Continue in Stockinette until two stitches before your bind-off stitches. Move yarn to front. Slip these two stitches purlwise onto right needle. Turn work. Repeat this pattern until 18(20) stitches remain. Then work these stitches without decreasing until the leg holes measure between 10(12) inches in circumference. If your baby has chubby legs, you can do this part longer to make larger leg openings. If you'd like to maintain the finish pattern around the leg holes, move yarn and slip the last stitch of each row purlwise. Then turn work and continue in pattern. Cut yarn and leave a long tail to graft with. To finish, graft seam using the Kitchner stitch. Weave in ends. If your finished leg openings aren't to your liking, you can add a cuff, but mine turned out looking finished so I just left them as is.
SKIRTY:
This is one of those places where the math would change if you cast on a number that, when multiplied by 2 is not a multiple of 12. (EX: In this case, I cast on 72 which has increased to 144 at this point in the pattern. 144 is a multiple of 12 so I knit 11 and purled 1 on the first row and went from there. If I had cast on 80 at this point in the pattern it would have increased to 160 stitches, which is a multiple of 10, so I could have knit 9 and purled 1 or since it's a multiple of 16, I could have started with knit 15 purl 1. ) Now back to the pattern. . . Pick up the 72(96) purled stitches back near the top of the soaker on your larger needles. I did the first two rows double stranded to add more bumpy detail and fullness at the top of the skirt, but this is optional. With the top of the soaker facing you, knit one row. On the next row, kfb of each stitch to increase to 144(192) stitches. At this point, if you used a double strand to knit your first two rows, cut one strand of yarn, leaving tail to weave in later. Continuing with uncut strand, \*k11, p1\*. Repeat until end of round. Do this for another 4(6) rows. (or more rows if you want the finished skirt longer - this applies to each of the repeated rows below) On next row, $^{\star}k11$ , pfb\*. Contine to the end of round. (156(208)stitches) $^{\star}\mathsf{k}\,^{1}\,,\mathsf{p}\mathsf{2}^{\star}$ for 4(6) rows. On next row, \*k11,p1, pfb\*. Continue to the end of round. (168(224)stitches) $^{\star}\mathsf{k}\,^{1}\mathsf{,p}\mathsf{3^{\star}}$ for 4(6) rows. On next row, \*k11, p1, pfb, p1\*. Continue to the end of round. (180(240)stitches) ${}^{\star}\mathsf{k}\mathsf{1}\,\mathsf{,p}\mathsf{4}^{\star}$ for 4(6) rows. On next row, \*k11, p2, pfb, $\mathsf{p}1^{\star}$ . Continue to the end of round. (192(256)stitches) $^{\star}\mathsf{k}\,^{1}\,,\mathsf{p}\mathsf{5}^{\star}$ for 4(6) rows. To add length toyour skirt even afer adding in extra repeats above, you can also continue to knit in patten at this point until the skirt reaches desired length.
Bind off in pattern
Weave in ends. Make an i-cord or other tie and weave through waist band.
