Kowhai Flower-Inspired Knitted Skirt Pattern for Children in Multiple Sizes

Konhai

Writen for opot, k anpotedneih yan Kowhai is the Maori word for 'yellow. It is also the name of a tree which has beautiful, bright yellow, tubular flowers with pointy petals. There is a Kowhai tree in front of our house and the flowers inspired this skirt.

sizes 6m (12m, 18m, 24m, 4y) (6y, 8y, 10y, 12y)

To fit waist size of 17(18, 19, 20, 21) (22, 23) 24, 25) inches

Gauge (on smaller needles)

What you need

3.5 / 4 / 4.5 mm (sport/dk/worsted) 40cm circular needle. (or size to give correct gauge) for the waistband. 4.5 / 5 / 5.5 mm (sport/dk/worsted) 40 - 100cm circular needle (or size that is 2 sizes larger than smaller needle). 5 stitch markers. Elastic for the waistband. Sport - 24 stitches per 4 inches. Dk - 22 stitches per 4inches. Worsted - 20 stitches per 4 inches

Yardage - Sport/Dk/worsted (yards)

6m/17" 250/200/200 12m/18" 300/250/250 18m/19" 300/275/250 2y/20" 350/350/300 4y/21" 400/400/350 6y/22" 500/500/450 8y/23" 600/550/500 10y/24" 650/650/600 12y/25" 750/700/650

Abbreviations

k - knit. p- purl. sm - slip marker. SORM - start of round marker. co - cast on. stst - stocking stitch. kfb - knit into the front and then the back of the same stitch (increasing by 1 stitch). S1p - slip one stitch purlwise (with yarn in back).

Recommended yarns

Colour Adventures Dia dk Colour Adventures Dia worsted Mosaic Moon Gaia sport Mosic Moon Superwash Sport Featherbrush Yarns Superwash worsted Red Riding Hood Yarns "Belle" 8ply Superwash Malabrigo Yarn Arroyo Candy Apply Lane Worsted Superwash Merino Cascade Yarn 220 Superwash Sport Cascade Yarn 220 Superwash Worsted Length chart (measured from bottom of waistband)

sizes 6m (12m, 18m, 24m, 4y) (6y, 8y, 10y, 12y)

To fit waist size of 17(18, 19, 20, 21) (22, 23) 24, 25) inches

You will need to choose a size based on the waist measurement of the child, rather than age. When you are knitting length then choose the length that matches the age of the child.

Start Knitting!

Using the 3.5/4/4.5 mm needle (sport/dk/worsted) and long tail cast on (leave a tail to sew up waistband at the end), cast on: Sport-100(108, 112, 120, 124) (132, 136, 140, 148) stitches. DK-92(96,100,104,108) (116,124,128,132) stitches. Worsted-84(88, 92,100, 104) (108, 112, 120, 124) stitches.

Waistband

Ensure the stitches aren't twisted and join in the round. Place SORM and knit in stst for 1/2.5 inch/cm. Purl a round. Knit in stst for an inch (the same number of rounds you knit before the purl round). Fold the waistband at the purl ridge. With the left needle, pick up a stitch from the first cast on stitch. With the right needle knit together the picked up stitch and the stitch already on the needle (the same way you do a k2tog). Continue knitting together a stitch from the needle with the corresponding cast on stitch until you have 8/7/7 (sport/dk/worsted) stitches before the stitch marker. Knit to the marker. This will have formed a fold over waistband with a gap to thread the elastic through.

Set up round.

Change to larger needle size. (4.5mm/5mm/ 5.5mm) (sport/dk/worsted)

Sport

Knit 12(13, 14, 15, 15) (16, 17, 17, 18) stitches, pm, \*k 25(27, 28, 30,31) (33, 34, 35,37) stitches, pm, repeat from " two more times, k to SORM.

DK

Knit 11(12, 12, 13, 13) (14, 15, 16, 16) stitches, pm, \*k 23(24, 25, 26,27) (28, 30, 32, 33) stitches, pm, repeat from " two more times, k to SORM.

Worsted

Knit 10(11, 11, 12, 13) (13, 14, 15, 15) stitches, pm, \*k 21(22, 23, 25, 26) (27, 28, 30, 31) stitches, pm, repeat from " two more times, k to SORM. The SORM will now be the middle back, with 4 markers evenly spaced around

Skirt

Round 7 - \*Knit to marker, sm, s1p. Repeat from " 3 more times. Knit to end of round. Round 2- Knit Repeat rounds 1 & 2 until skirt measures (from the bottom of the waistband) length (A) on the chart on page 4. Choose the length based on the age of the child rather than waist size. Finish on a row 1 Round 3- \*Knit to 1 stitch before marker, kfb, sm, kfb. Repeat from \* 3 more times, knit to end of round. (8 stitches increased) Round 4- Knit. Round 5- \*Knit to marker, sm, s1p. Repeat from " 3 more times. Knit to end of round. Repeat rounds 3 - 5 until skirt measures the length (B) from the chart below. Choose the length based on the age of the child rather than waist measurement. Measure from the bottom of the waistband straight down the middle front of the skirt. (See picture below.) Finish after Round 4.

Hem Round 7- \*Purl to marker, sm, s1p (with yarn in back), repeat from " to end of round. Round 2 - \*Knit to 1 stitch before marker, kfb, sm, kfb. Repeat from \* 3 more times, knit to end of round. Round 3- \*purl to marker, sm, k1, repeat from " to end of round. Cast off to marker, \*remove marker, cable cast on 2 stitches onto left needle (you will still have one stitch remaining on the right needle), cast off to next marker. Repeat from " 3 more times. This will have formed a picot at each 'point' on the skirt.

Finishing

Sew in ends. Block skirt pulling out the points. Thread elastic through waistband and sew up hole with cast on tail. I want to say a big thank you to my fabulous testers! Thank you to Ida, Natalie, Trish, Stacie, Meg, Lisa, Megan, Julie, Karla, Violetta, Pia, Rebecca, Oksana, Kelly, Cathy, Vanessa, Elena, Jen, Zofia and Sharon.

The copyright of this pattern remains with the author - Rachel Evans, button&bean designs. It is intended for personal use only. Please do not share the pattern with anyone or claim the design as your own. If you have personally hand-knitted the item, feel free to do with it as you wish, including selling the item. If you have any questions, please contact me on Ravelry under the username CraftyWeeWifey or email me at craftyweewifey@yahoo.co.nz