Knitting

Free Patterns, Tutorials and Project Ideas

Giveaway: Under 100 Knit Collection

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under 100 knit collection

Congratulations, Rita Z!

Everyone had such a great response to the yarn leftovers post the other day (thanks for that, really!) that we thought it would be fun to revisit a leftovers-using book that was also really popular the last time we gave it away.

The Under 100 Knit Collection from Knit Picks is a great group of 30 projects, all of which use 100 grams of yarn or less. There are accessories, cowls, projects for the hands and feet, hats and neckwear, and they are great for using up that one special ball — or bits of a few balls — that you have lying around.

The book itself is really pretty and well-done, the projects are lovely and you’re sure to find something here that you want to knit, or at the very least get your wheels turning about doing some serious stash-using, one little ball at a time.

I would swear that I still have a paper copy of this one lying around somewhere, but I can’t for the life of me find it, so the winner will get her or his choice of a paper copy or the PDF edition. (I’d say this will mean delivery will take a little longer than normal, but as anyone who’s won anything knows, it always takes a long time. I’m going to try to catch up this week, I promise.)

If you’d like a chance to win, leave a comment on this post before the end of the day Sunday, March 29, telling me about the one ball of yarn in your stash you’d most like to use. I have a ton of them but right now I’ve got my eye on a Knit Picks Palette in Rouge (think lipstick pink) that I think I’ll be needing to cast on really soon.

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

Comments

  2. I have a gorgeous cream yarn leftover from making a sweater, I’d love to get to use it and make an accessory for the sweater at the same time!

  3. I have a great combination Madelinetosh light yarn that is “burning a hole in my stash” but I do not know what to do with it. I bought it because the colors were so pretty. I usually purchase with a project in mind but this time I did not.

  5. I have a ball of soft, lavender baby alpaca, baby weight, that I have had for 10 years- my first wool purchase. And I still don’t have a project in mind.

  6. I have so many lonely balls this book would be fabulous. There is a hot pink one that has really been calling my needles.

  10. I’ve had a b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l skein of Madelinetosh in Cove that I’ve been saving for THE PERFECT pattern and I’ve been itching to cast on for…something!

    This book looks fabulous and such a great resource for deciding what to do with all those partials.

  11. Oh, this book looks amazing! I have a skein of variegated purple and green (can’t remember the brand or name) that I bought on sale that I’ve been holding on to for something special 🙂

  12. I have a skein of Knitpicks Stroll. I think it’s Pacific colorway. Can’t wait to make a anything out of it.

  13. I have some hand-dyed sock yarn that is too pretty for socks – so need some new ideas!

  14. I have a ball of sock yarn, navy/pink/pale green that was one of a line custom dyrd for a great friend/LYS owner that needs just the right pattern. I haven’t found the pattern yet, but someday….

  15. I have a number of lonely balls of sock yarn that i think would really look cute in this pattern!!

  17. I would love to use up the skein of KP Hawthorne in my stash and make something JUST for me. A rarity!

  18. There is a purple variegated one that we picked up at the knitting store that I have been dying to find something special to use it for,

  20. I just learned to spin my own yarn on a drop spindle, would love to create something with it. This book would be awesome to find some great patterns.

  21. I received some alpaca yarn in a mauvish color that is really soft, but a bulky weight yarn. It was left over from a friend’s project. I haven’t figured out what to do with a relatively small amount of a thicker weight yarn and it’s too nice to let it go to waste. Help.

  22. I have one hank of Lornas laces yarn in a beautiful teal and purple. I’ve been looking at it for two years. I love the yarn and can’t get any more because the color is discontinued . I love to use it up????

  23. I am in love with a skein of alpaca yarn that I would like to find a great pattern!

  24. I definitely have a few skeins that I purchased, then realized it was just a little bit less yarn than I needed for particular projects. It would be great to find projects that will let me use those small skeins to produce great items.

  25. I collect yarn! I have beautiful pure white baby pipsqueak which I would like to see worked.

  26. I don’t know where to start. I have several balls of beautiful blue yarn I really want to work with, but haven’t found a project for yet.

  27. I have a skein of locally ‘grown’ and spun wool in luscious shades of red, maroon, wine – so pretty, and so expensive that I have yet to do anything with it.

  28. I want to use the speckled ball of sock yarn that’s been sitting around here forever!

  29. I have a ball of what might be called pompom or bobble yarn (small pompoms separated by a short length of yarn) that I would love to use for something. I have no idea what to do with it! How do you knit/crochet with pompoms in the way? Help!

  31. I have one lonely ball of Red Heart Boutique Unforgettable in the most gorgeous green shades and can’t figure out what to do with it. It’s not the most expensive yarn in the world, but it’s so pretty and I need ideas of what to do with it. Winning this book might just help. Thank for the chance!

  32. I have a skein of merino/cashmere/nylon fingering weight yarn by Handmaiden that I bought quite a while ago. I didn’t have a project in mind but if felt so wonderful, I just had to buy it. Thanks for the opportunity to win.

  33. I have a beautiful Orange handspun. Maybe I can find something in this book to use it on!

  34. I have a really pretty deep red yarn that was a gift from my son and future dil. I’ve been looking for the perfect pattern.

  36. I have a ball of undyed grey handspun alpaca from a friend that I really want to work with but haven’t found the right small project for.

  37. I have a new grandson on his way this June that will need some warm wooly hats from his Nana.

  38. I am waiting for the PERFECT project for my magnificent skein of cherry red cashmere from Sweet Georgia. It feels like a soft fluffy cloud married a cotton ball and together they made this skein of yarn

  39. Cook book, looks like so much fun! I have a bunch of yarn balls that need used up. I’m sure this book can help me with that!

  41. I got some fancy variegated brown yarn that I thought was pretty but have no idea of what I want to make with it.

  42. whenever my hubby ventures out around our lovely state I say buy me some wool, well he actually did and bought me a lovely natural skein of local Tasmanian alpaca/wool blend it is soft and lush and earthy, just waiting for the right project…

  43. I have partial skeins of beautiful mohair leftover from another project. Too pretty and too expensive to waste!

  44. Oh! I have a lovely shade of purple of Studio Donegal – 100% merino, and I’m waiting for the perfect project!
    Thanks for this giveaway!
    Moira

  45. I have kept in my stash for the past 3 years A beautiful metallic purple “Galaxy”. Just to pretty to use.

  46. Well, I’m just learning to knit (although I’ve been crocheting for years) and I have a couple of skeins of mixed fiber yarn that I picked up at Big Lots for $1 each, and they’re so soft and pretty – I really just can’t wait to try them with my first knitting project (whatever that ends up being)

  47. Every time I travel I try to get my favorite souvenir: yarn. If I can’t find yarn I go for a book or a new hook, or needles. In Buenos Aires I got some wonderful Malabrigo rasta. It is patiently waiting while I’m wasting my time away looking for patterns and inspirations. Indiecita is the color, a combination of blue, purples and some pale green. I love it.

  49. Someone gave me a bag of balls of yarn I have no idea what the brand name of any of them but would love I ideas to use some are small balls and some or very large very pretty colors and I know some are wool others I don’t know. This book sounds like just what I need. If I win I would like the paper copy. Thanks for a chance.

  50. I have a yummy skein of super light grey baby alpaca that is so soft and fluffy, I want to knit it into a cloud I could climb and float away on.

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.