My knitwear closet is a little top-heavy, so I decided to whip up a pencil skirt for a little professionalism. Luckily, a v-neck sweater I knit in February left me with four skeins of chunky beige worsted, although I wouldn’t usually be working with wool in the heat of a Georgia spring, aka first summer, it gave me a nice sturdy material to work with.

I’ve been sporting athleisure ever since I marched out of the office with my work computer over a year ago, so I don’t actually remember what clothes exist outside of yoga pants, t-shirts, and my growing sweater collection. I have a vague memory of flared dress pants and ankle boots, but was that workwear or just winter? Do you wear a skirt over tights? with a tucked-in blouse? With a half-tuck like a J Crew catalog? Does J Crew still exist? Is coordinated athleisure still having a moment? I’m trying to place the last picture I saw of Kim Kardashian in time. I’m out of the loop, but I have options. I have a co-ord up my sleeve with the v-neck sweater, an armful of button-downs, and a whole drawer full of workout tanks. 

I’m going to figure this out. And then I’m going to go outside.

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Braided Pencil Skirt

Size 0/2

Materials:

Needles:

US 8 – 5.0 mm (straight and circular)

US 10 – 6.0 mm (circular)

Yarn: Berroco Vintage® Chunky, in 6144 Cork

Buttons: 1 round button – 1″ in diameter

Gauge

16 stitches and 20 rows = 4 inches

in ST (size 10 needles)

Abbreviations

CN – Cable needle

H2F – Hold to front

H2B – Hold to back

WS- Wrong side

RS – Right side

Braid Pattern

33 stitch pattern

Rows 1-3 and 5-7: *P1, k9, p1; repeat from * to end

Row 4: *P1, sl3 onto CN, H2F, k3, k3 off CN, k3, p1; repeat from * to end

Row 8: *P1, k3, sl3 onto CN H2B, k3, k3 off CN, p1; repeat from * to end

Skirt

CO 124 with size 8 needles

K in 1×1 rib for 2.5″ ending on WS row. Evenly distribute 10 stitches across the final row. Switch to size 10 circular needles.

Row 1: K17, k33 in row 1 of Braid Pattern, k34, k33 in row 1 of Braid Pattern, k to end.

Join in round.

Rows 2, 3: K17, k33 continuing in Braid Pattern, k34, k33 continuing in Braid Pattern, k to end. 

Row 4: K16, kf&b, k33 continuing in Braid Pattern, kf&b, k32, kf&b, k33 continuing in Braid Pattern, kf&b, k to end.

Row 5: K18, k33 continuing in Braid Pattern, k36, k33 continuing in Braid Pattern, k to end.

Repeat row 5 until skirt measures 20″ ending just before cable row in Braid Pattern. Switch to size 8 circular needles.

Knit in 1×1 rib for 2″. BO

Buttonholes

Row 1 (RS): With size 8 needles, pick up and knit 12 stitches alongside the right edge of ribbed waist

Rows 2, 4, 9, 11: Purl

Row 3: Knit

Row 6: K4, BO4, k4

Row 7: P4, CO2, k4

Row 8: SSK, k6, k2tog

Row 10: SSK, k4, k2tog

BO

Sew two buttons to left edge of ribbed waist, corresponding to buttonholes. Weave in tails.