Knitting

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A Scrappy Shawl Knitting Pattern to Use All Your Odd Balls

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Since I’ve been writing a lot about using your yarn stash and leftovers from other projects a lot lately (see projects with two strands held together, patterns for leftovers, projects using minis, to name a few) the algorithms that be keep showing me more of that kind of content. And I can’t imagine I’m the only one with excess yarn on their hands (don’t call it too much), so I keep wanting to share them, too.

So it is with the Scrappy Knit Shawl from Morale Fiber. This one turned up after I was looking for stash-busting shawls for a forthcoming post, but I felt like it was worth mentioning because it’s such an easy and effective technique.

This is a triangular garter stitch shawl, easy as can be, meant to use up leftovers small and large. Start with your smallest balls while the rows are tiny, and use bigger balls as the shawl gets bigger. You can even incorporate the yarn ends into the fringe on the sides, and/or add it separately.

The fun thing about a project like this is you can make it with whatever weight of yarn you happen to have the most of, or you can hold two strands of a lighter-weight yarn together to make it closer to the weight of your other yarns. Gauge isn’t important and it won’t matter if a couple of rows look a little fatter or thinner than the others (and it’s actually a cool effect when this happens).

You can also make it whatever size you like. I love this big version, which measures 95 inches (241 cm) across and 20 inches (50.8 cm) long, but you could make a little shawl, a kerchief, or a blanket-sized shawl, whatever strikes you and depending on how much yarn you have. And the scrappier it looks the better!

Grab the free pattern from Morale Fiber.

[Photo: Morale Fiber]

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Bucket Hat Knitting Patterns

As I was starting to write this post I thought that it was true that I’d never done a roundup of bucket hat knitting patterns before. But then I looked, and I actually did one last year (which you can find here) but there are plenty of cute bucket hats to do another post about, right? 

The one that made me want to write about this (again) is the Red Heart Knit Fanfare Bucket Hat from Yarnspirations. This cute striped hat can be worked in team colors, and while I might prefer a non-acrylic yarn for a summer hat, it would be fine when it’s not too hot outside (or try a cotton yarn instead). 

Claire Slade’s Sunlit Bucket Hat has an angled brim to help keep the sun out of your eyes. It’s worked from the bottom up using worsted weight cotton yarn, and comes in three sizes. You can find the pattern on Ravelry. 

Get a little air flow in your bucket hat with the Shady Bucket Hat from Wool & Beyond. This one uses DK weight yarn and an eyelet pattern throughout the body to keep it cool. It comes in sizes ranging from newborn to adult large, and is worked in one piece from the top down. You can grab the pattern (in English or Swedish) on Ravelry. 

If you’re looking for a fun, floppy sun hat for kids or adults, this pattern from Muki Crafts is a little more slouchy than a traditional bucket hat but it’s super cute. It comes in baby, toddler and bigger kid sizes and adult. I uses worsted weight yarn and is worked from the bottom up. 

Another variation on the classic bucket is this one that’s more of a cloche style. Made by branda, it uses bulky yarn so it’s more of a winter bucket hat, but now’s a fine time to knit it if you live somewhere that’s warm right now (or even more so if you live somewhere that’s cold right now). 

Another one to get you ready for colder weather is Tirmety, a two-layer bucket hat from ViTalina Craft, which has a textured stitch pattern on one side and stockinette on the other. You can wear either side out or even make them different colors if you want. The pattern is sized for toddlers, kids and adults. 

And if you want to add some extra cuteness to your bucket hat, I love this (of course totally optional but also totally adorable) embroidered deatila on the New York Bucket Hat from Pauline Fanguin. It uses two strands of DK weight yarn held together for extra sturdiness, and uses changes in needle size to shape the hat. Of course you could also knit stripes or use different textures of yarn to change up the look. This pattern is made to fit your head and is available in French and English.