Knitting

Free Patterns, Tutorials and Project Ideas

Go Beyond Knit and Purl with this Great Book

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beyond knit and purl

Congratulations to Kathleen.

I took all the knitting books off my shelves last week (eek!) and am getting rid of a lot of stuff, which also means I’ve uncovered some great new (old) stuff for you all.

This week’s giveaway is Beyond Knit & Purl by Kate Atherley, which is such a great book for newer knitters or those who are a little scared to move beyond plain old knitting and purling to shaping, lace, colorwork and cables.

The book has tons of great basic advice on things like understanding patterns and choosing the right ones for you, doing all the prep work for successful knitting and how to work from a pattern, including what patterns assume you know.

Then she goes into shaping, working in the round, knitting socks, cables, lace and colorwork and has great tips and instructions as well as a couple of patterns for each section that will help you build confidence. The patterns are pretty basic but so great for skill building.

This is a really great book for building skills and gaining confidence as a knitter, and I want one of you to have it.

Leave a comment on this post by the end of the day Sunday, July 24, if you’d like a chance to win it. I’d love to know what particular skill you need help with that this book can help you with.

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

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Comments

  3. I need help with knitting mittens on four needles. So far, I’ve only knitted mittens on two needles.

  7. Haven’ knit for years and sure need help starting up again. This book would be perfect. Thank you for offering me a chance to win it.

  9. This would be a great book to use when I’m helping people new to the knitting process to learn the basics – would also provide me with some new info for next steps!

  10. I’ve been knitting for 40+ years and only in the last 5 have I been pushing myself past the basics. Would love this book to keep me doing just that!

  12. I’m brand to knitting…just learned the very basics – how to cast on and knit/purl. Am left handed but was told it’s best to learn to knit using my right hand even though it feels strange ????. I want to succeed at this new hobby and need all the help I can get! I suspect this book would be beyond helpful!

  14. I love to crochet, but want to learn knitting. Have the needles and yarn, need the instructions and ideas!

  15. I would like to learn more about lace. It looks so delicate, intricate, and beautiful.

  16. I could use some help with colorwork. The couple of projects I have tried did not turn out so well.

  17. Literally haven’t progressed past knit and purl. I’m thinking there’s a lot that patterns assume we know (that this we doesn’t know at all). I do, however, own a huge assortment of short and long knitting needles, as well as every size circular needle, because I was a Girl Scout, and any reason to buy fiber-y tools and supplies is a good one for me.

  18. I would like to learn more about the knitting world. I am 71 year old grandmother and would like to teach my grand kids ‘the wonderful skill of knitting. Thanks for finding and offering this book for an give away prize.

  19. I’ve been knitting all my life, but have never progressed beyond the basics. Help!!

  22. Great push for someone returning to knitting after 50 years! Yep, have wanted to move beyond basic scarves!

  30. My particular stress point is when I have to fix a mistake in a complex pattern such as lace or fisherman’s rib. I thought that by now (70+ years) I would be unflappable when it came to knitting. Hah.

  31. I’m trying to “improve” (OK, really learn better techniques for) colorwork. I can manage basic intarsia, but as soon as it goes beyond single blocks of color or doing something a bit fancier, I’m lost!

  34. Have just helped a client in recovery pick up knitting Again after twenty years. She would find a. Ion like this so helpful.

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.