Homecoming Paneled Skirt
By Sondra Jack Twedt
Having learned to knit a whopping 3 months prior, I bravely (read: foolishly) decided that I was a big girl who could do big girl things like make myself a skirt without bothering to find a pattern. I'll just write my own! The resulting garment certainly came out better than I should have anticipated. I made it high-waisted and classy as well as knee-length and warm. It's an excellent skirt for fall, church, and uncomfortable family gatherings. It is soft and cozy and the lacier parts keep it from being stuffy, but the best feature is how nice it makes your butt look while still being modest and demure! The Homecoming Skirt is designed to actually fit everyone.I used Bernat Softee Baby yarn, which is a DK weight acrylic. I went with this yarn because it was soft, washer/dryer friendly, and really really cheap. Darn near any size can be made with 4 skeins of this yarn (2 of each color), and that's if you're working with two colors like I did. You may be able to get away with only 3 skeins of all one color if you're really really skinny.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q: Why is this pattern so poorly written? A: It's my first one, cut me some slack. Q: Why did you write out every stitch for the triangular gores instead of just making a chart? A: Hey man, if you've got a chart for it then let's see it. Q: Why use twisted ribbing instead of just regular ribbing? A: I like the way the twisted ribbing looks, but if you're not into it or just don't want to bother trying to purl anything through a back loop, then feel free to use normal 1x1 ribbing. Terms: K Knit P Purl YO Yarn over SSK Slip slip knit K2T Knit 2 together CDD Central Double Decrease (slip 1, knit 2 together, then pass the slipped stitch over your newlymadestitch)
Straight Panels:
Find your gauge in twisted 1x1 ribbing. Measure around your waist (near your belly button) and find the number of stitches to cover the area when stretched. Round up to the nearest number divisible by 16 (for instance, if you need 138 stitches to go around your waist, round up to 144). If you want to make it a little looser you can increase by another 16, but it's likely not necessary. Divide your number of stitches by 4 and cast on that number. You can have two panels of one width and two of another (as I do, since I panicked needlessly over the skirt being too skinny and make the second two panels wider). Just make sure your straight panels have a stitch count divisible by 4. Rows 1-30 are twisted 1x1 rib: \*K1 through back loop, P1 through back loop\* repeated to end, and beginning with the purl stitch on even numbered rows. Rows 31-176: Stockinette stitch (knit the whole row, turn the piece, purl the whole row, rinse and repeat)
Where all the blue squares are purls and the white squares are knits. BO with the stretchiest bind-off you know, or if you only know one like me, just use that. When you are all done, you should have a panel with a big stretchy waistband that will be doubled over and enough length to be approved by the strictest of matrons.
Triangular Gore Pattern:
CO62 Odd rows:Purl 2: K2, SSK, \*K2, YO, K2, YO, K3, CDD\* 5 timeS, K2, YO, K2, YO, K1, K2T, K1 (62) 4: K2, SSK, \* K2, YO, K2, YO, K3, CDD\* 5 timeS, K2, YO, K3, K2T, K1 (61) 6: K1, SSK, \*YO, K3, CDD, K2, YO, K2\* 5 times, YO, K3, K2T, K3 (60) 8: K2,\*YO, K3, CDD, K2, YO, K2\* 5 times, YO, K3, K2T, K3 (60) 10: K1, SSK, \*K2, YO, K2, YO, K3, CDD\* 5 timeS, K2, YO, K1, K2T, K2 (59) 12: K1, CDD, K1, \*YO, K2, YO, K3, CDD, K2\* 5 timeS, YO, K4 (58) 14: K1, YO, K3, \*CDD, K2, YO, K2, YO, K3\* 5 timeS, CDD, K1 (57) 16: K4, \*CDD, K2, YO, K2, YO, K3\* 5 times, K2T, K1 (56) 18: K5, \*YO, K3, CDD, K2, YO, K2\* 5 times, K1 (56) 20: K1, SSK, K2, \*YO, K3, CDD, K2, YO, K2\* 4 timeS, YO, K3, CDD, K5 (54) 22: K3, SSK, K2, \*YO, K2, YO, K3, CDD, K2\* 4 times, YO, K7 (54) 24: K3, SSK, K2, \*YO, K2, YO, K3, CDD, K2\* 4 times, YO, K3, K2T, K2 (53) 26: K1, SSK, \*K1, YO, K3, CDD, K2, YO, K1\* 4 timeS, K1, YO, K3, K2T, K4 (52) 28: K3, \*YO, K3, CDD, K2, YO, K2\* 4 times, YO, K3, CDD, K3 (51) 30: K1, \*CDD, K2, YO, K2, YO, K3\* 4 timeS, CDD, K2, YO, K5 (50) 32: K1, SSK, \*K2, YO, K2, YO, K3, CDD\* 4 times, K2, YO, K5 (50) 34: K2, \*YO, K3, CDD, K2, YO, K2\* 4 timeS, YO, K3, CDD, K2 (49) 36: K1, SSK, K4, \*YO, K3, CDD, K2, YO, K2\* 4 times, K2 (48) 38: K1, SSK, K1, \*YO, K2, YO, K3, CDD, K2\* 4 times, YO, K1, K2T, K1 (47) 40: K1, SSK, K1, \*YO, K2, YO, K3, CDD, K2\* 4 times, YO, K3 (47) 42: K4, \*CDD, K2, YO, K2, YO, K3\* 4 timeS, K2T, K1 (46) 44: K4, SSK, \*K2, YO, K2, YO, K3, CDD\* 3 times, K2, YO, K5, K2T, K1 (45) 46: K1, SSK, K2, \*YO, K3, CDD, K2, YO, K2\* 3 timeS, YO, K3, CDD, K2, YO, K2 (44) 48: K4, \*YO, K3, CDD, K2, YO, K2\* 3 timeS, YO, K3, CDD, K4 (43) 50: K3, SSK, \*K2, YO, K2, YO, K3, CDD\* 3 times, K2, YO, K2, YO, K1, K2T, K1 (43) 52: K2, \*CDD, K2, YO, K2, YO, K3\* 3 timeS, CDD, K2, YO, K2, YO, K1, K2T, K1 (42) 54: K3, \*YO, K3, CDD, K2, YO, K2\* 3 times, YO, K3, CDD, K3 (41) 56: K1, SSK, \*YO, K3, CDD, K2, YO, K2\* 3 times, YO, K3, K2T, K3 (40) 58: K1, SSK, \*K2, YO, K2, YO, K3, CDD\* 3 times, K2, YO, K2, K2T, K1 (39) 60: K1, SSK, \*K2, YO, K2, YO, K3, CDD\* 3 times, K2, YO, K4 (39) 62: K5, \*CDD, K2, YO, K2, YO, K3\* 3 times, K2T, K2 (38) 64: K1, \*YO, K3, CDD, K2, YO, K2\* 3 times, K3, K2T, K2 (37) 66: K1, SSK, K3, \*YO, K3, CDD, K2, YO, K2\* 3 times, K1 (36) 68: K5, \*YO, K3, CDD, K2, YO, K2\* 2 timeS, YO, K3, CDD, K5 (35) 70: K4, SSK, \*K2, YO, K2, YO, K3, CDD\* 2 times, K2, YO, K7 (35) 72: K3, \*CDD, K2, YO, K2, YO, K3\* 2 times, CDD, K2, YO, K2, YO, K2, K2T, K1 (34) 74: K4, \*YO, K3, CDD, K2, YO, K2\* 2 timeS, YO, K3, CDD, K4 (33) 76: K1, SSK, K1, \*YO, K3, CDD, K2, YO, K2\* 2 times, YO, K3, K2T, K4 (32) 78: K2, SSK, \*K2, YO, K2, YO, K3, CDD\* 2 times, K2, YO, K3, K2T, K1 (31) 80: K2, SSK, \*K2, YO, K2, YO, K3, CDD\* 2 times, K2, YO, K5 (31) 82: K6, \*CDD, K2, YO, K2, YO, K3\* 2 times, K2T, K3 (30) 84: K2, \*YO, K3, CDD, K2, YO, K2\* 2 times, YO, K3, CDD, K2 (29) 86: K1, SSK, K4, \*YO, K3, CDD, K2, YO, K2\* 2 times, K2 (28) 88: K1, SSK, K1, \*YO, K2, YO, K3, CDD, K2\* 2 times, YO, K1, K2T, K1 (27) 90: K1, \*YO, K3, CDD, K2, YO, K2\* 2 times, YO, K3, K2T, K1 (27) 92: K4, \*CDD, K2, YO, K2, YO, K3\* 2 times, K2T, K1 (26) 94: K1, SSK, \*YO, K2, YO, K3, CDD, K2\* 2 times, K3 (25) 96: K1, SSK, K2, \*YO, K3, CDD, K2, YO, K2\* 2 times, K1 (24) 98: K3, SSK, K2, YO, K2, YO, K3, CDD, K2, YO, K2, YO, K2, K2T, K1 (24) 100: K3, SSK, K2, YO, K2, YO, K3, CDD, K2, YO, K4, K2T, K1 (23) 102: K1, SSK, K1, YO, K3, CDD, K2, YO, K2, YO, K3, K2T, K4 (22) 104: K3, YO, K3, CDD, K2, YO, K2, YO, K3, CDD, K3 (21) 106: K1, CDD, K2, YO, K2, YO, K3, CDD, K2, YO, K5 (20) 108: K1, SSK, K2, YO, K2, YO, K3, CDD, K2, YO, K5 (20) 110: K2, YO, K3, CDD, K2, YO, K2, YO, K3, CDD, K2 (19) 112: K5, CDD, K2, YO, K2, YO, K3, K2T, K2 (18) 114: K1, SSK, K1, YO, K2, YO, K3, CDD, K6 (17) 116: K1, SSK, K3, YO, K3, CDD, K2, YO, K3 (16) 118: K4, SSK, K2, YO, K2, YO, K3, K2T, K1 (16) 120: K13, K2T, K1 (15) 122: K1, SSK, K12 (14) 124: K11, K2T, K1 (13) 126: K1, SSK, K10 (12) 128: K12 (12) 130: K9, K2T, K1 (11) 132: K1, SSK, K8 (10) 134: K7, K2T, K1 (9) 136: K1, SSK, K6 (8) 138: K8 (8) 140: K5, K2T, K1 (7) 142: K1, SSK, K4 (6) 144: K3, K2T, K1 (5) 146: K1, SSK, K2 (4) 148: K1, K2T, K1 (3) 150: BO with a CDD (1)
Finishing:
If you decided against using acrylic, I would suggest blocking your panels separately before joining them. If you used a nice soft acrylic, just run it through the washer AND dryer a few times to eliminate all stiffness and have a fluffy, flowy skirt to dance around in. To join them, I used a mattress stitch on the wrong sides so that the seams had an eye-catching texture to them. Start from the bottom of the skirt and join the triangular panels to the straight ones around in a circle, then join the waistband parts together. This way, if you screw up, it's much less obvious than it would be if you had started from the top. When all of your panels are sewn together, fold the waistband in half towards the inside and sew in your elastic band. Weave in your ends (l have no tips for doing this, I'm terrible at it) and that's it! Wear it!
