Knitting

Free Patterns, Tutorials and Project Ideas

Stitch a Play Mat with a Gorgeous Butterfly

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The butterfly on this piece — the Owl Butterfly Playmat by Sophie’s Stitches — caught my eye before I even knew what the project was. Now that I’ve give it a closer look I’m still not 100 percent sure what it is meant to be for, but I still love it. 

I think it’s maybe to give you a flat surface to roll dice or play cards on, but there are no images of the project in use so I’m just speculating on that. If you know what it is, be sure to let me know!

What it physically is is a worsted weight mat (the sample is worked in cotton) that measures 14 by 24 inches, or 35.5 by 61 cm. The impression I get from the pattern notes and the photos is that you knit the rectangle plain and the butterfly is stitched on after using duplicate stitch, which is provided as a chart. 

Of course you could choose to knit some of the colorwork as you go, either using stranded knitting or intarsia techniques, or maybe some of both. It just looks like a lot of duplicate stitch (and it is!) so knowing me if I were making this project I’d probably try to knit some of it instead of stitching it all. 

The pattern also suggests that you can knit a second plain mat to sew on the back and cover up all the yarn ends, as well as making the mat thicker and a little more stable. There’s also a photo that shows fabric sewn to the back, which is also a good option if you have some fabric that has a bit of grip. 

I like the graphic on this one enough I might just make it as a table pad for our entry way table. You can always make the mat part a different dimension, just make sure you’re centering the image if you do. 

You can find this pattern on Ravelry. 

[Photo: Sophie’s Stitches]

Have you read?

A Nostalgic Christmas Pudding Knitting Pattern for Your Handmade Decorations

There are some Christmas decorations I’ll always have a soft spot for, and a little knitted Christmas pudding is definitely on that list. Brown yarn, white icing and a cheerful red cherry—it’s a simple combination, but it brings back that lovely feeling of unpacking the handmade decorations each December.

This Christmas pudding knitting pattern from CraftBits is a small decorative project worked on straight needles. If you enjoy knitting Christmas ornaments but prefer to avoid working in the round, the flat construction makes this one worth a look.

A Small Project for Leftover Yarn

One of the appealing things about this project is its modest materials list. The pudding uses brown and white 8-ply yarn, with a little red yarn for the cherry and green felt for the holly leaves. You’ll also need 4 mm needles, stuffing and your usual sewing-up supplies.

It’s the sort of project that sends me straight to the leftover yarn basket. Those small balls that seem too useful to throw away finally have somewhere to go, and you can choose a rich chocolate brown or a softer, more muted shade depending on your Christmas colours.

The felt leaves are a practical finishing touch, too. They give the pudding its familiar festive appearance without adding another fiddly knitted component.

How the Knitted Pudding Comes Together

The pattern begins with 40 stitches and a brown stocking-stitch section. Colour changes introduce the white icing, followed by a white top that decreases towards the centre.

Once the knitting is finished, the piece is sewn together, stuffed and gathered at the bottom. A separately knitted cherry and the felt holly leaves complete the decoration.

I like projects where the finishing makes such a difference. A flat piece of knitting becomes a rounded little ornament, and those final details give it personality. It would look lovely tucked into a Christmas shelf display or sitting among greenery on a mantelpiece. You could also add a securely attached hanging loop for the tree.

A Pattern Detail to Check Before Starting

The design is charming, but the published instructions would benefit from a clearer technical edit. Some readers have reported difficulties with the colourwork rows, particularly the stated row endings.

I haven’t knitted a sample myself, so I wouldn’t describe this as a tested recommendation for a first colourwork project. Before starting, read through the pattern and check that each colourwork row accounts for all 40 stitches. Keep the carried yarn loose enough that the fabric can expand when stuffed.

A little more detail about the cast-on colour, finishing and finished measurements would also make the tutorial easier to follow.

A Lovely Idea for a Traditional Handmade Christmas

What appeals to me most is the pudding’s old-fashioned simplicity. It doesn’t need beads, elaborate embellishments or a perfectly coordinated decorating scheme. The knitted texture and little holly topper do the work.

For knitters comfortable checking a pattern and sewing up small projects, it’s a sweet source of festive inspiration. I’d be tempted to make a small collection in slightly different browns, keeping that lovely homemade character rather than trying to make every pudding identical.

Find the Christmas pudding knitting pattern at CraftBits and read through the instructions and reader comments before casting on.