I started this project initially as a quick beach skirt. By the time I finished it, it was cleat to me that it can also perfectly serve as a shawlette/scarf. In the mild but windy climate here in the South of France, both are equally neccessary.
It was quite easy to make, but I’ve found out while preparing this article that it’s not that easy to describe the process. I will do my best, however, as usual, please do not hesitaite to leave a comment or e-mail me if you have any questions.
Tools and materials
I have used 1.5 skeins (660 m) of Aliza Bamboo Fine yarn (440m/100g)
2.5 mm hook (between US B-1 and C-2)
Darning needle to hide the ends
Gauge and final size
I initially aimed for width that would be 150% of my waist circumference, but my piece stretched out to be 6 cm/2 inches longer. On the image below you can see the final measurements.
My gauge 18sts x 11 rows in 10×10 cm in the dc/ch mesh pattern.
Process
The above diagram also shows the three stages of the procces. The blue arros show the direction of work for each of them
1. Main body
The main part of the skirt:shawl is made from side to side, startting with a narrow corner and working forth and back increasing on one side only, then working straight, and then decreasing the width on the same side again. The egde without shaping is the top edge that would sit on your waist line for skirt or on the neck for the shawlette.
Follow the chart below as follows:
For the time being ignore the stitches highlighted in orange
Chain 5, and proceed with row 1.
Work rows 2-8, and then continue in the same fashion, increasing on one side until your work measures 1/2 of your waist circumference. For me, this was 44 rows; meaning my last right side row with increases has 22 dcs including ch3 in the beggining of the row.
Repeat the two row marked as N so that the middle part has the same number of rows as the first part, so (46 rows for me, as I seem to have made a mistake here°
Then work rows D1-D6, and continue in the same fashin decreasing on one side, until you finish this stage with row Dfinal (45 rows). Do not break yarn. I have 135 row in total for this part
2. Pinapple bottom edge
We will now work across the shaped side of our piece, to create the wide pineapple edge across the bottom of the skirt/shawlette.
- To start, use the chart 2, and now follow the stitches, highlighted in orange. They also correspnd to row 1 of the pineapple chart. For each pineapple repeat requires 10 dc/ch2 elements, plus 1 for symmetry. As I have 135 rows, I deciced to go for 14 pineapple repeats for a slight drape. This means I evenly spread 6 increases across the edge to end up with 141 dc/ch2 cells.
- Follow the pineapple chart for 1 full repeat. Do not break yarn.
3. Leaf-shaped edging around the whole piece with integrated ties on both sides.
- Work acroos the bottom of the piece the edging as follows: ch1, sc in the firt stitch of the last row, ch 3, dc in the base of the sc, ( sc in the next stitch, ch3, dc in the base of the sc). Chart 3 shows the last row of the pineapple chart and the leaf pattern (highlighted). First few repeats I have drawn the whole pattern, and then only marked with an X where I placed the sc stitches.
- When you reach the end of the row, continue working in the pattern up the side of your piece, one sc per row.
- When you reach the corner make the ties as follows: ch as long as you want your tie to be, work back across your tie in slip stitch, join to the main part with a slip stich, then make the second string on the same fashion.
- Work the leaf edging across the top side of your piece, make two more ties when you reach the corner and finally work the edging down the second side.
