Ah, the skirt. (And thank you to the kind people in the comments threads who’ve been asking about it.) This post could probably be retitled ‘How not to design a skirt, you fool!’ but it will at least give you a laugh or two, I hope.
Allow me to elaborate. I decided on a whim to design a knitted stranded skirt and a crocheted bag, ahead of judging the Stylecraft competition. It seemed like a good idea. And whilst the bag was done in plenty of time, I ended up restarting the skirt at the eleventh-and-a-halfth hour, owing to my first attempt turning into a messy ol’ cacophany of colour and stripey chaos:-
You see, this is what goes wrong when you try and design a skirt whilst simultaneously playing with toddlers. COLOUR/MOTIF ANARCHY! Consider yerselves warned. This is a public service announcement by The Twisted Yarn.
I decided to aim for something a bit more serious and muted, second time around. I liked that pattern in the middle that I’d designed, so I modified it only slightly for attempt number two. You can see the design as I drew it out on paper in the picture below. (For once, I broke my cardinal rule about using knitter’s graph paper, but I wasn’t too fussed about the relative height and width of this motif, so it didn’t matter.)
Anyway, here’s what I did. This is more of a description of a process, than a pattern. I hope that’s OK for now?
The yarn is Rowan Felted Tweed DK, which is a fabulous yarn other than for the fact that it breaks if you as much as look at it. Oh all right, I’m exaggerating. You can look at it, but if you frown in its direction then SNAP! it breaks. Dear Rowan, I love your yarns, I really really really do, but please make less breaky Felted Tweed DK, yeah? Ta muchly.
Anyway, where was I?
This skirt was worked in the round from the bottom up. I cast on 203 stitches on 3mm circulars. Then I worked 10 rows of garter stitch, because you don’t want the bottom of your skirt rolling up, do you? Next, I knitted 6 rows of plain stockinette before beginning the motif I’d designed. This design is 29 stitches wide, so I repeated it 7 times to make up my 203 stitches. See, there’s method in my apparently-arbitrary-stitch-count.
After another 11-or-so rows of plain grey-green, I began a second band of the motif. I say ‘or-so’, because the skirt is currently sitting in the Toddler Twinnage’s bedroom and they’re asleep. And whilst I love you very much, I don’t quite love you enough to risk waking the TT in order to give you an exact row count. Sorry.
Anyway, I finished the second band of colour and worked upwards in stockinette at high speed, as the clock cruelly ticked its way towards Yorkshire Day. The stress! As I worked, I reflected on all the uneaten toddler dinners I’d consumed recently which have had an enormously widening effect on my girth, so I started adding in a few KFBs, slowly increasing the stitch count per round from 203 up to a maximum of 225 at round 139. Obviously this is a highly individual thing, and if you’ve consumed less of your children’s discarded food than I have, then adjust accordingly, you lucky woman. I started decreasing again by one stitch per round from round 140, though, because I didn’t want acres of fabric around my waist. BUT THIS ISN’T MUCH OF AN ANECDOTE, IS IT?!
By the time I set of for Yorkshire last Monday afternoon, the skirt was so far from completion that any attempt to wear it would’ve resulted in my arrest not by the knitting police, but by the real police. I did give the thing a wash before I left, though, and blocked my progress-so-far on the back seat of my car whilst I drove. Resourceful, no?
Sadly, it wasn’t possible to knit and drive. And sadly, I didn’t get caught in any five-hour tailbacks, so there was no more knitting until I reached my hotel room for the night before the judging. The hotel was perfect. Here was the view from my window:-
But there was no time for views, dammit! There was knitting to be done!
Man, my fingers flew. I have never knitted so fast. I paused only to go downstairs and have dinner with the lovely Annabelle Hill (sales director for Stylecraft) and equally lovely Sarah Neal (editor of Let’s Knit magazine). I felt so shy walking down the stairs towards the restaurant but honestly, they were both friendly and interesting and I needn’t have worried. The food wasn’t bad, either. 🙂
And then it was back to the knitting, up in my room. Round and round and round and round. No, don’t fall asleep: have some more caffeine. Sit up straighter, try to stay awake. Just. Keep. Knitting. It reminded me of undergraduate days, desperately trying to stay awake for most of the night in an attempt to get the weekly essay finished. Oh, those nights: trying to figure out some statistical complexity whilst half mad on caffeine at 5am.
Morning came too soon.
By breakfast time, I had a nearly-decent length, but I needed a waist-band, so I switched to purple and garter-stitched as though my life depended on it. Time was ticking, as the bastard is wont to do.
