How to knit a kimono in only one piece with Ana Martin, winner of the Katia Designers Awards 2
Do you want to know how to knit a kimono in only one piece? Then why not learn how to knit this summer’s key item with Ana Martin, winner of the Katia Designers Awards 2. We know this young Basque designer thanks to her participation in the second edition of our competition. In fact, you’ll find her design, winner of the Accessories-Home category, in our next Katia Easy Knits magazine. Meanwhile, we are thrilled to be able to dedicate this Craft Lovers to Ana Martin and her Deba Kimono pattern. With this knitting pattern we are all set to learn how to knit a kimono in only one piece using 7 balls of Katia Polynesia yarn. Ana told us the following: “it has been great fun to work with this cotton. I love working with bright colours and varying textures. Furthermore, it’s a very light material. This cotton has it all!”
@Xamalo85
“I started to knit about 5 years ago. I’ve always liked wearing hats and scarves and I was curious about how they were made. One night I learnt how to cast on, thanks to the help of my mother in law, and then tried different stitches following tutorials on Youtube. The next day I felt motivated to knit a neck warmer and I opened an account on Instagram: @xamalo85. There’s no doubt, thanks to the Instagram account, that I’ve improved massively. We’re a huge community where we help and inspire each other and most importantly, we value the work of each one of us. I’m as happy as can be to be part of the knitter world”.
How to knit a kimono
Deba Kimono by Ana Martin
Approximate measurements: Back > Width: 24 3/8” (62cm) / Length: 27 1/2″ (70cm). Front > Width: 9” (23cm) / Length: 27 1/2″ (70cm). Sleeves > Armhole: 10 1/4” (26cm) / Length: 9 1/2″ (24cm).
Materials. Size 6 (U.S.)/(4 mm) knitting needles and 7 balls Katia Polynesia.
Tension square. Using size 6 needles in Small Leaf Stitch: 20 sts x 32 rows = 4×4”
Stitches
- K: knit
- P: purl
- L: loop
- Slip 1 st/K2 tog/psso: slip one stitch knitwise, knit two stitches together, pass the slipped stitch over the 2 stitches which were knitted together.
- Small Leaf Stitch
R1: K2, (K3, L, Slip 1 st/K2 tog/psso, L), K2
R2: Work the whole row in purl stitch
R3: K2, (L, Slip 1 st/K2 tog/psso, L, K3), K2
R4: Work the whole row in purl stitch
First of all, note that these 4 rows are repeated throughout the whole pattern, since the Deba Kimono is knitted in one piece only. Although there are increases at the start of the row, always follow the Small Leaf Stitch pattern. Keep a check of which row you are on. Repeat the instructions between the brackets until the last two stitches. Then work the back part following the rows of the pattern as is. For the fronts, at the side with the garter stitch which corresponds to the kimono edge, instead of starting or finishing (depending on which front it is) with K2, work K1.
Back
- Cast on 124 stitches
- Work 4 rows in reverse garter stitch = knit 4 rows in purl stitch.
- Work 136 rows in Small Leaf Stitch. Total: 140 rows.
- Row 141: cast on 48 stitches at the start of the row.
- Row 142: cast on 48 stitches at the start of the row.
- Work 82 rows with the 220 stitches in Small Leaf Stitch. (Sleeves).
- Row 225: Knit 87 stitches in Small Leaf Stitch, 7 stitches in garter stitch, bind (cast off) 32 sts, 7 sts in garter stitch, 87 sts in Small Leaf Stitch.
At this point the piece is divided into two for the fronts. Always work the border in normal garter stitch.
Left side: K6, edge / Right side: edge, K6
Edge: If it is the first stitch: Slip purlwise. / Last stitch: K.
Left side
- Work 82 rows in Small Leaf Stitch + border edge
- Row 83: bind (cast off) 48 stitches. Total: 46 stitches
- Work 136 rows in Small Leaf Stitch + border edge
- Work 4 rows in garter stitch (all rows in knit stitch)
- Bind (cast off) all the sts.
Right side
- Work 83 rows: border edge + Small Leaf Stitch
- Row 84: bind (cast off) 48 stitches. Total: 46 stitches
- Work 136 rows: border edge + Small Leaf Stitch
- Work 3 rows in garter stitch (all rows in knit stitch)
- Bind (cast off) all the sts.
To finish, sew the sides and… Congratulations! Now you know how to knit a kimono in only one piece, this summer’s key item.
