Knit Dinosaurs on a Circular Knitting Machine

Circular knitting machines are a lot of fun, and one of the best ways I have found to use them is to make seasonal decor and toys. I guess that’s because these are the kinds of projects that I don’t want to spend a ton of time on but still want to make from time to time.

That’s not to say that knitting machine projects can’t be detailed and time consuming. And really the great ones are those that take the time to add fun details to make the finished project that much more interesting.

Like these adorable dinosaurs from Three Magic Sheep Co. The pattern includes instructions for a triceratops and a stegosaurus. Here they’re shown in coordinating candy colors, which I love, but you can of course make yours in any color you like.

The larger pieces of the body and legs are worked on either a 46 or 48 pin machine, while the smaller parts are worked on a 22-pin machine. I don’t know if a lot of people have both but the 22 pin machines are so inexpensive it’s nice to have both for projects like this. I’m not sure what she used for the triceratops horns, but in customer pictures on the listing it shows people have made them with both knitting and crochet so you can do that, too, instead of buying horns to use.

The details on these are really cute (you will want to buy safety eyes, or you can embroider eyes on if you’d rather) and customers note it takes longer to sew the pieces together than it does to crank them.

This looks like a fun pair of patterns to make for a dinosaur loving kiddo (or adult!) in your life. You can check out the pattern and all the customer comments and photos at Three Magic Sheep Co. on Etsy.

[Photo: Three Magic Sheep Co.]

Next Pattern:

Just about anything you can make in fabric you can make in knitting, but there are some styles that you just don’t see that often translated into knitting.

For example, a button down collared shirt. This is a classic design, of course, and it looks great in a knit version, but it’s just not something you see much of.

Noma Ndlovu’s Guglethu shirt is the pattern to try if you want to knit your own button down shirt. This one is inspired by cashmere tops (though the sample was made out of yak yarn, not cashmere, and uses two strands of lace weight yarn held together) and includes lots of high-fashion details like double-knit cuffs, collar and shoulder seams.

It has a patch pocket on the front and 10 buttons including the button band and the cuffs.

The designer says you can also use a DK weight yarn held singly if you’d rather, and that the shirt looks good in a variety of yarns. There is another version on Ravelry that uses Berroco Remix Light, which is a mix of nylon, cotton, acrylic, silk and cellulose fibers. It has a more relaxed look but it still really pretty.

The pattern has 12 sizes, with a full bust measurement ranging from 32.35 to 72.25 inches, or 82 to 183.5 cm. The designer suggests 2 to 6 inches, or 5 to 15 cm, of positive ease when you pick your size. I could totally see knitting one that’s even bigger to wear more like a jacket, because I do that a lot with button down shirts I already own.

I love all the details on this shirt, which isn’t necessarily difficult to knit, but might introduce you to some things you’ve never knit before (like those cuffs with the plackets, or a shirt collar like this).

To learn more about this shirt and grab a copy of the pattern for yourself, head to Ravelry.

[Photo: Noma Ndlovu]

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