I knitted over breakfast at the hotel, and as luck would have it, I bumped into Sarah Neal. My advice to you? ALWAYS have the editor of a major knitting magazine around whilst you break your fast, in order to tap her wisdom as you knit and munch. Her advice? HAIRSPRAY. Yes, you read that right. I’d been moaning about how one of my many uncompleted tasks was weaving in the ends of this colour-splurge, so she suggested hairspray. For the first time in my life, I was grateful that I have hair that has much in common with an undiscovered jungle, because that means that I never travel without industrial-strength hairspray.
So instead of the responsible knitterly weave-in-and-snip, I hacked:-
…And then I sprayed:-
And then back to the knitting. I added the occasional yarnover and k2tog, in order to make holes for a little belt I’d worked half way through the night. May I just formally record here the patience of Let’s Knit‘s Sarah Neal, who waited (and knitted) patiently whilst I worked the last couple of rows at the hotel before we set off for Stylecraft. (She was working on a jumper with gorgeous fan-like stitches. It was beautiful, and she claimed that it was simple.)
So then it was done, sort of. I do want to make the waistband much wider, but I didn’t have time that morning, so here’s how far I got:-
It’s a little worrying, wearing a skirt that’s basically held together with hairspray, let me tell you. Would it make an audible ‘crunch’ when I sat down? Would it burst into flames if I walked past a smoker? Fortunately it did neither of these things, but I’ve learned an important lesson in life: ALWAYS HAVE THE EDITOR OF A KNITTING MAGAZINE ON TAP AT BREAKFAST.
To my shame, I wiggled out of jeans and into this skirt in the car park of Stylecraft’s mill at Slaithwaite, so I can only hope that nobody was looking out of their office window that morning.
Here’s the reverse, because you always have to show the back when you’re knitting stranded, don’t you?
And the weirdest thing (that you probably won’t understand)? I didn’t knit a single stitch for about four days after I came home.
Sew Hope Needles says
May 3, 2015 at 10:25 pmBeautiful skirt, creative motifs for your borders. Thank you for sharing!
pennylibrarian says
May 3, 2015 at 10:31 pmJust lovely. I like the ingenious use of yarn-overs to create a channel for a knitted (!) belt.
Rock Salt says
May 3, 2015 at 10:39 pmIt’s beautiful! And the back – any time I’ve tried stranded so far the back has been like a convention of worms meeting in long grass. Or similar. Love the pattern, and love your determination. Why is there never a traffic jam when you want one?
dragontearsoflove says
May 3, 2015 at 10:46 pmLove the skirt. It looks lovely. I may have to make myself something like that soon…and to think, I was considering moving into sweaters;-)
arlingwoman says
May 3, 2015 at 11:11 pmYou are a determined woman–and that skirt looks great!
Katie Writes Stuff says
May 4, 2015 at 12:00 amIt looks absolutely gorgeous and I’m so impressed at your dedication to complete it on time. You certainly deserved those four days of respite!
Caroline says
May 4, 2015 at 12:33 amEducational and creative and inspiring! Thank you, you twisted, knitty-nut writey-bloggy person <3
Sharon Mann says
May 4, 2015 at 1:31 amThank you Phil for your indepth skirt tale. I’ll sleep better now, lol. The skirt turned out beautiful and very stylish.
cricketfox says
May 4, 2015 at 3:31 amcongrats on getting it finished
Darlene Davis says
May 4, 2015 at 4:36 amYour knitted skirt is gorgeous… both inside and out…..
BUT…..
we want to see it on you!!!!
Congrat’s on completing it on time, I had no doubt that you would finish it, you are one determined gal!
P.S. Hairspray…well I’ll be…go figure!!!!!
Gail says
May 4, 2015 at 5:31 amIt’s beautiful, well done for finishing it “right” on time!
marissahenry says
May 4, 2015 at 5:36 amAmazing! I hope the next post includes a photo of you wearing it!
gladeridercrafts says
May 4, 2015 at 6:04 amWow, that’s a gorgeous skirt! I want one now! Ahh well, my ‘to-do’ list on knitting is already ridiculously big…what a wonderful problem to have 🙂
Nicky Barfoot says
May 4, 2015 at 6:46 amWow, where knitting and endurance racing meet? It looks great. I’ve not found Felted Tweed fragile so unless you had a dodgy ball or two I can only think that your adrenaline fired experience was causing an unusually aggressive tension ?
eclectichomelife.blogspot.com says
May 4, 2015 at 7:01 amHairspray who’d have thought great tale and end result as always x
nanacathy2 says
May 4, 2015 at 8:04 amLovely funny story. So impressed with a knitted skirt, designed by you. It is a lovely pattern.
corine24 says
May 4, 2015 at 8:37 amIt’s so pretty! And that yarn …. love it.
