How to knit a bobble stitch | Knitting tutorial
Learn the easiest and effective way to make bobbles. No crochet hooks, unnecessary yarn wraps, purling or other magic tricks is required. As a bonus, I will show you how to avoid gaps around bobbles.
You'll learn:
- A foolproof method for making bobbles
- How to avoid gaps around bobbles
When I learned this method of making bobbles, I was so happy that I could finally use this stitch in my projects without worrying about gaps or uneven stitches. This technique is perfect for beginners and experienced knitters, as it simplifies the process a lot and there are no gaps between the bobbles.
What you'll need:
- Yarn: Any yarn you have on hand. I recommend using a worsted weight yarn for your first try.
- Needles: The same size needles you plan to use for your project. If you're not sure, check the yarn label (it usually says what needle size is recommended for this yarn) or the pattern instructions.
- Scissors: To cut the yarn.
Let's get started!
- Follow the pattern instructions to knit the stitches before the bobble. If you are not following a pattern, knit the stitches until you reach the point where you want to make the bobble.
- Tip: If you are not following a pattern, you can make a bobble stitch every 5-10 stitches, depending on how frequent you want the bobbles to appear in your project.
- Kfbf. This means that you will knit into the front, back, and again into the front of the same stitch. This will create a bobble stitch. To do this, insert your needle into the next stitch as if you were going to knit it, but instead of knitting it normally, wrap the yarn around the needle and pull it through the stitch. Do not drop the stitch from the left hand needle. Then, insert the needle into the same stitch again and knit through the back loop. And finally, insert the needle into the same stitch again and knit through the front loop. This will create 2 new stitches, so you have in total 3 stitches on the right hand needle.
- Turn your work to the "wrong side". Turn your work so that the wrong side is facing you. This is important because we will be working on the wrong side of the fabric to create the bobble.
- Knit 3 stitches that you just made in the bobble stitch.
- Turn your work to the "right side". Turn your work so that the right side is facing you again.
- K3tog. This means that you will knit 3 stitches together.
- Continue knitting. Continue knitting the rest of the stitches in your row as per the pattern instructions.
Bonus tip: If you want to avoid gaps around the bobble, make sure you knit tightly the next stitch after the bobble stitch. In the next round, knit tightly the bobble stitch, 1 stitch before it and 1 stitch after it. This will help to close any gaps and create a neat finish around the bobble.
Good luck in your knitting journey. Don't be afraid to make mistakes - they are a natural part of the learning process. The more you practice, the better you'll get! And remember the best part about knitting - you can always unravel your work and start over if you need to. So don't be afraid to try new things and have fun with it!
