Rambles Around Knitting Today and Yesterday

Rambles Around Knitting Today and Yesterday

Free Knitting Patterns

Knitted pleat effect skirt sized for pre-school child
Knitted pleat effect skirt for pre-school little girl
The skirt can be knitted in one or two pieces, which ever is the most comfortable.
Working out the number of pleats required
Step 1    Find finished waist measurement you require.
Step 2    Knit a tension swatch at least 4 "pleats" wide and measure width a single pleat
Step 3    Calculation of the number of stitches required does not have to be too exact. The number of stitches must be a multiple of stitches in one pleat. Work out number of "pleats" required to obtain total waist measurement.
Add enough stitches for 2 more pleats to give a little ease
Add 1 more stitch. (This will help when sewing up)
Cast on required number of stitches.
Pattern until you have the length required.

Knitted pleat effect with knit and purl chevrons pattern over 14stitches
row 1               purl 1, knit 5, slip 1, purl 1, knit 5, slip 1
row 2              and every alternate row  - purl all stitches
row 3               purl 2, knit 4, slip 1, purl 2, knit 4, slip 1
row 5               purl 3, knit 3. slip 1, purl 3, knit 3, slip 1
row 7               purl 4, knit 2, slip 1, purl 4, knit 2, slip 1
row 9               purl 5, knit 1. slip 1, purl 5, knit 1, slip 1
row 11            purl 6, slip 1, purl 6,slip 1
row 13            purl 5, knit 1. slip 1, purl 5, knit 1, slip 1
row 15            purl 4, knit 2, slip 1, purl 4, knit 2, slip 1
row 17            purl 3, knit 3. slip 1, purl 3, knit 3, slip 1
row 19            purl 2, knit 4, slip 1, purl 2, knit 4, slip 1

Stitch up side seams
Sew to under bodice or vest

Example
Waist 55cms
Using a 4 ply yarn and 4mm (US size 6, old British size 8 needles) I got
Width of 1 knitted "pleat" (1 slip stitch to next slip stitch / 7 stitches) = 3cms
No. of pleats required = 18 and a bit. So ... 18  plus 2 more pleats for ease (20x7 stitches) = 140 stitches
Add one more stitch. Knit or purl this stitch at the end of each row. 141 stitches