I ought to tell you about my knitted skirt, because every time it sneaks into a photo, somebody asks about it. OK, this one wasn’t so much of a ‘sneak’, as a ‘pose’:-
Because I wear it so much, it sometimes makes an appearance in photos here, or over on my Instagram, or Facebook, or Pinterest pages. (Yes I did just plug my social media pages, in the hope that you’d hop over there and subscribe. I really am that shameless.) And whilst it would be an exaggeration to shout OMG YOU GUYZ, LIKE EVERYONE HAS BEEN ASKING ABOUT THIS!!!!!!!!!! there’s been a certain consistency to the questions over the past few years, so let’s have a skirt post.
Yes, I knitted this thing, because I never get bored of stranded knitting.
And I wear it all the time because it’s so warm and comfy and, well, cheerful. I wear it to work, and I wear it at home, and I wear it to knit-night in the pub.
It started out as somebody else’s pattern (‘Jenna’ by Kiersten Brandt) but I wanted a narrower, more shaped design, and I ended up making a lot of changes. (There’s nothing wrong with the pattern – this was just personal awkwardness preference.) I ended up changing most of the motifs, as well as the waistband.
Gosh, did I really knit this almost five years ago?! It’s a testament to the yarn that despite such frequent use and washing, this skirt is still going strong, and hasn’t sagged out of shape. The yarn is aran-weight Rowan Pure Wool, by the way, and after a half-decade of wear, it’s lost none of its colour or texture.
It’s worked from the bottom-up as stranded knitting, and other than casting on fewer than half the recommended number of stitches, I stuck fairly close to the pattern at first. (Sadly, the picture below was taken before my blogging days, when photographing stuff on a towel in rubbish light seemed like a good idea.)
As I knitted, I kept pausing to try it on, and increase or decrease in order to give it a figure-hugging shape. And the further I knitted, the more I played around with the motifs, replacing them with my own patterns that I’d doodled or found in books. The dancing people are copied from an Alice Starmore book, and were included at the Stoic Spouse’s insistence.
The final change was – I confess – borne of laziness. Instead of a neatly shaped waist, I made eyelet holes and threaded through an i-cord.
I’ve since designed a skirt from scratch. (Blog post about that here.)
But my old ‘Jenna’ skirt is the one that I keep pulling out of the wardrobe as soon as the weather turns grey or chilly. I do recommend knitting your own skirts, because what could be simpler than circling round and round and round, with no need for armholes or heels or collars to slow you down (unless you’re either terribly avant garde, or anatomically unconventional)?
<3 <3 <3
🙂 🙂 🙂
It looks great! I’ve never made a skirt, though I admire them all the time, because my mom had always said they get a “bum” in them and then don’t look good. Have you had this trouble or do you take certain steps to combat it?
It’s funny – a few people have asked me this question. And no, there’s no ‘bum’ in this skirt – maybe it depends on the type of yarn you use.
Hmm I’m going to have to try out a knitted skirt then as I’ve always wanted one. What kind of yarn did you use?
Rowan Pure Wool Aran, which is apparently no longer available! I’m sure Rowan probably still do something similar.
Ok thanks!
So beautiful, both of them! How wonderful it has kept its shape and color after all this time.
Thank you!
Beautiful – and totally unique! As someone who has only ever done basic knitting, I’m curious about how you knit something round and round in a circle. Do you use special needles?
Circular knitting needles. (Google them.) I use them for almost everything, whether I’m working flat or ‘in the round’. It’s very easy…
I have some Knitcol yarn that self stripes and patterns. I may try a skirt in that. The only problem may be how it will look on me 🙂
Oh, is it Knitcol Adriafil by any chance? I love that stuff (and I’ve knitted several jumpers in it). I’m sure you’ll look just lovely.
Thank you. It will be a lazy way to get a similar effect as yours.
Classy 🙂
More importantly, WARM!
beautiful skirt and I love the new one too
Thank you, on both counts.
My transgender daughter, (who also knits! She begged me to teach her when she was only five years old.) loves your skirt, your wit, and especially your “(unless you’re either terribly avant garde, or anatomically unconventional)?” comment! We laughed our heads off!
You (and she) are very, very, kind. I was worried that this post contained no laughs. But more importantly, how wonderful that she wanted to learn so young. (My seven-year-old sons have yet to show much interest in learning, sadly.) May the yarn fly from her needles, and may she never drop a stitch.
You might actually be surprised how many transgender women knit and sew. I actually teach classes to them. Because, think about it… (Non-trans) women’s clothing is designed for someone under 5 foot 8, who doesn’t have biceps and shoulders, who has hips, etc… So my ladies, who love their stilletoes even when they are already 6 foot 4, who have broad shoulders AND BOOBS, but who still want to be stylin’, love to learn to knit and sew, because it lets them make all those adjustments for their “anatomically unconventional” bodies! My daughter reads your blog regularly over my shoulder, and we talk A LOT about you! Surprise!
Three years ago I fell in love with it on Ravelry, I’m incredulous as to its state! It looks new, no pilling no saggy bum no fading colours! Beautiful.
Gosh, you really are very kind. (It’s a simple knit, by the way.) And yes, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how well it’s stood the test of time. I really do wear it a huge amount. Rowan yarn rocks!
It looks absolutely beautiful. Just a query, does the garment seat at the back after you have been sitting for a while? Also with the many changes of colour, do you cut off the yarn or carry it? I always have trouble in this regard. Hope you can help as I want to knit the skirt.
No, it doesn’t seat at all. (It’s funny: people always ask this!) I’m not sure whether this is because it’s stranded and thus a slightly less flexible fabric than plain knitting. Or maybe it’s because of the yarn.
As for unused colours, I cut and wove in.
Enjoy knitting your skirt!
I wondered too if it might be that it’s stranded it keeps its shape. Does the new skirt – which looks less stranded – keep it’s shape too? That could be the test case! (I knitted your stranded cowl pattern last year as my first go at fairisle, and loved it, although stitched it into a cushion cover instead of a cowl … hope you don’t mind!)
Well the new(ish) skirt has kept its shape so far, but it’s had nowhere near as much wear as the Jenna. I will make a point of wearing it LOTS so that I can answer the question.
And I’m honoured that you made my pattern and took it in a new direction. Enjoy your cushion. 🙂
Your skirts are BEAUTIFUL! Now….I feel the NEED to knit a skirt…….as if I didn’t have enough projects, thank you very much!
You really do need to knit a skirt. It’s a much-underrated activity.
Your skirt is wonderful moreover the design is such that many of your left over wools can be used. There is much flexibility too, in chosing designs and colors so I love it. I will definitely make this for my grand daughter.
Well that’s sorted out my birthday present from my sister! Hooray!
Love the skirt! I was always worried about a knit skirt bagging on the rear when you sit in it. I guess yours is testament that it doesn’t always happen.
I have always wanted to knit a skirt. My grandmother knit herself a skirt and matching pullover. She always looked so smart when she wore it. I’m glad knitting skirts has become popular. Now I just need to choose a pattern. Thanks for sharing your skirts.
Just plain WOW.