Free Pattern: Twined Braid Waist Knit Skirt with Stranded Nordic Yoke

A Cozy Nordic Skirt You Can Actually Knit

This skirt is the perfect first colorwork project for anyone who has knit a few simple things and wants to try something a little more exciting. It is a straight tube skirt knit in the round from the waist down, so there are no seams to sew and no tricky shaping to figure out. The deep stranded band around the hips shows a diagonal braid motif in rust against a forest green ground, framed by two rows of little rust dots, giving it a warm Nordic winter feel. The finished skirt is soft, matte, and slightly rustic thanks to the cotton yarn, with a snug ribbed waistband and a matching ribbed hem. When you wear it, it feels like a cozy hand-knit hug with just enough stretch to move with you.

Materials Needed

• Yarn: Worsted weight cotton (approximately 100% cotton, about 200 yd / 183 m per 100 g skein).
  • Main Color (MC), forest green: approx. 400 (450, 500, 550, 600) yd / 366 (412, 457, 503, 549) m
  • Contrast Color (CC), rust: approx. 90 (100, 110, 120, 130) yd / 82 (91, 101, 110, 119) m
• Main needle: US 7 (4.5 mm) 24-inch circular needle (for the body and colorwork band)
• Ribbing needle: US 6 (4.0 mm) 16-inch circular needle (for the waistband and hem)
• Stitch markers: at least one to mark the beginning of the round; more are helpful for tracking chart repeats
• Tapestry needle: a blunt, large-eye needle for weaving in ends
• Scissors
• Finished size: To fit hips 34 (38, 42, 46, 50) inches / 86 (96, 107, 117, 127) cm. Finished hip circumference is 34 (38, 42, 46, 50) inches with about 1 inch / 2.5 cm of negative ease (meaning it hugs slightly). Finished length from waistband top to hem is 20 (21, 22, 23, 24) inches / 51 (53, 56, 58, 61) cm.

Abbreviations and Beginner Glossary

• k – knit: insert the right needle into the front of the stitch from left to right, wrap the yarn around, and pull it through.
• p – purl: insert the right needle into the front of the stitch from right to left, wrap the yarn around the front, and pull it through.
• k2tog – knit 2 together: insert the needle through two stitches at once and knit them as one. This decreases your stitch count by one.
• M1L – make 1 left: lift the horizontal bar between two stitches with your left needle from front to back, then knit into the back loop of that bar. This adds one new stitch.
• MC – main color (forest green)
• CC – contrast color (rust)
• sts – stitches
• rnd(s) – round(s): one complete pass around the circular needle
• in the round – knitting in a continuous spiral on circular needles so there is no seam
• stockinette stitch – when knitting in the round, this means knitting every single round. The smooth side faces out.
• ribbing (2x2) – alternating knit 2, purl 2 stitches, which makes a stretchy band
• stranded colorwork – carrying two colors of yarn at once, using one while the other waits loosely behind the work
• float – the strand of unused yarn carried across the back of the work
• bind off – finishing the edge so stitches do not unravel
• blocking – wetting and shaping the finished piece so it settles into its final size

Gauge

18 sts and 24 rnds = 4 inches / 10 cm in stockinette stitch in the round on US 7 (4.5 mm) needles, after blocking.

Gauge matters because it is how we make sure your skirt ends up the right size. If your stitches are bigger than mine, your skirt will be too big; if they are smaller, it will be too tight. To check your gauge, cast on about 30 stitches on your US 7 needle, join to work in the round (or knit flat and measure the middle), and knit in stockinette for about 4 inches. Then lay it flat, place a ruler on it, and count how many stitches fit across 4 inches. If you have more than 18, go up a needle size; if you have fewer, go down a needle size. Always measure after gently washing and drying your swatch, because cotton can change after blocking.

Beginner Tips Before You Start

• Use stitch markers to track your chart repeats. Place a marker every 8 stitches before you begin the colorwork band. That way, if you lose your place, you only have to look back 8 stitches.
• Do not pull your floats tight. When you carry the unused color behind the work, leave it loose enough that the fabric can stretch. A good rule is to catch the float every 3–4 stitches so it never gets longer than that.
• Keep your tension relaxed. Beginners often grip the yarn too hard, which makes the colorwork band pull in. Let the yarn flow and check that the band lies flat as you go.
• Count your stitches at the end of every round. It is much easier to fix a mistake right away than to discover it twenty rounds later.
• Try the skirt on as you go. Slip your live stitches onto a long scrap of yarn or a longer circular needle and try the skirt on over your hips to check the fit before you commit to the full length.
• Work the colorwork band on the larger needle only. The smaller needle is just for the stretchy ribbing at the waist and hem.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Waistband (US 6 / 4.0 mm needle, MC)

Cast on 128 (144, 160, 176, 192) sts. Join in the round without twisting, and place a marker for the beginning of the round.

Rnds 1–8: *k2, p2; repeat from * to end. (128 (144, 160, 176, 192) sts — this is your 2x2 ribbing, about 1.25 inches / 3 cm deep.)

Change to the US 7 (4.5 mm) needle.

