Knitwear traditions aside, I have always been struck by how little Ireland has by way of regionally distinctive traditional forms of dress, especially when compared to continental Europe. One notable exception are the red flannel petticoats traditionally worn by the women of Connemara, in the west of Ireland, until the early 20th century. They have inspired this modern knitted version with a cabled yoke and set-in pockets.
The simple, intuitive cable pattern of the yoke and the pocket welts reminds me of the woven baskets that were once used in Connemara to bring home turf from the bog or to carry seaweed to fertilise the fields.

The skirt is knitted in the round from the top down, starting with the waistband. Stitches are increased for the cable yoke and then flare out for the skirt. The pockets are formed by working increases while knitting back and forth across the front of the skirt, then working back and forth across the sides and back of the skirt, with surplus stitches at the edge later forming the pocket lining. The front and back are rejoined and worked in the round to the hem, which is folded over and whipstitched to the inside of the skirt. Stitches are picked up across the pocket edges to make the cable welts before the pocket linings are sewn to the skirt.

SIZES AND FIT
(XS, S, M) L, XL, 2XL {3XL, 4XL, 5XL}
Based on a high hip circumference of (71, 78.5, 88.5) 98.5, 108.5, 118.5 {129.5, 139.5, 149.5} cm/(28, 31, 34.75) 38.75, 42.75, 46.75 {51, 55, 58.75} inches.
Note: The high hip measurement is taken horizontally around the body at the level of the hip bone, about halfway between the waist and the widest part of the hip.
The skirt is designed to be worn with about 10-20 cm/4-8 inches of negative ease in the yoke, based on your high hip measurement. (The ease is calculated on a proportional basis, i.e. less negative ease in the smaller sizes and more in larger sizes, so that the fabric is always stretched by the same factor.)
The pictures show a size L worn with 13 cm/5 inches of negative ease.

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Yoke circumference (A): (61.5, 68, 77) 85, 94, 103 {112.5, 121.5, 130} cm/(24.25, 26.75, 30.25) 33.5, 37, 40.5 {44.25, 47.75, 51,25} inches
Hem circumference (B): (129, 140, 160) 176, 196, 211 {232, 254, 269} cm/(50.75, 55, 63) 69.25, 77.25, 83 {91.25, 100, 106} inches
Length: 52 cm/20.5 inches (The length is easily customisable, see pattern instructions for details. Note that altering the length will affect yardage and may also affect hem circumference.)

YARN
Cushendale Irish Wool DK (100% wool; 200 m/219 yds per 100 g/3.5 oz ball); colour: Wine, (740, 795, 900) 960, 1090, 1170 {1280, 1390, 1470} m/(810, 870, 985) 1050, 1190, 1280 {1400, 1520, 1610} yds ≙ (4, 4, 5) 5, 6, 6 {7, 7, 8} balls.
This yardage includes a 15 x 15 cm/6 x 6 inch swatch as well as a 5% allowance.
If substituting yarn, look for a reasonably hard-wearing yarn made from an elastic fibre (wool or wool blends are ideal), in either a thick DK or worsted weight. (The Cushendale yarn is referred to as a DK, but is actually closer to a worsted weight in thickness. A DK yarn at the thinner end of the scale may result in the fabric being too open.)

NEEDLES & NOTIONS
Always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below.

• 5 mm/US size 8 circular needle, 60 cm/24 inches long for sizes XS-L; 80 cm/32 inches long for sizes XL-5XL
• 5 mm/US size 8 circular needle, 100 cm/40 inches long 4.5 mm/US size 7 circular needle, 60 cm/24 inches long for sizes XS-L; 80 cm/32 inches long for sizes XL-5XL
• cable needle (unless you are comfortable cabling without a cable needle; the pattern includes a tutorial link for this technique)
• removable stitch marker
• tapestry needle
• a few pins
• a piece of elastic, 1-1.5 cm/0.5-0.75 inches wide and about 10 cm/4 inches shorter than the yoke circumference

GAUGE
17 sts and 23 rows ≙ 10 cm/4 inches in stockinette stitch (worked in the round & flat, blocked) on larger needles
32 sts and 27 rows ≙ 10 cm/4 inches in cable pattern (worked in the round & flat, blocked) on larger needles
Note: The skirt includes sections that are knitted flat and sections that are knitted in the round. For both stockinette stitch and the cable pattern, gauge in the round is the most important; if you find that your flat gauge is different, adjust your needle size accordingly for those sections.

TECHNIQUES USED

• knit/purl
• increases/decreases
• knitting in the round
• picking up stitches
• cables
• whipstitch for finishing (tutorial link included)

This pattern has been tested and tech-edited.