Knitting

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Giveaway: Tweed Yarn Knitting

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Tweed Yarn Knitting book review

Andie is the winner!

I know it’s too late for this year, but Tweed Yarn Knitting would be a great book for someone who loves to knit gifts.

It includes a whopping 52 patterns that all use tweed yarn but could of course be knit with whatever you like. It’s heavy on accessories, which is always good for gift giving. And it has some super-simple projects like headbands, hairties and wrist warmers, as well as more challenging sweaters and vests.

In short there’s a lot of variety here, and a lot of things you might find fun to knit for a lot of different people.

If you’d like a chance to win this book, leave a comment on this post by the end of the day Sunday, Dec. 25. I’d love to know if you have any knitting-related resolutions for 2017 or any knitting skills you’d really like to learn in the coming year.

As for me, I took a lot of time away from knitting over the summer and fall, and have been knitting a lot more in the past couple of months. It’s been great, and I want to continue to use (and probably give away) my stash and to knit more for myself as well.

Thanks for visiting, commenting and sharing, and good luck!

Looking for more Knitted Headband Patterns? Check these patterns out on Etsy. Headbands are a great gift idea as they knit up fast and are well received by friends and family. Everyone loves wearing Knit headbands right?

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Comments

  3. I plan on frogging all my WIPs and starting over. I figure if I haven’t finished or worked on them in awhile, then I’ve fallen out of love with them 🙁 This coming year I want to start and finish a big project working with fingering weight yarn!

  4. I hope to focus on brioche a bit next year. I just haven’t been able to master it in one color, let alone two. I think the timing of this giveaway is perfect – for next Christmas! I just barely finished in time this year. so that’s another thing to focus on next year.

  6. I would love to be more comfortable with double pointed needles. For some reason I am nervous when I have knit with them in the past.

  9. I intend to learn to knit in 2017. I currently crochet and belong to a group that knits and crochets and I love some of the stuff that other people are working on and would like to be a part of that.

  10. Considering my enormous stash, my knitting-related resolution for 2017 (which I will probably break) is not to buy any more yarn until I’ve depleted my stash.

  11. My 2017 resolution is to do a lot of stash busting and use up my stash. This year I taught myself the Portuguese knitting style and it has been really great. This year I want to learn brioche knitting because I have a pattern for a brioche lace scarf that I’m dying to make.

  12. In 2017 I hope to spend more time adding to my knitting skills. Id like to polish what I already know and add color work and sock knitting to my bag of tricks.

  13. My knitting resolution for 2017 is to be able to knit again!! Since my toddler was born, I have been so busy with her and my job and family that I can hardly sit for a while longer than 5 minutes. So I hope this next year I will be able to relax a bit and knit some items. I would like to make a knitted dress for my girl and something for me, maybe a jacket, or a summer top. Thanks for the giveaway, and have a nice and happy Christmas!!

  14. Right now I just want to get past Row 9 of this shawl I started! The combination of perfectionism, fine yarn, slippery needles, a kinky cord, and laziness preventing me from getting up for my glasses provokes me to start and rip out, start again and rip out again. Twenty times already, but still , I persevere.

  21. Love to work more in knitting. I like scarves and hats; but, would really would LOVE to make a sweater for my Grandaughter !!

  22. I am a new knitter and would like to branch out from just knit and purl. I intend to learn new stitches. Thanks for the giveaway.

Have you read?

10 Knitted Christmas Bauble Patterns for a Tree Full of Handmade Charm

There’s always room for one more Christmas decoration, especially when it uses yarn you already own. That’s my reasoning, anyway. Those little leftover balls that aren’t quite enough for a hat suddenly look much more promising when you start thinking about knitted baubles.

I love the idea of adding a few handmade ornaments to the tree each year. They don’t all have to match, either. A traditional colourwork ball beside a slightly cheeky Christmas pudding feels far more interesting than a tree where everything arrived in the same box.

These knitted Christmas bauble patterns include flat-knit designs, festive characters and detailed colourwork ornaments. Most are free, with a paid collection included for anyone who wants plenty of designs to work through. Some suit newer knitters; others are small projects for practising skills you already know.

Christmas Baubles Knitted Flat

The free Christmas Baubles—Knit Flat pattern from Tat’sgrans Treasures is worth a look if knitting tiny rounds doesn’t appeal. It includes three sizes and charted words such as Peace, Hope, Love and Joy, worked using intarsia. The flat construction is approachable, although the lettering adds a challenge beyond basic stocking stitch. I’d choose this for meaningful gift ornaments, particularly when one of those words suits the person receiving it.

