The colour of my orchid (last image) is similar to the yarn I am using, so couldn’t resist photographing them together!

Some of my calculations before and after:

Needle size for main part of skirt 4mm
swatch gauge 20 stitches= 4”
Waist measurement 79cm (31”) = 155 st
Hip measurement 102 cm (40”) = 170 st

Finished measurements:
Hips 78cm (30.5”)
So negative ease 102-78cm=24cm (9 1/2”). !!
Just above knee and before ruffle 72cm (28.5”)

First of all, I should have noticed that this skirt pattern sits lower down the waist than I normally wear - then decreased the number of stitches accordingly….. But that’s hindsight

the wrong part
I cast on 168 stitches (for size M) and proceeded to increase at markers, but when I got to row 11 (having increased a total of 12 stitches at rows 1, 5, 9) I found that the skirt was way too loose for a high waist fitting. I stopped knitting and decided to create the waistband and insert elastic to see whether it would cinch in the waist, versus unravelling it and starting again with less stitches.

Fixing the sizing after waist band
Hip - settled on making sure I had 170 stitches for my hip measurement of 102cm (40”). (Placed markers for back and front panels 46 stitches, and for sides 39 stitches = 170)

In hindsight, should have looked at the Flirty Skirt I knitted to calculate waistband measurements.

Decided I wanted a fitted skirt, so negative ease
Decreases (between front and back markers)
From my hip size of 102 cm to Mid thigh of 94cm needed to decrease 16 st (or 10% of 170 st) =154 st (decreased 4 stitches every 4th row, 4 times). Then decided to decrease another 4 stitches to a total of 20 stitches = 151 st.

Measurements for above knee (72cm) circumference
Continued knitting to 10 inches above knee and then decreased 4 stitches twice 16 rows apart.

Am now about 2” from top of knee so should probably start on the ruffle with larger needle (5mm). Doubled number of stitches by knitting with two strands of yarn for one round. Eh voila!

Used some left over Debbie Bliss Party Angel metallic blue mohair to add some texture to edge of ruffle (6mm needle). Used a lace cast off which added to flared edge.