Hey, you wanna crochet a pencil skirt? I got a tutorial for you!
Years ago, I made a video tutorial for making a pencil skirt. It ended up on the front page of ravelry, which was fucking wild.
Anyway, time has passed, I’ve kept making pencil skirts, and now I’m here with what we’ll call Tutorial 2.0. Let’s get to it:
Supplies:
Yarn
Hook
Clear Elastic Cord or woven belting
Buttons or Zipper
Step 1: Measuring
Measure the following things:
Your waist.
The widest part of your hips.
The length between your waist and the widest part of your hips.
For example measurements, I will use my own:
Waist: 33”
Hips: 43”
Length between: 8”
Step 2: Gauge swatch
A gauge swatch will help you accurately size your skirt. Work a gauge swatch of ten stitches across and ten rows. You can use any stitch you want for your skirt, but I tend to use single crochet for the waistband and double crochet for the body of the skirt. When I do a gauge swatch, I work it in double crochet since that is what I use for the skirt body.
Write down your number of stitches per inch, and the number of rows per inch.
For our example, let’s say I get 4 stitches per inch and 2 rows per inch.
Step 3: Make the waistband
Crochet a chain to the same length as your waist measurement. Work in single crochet rows until the waistband is 1 inch tall. You can work clear elastic cord on the wrong side of the rows to add some stretch to your waistband. You can also work the waistband without elastic and use belting at the end to help hold the skirt in place. I have an example of belting in this video.
Step 4: Start the body of the skirt
Once you have the waistband 1-inch tall, you can start the body of the skirt by completing a row in pattern stitch. Once you’ve done that, wrap the waistband where you want it to sit, with the open ends at the back.
Step 5: Add increases
This pencil skirt uses raglan increases. There will be four points on the skirt where you will always increase. You will work 3 stitches into each increase, always placing the next increase in the second stitch of a previous increase.
These increases should shape close to your body to give you the classic pencil skirt fit. For best results, place increases in the same places on either side of the skirt. Line them up with the front curve and back curve of your leg (the green line is the leg).
I find it easiest to mark one side of the skirt, then simply count over from the other end the same number of stitches for both increases on the other side.
Step 6: Let’s math it up!
To make sure your skirt’s gonna curve correctly, you need to be sure you can hit the last round of increases you need within the length you have between your waist and your hips. As I mentioned earlier, my waist is 33” and my hips are 43” with an 8” length between. I get 2 rows per inch and 4 stitches per inch.
First, I need to know how many stitches I will need to add to my starting count:
33 (waist measurement) x 4 (stitches per inch) = 132 stitches
43 (hip measurement) x 4 (stitches per inch) = 172 stitches
172 - 132 = 40 stitches
Second, I need to figure out how many sets of increases I need to do to add those 40 stitches. On every row I increase, I add 8 stitches.
40 / 8 = 5 rows of increases.
Third, I need figure out how many rows I have to work to reach the full 8 inches between my waist and the widest part of my hips. I know my waistband is 1 inch. I know the one row of pattern stitch I’ve completed for the skirt body is ½”.
8 inches (total length between waist and hips) - 1-½” (amount of skirt already worked) = 6-½” to work.
I get 2 rows per inch.
2 x 6 = 12 rows
And then 1 more row for the other ½”. So, that’s 13 rows I need to work, but I only need 5 rows of increases. This means that I can work increase rows, then work a row or two even. This will keep the curve of the skirt smooth. The increase pattern may look like this:
Row 2 of skirt body: Increase
Row 3: work even
Row 4: work even
Row 5: Increase
Row 6: work even
Row 7: Increase
Row 8: work even
Row 9: work even
Row 10: Increase
Row 11: work even
Row 12: Increase
Row 13: work even
I do recommend working one row even between each increase row. That is 100% a personal preference.
Step 7: Join and work in rounds!
After you’ve completed the final increase round, you can join to the first stitch of the row and work in rounds for the rest of the skirt. This will let you try it on as you add length, so you can see how it’s building. When it’s the final length you want, fasten off.
Step 7: Waist and fastenings.
If you carried elastic cord on the back of the waistband when you worked the waistband, you can either add a zipper or buttons, depending on what you’d prefer. I like zippers just because I’m bad at buttonholes.
