Knitting

Free Patterns, Tutorials and Project Ideas

Great Books for Stash-Busting

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stash bustingI have offered you a lot of great ideas this month on how to use bits of stash, big and small. But if you need even more ideas, you might want to check out a book or two on stash busting or one skein projects to get you even more inspired.

It happens that Knit Picks was thinking small, too, because it just released the Under 100 Knit Collection (there’s a crochet version, too, but we get a lot more patterns), full of 30 patterns for knit accessories like hats, socks, scarves, boot cuffs, bags and shawls, all of which use 100 grams or fewer of yarn and many of which have stash busting in mind because they’re worked with stripes of colorwork patterns.

Stashbuster Knits by Melissa Leapman is another great one. I’ve even kind of forgiven her for beating me to it (I’ve had notes for a similar book in my pile of stuff that never gets done since before her book was published). It includes 21 patterns organized by yarn weight so you can find ideas based on what you have a lot of in your stash.

One skein pattern books are also great to look at if you have a lot of single skeins or want to combine some of your little balls in a project. I particularly like One-Skein Wonders edited by Judith Durant (as well as Luxury Yarn One-Skein Wonders for those super-special balls) and One Skein by Leigh Radford. All are nice collections with a lot of variety that are sure to inspire you to work through some yarn.

Do you have a favorite one-skein or stash-busting book? I’d love to hear about it!

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Pencil Knitting Patterns

Getting ready for back to school makes me think about pencil crafts, so let’s take a look at some pencil themed knitting patterns! 

I recently made a pencil on a circular knitting machine, and it was a fun, quick, easy project that uses little bits of leftover yarn (and if you don’t have yellow you can make it a colored pencil using whatever color’s your favorite). And if you want to make a bigger version check out this pattern from Orange Olive Road on Etsy.

If you want to knit a pencil pillow by hand, check out Sketchy, available on Ravelry from Shana S. Cohen. This one uses worsted weight yarn and has two size options and the choice to make a pencil with an eraser or a colored pencil. 

Pencil scarves seem to be the most popular kind of pencil knitting pattern, and there are lot of cute ones. This one from Cosy Craft UK mostly uses garter stitch, with some welts to add texture and what looks like an I-cord edging. It calls for DK weight yarn. 

If you want to go all garter stitch try this version from Emsley Co Creations, which uses five colors of DK weight yarn and just a little shaping to make the point of the pencil.

There’s also this fun, mostly stockinette so it looks like it curls a bit, pencil pattern that looks like it’s worked in chunky yarn from Little Knits Studio. This one uses just a little garter stitch and easy shaping for the point. 

If you don’t want a pencil scarf, how about some pencil socks? The No. 2 Pencil Socks from The Yarn Enabler are available from Ravelry and use five colors of sock yarn. They feature wide ribs to mimic the texture of a pencil and have options to be worked from the top down or the toe up. 

Needs Sharpening by Alexander Walker is a free pattern on Ravelry that uses five colors of sock yarn to make a sort of shortie sock. The little bit of black at the tips of the toes inspired the name. These, too, can be worked in either direction and are available in three sizes.