Last November, I wanted to work up something for my Christmas outfit. I knew I didn’t have enough time to design and knit a pullover or cardigan, but I could squeeze out a short skirt. So I drafted and created a cabled skirt using some worsted wool yarn in my stash. It was cute, and I liked it enough to wear it for Christmas Eve, which is what I wanted, but I didn’t use an elastic in the waistband, instead relying on a button placket. With all that wool, the skirt was heavy. As the evening progressed, the skirt lost structure and I had to rely on holding it up to keep it on me! I knew it could be a wearable design with some improvements, particularly inserting elastic tape in the waistband.

Early this year, a new-to-me yarn company, Pascuali Yarns, reached out asking if I’d be interested in collaborating through a design using their yarns. I was really impressed with their yarn and ethos, and immediately drew up some proposals, including this skirt design. They liked this cable pattern and signed me up for two designs – watch for a matching hood design this winter!

My original Fifi Skirt

Verdict is in: skirt stays up! The elastic waistband does the trick. I chose to use a wide elastic tape (1.5″ / 4cm) to provide more comfort and structure. The yarn I chose for the design, Pascuali Tibetan, is a beautiful blend of merino and yak, which creates a soft, light fabric perfect for next to skin wear and still shows the cables beautifully. It is a splurge, no doubt, but worth the price tag in my opinion!

The skirt is worked seamlessly from the top down, beginning with a folded waistband which holds an elastic band. The front and back of the skirt are worked in a braided cable pattern, while the sides are increased in 3×1 ribbing. The ribbed side panels are not mirrored; one slants forward while the other slants back (see photos below). This allows for simplicity during construction and potential reversibility of the garment once complete.

This pattern comes in 9 size-inclusive sizes, fitting circumference at natural waist 23 – 49 inches (58.5 – 124.5cm) and hip circumference at widest point 33 – 61 inches (84 – 155cm). It is designed for 0-1 inches (0-2.5cm) of negative ease at natural waist. Ideally, you should also achieve 4-5 inches (10-12.5cm) of negative ease at hips.

Shown in size 4 with 0.75″ (2cm) of negative ease at waist, and 6″ (15cm) at hips.

The sides are not mirrored: left, showing the ribbing emerging from the back panel; right, showing the ribbing emerging from the front panel.