Sweet, Simple Garter Stitch Gnomes

These little knit gnomes from Knitting and So On are so cute and pretty easy to put together, too.

Consider it a knit alternative to an elf on the shelf.

They’re worked in a wedge shape through the use of short rows and rolled into a cone. A provisional cast on starts the project, which is finished with a three-needle bind off.

Knit one of them to watch over your household during the holiday season, or a collection to decorate a shelf, put on a wreath or use in any other way you like.

[Photo: Knitting and So On.]

Looking for more Christmas themed Knitting patterns? Check out some of our favorite Knitting patterns on Etsy and

These Christmas Knitting Pattern Books on Amazon

Want to learn garter stitch? Check out this tutorial on Garter stitch Knitting. We also have these articles to help you find garter stitch patterns.

Start the Year with Easy Garter Stitch Knitting Patterns

Garter Stitch Knitting Patterns for New Knitters

A Simple Chunky Garter Stitch Sweater

Learn How to Knit Stripes in Garter Stitch with the Brightside Cowl

I guess I must have had this pattern on my mind, because I had chosen this log cabin blanket recipe to write about, promptly forgot about it and a couple of weeks later started knitting a log cabin blanket using all my pink yarn.

It might stay pink if it makes it to baby blanket sized, or I might add in some pastel green and blue, too, to make a bigger blanket. We’ll see. I’m also holding several strands of yarn together to make a kind of bulky yarn, which means it’s deeply satisfying how much yarn is used even as the project is still relatively small.

In Kristen Finlay’s version, DK weight yarn scraps (or fingering/sock yarn held double) are used to make a simple scrappy log cabin blanket that’s lighter weight than my version. Log cabin is a great technique for knitters of any skill level because it’s worked in garter stitch. The only not completely basic technique you need for log cabin knitting is picking up stitches.

If you’ve never worked a log cabin knitting project before, this is a good introduction, and it is really nice to use all your yarn scraps in one big project you’ll use for years to come.

If you use a lot of DK weight yarn you can keep building on it whenever you finish a project, or if you use more worsted weight you can do the same thing with it, it will just be a little bigger starting out than the pattern calls for. How big it gets is totally up to you.

I have really been enjoying working on my log cabin project, and it’s my current sitting at my desk and need a break knit (do you have one of those or is it just me?).

Ready to start your own log cabin blanket knitting project? You can grab the free pattern from Kristen Finlay on Ravelry.

Need more log cabin inspiration? Check out more log cabin knitting patterns.

[Photo: Kristen Finlay]

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