Knitting

Free Patterns, Tutorials and Project Ideas

Animal-Inspired Sock Knitting Patterns

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Admittedly this roundup of patterns is a little niche, but I was looking at colorwork sock knitting patterns and happened to find a lot that include animals or are inspired by animals, so why not take a walk on the wild side and knit some animal inspired socks?

It all started, as most things do, with cats. In particular the Hubble Bubble socks by Abi Marshall-Smith, From Devin with Love. These sweet stripey socks have little black cats on the backs of the heels, so you’ll definitely want to wear them when you aren’t wearing shoes. The pattern comes in three sizes and is available on Ravelry.

And if there are cats, there have to be dogs, right? How about the Pixel Slouch Socks from Winter’s Weather Knits, which have colorwork inspired by a dog in the designer’s life? If you have a dog (or cat, for that matter) with multicolored fur you could make these with different colors to represent their paws, too. Available in three sizes, you can grab the pattern on Ravelry.

Leopard print is a fun choice for socks, and I’ll bet these knit up in a flash because the colorwork is son entertaining. The version shown, from Beyond the Loops, uses classic orange and black, but pick any two high-contrast colors you like. The pattern come s in three sizes and is on Ravelry in English and Finnish.

Jazz up some simple knit socks with a bit of  color to make Very Hungry Caterpillar Socks with this free chart from Sian Maloney. This is not a sock pattern, just the chart for making the eyes. You can download it from Ravelry. Change up the colors on the socks to make different insects if you want; kids are sure to love them!

Or how about making some socks covered in rubber duckies? This pattern from Renate Dalmo is also free on Ravelry, and includes colorwork bands of ducks along the leg and foot.

Stone Knits on Etsy has a fun “pair” of sock patterns you can buy together and knit a pair of both or make a mismatched pair. The pattern is called Why Are Flamingos Pink? and one sock has flamingos and the other shrimp. They’re surprisingly cute!

And if you want to take “animal sock knitting patterns” literally, check out this crazy collection from Emma Barmudez Designs. Here you’ll find patterns for a crocodile (shown above), fish, dragon, chameleon and platypus, all with mouths open to receive your feet. Each pattern comes in three sizes, starting with a child’s large/woman’s small, so you can make them for your bigger kids if they have a silly sock day at school (or to wear any other time).

Free Knitting Pattern – Slouchy Socks

Elevation Yoga Socks Knitting Pattern

Have you read?

Free Knitted Crown Pattern for Kids and Adults: A Sweet Handmade Dress-Up Idea

There’s something wonderfully charming about a knitted crown. It’s playful, useful for the dress-up basket, and just the sort of small project that gives a leftover ball of yarn a proper purpose. Much better than letting it roll around the cupboard for another three years.

This free knitted crown pattern for kids and adults combines a simple garter-stitch band with shaped triangular points. The mustard-gold colour gives it that storybook crown look, although pink, purple or woodland green would be equally lovely.

A Manageable Next Step for Beginner Knitters

The construction is the appealing part of this design. Everything is knitted flat, so you won’t need double-pointed needles or experience joining stitches in the round.

You knit the band first, then work each crown point separately over a group of 12 stitches. Paired decreases gradually narrow each triangle, giving you a small, repeatable section to concentrate on.

I’d describe this as a confident beginner knitting project. You’ll need to know how to knit, work two types of decreases, hold unused stitches and sew a simple seam. There are several yarn tails to weave in, so a little patience with finishing will help.

Three Sizes With Room to Personalise

The pattern includes three sizes, with seven, eight or nine crown points. Choose by the wearer’s head measurement rather than age, and check your gauge carefully. Yarn stretch will make a noticeable difference to the fit.

For birthdays, an embroidered initial would be a sweet finishing touch. Contrasting yarn diamonds could suggest little jewels without adding hard embellishments.

What to Know Before Casting On

This is a soft knitted crown, so expect gentle points rather than a rigid costume accessory. A springy wool or wool-blend yarn should give the shaping more support than a very drapey yarn.

The stitch calculations have been checked, but the design has not yet been sample-knitted. The accompanying image is an illustrative mockup, so the finished texture and proportions may vary with your yarn and tension.

For a small handmade birthday accessory or a cheerful addition to the dress-up box, this is an appealing idea. And if an adult needs a matching crown for supervising the royal household, the larger size has that covered too.