If you did not carry elastic, you can either sew in a strip, or you can use belting to create a stronger waistband that will keep its shape over time. If you choose to use a zipper with the belting, I recommend putting the belting in first because then it can act as extra support for the top of the zipper.
Once you’ve finished off that way, you’re good to go. I bet you look great!
Final notes:
If you need more than 8 increases per increase row to get your skirt the right hip measurement at the correct point in your hip, you can add more increases. Here’s an example:
If you want a pencil skirt that is a big snugger in the butt, work an inch without increases, then complete decreases in the same spots you had previously been increasing (You’ll decrease over 3 stitches for each decrease to match your increase count). Work a row or two even, try on, and then decrease again if you want to. Repeat as much as you’d like to get a very close fit.
If you keep working increases, you’ll get an A-line skirt. You can still join at the end of the final increase you need to hit your hip width and work in rounds after that.
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Cat Klein "The Fool" Crochet Pattern
I create this pattern for personal use only! I don't permit commercialization of the pattern.
Tools
Hook 4.0 mm
Black yarn 5 ply
Yellow yarn 5 ply
Terminology
MR = magic ring
SC = single crochet
HDC = half double crochet
Ch = chain
BLO = back loop only
FLO = front loop only
inc = increase
dec = decrease
Top Hat
R1: MR 4SC (4)
R2: inc * 4 (8)
R3: BLO 8SC (8)
R4: 8SC (8)
R5: FLO 8SC (8)
R6: 8SC (8)
For the yellow ribbon, sew the ribbon part between R4 and R5 (sew it after the top hat is done for easy viewing). Loop it twice (or more depending how thick you want the ribbon to be). Sew it back to inner top hat and then tie it up.
Notes: I make this pattern after done crocheting so I might misremember the top hat pattern and it's hard to re-check because the top hat is very small and the black yarn I use is very dark and I cannot see the stitch. It should be fine though (I think)
Reference for top hat: How to Crochet A Top Hat for Amigurumi
Ear 1
R1: MR 6SC (6)
R2: 2SC, inc * 2 (8)
R3: 8SC (8), cut off the yarn
Ear 2
Repeat Ear 1, but don't cut off the yarn at the end because we will continue directly to the body
Body
R1: on Ear 2, 4SC, ch3, continue to Ear 1, 8SC, SC in all 3 ch, continue to Ear 2, 4SC (22)
R2-3: 22SC (22)
R4: 10SC, inc * 2 (24)
R5: 3SC, inc * 6 (30)
R6-9: 30SC (30)
R10: 4SC, inc * 6 (36)
R11: 4SC, dec * 6 (30), don't cut off the yarn yet because this will continue to the black tentacles
Reference for ear and body can be found here: How to crochet - easy Cat Amigurumi keychain tutorial
Make a loop with black yarn for the keychain loop. Make sure the loop is long enough because it will pierce through the top hat as well. Insert it through the body and exit the yarn between the ears. Insert the loop again through the top hat.
Black Tentacles
There is a new stitch type here, check the video here at minute 17:04 for HDC in 2 stitches tutorial: How to Crochet Octopus Squish (Right Handed)
R1: 3HDC (3)
R2: turn around, ch1, 3HDC (3)
R3: turn around, ch1, 3HDC (3)
R4: turn around, ch1, HDC, HDC in 2 stitches (2)
R5: turn around, HDC in 2 stitches (1), cut off the yarn but leave out enough yarn to sew together with the yellow part undernearg later
Repeat R1-R5 for the rest of 9 tentacles. For the new R1, do a slip knot and leave enough yarn for sewing later. After that, do a slip stitch and continue R1 as stated above.
Stuff in the foam in this step. We make the yellow part underneath next.
Yellow Tentacles
R1: MR 6SC (6)
R2: inc * 6 (12)
R3: SC, inc * 6 (18)
R4: 2SC, inc * 6 (24)
R5: 3SC, inc * 6 (30)
R6: 30SC (30)
R7-R12: the same as the black tentacles R1-R5
Sew together the black and yellow tentacles using the black yarn leftover. Stuff in the yellow yarn leftover inside the body.
I use white felt clothes for the eyes and use black marker for the black part of the eyes.
And you're done!
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