Scandi Band Lilac Knit Skirt Free Pattern
Introduction
This Scandi Band Lilac Knit Skirt is a gentle introduction to colorwork for anyone who has mastered knit and purl stitches and wants to make something they will actually wear. It is knitted flat, side to side, so you never have to juggle a long circular needle full of stitches or worry about working in the round. The star of the show is a wide fair isle band of soft lilac checks that sits at the upper hip, framed by smooth stockinette in a rich lilac. The bulky wool makes it quick to knit and warm to wear, and the simple pencil silhouette flatters a range of body types. It looks polished and Scandinavian-inspired, yet it feels like a cozy weekend project.
Materials Needed
- Yarn: Bulky weight wool, approximately 400 yards total: main color (MC) lilac, 300 yards; contrast color 1 (CC1) light lilac, 50 yards; contrast color 2 (CC2) dark lilac, 50 yards.
- Needles: 6.5 mm (US 10.5) circular needle, 80 cm long, for the main body; 5.5 mm (US 9) circular needle for the waistband.
- Notions: Tapestry needle, stitch markers (optional), tape measure, scissors.
- Finished size: To fit hip 86–91 cm; length 50 cm; width at hem 90 cm, at waist 70 cm.
Abbreviations
- CO: cast on — make the first row of loops on your needle.
- RS: right side — the outside of the skirt that people will see.
- WS: wrong side — the inside of the skirt.
- k: knit stitch.
- p: purl stitch.
- k2tog: knit two stitches together — a decrease that leans to the right.
- ssk: slip, slip, knit — slip two stitches one at a time as if to knit, then knit them together through the back loops; a decrease that leans to the left.
- st(s): stitch(es).
- rep: repeat.
- BO: bind off — finish the edge so the stitches do not unravel.
- MC, CC1, CC2: main color, contrast color 1, contrast color 2.
Gauge
14 stitches and 18 rows = 10 cm in stockinette stitch on the 6.5 mm (US 10.5) needle. Knit a 15 cm square swatch, block it lightly, and measure a 10 cm section in the middle; if you have more stitches than 14, go up a needle size, and if you have fewer, go down.
Tips Before You Start
- Because the skirt is knitted side to side, the rows run vertically on the finished garment. This means your row gauge matters as much as your stitch gauge for the length, so check both.
- Carry the unused color loosely along the wrong side during the fair isle band. If you pull it tight, the band will pucker and the skirt will lose its stretch.
- Try the skirt on (or measure against yourself) before you begin the waist decreases so you can adjust the number of decrease repeats if needed.
- Keep a simple tally of your rows, since the long stockinette sections are easy to lose track of.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Main Body (worked flat, side to side)
With MC, CO 90 sts.
Row 1 (RS): knit (90 sts).
Row 2 (WS): purl (90 sts).
Rows 3–18: repeat Rows 1–2 (90 sts). Piece measures approximately 10 cm, ending with a WS row.
Fair Isle Band
Row 1 (RS): with CC1, k1, *k2 MC, k2 CC1; rep from * to last st, k1 (90 sts).
Row 2 (WS): with CC1, p1, *p2 MC, p2 CC1; rep from * to last st, p1 (90 sts).
Row 3: with MC, knit (90 sts).
Row 4: with MC, purl (90 sts).
Row 5: with CC2, k1, *k2 MC, k2 CC2; rep from * to last st, k1 (90 sts).
Row 6: with CC2, p1, *p2 MC, p2 CC2; rep from * to last st, p1 (90 sts).
Row 7: with MC, knit (90 sts).
Row 8: with MC, purl (90 sts).
Rows 9–16: repeat Rows 1–8 once more (90 sts).
Rows 17–18: repeat Rows 1–2 once (90 sts). The band measures approximately 10 cm.
Upper Body
With MC, work in stockinette stitch (knit on RS rows, purl on WS rows) until the piece measures 50 cm from the cast-on edge, ending with a WS row (90 sts).
Shape Waist (decreases)
Row 1 (RS): k1, k2tog, knit to last 3 sts, ssk, k1 (88 sts).
Row 2 (WS): purl (88 sts).
Rows 3–20: repeat Rows 1–2 nine more times (70 sts).
Waistband
Change to the 5.5 mm (US 9) needle.
Row 1 (RS): *k1, p1; rep from * to end (70 sts).
Row 2 (WS): *p1, k1; rep from * to end (70 sts).
Rows 3–8: repeat Rows 1–2 until the waistband measures 4 cm, ending with a WS row (70 sts).
BO all sts in rib.
Assembly and Finishing
Lay the skirt flat with the wrong side facing up. Sew the side seam from the hem to the waist, matching the fair isle band so the checks line up across the seam. Sew the short waistband seam, aligning the rib pattern. Weave in all ends on the wrong side, taking care not to pull the fabric tight. Block lightly to the finished measurements: mist with water, press gently with a damp cloth, and lay flat to dry, easing the fair isle band flat so it does not pucker.
Pro Tips and Variations
- Swap the lilac shades for any two contrasting colors to make the band pop, or use a single contrast color for a simpler two-color version.
- Add length by working extra stockinette rows before the waist shaping, or shorten it for a mini version — just remember each extra 2 rows adds about 1 cm.
- For a snugger fit, work one or two extra decrease repeats at the waist, keeping the paired k2tog and ssk at each edge.