Corine24
x
Charlotte Copper says
May 4, 2015 at 10:39 amI’m dumbstuck. Even just reading this has me exhausted.
VanaChoo says
May 4, 2015 at 2:13 pmI’m glad to read I’m not the only one who sometimes has to race to finish in time. Never before was I tempted to knit a skirt but seeing this one makes me wonder why not.
leelah saachi says
May 4, 2015 at 2:14 pmI will love you for always for that hairspray idea. True artist of the wacky kind who b y their wackiness make new epoch making inventions. Yes, nothing less! I wonder though if it glued itself to your behind when you sat in it.
The Knitwit says
May 4, 2015 at 2:40 pmI love the motif and color combinations!! Great Job.
Amyxmoo says
May 4, 2015 at 5:29 pmSo pleased it worked out ok! 🙂
narf77 says
May 4, 2015 at 7:03 pmOk so NOW I am impressed! Here I was, expecting to see an ugly back-to-front and it is almost as pretty as the front-to-back! You have piqued my interest in patterns now Ms Twisted. In about 4 years I might just pick up sticks and have a go…your tenacity and refusal to give in when you were obviously not going to make it is going to be the stuff of legends. From now on, whenever I think I might just give in, I am going to remember this skirt and do my very own equivalent of flashing my knickers in the car park at the very last moment. You are a true inspiration in determination ma’am 🙂
Missy's Crafty Mess says
May 4, 2015 at 7:49 pmWow you are one amazingly talented lady. Hair sprayed ends and all
debgarretty says
May 4, 2015 at 9:02 pmI applaud your dogged determination to get the skirt finished in time. It is absolutely gorgeous and you should be very proud. The hairspray advice was genius, how fortunate to have that advice on tap. The reverse of the knitting is fabulously neat too, with not a hint of the dreaded puckering! A massive WELL DONE.
Allison says
May 5, 2015 at 1:23 amIt’s lovely! I totally understand…after that many stitches, my brain needs to reset before it is ready for more knitting.
pomegranateandchintz says
May 5, 2015 at 3:06 amIt looks great! What an amazing knit. Would love to see a pic of it on you too.
Crochet Club says
May 5, 2015 at 7:00 amWow, what breathtaking suspense… Glad it ended well, and so beautifully, and with the hairspray tip as a bonus!
Elaine Doman says
May 5, 2015 at 8:41 amBoxfordEllie – skirt is amazing! And I love the fact you were so determined to wear it that you got changed in the carpark – I’m sure the good people at Stylecraft appreciated your dedication!! x
Sharon - creativityandfamily says
May 5, 2015 at 1:17 pmIt’s beautiful. I am so glad you got it finished in time 🙂 x
slippedstitches says
May 5, 2015 at 3:02 pmThis is the stuff legends are made of. What happens to the hairspray when the skirt is washed and blocked?
mrsknitandpurl says
May 5, 2015 at 9:08 pmWow – stunning! I am only a new knitter but now I have something to aim for. If I ever make anything even half as beautiful as your skirt then I will be a very happy woman indeed.
pippa says
May 5, 2015 at 11:28 pmLove the skirt [although I am far too big to wear a knitted skirt]. I’m really impressed by the neat floats on the back – now that is really impressive.
Gillian says
May 6, 2015 at 7:59 amYour skirt if beautiful – I’m really impressed. You had me laughing at your tale. I’m sure you will soon get back to knitting again – I can fully understand why you didn’t do any for 4 days.
bamcrafts979 says
May 6, 2015 at 10:50 amWhat a skirt! What a story! But we do need to see a picture of you wearing the skirt!
I’m assuming the hairspray is a temporary fix. Please tell me you will sew in those ends at some point (it will keep me up at night…)
Sharon says
March 14, 2018 at 5:53 pmGood morning from San Francisco. Just reading this post….just a few years late ;). The skirt is great!!! But…….. I’m quite confused by the hairspray. Is this something you only did because you had a time crunch? Or something that will always come in handy? If it’s a technique I should learn, could you be a bit more specific on how you tied your end before spraying? Did you weave them in afterwards?
Thanks!
Lee says
March 15, 2018 at 3:18 amLovely skirt, wish we lived next door so you could teach me to have the back look as great as the front!