Knitting

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Get Kids Started with Finger Knitting

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finger knitting craftfoxesI’ve been writing a lot this week over on About about arm knitting, but another great way to knit without needles is finger knitting.

Finger knitting is a good way to get kids started because they don’t have to fumble with needles so it can feel a little easier and still gets them the concepts of making loops and slipping stitches around to make a knit fabric.

Craft Foxes has a good illustrated tutorial on finger knitting, which it calls a boy craft, but it’s a good gateway into regular knitting for all kinds of kids. I may try this on my daughter soon, since she says the knitting needles are too slippery.

Have you done finger knitting with kids or yourself? I’d love to hear about it!

[Photo via Craft Foxes.]

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Comments

  1. I love finger knitting! So glad to see this post! When I was about 7 I made garland by finger knitting for my grandpas Christmas tree and it has been on the tree every year since and I’m 33 now! I was proud and it felt great to see it every Christmas.

  2. Wow! I used to make these as a kid and never knew what to call it and eventually forgot all about it… thanks for the flasback! Now if only my daughter were not fourteen 🙁

  3. We love finger knitting in our house! I taught my son and daughter when they were 5 and 4. They have made many necklaces, scarves, and headbands! We moved onto knitting with needles this oast year, but they always go back to finger knitting because they can do it in the car or anywhere really with no help from me.

Have you read?

Knit a Spiky Balaclava

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]