Increase round: *k4, M1L; repeat from * to end. (160 (180, 200, 220, 240) sts)

Next round (decrease round): knit, distributing decreases evenly to reach the body stitch count. Work k2tog 8 times evenly spaced for XS, 12 times for S, 8 times for M, 12 times for L, and 16 times for XL. (152 (168, 192, 208, 224) sts)

Body (stockinette, MC)

Work even in stockinette (knit every round) until the piece measures 3 inches / 7.5 cm from the cast-on edge, ending after a complete round.

Stranded Yoke Band (Chart A, 8-stitch repeat, 24 rounds)

Your 152 (168, 192, 208, 224) sts equal 19 (21, 24, 26, 28) repeats of the 8-stitch chart. Read every round from right to left. Each square is one stitch. Carry the unused color loosely across the back, catching floats every 3–4 stitches.

Rnd 1 (MC): knit all sts. (152 (168, 192, 208, 224) sts)

Rnd 2 (MC): knit all sts. (152 (168, 192, 208, 224) sts)

Rnd 3 (CC): *k1 CC, k7 MC; repeat from * to end. (Rust dot row.) (152 (168, 192, 208, 224) sts)

Rnd 4 (MC): knit all sts. (152 (168, 192, 208, 224) sts)

Rnd 5 (MC): knit all sts. (152 (168, 192, 208, 224) sts)

Rnd 6 (CC): *k3 CC, k5 MC; repeat from * to end. (152 (168, 192, 208, 224) sts)

Rnd 7 (CC): *k4 CC, k4 MC; repeat from * to end. (152 (168, 192, 208, 224) sts)

Rnd 8 (CC): *k5 CC, k3 MC; repeat from * to end. (152 (168, 192, 208, 224) sts)

Rnd 9 (CC): *k6 CC, k2 MC; repeat from * to end. (152 (168, 192, 208, 224) sts)

Rnd 10 (CC): *k7 CC, k1 MC; repeat from * to end. (152 (168, 192, 208, 224) sts)

Rnd 11 (CC): knit all sts in CC. (152 (168, 192, 208, 224) sts)

Rnd 12 (CC): knit all sts in CC. (152 (168, 192, 208, 224) sts)

Rnd 13 (MC): *k1 MC, k7 CC; repeat from * to end. (152 (168, 192, 208, 224) sts)

Rnd 14 (MC): *k2 MC, k6 CC; repeat from * to end. (152 (168, 192, 208, 224) sts)

Rnd 15 (MC): *k3 MC, k5 CC; repeat from * to end. (152 (168, 192, 208, 224) sts)

Rnd 16 (MC): *k4 MC, k4 CC; repeat from * to end. (152 (168, 192, 208, 224) sts)

Rnd 17 (MC): *k5 MC, k3 CC; repeat from * to end. (152 (168, 192, 208, 224) sts)

Rnd 18 (MC): *k6 MC, k2 CC; repeat from * to end. (152 (168, 192, 208, 224) sts)

Rnd 19 (MC): *k7 MC, k1 CC; repeat from * to end. (152 (168, 192, 208, 224) sts)

Rnd 20 (MC): knit all sts. (152 (168, 192, 208, 224) sts)

Rnd 21 (MC): knit all sts. (152 (168, 192, 208, 224) sts)

Rnd 22 (CC): *k1 CC, k7 MC; repeat from * to end. (Second rust dot row.) (152 (168, 192, 208, 224) sts)

Rnd 23 (MC): knit all sts. (152 (168, 192, 208, 224) sts)

Rnd 24 (MC): knit all sts. (152 (168, 192, 208, 224) sts)

This creates a diagonal twined braid in rust traveling across the forest green ground, framed by two rows of rust dots above and below.

Body Continued (MC)

After completing Chart A, continue in stockinette with MC only until the piece measures 18 (19, 20, 21, 22) inches / 46 (48, 51, 53, 56) cm from the cast-on edge, or 2 inches / 5 cm less than your desired finished length.

Hem (US 6 / 4.0 mm needle, MC)

Change to the smaller needle.

Rnds 1–6: *k2, p2; repeat from * to end. (152 (168, 192, 208, 224) sts — this is your 2x2 rib hem, about 1 inch / 2.5 cm.)

Bind off all sts loosely in rib pattern. (0 sts remaining)

Assembly and Finishing

Weave in all ends. Thread each yarn tail onto your tapestry needle and weave it in and out through the back of several stitches, then trim. Do this for every tail, including the color changes inside the yoke band.

Block gently to measurements. Soak the skirt in cool water for about 15 minutes, then gently squeeze out the water (do not wring). Roll it in a clean towel to remove excess moisture. Lay it flat and shape it to your finished hip circumference and length. Do not hang it to dry — the weight of the wet cotton will stretch it out of shape. The stranded yoke band should lie flat without puckering; if it pulls in, re-block with a little extra ease in that section.

Pro Tips and Variations

• Change the colors: Try a cream main color with a deep red contrast for a classic Nordic look, or a navy ground with mustard for something bolder. Any worsted cotton will work.
• Adjust the length: The skirt is a simple straight tube, so you can easily make it shorter or longer. Just keep knitting in stockinette until you are 2 inches / 5 cm from your desired finished length, then work the hem.
• Add a second braid band: If you love the colorwork, work Chart A a second time about 4 inches / 10 cm above the hem for a matching detail near the bottom.
• Substitute the yarn: A worsted weight cotton blend (cotton with a little acrylic or wool) will give you a bit more stretch and memory. Just check your gauge again, since blends can behave differently from pure cotton.