Purlbed

Hand knitting › Texture and colour

Bobbles

Round, firm knots of stitches sitting proud of the fabric, scattered or in lines. Several stitches are made in one stitch (k1, yo, k1, yo, k1 all into the same stitch), worked over a few short rows on just those stitches, then decreased back to one stitch.

What you work it with

Hand knitting · Tools: Needles for the yarn; a crochet hook helps to push the bobble to the right side.

Symbol chart

One or two repeats of the stitch pattern, drawn as seen from the right side.
12345678Knit on RS, purl on WSBobbleRead from the bottom: RS rows (odd) right to left, WS rows (even) left to right.

Steps

  1. Knit to the bobble stitch.
  2. Make 5 stitches in it: (k1, yo, k1, yo, k1).
  3. Turn and purl these 5; turn and knit them; repeat once.
  4. Decrease to 1: slip 2 together knitwise, k3tog, pass the 2 slipped stitches over (or k2tog, k3tog, pass over).
  5. Carry on along the row; work the bobble stitch firmly on the next row.

The full card

What it looks like
Round, firm knots of stitches sitting proud of the fabric, scattered or in lines.
How it behaves
Strongly raised; each bobble is several stitches worked into one and then gathered, so it uses a lot of yarn.
How it works
Several stitches are made in one stitch (k1, yo, k1, yo, k1 all into the same stitch), worked over a few short rows on just those stitches, then decreased back to one stitch.
Tools
Needles for the yarn; a crochet hook helps to push the bobble to the right side.
Parameters
A 5-stitch bobble: 5 stitches made in one, 2–4 short rows, decreased to 1. Space bobbles at least 3 stitches and 4 rows apart.
Steps
1) Knit to the bobble stitch. 2) Make 5 stitches in it: (k1, yo, k1, yo, k1). 3) Turn and purl these 5; turn and knit them; repeat once. 4) Decrease to 1: slip 2 together knitwise, k3tog, pass the 2 slipped stitches over (or k2tog, k3tog, pass over). 5) Carry on along the row; work the bobble stitch firmly on the next row.
Charting
Read from the right side: the bobble square is one stitch on the row where the bobble is made; the extra stitches never reach the next row.
Limits and common problems
A loose stitch either side of the bobble; pull the next stitch snug. Bobbles on a WS row push to the back unless you push them through.
Combines with
4-stitch cable, Seed stitch (moss stitch), Stocking stitch (stockinette)
Pieces and assembly
Aran sweaters (between cables), baby blankets, a bobble border on a hat.

Written in our own words from machine manuals, knitting references and swatching. Knit a test swatch before a whole piece.

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