Bowling Set Knitting Pattern

A thing that I love about knitting is that you can make just about anything you want out of the same basic stitches. You can make the most intricate lace shawl, complicated Aran sweater, amazing colorwork, fun toys, simple things, funny things, amazing things just with sticks and string.

I love having the opportunity to share as many of the options as I can with you all, which brings me to today’s post about a knit bowling set.

Take the Toddlers Bowling by Emily Ivey is exactly what it sounds like: a pattern for a bowling pin and ball. The pattern is worked with worsted weight yarn (black, white and red if you want to keep it traditional, but if you’re making it for kids rainbow colored pins are a great choice, too) and worked in the round. There’s a fair bit of shaping on the pins, but it’s not too difficult.

The designer used jar lids in the bases of the pins to help them stand up, and stuffing the ball with bits of old T-shirts gives it a bit of weight to help it knock down the pins. The yarn that was used was made with recycled polyester, which added eve more eco-friendliness, but that yarn has since been discontinued. Use something from your stash if you can and save yourself a trip to the store or your yarn a trip to you.

If I had known about this pattern when my daughter was younger I absolutely would have made it for her for a fun indoor playtime thing to do when it’s cold outside. I’m a little tempted to make one now anyway, even though she’s 15. We could all use some whimsical yarn projects in our life, right? I’m also thinking making them with thinner yarn might make them small enough to make a tabletop-sized bowling set. If you try it let me know if it works!

The pattern is available as a free Ravelry download.

[Photo: Emily Ivey]

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I happen to live in the Northern Hemisphere, but I know we have a lot of Southern Hemisphere friends, too, who are heading into the cooler months as we are warming up. Whichever one of the seasons you’re in, you might want to stitch up this sweet little hood.

This pattern by saskie&co is called snug hood and it uses two colors of yarn to make a close-fitting pixie style hood (almost a balaclava but it doesn’t cover your face, though there is a neck covering portion to keep you a little warmer). You can use the fingering weight wool and mohair held together that are called for in the pattern, or use a single strand of DK weight yarn.

The neck portion and the edging around the face are worked in ribbing in a single color, while the body of the hat includes an allover colorwork flower pattern. The project is worked both flat and in the round and there is colorwork that is knit flat, which means you’ll have to purl in colorwork (which some people don’t like; also, you can’t see what you’re doing as well on the back of the work).

The pattern comes in one size and the colorwork is charted. Testers noted this is a quick and easy project and a great way to learn some new skills (chart reading, working stranded colorwork flat) if you’ve never tried those things before. They noted the hood is cute, comfortable and warm, and a few said it didn’t take as much yarn as the pattern suggests, so bear that in mind if you’re trying to use stash.

Speaking of the pattern notes, check out all the cute color variations in the projects on Ravelry. From pink and red to blue and white to gray and cream, there are lots of great options to think about.

You can buy this pattern on Ravelry.

[Photo: saskie&co]

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