Free Knitting Patterns: Ornaments for an Advent Calendar

Kat at Just Crafty Enough had a really fun idea for an advent calendar that she’s sharing with the rest of us. Instead of the traditional candy or toys to be unwrapped with each day’s reveal, hers has knit Christmas ornaments to put on the tree. Because it takes a while to fill up 24 spaces, she’s already started working on her ornaments, and is posting a new pattern each week.

I just caught the series now, in week four, where she presented really cute mini mittens embellished with a bit of stranded knitting. You can catch up with the other patterns there, as well as learn how she made her advent calendar (which involves embroidery and sewing and will take a fair piece longer than a week to make, but is lovely).

This is a great idea for building Christmas anticipation without giving the kids a piece of candy every day for the better part of a month, but even if you don’t do the advent calendar part you’ll have a great collection of knit things for the tree in the end.

[Photo by Just Crafty Enough.]

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It’s been well documented that I love a knitting pattern with a bit of whimsy, so when I saw the Mine! Pullover from Sarah L. Kelly recently I knew I had to share it with you.

I mean, who wouldn’t want to knit a sweater with a yoke full of seagulls? And another seagull at the waist? Chasing little crabs?

The story behind the sweater (and you knew there had to be one, right?) is that while Sarah was traveling around Europe there were a lot of cheeky seagulls about. They reminded her of the scene in Finding Nemo where the seagulls say “mine, mine, mine” and thus the Mine! series of patterns was born.

Oh yes, there’s a whole set. It was the sweater I saw first but there’s also a pair of socks (and the pattern says there’s a cowl, too, but I couldn’t find it as of this writing. If you see it let me know and I’ll add the link here!) so you can totally deck yourself out in pesky seabirds if you want.

But back to the sweater for now. This is worked in DK weight yarn from the top down in the round. The yoke and a section at the bottom are worked in stranded colorwork, with stripes on the body, though you could make the body a single color if you wanted. Details like the beaks and eyes are added with duplicate stitch to make the knitting a little easier.

The colorwork sections are charted. The pattern comes in 10 sizes, with a finished chest circumference ranging from 32 to 68 inches, or 80 to 170 cm.

The socks are worked in sock yarn and come in three sizes. There worked from the cuff down and change needle sizes to accommodate the less stretchy nature of stranded colorwork. You can choose from a side profile or a seagull that’s looking out from the sock. Make a matching pair or mix it up.

Both patterns are available on Ravelry: sweater and socks. If you make them I’d love to hear about it!

[Photo: Sarah L. Kelly]

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