Knit a smart skirt suit

By Jill Mundy

Skirt

Make 2 (front and back)

With yarn A, cast on 50 sts

Row 1: (K1, P1) to end

Row 2: Repeat row 1 seven more times

Row 9: K2tog, K1, (*P2, K4) Repeat from * to last 3 sts; K1, K2tog (48 sts)

Row 10: P2, (*K2, P4,) Rep from * to last 4 sts; K2, P2

Row 11: K2, (*P2, K4) Rep from * to last 4 sts; P2, K2

Repeat rows 1 and 2 twice more (15 rows)

Row 16: P2, *K1, M1, K1, P4. Rep from * to last 4 sts; K1, M1, K1, P2 (56 sts)

Row 17: K2, (*P3, K4). Repeat from * to last 5 sts; P3, K2

Row 18: P2, (*K3, P4) Repeat from * to last 5 sts; K3, P2

Repeat rows 17 and 18 five times (28 rows)

Change to yarn B and cut yarn A

Row 29: Rep row 17

Row 30: Rep row 18

Cast off loosely in rib pattern

To make up

Sew in all ends.

With right sides together, join side seams, leaving the rib section open on one of them.

Fold the top rib section in half and stitch the cast on edge to the lower edge of the rib section. 

Cut a length of narrow elastic so that it fits snuggly around your bear’s middle when slightly stretched, plus a little extra to overlap.

Using a safety pin, thread the elastic through the ribbing tube, Overlap the ends of the elastic and stitch in place with sewing thread.

Neatly close the opening of the rib section with matching yarn.

Press gently.

Jacket

Back

With Yarn B, c/o 26 sts

Row 1 P

Row 2 K

Change to yarn A

Row 3 K

Row 4 P

Row 5 K

Row 6 P

Row 7 K

Row 8 P

Row 9 K2tog, K to end

Row 10 P2tog, P to end (24 sts)

Row 11 K 

Row 12 P

Row 13 K2tog, K to end

Row 14 P2tog, P to end (22 sts)

Row 15 K

Row 16 P

Row 17 Cast off 3 sts, K2tog, K to end

Row 18 Cast off 3 sts, P2tog, P to end (14 sts)

Row 19 K2tog, K to end

Row 20 P2tog,  P to end (12 sts)

Row 21 K

Row 22 P

Row 23 K2tog, K to end

Row 24 P2tog, P to end (10 sts)

Row 25 K3, turn and work on these 3 sts only

Row 26 P

Row 27 K

Row 28 P

Cast off loosely; break yarn

Slip the next 4 sts on lefthand needle on to a safety pin and rejoin yarn to remaining 3 sts

Row 1 K

Row 2 P

Row 3 K

Row 4 P

Cast off loosely and break yarn.

Left front 

With yarn B, Cast on 16 sts

Row 1: P

Row 2: K

Join in yarn A

Row 3: K13A, carrying yarn across back of work, P3B

Row 4: K3B, P13A

Row 5: K13A, P3B

Row 6: K3B, P13A

Row 7: as Row 5

Row 8: as Row 6

Row 9: K2tog, K11A, P3B (15 sts)

Row 10: K3B, P12A

Row 11: K12A, P3B

Row 12: K3B, P12A

Row 13: K2tog, K10A, P3B (14 sts)

Row 14: K3B, P11A

Row 15: K11A, P3B

Row 16: K3B, P11A

Row 17 Cast off 3 sts, K2tog, K5A, P3B (10 sts)

Row 18 K3B, P7A

Row 19 K2tog, K5A, P3B (9 sts)

Row 20 K3B, P6A

Row 21 K6A, P3B

Row 22: Place first 3 sts on a safety pin; P6A

Break yarn B

Row 23 Using A only, K2tog, K to end (5 sts on needle)

Row 24 P2tog, P to end (4 sts)

Row 25 K

Row 26 P2tog, P to end (3 sts)

Row 27 K

Row 28 P

Cast off loosely; break yarn.

Sew in all ends; press lightly

Right front

With yarn B, Cast on 16 sts

Row 1: P

Row 2: K

Join in yarn A

Row 3: P3B, K13A

Row 4: P13A, K3B

Row 5: P3B, K13A

Row 6: P13A, K3B

Row 7: P3B, K13A

Row 8: P13A, K3B

Row 9: P3B, K13A

Row 10: P2tog, P11A, K3B (15 sts)

Row 11: P3B, K12A

Row 12: P12A, K3B

Row 13: P3B, K12A

Row 14: P2tog, P10A, K3B (14 sts)

Row 15: P3B, K11A

Row 16: P11A, K3B

Row 17: P3B, K11A

Row 18: Cast off 3 sts, P2tog, P5A, K3B (10 sts)

Row 19: P3B, K7A

Row 20: P 2tog, P5A, K3B (9 sts)

Row 21: P3B, K6A

Row 22: P6A; place 3 sts of B on a safety pin; break yarn B

Row 23 Using A only, K

Row 24 P2tog, P to end (5sts)

Row 25 K2tog, K to end (4 sts)

Row 26 P

Row 27 K2tog, K to end (3 sts)

Row 28 P to end

Cast off loosely; break yarn. 

Sew in all ends; press lightly

Sleeves

(make 2)

With yarn B, cast on 24 sts

Row 1: P

Row 2: K

Cut yarn B and change to yarn A

Row 3: K

Row 4: P

Repeat rows 3 & 4 five times (14 rows)

Row 15: Cast off 4 sts, K to end (20 sts))

Row 16: Cast off 4 sts, P to end (16 sts)

Row 17: K2tog, K to end (15 sts)

Row 18: P2tog, P to end (14 sts)

Row 19: K2tog, K to end (13 sts)

Row 20: P2tog, P to end (12 sts)

Row 21: K2 tog, K to end (11 sts)

Row 22 P2tog, P to end (10 sts)

Cast off loosely and break yarn.

Sew in all ends

To make up

Placing back and fronts right sides together, join left and right shoulder seams and side seams. 

With right sides together, join sleeve seams.

Mark top of each sleeve and line up with shoulder seam, also lining up sleeve and side seams. Stitch sleeves in place.

With 3.5mm needles and yarn B, and with right side facing, pick up and knit 3 sts from right front safety pin, 12 sts along right front neck, over top of sleeve and around right back neck; slip 4 sts on back safety pin to l/h needle and knit; then pick up and knit 12 sts around left back neck, over top of sleeve and around left front neck; lastly, knit the 3 sts from left front safety pin. (34 sts in total).

Row 1 (wrong side): K

Row 2: P

Cast off loosely and sew in all ends.

Give your jacket and skirt a final light press if you wish - they are now ready to put on your most stylish bear.

Materials

50g DK yarn in color A

Small amount of DK yarn in color B

4mm needles

3.5mm needles

3 safety pins

Large eyed tapestry needle/bodkin

Abbreviations

c/o - cast on

K - knit

K2tog - knit the next two stitches together

P - purl

P2tog - purl the next two stitches together

Rep - repeat

st/s - stitch/es