Amaranthus Skirt in Juniper Moon Findley and Findley Dappled

Amaranthus Skirt in Juniper Moon Findley and Findley Dappled

What is Being Made

The Amaranthus skirt is a romantic, two-layer handkerchief point skirt designed by Janine Le Cras as part of The English Garden Collection. This knitted skirt features a lace overlay paired with a stockinette underskirt, creating a sophisticated layered silhouette. The design sits on the hip bones with the stockinette layer hanging below the lace overlay to reveal the contrast color. The skirt is available in sizes XS-S, M-L, 1X-2X, and 3X, with finished high hip measurements ranging from 30½ inches to 56¾ inches and lengths from 22 to 25 inches.

Techniques and Construction Methods

This skirt employs several key knitting techniques to achieve its elegant two-layer construction. The project uses circular knitting in the round, which creates seamless fabric and allows for the continuous lace pattern work. The skirt incorporates lace knitting as a primary design element, requiring careful attention to yarn overs and decreases to create the decorative openwork overlay. The handkerchief points are created through strategic shaping and the lace cast-off technique, which produces a finished edge with decorative points rather than a standard bind-off.

The construction involves working with both larger and smaller needles at different gauges to achieve proper fabric density for each layer. An elastic waistband is incorporated for fit and comfort, with approximately 30½ to 56¾ inches of 1-inch-wide elastic used depending on size.

Stitches Used

• Stockinette stitch (St st): The primary stitch for the underskirt layer, creating a smooth, classic knit fabric
• Lace pattern: A decorative openwork pattern created through yarn overs and decreases, charted for precise execution
• Knit and purl stitches: Fundamental stitches used throughout the pattern
• Yarn overs (yo): Used extensively in the lace pattern to create the openwork design
• Decreases: Including knit two together (k2tog), slip slip knit (ssk), and slip 2 together, knit 1, pass slipped stitches over (sl2 tog, k1, p2sso) to balance yarn overs and shape the lace
• Lace cast-off: A specialized bind-off technique that creates decorative points at the hem, worked by knitting stitches together through the back loop and slipping them back to the needle

Materials: Yarn and Needles

The Amaranthus skirt is designed to showcase two coordinating yarns from Juniper Moon Farm's Findley collection. The main color (MC) uses 3 to 4 balls of Juniper Moon Farm Findley in color #24 Snowy Skies, depending on size. The contrasting color (CC) uses 3 to 4 balls of Juniper Moon Farm Findley Dappled in color #117 Bougainvillea, creating a beautiful color contrast between the lace overlay and stockinette underskirt.

The project requires multiple circular needles and double-point needles in two sizes to accommodate gauge differences between the lace and stockinette sections. Needles include US #3 (3.25 mm) in both 36-inch and 24-inch circular lengths for the lace pattern work, and US #4 (3.5 mm) in 36-inch and 24-inch circular lengths plus double-point needles for the stockinette sections. The gauge is 22 stitches and 32 rows over 4 inches in stockinette stitch using the larger needles, and 22 stitches and 32 rows over 4 inches in the lace pattern using the smaller needles.

Additional notions include a tapestry needle for finishing, stitch markers for tracking pattern repeats and shaping, and elastic for the waistband.