I knit spheres A LOT and the techniques that I learnt to make spheres completely transformed my knitting.
In this post, I will share with you how to knit a sphere using a pattern that I have written up just for you.
The Picked Up / Lifted Increase is the technique that transformed my knitting! It’s a practically invisible increase and looks beautiful, more on that later in this post.
When I first started knitting, straight needles were the only type of needles I had ever heard of and I couldn’t imagine being able to make anything other than flat pieces of knitted fabric which would only become a 3 dimensional object if I could sew all the pieces up.
But then I discovered double pointed needles when making toys from Hansi Singh’s book Amigurumi knits and I felt like I just come across something magical, as it was actually possible to easily create all sorts of shapes with knitting!
Soon after the discovery of double pointed needles I made my first sphere, it was a cricket ball that I made as a gift for my partner and from then on, knitted spheres have featured a lot in my designs, like my Knitted Solar System and Knitted Globe pattern.
The pattern below is created in a way that you can take up your needles to make a sphere, even if you have never used double pointed needles before.
I show you it all step by step in the video and by the end of it you will think spheres are easy!
The pattern is available for free in this blog post. This blog has ads so I can provide the pattern for free.
Please note: This post contains affiliate links, which means you don’t pay any extra but a small percentage goes to me if you buy through my link (thank you for supporting me!).
An ad-free PDF version of the pattern is available on Ravelry and Lovecrafts.
Buying the PDF version makes it easy to follow the pattern without ads and is ideal if you want to print the pattern. As a bonus, when you buy the pattern it supports my work and enables me to continue making patterns for you!
I highly recommend that you read the Essential Information and Additional Instruction sections before you read this pattern.
If you’ve already read them, and are returning to this page to continue knitting, then simply jump to the pattern using the link below.
This little knitted sphere is the perfect size for a small juggling ball. It uses small amounts of yarn and is very quick to make.
Intermediate
Stylecraft Special DK (8 Py); 295 m (323 yards) per 100g; 100% acrylic
4g / 12 m / 13 yards in Wine
13 sts x 18 rows = 5 x 5 cm (2 x 2 in) over St st using 3 mm (US 2.5) needles or size needed to obtain stated tension
One size: 4 cm (1.5 in) diameter
The stitch count is indicated at the end of every round or row, unless it is very obvious for example: Rnd 3: Knit. Stitch counts are shown like this: (12 sts)
Sections to be repeated are indicated within squared brackets [ ], with the number of repeats written after.
Use your left needle to pick up the left side of stitch that is two stitches below the stitch on the right needle. Slip this stitch onto your left needle. Knit it through the back of the loop. Also known as a Left Lifted Increase. (See blog post or video below).
Use your right needle to pick up the stitch that is one stitch below the stitch on the left needle, lift this stitch and slip it onto the left needle. Knit it through the front of the loop. Also known as a Right Lifted Increase. (See blog post or video below)
I explain how to do the PUL and PUL increase in my video for the Knitted Sphere, but I also created a video just for this increase as part of my Knitted Globe series.
K2tog: Knit two stitches together
Kfb: Knit front and back of the stitch
PUL: Pick Up Left / Left Lifted Increase
PUR: Pick Up Right / Right Lifted Increase
St st: Stockinette stitch
St(s): Stitch(es)
If you have any questions please contact me via my contact form.
Pattern Content & Images © 2017-2023 Ruth Haydock – All Rights Reserved.
All content in this pattern is the copyright and design right of Ruth Haydock. You are not permitted to sell the written instructions or images in any way, amended or as they are. You may only print this pattern out for personal use. You are allowed to sell completed items that you have made using this pattern but you must credit me as the designer of the pattern (Ruth Haydock) and provide a link to my website, ruthhaydock.com.
Follow the written pattern below and refer to the video for guidance.
Rnd 1: Cast on 8 stitches on to one needle, leaving a short cast on tail. If using double pointed needles split stitches over four needles and hold in the round. (If it is too tricky, split over just two for now and then split over four after round 4). (8 sts)
Rnd 2: Holding all needles in the rnd, [kfb] eight times. (16 sts)
Rnd 3: Knit.
Rnd 4: [K2, PUL, PUR, k2] four times. (24 sts)
Rnd 5: Knit.
Rnd 6: [K2, PUL, k2, PUR, k2] four times. (32 sts)
Attach a sewing needle to the cast on tail, thread through one side of all cast on stitches and pull to secure. Sew in the end and cut the yarn.
Rnd 7: Knit.
Rnd 8: [K2, PUL, k4, PUR, k2] four times. (40 sts)
Rnd 9: Knit.
Rnds 10 to 14: Rep rnd 9, five more times.
Rnd 15: [K1, k2tog, k4, k2tog, K1] four times. (32 sts)
Rnd 16: Knit.
Rnd 17: [K1, k2tog, k2, k2tog, K1] four times. (24 sts)
Rnd 18: Knit.
Rnd 19: [K1, k2tog, k2tog, K1] four times. (16 sts)
Rnd 20: Knit.
Stuff the sphere here.
Rnd 21: [K2tog] eight times. (8 sts)
Rnd 22: Cut the yarn, leaving a 7.5 cm / 3 in tail, attach a sewing needle and then draw it through all the stitches on the needles. Finally, pull the top shut like a drawstring bag. Put in some final bits of stuffing before you close the top and secure the end.
I would love to see your pictures of this design on Instagram, please tag me @ruthhaydock and use the hashtag #ruthhaydockdesigns
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