Celebrate I Love Yarn Day by Teaching Someone to Knit

Did you know there’s a holiday completely devoted to yarn?

It’s I Love Yarn Day, which is celebrated this year (2023) on October 14. It’s a day to celebrate all the things we love about yarn and the fiber arts, to teach someone to knit or crochet, maybe to knit or crochet in public (though there’s a day set aside for knitting in public as well!), and definitely a great excuse to visit your local yarn shop if you have one.

I Love Yarn Day was started by the Craft Yarn Council and this year they’re using the day to launch an audacious goal: for one million knitters and crocheters to teach one million people to knit or crochet.

“The guiding principle of the campaign is encapsulated in the mantra, ‘Make One, Teach One’” said Jenny Bessonette, executive director of the Craft Yarn Council. “Participants are encouraged to create one item for themselves while also taking on the challenge of teaching one new student how to make that very same item. The campaign’s ultimate objective is to spread the warm and gratifying feelings associated with working with yarn and yarn-related crafts.”

As part of the initiative, the CYC has released a collection of simple patterns you can use to teach someone to knit or crochet, or to learn yourself. For knitting that includes a garter stitch square that can be donated to Warm Up America, a bracelet made just by casting on and binding off, a striped dishcloth and a basic hat and scarf.

You can access the patterns by going to the I Love Yarn Day website and scrolling to the Make One, Teach One section.

As for me, this will probably be the year I finally teach my daughter to crochet. We actually tried it the other day but she didn’t get past working chains. (And I did help someone remember how to crochet, which led her to knitting, so that sort of counts, right?)

[Photo: Craft Yarn Council]

Next Pattern:

Not too long ago my daughter and I had a discussion about what a chestnut really looks like. The nut itself is small and brown, of course, but on the tree they’re covered with this weird kind of spiky, kind of fuzzy shell. It’s a wonder anyone ever figured out they were edible.

If you didn’t know that, you might wonder why this project is call Chestnut balaclava, but now you know.

This fun design from Yevheniia Pyroh is covered with spikes just like a chestnut shell, and is even the same color, though of course you can make yours whatever color you like. It uses two strands of fingering weight yarn held together (which it says is fingering weight but you could try a light/DK yarn and see if you get gauge with it if you’d rather).

There are two different design options in the pattern. One is a more fitted balaclava style hat (it doesn’t cover the face but does go around the neck) and a looser fit hood.

It’s worked primarily in garter stitch, with shaping done by knitting and purling in the same stitch and through various decreases (including a knit 3 together).

The pattern is charted but also explained in words. It’s worked flat to the size you want, and then joined into a hood shape with ribbing at the neck. The opening for the face is finished with I-cord.

This hood/balaclava would definitely be a conversation starter and in different colors it might read more dinosaur than chestnut, which could also be fun. The sizing is totally custom so you can make it fit whatever head you’re stitching for.

If you want to try it for yourself (and I’d love to hear about it if you do!) you can download the free pattern from Ravelry.

[Photo: Yevheniia Pyroh]

Balaclava Knitting Patterns

Colorwork Balaclava Knitting Pattern [Knitting]

Next Pattern:

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