Kids’ Knitting Workshop: Scarf Pattern + Enter to Win!
“Knitting is for everyone! It really is a craft that boys, girls, kids, teens, and adults of all ages can enjoy. Most kids naturally love making things, so knitting often resonates with them in a big way. Anyone and everyone can learn to knit—all you need are a few simple skills, knitting needles, and yarn, and away you go!” —Susan B. Anderson
Beloved knitting instructor Susan B. Anderson’s sixth book is her first one geared to a young audience. Modern in tone and vibrantly illustrated, SUSAN B. ANDERSON’S KIDS’ KNITTING WORKSHOP (Artisan Books; December 15, 2015; Spiral Bound / $17.95) is an all-in-one handbook that teaches children ages 8 to 12 how to knit. Anderson’s patient and engaging instructions and step-by-step illustrations help children move from basic knitting skills through 17 progressively challenging projects. With her friendly guidance, young knitters will have the instant gratification of making cool creations on their own, right from the start.
As a special treat to the readers of this blog, Susan has been gracious enough to give a project excerpt from her book so kids can get knitting…now!
Stripy Tube Scarf
Excerpted from Susan B. Anderson’s Kids’ Knitting Workshop by Susan B. Anderson (Artisan Books). Copyright © 2015. Photographs by Lauren Volo. Illustrations by Alison Kolesar.
When you knit a scarf in the round with thick yarn and bigger needles, it will go fast even though it is long. This is why when you’re a new knitter, the only type of scarf I would recommend knitting is a tube scarf with color changes to make stripes. You could make the stripes match the Stripy Hat (page 73) to make a set, or you could make a separate scarf with different colors. Be creative!
Size
6 inches wide, 52 inches long.
Note: The scarf can be made longer or shorter in length; just bind off whenever you are ready.
Yarn
7 skeins Bulky weight in 7 colors (about 750 yards total).
Note: This is a great project to use up leftover yarns! Just make sure they are all Bulky weight.
Needles
US size 10½ / 6.5 mm, 16-inch circular needles
Gauge
3½ stitches per inch in stockinette stitch
Other things you’ll need
Stitch marker
Ruler or tape measure
Scissors
Yarn needle
Before you begin, you’ll need to know how to:
Cast on
Join stitches to work in the round
Knit stitch
Make stripes
Bind off
Weave in ends
Start Here!
With your first color, cast on 44 stitches. Make a butterfly with the end. Place a stitch marker on the first stitch.
Join to work in the round, being careful not to twist the stitches.
Knitting the Scarf
Rounds 1 to 10: Knit every stitch.
At the end of Round 10, cut the yarn, leaving a 6-inch end. Then attach the next color by tying a half-knot around the working yarn or using the more advanced method described on pages 66–67 (“Making Stripes”). Slide the knot up to the needles and start working with the new color yarn.
Repeat the last 2 steps (Rounds 1 to 10, and the color change), alternating all 7 colors, until the scarf reaches your desired length. End after completing 10 rows in the final color.
Bind off loosely.
Cut the yarn, leaving a 6-inch end. Pull the end through the remaining stitch and gently tighten.
Finishing the Scarf
Place the end on a yarn needle. Weave in the end by pulling it through 5 or 6 stitch bumps on the wrong side of the fabric.
Unwind the butterfly. Place the end on a yarn needle and weave in as described above.
Trim the ends to a ¼ inch.
Note
Since the ends from the color changes are inside the scarf, you don’t need to weave them in.
Enter to Win a copy of Kids’ Knitting Workshop! Simply post in the comments section: your name and who you’d teach to knit using Susan’s book. Deadline is Wednesday, January 27th at midnight CT. Winner will be picked at random. Good luck!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Susan B. Anderson is also the author of Itty-Bitty Hats, Itty-Bitty Nursery, Itty-Bitty Toys, Spud & Chloë at the Farm, andTopsy-Turvy Inside-Out Knit Toys. She writes her popular knitting blog at susanbanderson.blogspot.com and teaches award-winning courses on Craftsy.com and at workshops throughout the country. Anderson has a YouTube channel with dozens of instructional knitting videos that can be found at SusanBAnderson and connects with fans on Instagram and Twitter @susanbanderson. She lives in Madison, Wisconsin, with her husband and four children.
I would teach my niece Genevieve.
Hi! I would love to win this book! I have an 8yr old daughter and an 8yr old niece, both who are trying to learn. I think this book would really help. Thank you!
I work at the LYS, and I am always looking for a great set of patterns and instructions to teach the new knitters. And Ive had a LOT of young knitters in the last year or so. It is always nice to have a great reference book for them to work through when I cant be with them. Thanks!
Just this weekend my 7 year old niece,Brooke, asked me to teach her to knit. This book would be perfect for her!
I would love to teach my daughter Lucy to knit!
I would teach my grand daughter Emma!
This book would be perfect for my 12 year old son. He currently loom knits and wants to learn to work with needles 🙂
I would teach my granddaughter Sadie!
Thanks!
I would love to win this book, to teach my3 daughters how to knit, and hopefully I will some new patterns or techniques.
I’d teach interested kids in the kids program at the public library. They’re always interested when they see me knitting.
I think it would be wonderful to use this book with my beginner knitters in my church knitting group!
Thank you for the chance … my Grandson
I would love to teach my daughter who is 7
I’ve been trying to teach my boys to knit. This would be a great book for my oldest (he’s 9).
I would love to teach my nieces how to knit! They’ve asked me to for ages, but I’ve never decided on a pattern that would be good for them to learn with that would still be interesting to them. This would be so great! Thanks 🙂
I have a crafty 8 year old boy who would love to learn to knit. He always is asking me to teach him how to crochet, but I think knitting would be easier. I think this would be the perfect way for him to learn.
I would teach my grandson.he is living with for now,he made my 7 1/2 mth old grandson a loomed hat for Christmas.
love your patterns
I’d love to teach my two daughters, ages 8 and 10, to knit!
I would love to teach my son and my 8 year old nephew. they both like to watch me knit.
I would love to win this for Josephine and Victoria, two little girls who joined our knitting group at the library.
I would teach my friend’s 3 daughters via skype. Stared to teach them when they lived on the East Coast, now that they are in CA, lessons will have to be remote with each of us open to the same page in the book (so I’ll have to win one and buy another!).
I would teach both my daughter and son to knit…
I would teach my daughters, Makaya and Wesleyann. Wesleyann has been asking me to teach her for two years.
I would teach my granddaughter Daphne.
I’d love to start teaching my almost five year old son. He seems to love fiber and textiles already!!