Knit a Pretty, Lacy Skirt

I have knit just about every kind of thing it’s possible to knit, but I have never knit a skirt. (I have knit a dress, and a tunic that’s probably long enough to be considered a dress.)

If I were going to knit a skirt, something like the Lana Lacey Skirt from Mipi Makes might be just the thing. It’s a midi length skirt, but it’s worked in worsted weight yarn so it wouldn’t take forever to knit even though it’s long.

About half of the skirt is stockinette, and the rest is different bands of lace, which makes it a lot faster to knit, plus it provides more air flow for wearing during the summer.

The original skirt was worked in a cotton yarn, so it would be good to wear when the weather is warm, but you can also work it in wool yarn for a skirt that’s perfect for colder times.

It’s worked from the top down and includes an elastic waist. The pattern has 10 sizes, with a waist measurement range from 60-65 cm (23.5-25.5 inches) to 105-110 cm (41-43 inches) and hips from 70-92 cm (27.5-36 inches) to 115-137 cm (45-54 inches). The waist needs to be bigger than your actual waist measurement so that it can stretch with the elastic. There are ranges because there are different hip shaping sections in the pattern so that you can choose exactly the size and amount of ease you want.

You can also change the length of the stockinette section as needed to make sure you have the amount of coverage you want for your backside. So many great options for modification.

I love this in a solid color but it would be fun to work in stripes or use a different color for the lace at the bottom if you like.

You can get this free pattern from the Mipi Makes website.

[Photo: Mipi Makes]

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Blankets are a great blank slate project that you can change up in a million different ways. From color to stitch pattern to size, the possibilities are almost endless.

Jared Flood, the designer behind Brooklyn Tweed, was inspired by a log cabin quilt his mother made in 1995 to re-create that design in knitting, which led to more blankets and ultimate Brooklyn Tweed’s Knit and Crochet Blankets, which includes 25 patterns from an array of designers using different skills and techniques to make cozy, pretty blankets.

The patterns are divided into three aesthetic themes: traditions, minimalism and colorplay. The patterns are rated on a scale of one to five, with one being the easiest, and there aren’t any pieces rated five. Two blankets are rated one, 14 are two, eight are three and one is four.

In addition, three of the 25 patterns are crocheted, but they either use single crochet or granny stitch, so they are pretty easy even if you don’t do a lot of crochet. You can see all the patterns on Ravelry.

Some of my favorites include Rattan by Rastus Hsu, a chunky blanket worked in knits and purls with simple crossing stitches to make a raised woven look; Homewood by Seth Richardson, covers in dramatic, loopy cables; Ainur Berkimbayeva’s Tessellate, one of the beginner projects that doesn’t really look beginner but is totally worked in knit and purl stitches; Warp + Weft by Aist? Butkevi?ien?, which is mostly knits and purls but makes a fun woven look fabric that blew my mind a little bit; and the same designer’s Canyonland, a multicolored blanket with wavy stripes.

The patterns tell you how to resize them for different dimensions and include information on pattern repeats where it is possible to make a totally custom size.

Many different techniques are included here such as cables, lace, shadow knitting, intarsia and other colorwork techniques, as well as modular knitting and lots of sewing pieces together. The patterns are all presented with charts, but there are line by line written instructions available on the Brooklyn Tweed website if you need them.

The book ends with a deep dive into log cabin knitting, telling the story of the quilt Jared’s mom made and how he made it in knitting, as well as the multitude of variations you can make if you want your own log cabin style design.

The back of the book includes a little written information about some of the special techniques needed, but there are no photos.

This is a lovely book full of inspiration for knitting and crochet blankets for any skill level. If you like to make blankets as gifts or aspire to have a handmade blanket in every room of the house, these designs would be a great place to start.

About the book: 192 pages, paperback, 25 patterns. Published 2024 by Abrams Books, suggested retail price $24.99.

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