One Size Fits Many?

My skirt came out to about 35" around at the waistband. My waist is quite a bit smaller than that, but with the drawstring, it fits me fine. I can't be sure, but my guess would be that because of the drawstring, the skirt would also fit people of several other sizes within a range.


Materials:

~880 yards sport-weight yarn
6 balls (110 yds each) Knitpicks Shine Sport "Harvest" (main color)
2 balls (110 yds each) Knitpicks Shine Sport "Grass" (contrasting color)

Size 5 US (or whatever is required to get gauge) circular needles, 24"-29"
Size G crochet hook
Four stitch markers


Gauge:

Basketweave: 24 st to 4" (6 st/in), 27 rows to 4" (6.75 rw/in)
Stockinette (in increase panels): 21 st to 4" (5.25 st/in), 30 rows to 4" (7.5 rw/in)
Crochet ruffle (before increasing): 17 st to 4" (4.25 st/in)


Basketweave stitch pattern (adapted from here):

Round 1: Knit to end
Rounds 2-6: *(K4, P6), repeat from * to end of round
Round 7: Knit to end
Rounds 8-12: *(P6, K4), repeat from * to end of round (NOTE: You may have to mess with this a little bit, in terms of figuring out where exactly to start the round so that the basketweave is aligned right. You want it to be so that the four knit stitches fit symmetrically "inside" the six purl stitches each time you switch between this chunk and the previous chunk.)


Waistband:

Cast on 180 st in CC
Purl 4 rounds
*(p3, yo, p2tog, p1, yo, p2tog), repeat from * to end of round - forms eyelets for drawstring
Purl 6 rounds
Cut yarn, attach MC


Main section:

Knit basketweave pattern five times (60 rounds).

Begin increases: Knit for 45 stitches (beginning Round 1 in basketweave pattern). Place marker. Knit into front and back of next stitch. Place marker. Knit into front and back of next stitch. Continue knitting for 88 more stitches. Repeat procedure with markers and knitting into front and back of stitches. Continue knitting to the end of the round.

Rounds 1-3: Continue in basketweave pattern
Round 4: After the first of each pair of markers, knit into the front and back of the stitch. Before the second of each pair, knit into the front and back of the stitch.

Repeat rounds 1-4 until there are 54 stitches between each set of markers (or to desired length).

Bind off.


Hyperbolic Ruffle edge (see this site):

Using crochet hook, pick up and single crochet into each stitch along BO edge, using contrasting color.
Next round: SC twice into every stitch.
Next round: *(SC 1, SC twice into next stitch), repeat from * to end of round
Next round: *(SC 2, SC twice into next (third) stitch), repeat from * to end of round


Finishing waistband:

Fold over top of waistband so the right side shows. Align cast-on edge with end of first block of basketweave pattern; sew down.


Drawstring:

Braid together three groups of three strands of yarn each, in MC; knot at ends. Weave through eyelets in such a way that it can be tied in the middle of the skirt (that is, with the stockinette increase sections at either side).

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