Christmas Pudding Bauble

The free Christmas Pudding Bauble by Amanda Berry has all the appeal of a festive pudding without anyone debating whether they actually like eating it. Knitted flat in DK yarn, it combines shaping, colourwork and seaming, with a little holly topper to finish. It’s best for confident beginners with some experience rather than someone learning their first knit stitch. At approximately 6 cm tall, it would make a lovely tree decoration or an extra treat tied onto a wrapped present.

Rudolf & Friends Character Baubles

The free Rudolf & Friends Ornaments by Claire Fairall bring a playful touch to a handmade Christmas tree. These character baubles are knitted flat, and the instructions include illustrations for assembly and embroidery. Hobbii lists the pattern as suitable for beginners, making it a useful option for knitters who would rather practise finishing details than stranded colourwork. The finished ornaments measure approximately 8 × 6 cm and would also look cheerful tucked into a handmade wreath.

Cute Christmas Baubles With Little Faces

The free Cute Christmas Baubles from Marianna’s Lazy Daisy Days turn small amounts of DK yarn into cheerful character decorations. Worked flat and seamed, they use simple shaping, stuffing and added facial details to create their personality. They suit knitters comfortable with knit, purl, increases and decreases who enjoy a little assembly afterwards. I rather like Marianna’s idea of using them on the Christmas dinner table before adding hanging loops for the tree.

Rudolph’s Nose Christmas Bauble

The free Rudolph’s Nose Bauble from DROPS Design is a useful choice when you want a traditional ball-shaped ornament. Designed in DROPS Flora, it uses knitting in the round with increases and decreases to create the shape. Choose this if you’re comfortable handling a small circumference and want a project focused on construction. I’d make a few in coordinating colours to bring a little consistency to an otherwise wonderfully mismatched handmade tree.

Merry Mints Bauble

The free Merry Mints Bauble from DROPS Design offers another festive option, this time designed in DROPS Cotton Merino. The instructions include working back-and-forth rows and shaping, so it’s worth considering if you prefer that approach to tiny rounds. Read through the construction before starting and pay attention to the instructions for working yarn overs to avoid unwanted holes. This would be a nice project for a knitter who enjoys seeing a shaped decoration emerge from a small piece of knitting.

Caorann Fair Isle Christmas Bauble

The free Caorann Christmas Bauble by Sarah Berry brings delicate Fair Isle detail to a small ornament. It uses fingering-weight yarn and 2.5 mm needles, with instructions sized for an approximately 60 mm bauble insert. Worked in the round, the design includes both written and charted directions for its repeated segments. I’d save this one for knitters with some colourwork experience who want to make a particularly special keepsake.

A Dated 2026 Christmas Bauble

The free 2026 Christmas Bauble by Smaatterier combines the year with two traditional Selbu rose motifs. It’s knitted in the round using stranded colourwork across the middle, with either fibre filling or a suitably sized plastic bauble inside. The charted design is listed as intermediate and finishes at approximately 6.5 cm tall. This is a lovely choice for marking a first Christmas in a new home, a family milestone or simply another year of making things by hand.

Colourful Christmas Balls From Two Strands

The free Christmas Balls by Mary Ann Stephens are full of colourwork detail, with optional touches such as duplicate stitch and nupps. The designer also discusses I-cord hanging loops, which give the ornaments a pleasingly substantial finish. These are better suited to knitters comfortable following charts and managing several colours than complete beginners. Follow the updated download directions in the post to find the patterns on the designer’s current website.

ARNE & CARLOS Christmas Ball Collection

The paid Twenty-four Christmas Balls 2024 collection by ARNE & CARLOS includes a basic ball pattern and 24 different motif charts. The ornaments are worked in the round using stranded colourwork, with a linked tutorial to help you follow the process. Although the designer lists the collection as beginner level, I’d be comfortable knitting in the round and making increases and decreases before starting. This is the pick for someone who wants a whole collection of coordinated ornaments rather than just one small project.

Choosing Yarn for Knitted Baubles

Small decorations are tempting stash projects, but check the yarn weight before diving into that leftover basket. A thicker yarn can make a much larger bauble, while changing the yarn in a fitted cover may stop it fitting the recommended insert.

For colourwork, choose shades with enough contrast for the motif to show. Two lovely colours can look surprisingly similar once they’re knitted together, especially on something this small.

Smooth yarn also makes it easier to see your stitches. Save the fluffy, sparkly and slightly mysterious leftovers for a pattern where you’re confident they’ll work.

Getting a Nicely Rounded Finish

If your pattern uses stuffing, add it gradually and spread it evenly. You’re aiming for a rounded ornament without stretching the stitches so far apart that the filling shows through. For designs worked over an insert, check the diameter and follow the instructions for when to put it inside.

Give the finishing a little time, too. A neat seam, securely woven ends and a tidy hanging loop help a small decoration feel properly finished.

I’d start with a pair for the tree and one to give away. Of course, once you’ve laid out all those yarn colours, “just three” may become a rather flexible arrangement.