Bowling Set Knitting Pattern

A thing that I love about knitting is that you can make just about anything you want out of the same basic stitches. You can make the most intricate lace shawl, complicated Aran sweater, amazing colorwork, fun toys, simple things, funny things, amazing things just with sticks and string.

I love having the opportunity to share as many of the options as I can with you all, which brings me to today’s post about a knit bowling set.

Take the Toddlers Bowling by Emily Ivey is exactly what it sounds like: a pattern for a bowling pin and ball. The pattern is worked with worsted weight yarn (black, white and red if you want to keep it traditional, but if you’re making it for kids rainbow colored pins are a great choice, too) and worked in the round. There’s a fair bit of shaping on the pins, but it’s not too difficult.

The designer used jar lids in the bases of the pins to help them stand up, and stuffing the ball with bits of old T-shirts gives it a bit of weight to help it knock down the pins. The yarn that was used was made with recycled polyester, which added eve more eco-friendliness, but that yarn has since been discontinued. Use something from your stash if you can and save yourself a trip to the store or your yarn a trip to you.

If I had known about this pattern when my daughter was younger I absolutely would have made it for her for a fun indoor playtime thing to do when it’s cold outside. I’m a little tempted to make one now anyway, even though she’s 15. We could all use some whimsical yarn projects in our life, right? I’m also thinking making them with thinner yarn might make them small enough to make a tabletop-sized bowling set. If you try it let me know if it works!

The pattern is available as a free Ravelry download.

[Photo: Emily Ivey]

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You probably know by now if you’re a regular reader (and if you’re not, welcome!) that I love a knitting pattern that’s a little silly or a little different from the usual. Classic patterns are great, too, but sometimes you just want to make something with a bit of whimsy. And when it’s super functional, too, that’s even better.

That’s the case with the Bananen-Socken pattern from Susanne Shahin. These banana socks are one of those patterns no one seems to be totally sure where it came from, and this free pattern on Ravelry explains how she makes them based on how she learned it.

It’s a sock that’s curved and when not on a foot it looks rather like a banana. There’s no heel, and you can use whatever number of stitches you need to make it fit your foot. If you’ve knit enough socks to know how many stitches you like you can just use that number, or the pattern notes include sizing charts to help. (It needs to be multiples of 2 for the ribbing.)

After working a traditional cuff, the body is made with ribbing on the back and welts (or what the pattern calls horizontal ribbing) on the front, which is what gives it the curved shape. There’s no heel, but there is toe shaping, but for the leg and the foot you just keep working the same pattern as long as you like.

I’m a little skeptical about how these socks will feel with ribbing on the bottom of the foot, but I’m definitely intrigued and will probably give them a try.

The pattern notes are available on Ravelry in English, German, French, Italian and Spanish. If you head to the pattern page you can see a photo of what it looks like on a foot, and it just looks like a normal sock.

Have you ever knit banana socks or do you want to now? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

[Photo: Susanne Shahin]

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