How to Knit Bubble Stitch

Knitting trends come and go, and of course it depends on where you look what things you will find that are popular, but I feel like I have been seeing a lot of bubble stitch knitting projects lately.

Bubble stitch looks sort of like a large, flat bobble, but the technique to make it is different. Bobbles can be made in different ways, but they’re generally made by increasing stitches, working just those stitches and decreasing again before continuing the work.

Bubble stitch uses a technique known as knit 4 below. To work it, you drop four rows of stitches, then knit them together with the stitch you dropped.

It sounds a little confusing but once you see it in action it’s not too difficult. Studio Knits has both a blog post and a video about how to knit bubble stitch that should help you grasp it.

The good news is most of the pattern is just stockinette stitch, and the pattern repeat is only 12 rows long. You can switch colors on the rows where the bubbles are made, or keep the work in a single color.

If you want to try your hand a bubble stitch, here are a few projects to try.

The bubble stitch blankie pattern is a free Ravelry download designed by Cathy Dages. It uses DK weight yarn and has a garter stitch border you knit as you go.

The bubble stitch beanie from Stephanie Blanchard on Ravlery uses two colors of worsted weight yarn. The pattern comes in two sizes. A video tutorial is available.

The Bubblegum jumper from Aliza Knits on Etsy is one that caught my eye because of the fun colors. If you don’t want to stripe it you can of course work it in a solid color. This pattern uses bulky yarn and comes in nine sizes.

Wool and the Gang’s Jasper sweater is on the high end in terms of cost (the pattern is only available as part of a kit) but it features a fun allover bubble pattern with ribbed edgings.

How To Make Bobbles

Knitting pattern for make bobble cardigan

Next Pattern:

If you’re looking for a fun project to play with brioche knitting, check out the My Buddy knitting pattern/recipe from Casuarinagirl on Ravelry.

This project doesn’t include a brioche tutorial, so it’s good to know the basics, including how to increase and decrease, but you can always practice on a swatch before you start the project if you want.

The design is meant to be flexible for the yarn you have and what size and shape of project you want to make, from a skinny neck scarf to a asymmetrical triangle or a more classic triangular shape.

The shape you end up with will depend on how often you increase (and then decrease on the other side). The pattern mentions increasing every fourth, fifth or six row (and the one shown increases and decreases every sixth row) but you can do it even more or less often depending on the shape you’re looking for an how much yarn you want to use.

You can work to whatever depth you would like, or use almost half of the yarn you have set aside for the project and begin decreasing.

When it comes to yarn, she used three strands of yarn held together to make a super fluffy shawl, but you can work it with whatever yarn and needles you like to make a wrap that’s all your own.

If you are new to brioche (or to increasing and decreasing in brioche) it might be a good idea to make a little scarf or head wrap first before diving in to the bigger pattern, just so you’re more comfortable with the technique. Or just give it a go; nothing about brioche knitting is that difficult. (But you might want to use a lifeline because I find brioche hard to rip out or fix mistakes in properly.)

You can grab the free pattern for the Buddy Wrap on Ravelry.

[Photo: Casuarinagirl]

Next Pattern:

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