Knitting

Free Patterns, Tutorials and Project Ideas

Celebrate Fall with Leaf Knitting Patterns

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I know it’s not technically fall quite yet in the Northern Hemisphere, but I like to use meteorological fall (which starts September 1) as my marker for bringing out the fall decor and maybe making some new pumpkins and leaves and other fun stuff to decorate with.

We’ll get to the pumpkins soon, but for now let’s take a look at this pile of leaf knitting patterns you can make for garlands, table decor, or whatever else you want.

Bobbi IntVeld made a nice collection of knit leaves for Blue Sky Fibers, which you can now get as a free Ravelry download. The pattern includes oak, birch and maple leaves worked in worsted weight yarn, but you can use whatever scraps you have on hand to make leaves of different sizes and colors.

Make leaves with your super fine leftovers with this pretty oak leaf pattern from Carrie Forrest Dweller Duvall, which you can also find on Ravelry.

Arianna Frasca had free patterns for both small and large kind of oval shaped leaves on her blog. Hers use super fine yarn but you can use what you have here, too, to make leaves of different sizes for a garland or other project.

Noble Knits has a free tiny garland pattern with teardrop-shaped leaves. Theirs is shown with just five leaves, but you can always make it longer or add some of these different leaf knitting patterns together to make a bigger project. It includes a video tutorial or you can enter your email to get the written pattern.

Xandy Peters also has an oak leaf knitting pattern that’s free on Ravelry. This one I have knit before and it’s a lot of fun!

I love the look of these oak leaves knit with multicolored yarn, which makes them look like they’re in the midst of changing colors. You can get this pattern from Elves World on Etsy. They also have an ebook of leaf knitting patterns if you’re looking for more patterns to try.

And while this one is not all leaves, I couldn’t resist sharing the Fall Harvest Charm Set from Susan B. Anderson, which is available for purchase on Ravelry. This tiny collection includes a leaf, pumpkin, acorn and pinecone, all worked in super fine yarn.

Have you read?

Totoro Knitting Patterns

We’re a big Studio Ghibli household, and while they are sometimes very protective of their copyrights (as evidenced by the number of patterns on Ravelry that were removed from the service when it received a takedown notice back in 2021), there are still a fair number of Totoro knitting patterns (as well as other designs I’m sure we’ll get to someday). Let’s check them out!

Yaya Labs has a cute plush Totoro that looks like it might stand up on its own. The pattern is available on LoveCrafts, and it calls for DK or light worsted weight yarn in four colors. The pattern is considered advanced but it does include a photo tutorial. It stands 10.6 inches or 27 cm tall.

A similar pattern can be found a Shino Craft, which doesn’t have the leaf hat but does include little hands, and the legs aren’t as separate from the body. This one calls for sport weight yarn and is knit flat on two needles. 

All Made Here has a Totoro pouch that is super cute and looks pretty easy to knit. It measures 14 by 18 cm and is rated for advanced beginners. You can get the pattern when you subscribe to updates or follow the designer on Instagram. 

Stitch Totoro on a sweater with the Totorogenseren sweater from Anna-Sofia Vintersol. This free download on Ravelry uses worsted/aran weight yarn in two or three colors. The pattern comes in nine sizes, with a chest measurement ranging from 77 to 149 cm. 

The Forest Spirit Fair Isle Jumper from Kraft with Kindrex features a row of Totoros on the circular yoke, along with other little colorwork designs. The design includes three sizes, with chest measurements ranging from 91 to 101 cm. It calls for 4 ply (that’s fingering/sock weight in other parts of the world). 

Or you can stitch Totoro as part of a project with more Ghibli characters, as on the Magical Anime Knit Sweater (a longtime bucket list item for me) from The Bearded Sewist. This on has a circular yoke and rows of different characters including Totoro, Ponyo, soot sprites, Calcifer and more. The pattern comes in four sizes and is rated intermediate/advanced. It calls for DK weight yarn and you can grab a copy on Ravelry. 

Or try Katharina Kuntz’s Anime Scarf, also on Ravelry. This one is a double knit scarf worked in fingering weight yarn in two colors, with allover designs from Studio Ghibli movies. She started by knitting the movies in chronological order but gave that up after she realized all her favorites would be in the middle and therefore not visible when worn. You can probably rearrange the motifs further somewhat if you want to showcase your favorites.