Flirty Skirty in Caron Simply Soft Light - Downloadable PDF

Flirty Skirty in Caron Simply Soft Light – Free Knitting Pattern for Baby

The Flirty Skirty is a charming, beginner-friendly knitted baby skirt worked entirely in the round, designed to fit infants in sizes 12 and 18 months. This free downloadable PDF pattern from Caron produces a sweetly flared, ruffled-hem skirt that tapers gracefully up to a tidy ribbed waistband with an elastic casing — making it both adorable and practical for little ones on the move.

What Is Being Made

This pattern creates a single baby skirt with a dramatically flared lower hem that is gradually shaped into a fitted waist through a series of strategic decrease rounds. The finished skirt measures approximately 8½ to 9 inches in total length, depending on the size knitted. A fold-over waistband accommodates ¾-inch elastic, which is threaded through and sewn securely for a comfortable, adjustable fit.

Construction and Techniques

The skirt is knitted in the round on a 24-inch circular needle, beginning at the hem with a very large cast-on of 300 or 312 stitches to create the full, flirty flare at the bottom. The construction flows seamlessly from hem to waist without any seaming on the body of the skirt itself. Key construction techniques include:

• Circular knitting — the entire skirt is worked in joined rounds, eliminating side seams and creating a smooth, continuous fabric
• Graduated decreasing — multiple decrease rounds are worked at regular intervals to reduce the stitch count from 300 (312) stitches all the way down to 125 (130) stitches, sculpting the flared skirt shape into a fitted waistband
• Elastic waistband casing — the ribbed waistband is folded in half to the wrong side and sewn down, leaving a small opening through which pre-cut elastic is inserted and secured
• Stitch marker placement — a marker is placed at the beginning of the round to keep track of rounds throughout the pattern

Stitches Used

Despite being rated as an Easy/Beginner level pattern, the Flirty Skirty introduces a pleasing variety of stitches that give the fabric its textured, decorative character:

• Knit (K) — the foundation stitch used throughout the body panels
• Purl (P) — used to create vertical columns that frame the knit panels and form the ribbing
• K2tog (Knit 2 Together) — a right-leaning decrease used to reduce stitch counts in the shaping rounds
• Ssk (Slip, Slip, Knit) — a left-leaning decrease that mirrors K2tog, creating balanced, symmetrical shaping within each repeat
• P2tog (Purl 2 Together) — a purl decrease used in later shaping rounds as the stitch pattern transitions toward the waistband
• Ribbing (P2, K3) — worked over the final 2 inches of the waistband section, providing stretch and structure for the elastic casing

The lower body of the skirt is worked in a P3, K9 repeat that creates wide, defined vertical panels. As the decrease rounds progress, these panels narrow — first to P3, K7, then P3, K5, then P3, K3 — giving the skirt its elegant, tapered silhouette.

Materials Required

The pattern calls for Caron Simply Soft Light yarn in the colorway Key Lime (00005). This is a DK weight yarn, with each ball containing 3 oz / 85 g and approximately 330 yards / 301 meters. Both sizes — 12 months and 18 months — require 2 balls of yarn.

• Yarn: Caron Simply Soft Light, Key Lime (00005) — 2 balls for both sizes