Rice Stitch Baby Blanket Free Knitting Pattern

Rice Stitch Blanket Knitting Pattern by Liz Chandler @PurlsAndPixels.

Rice Stitch Baby Blanket

A Free Knitting Pattern from Liz @PurlsAndPixels

This rice stitch baby blanket is a great way to practice your knitting and purling skills. The rice stitch makes a fabric with two lovely textures on either side. This will make a soft and cuddly blanket that would make an excellent baby shower gift. It is also a great way for a new or expecting mother just learning to make something for her little one. Make this with a solid color yarn for a classic minimalist heirloom blanket. Or you can spice it up with a variegated version of worsted weight yarn like Simply Soft Paints.

Looking for a larger size? Get the Free Rice Stitch Afghan Knitting Pattern (the perfect cozy throw blanket) free at this link.

Prefer to knit offline?

This pattern is free to read below, but if you’d rather print it or save it for later, I’ve created a clean, ad-free PDF version for you.

Includes two blanket sizes and two ways to make each size.
Easy to print or use on your tablet
Supports my small business. 💖

Download the Rice Stitch Blanket PDF – $9.99

How this Simple Baby Blanket is Made

Below, I will give you instructions for making the same blanket in two ways. Beginners can make this blanket with the Broken Rib Stitch, since it is all knits and purls. You can also knit it in rice stitch, to help you learn how to knit through the back loop. This can be good practice; as you “ktbl” and twist stitches intentionally, you will learn to spot twisted stitches more easily. This will help you spot mistakes in your other projects.

Broken Rib Stitch Front Side — Broken Rib Stitch Front

Rice Stitch Front Side — Broken Rib Stitch Front

As you can see, the Rice Stitch has slightly more twist in the fabric. It also tends to curl a tiny bit less than the Broken Rib Stitch, but not noticeably. Either pattern you follow will result in the nearly the exact same blanket, so choose what is best for you.

Neaten knitted edges with slipped stitches

To neaten the edges of the blanket, you’ll slip the first stitch off your needle as if to purl, without actually working the stitch. On the knit rows, you’ll hold your yarn in back of your work when you do this. I’ll abbreviate this as “sl1pwyib.” On the purl rows, you will hold the yarn in the front of your work when you slip the first stitch; this will be abbreviated “sl1pwyif.” You can find a full tutorial (with a video), which shows you how to neaten your edges with slipped stitches at this link.

The most difficult part of making this baby blanket is keeping tack of the pattern. It can be easy to accidentally knit two stitches and lose your pattern in the knit, purl rows. Make sure you watch your stitch rows and columns and compare them with the pictures to make sure your pattern is developing properly. If you spot a knitting mistake, you can go back and fix it if you need to.

Free knitting lessons, learn to knit online with Liz @PurlsAndPixels

Free Baby Blanket Knitting Pattern

Materials

No. 8/5.0 MM 36” circular needles (or size needed to obtain gauge)
Four skiens Caron Simply Soft Worsted Weight Yarn in your preferred color (pictured in “Pistachio,” “Heather Grey,” and “Pagoda” on this page)
Tapestry needle

Abbreviations

k = knit
p = purl
sl1pwyif = slip one stitch purlwise with yarn in front
sl1pwyib = slip one stitch purlwise with yarn in back
ktbl = knit through the back loop
** = repeat the pattern between the asterisks

Gauge

18 stitches and 24 rows in stockinette stitch = 4 inches by 4 inches square

Instructions: Rice Stitch Baby Blanket

(40 inches x 40 inches)

Use the Long-Tail Cast On method. Knit flat, turning after each row.

Row 1: Cast on 163 stitches. Turn.

Row 2: sl1pwyif, *k1tbl, p* x 81 (163stitches). Turn.

Row 3: sl1pwyib, k 162 (163 stitches). Turn.

Rows 4 – 240: Repeat Rows 2 and 3.

Row 241: sl1pwyif, *k1tbl, p* x 81. (163 stitches) Turn.

Row 242: Bind off in pattern of Row 3 with the same tension as the rest of the piece (do not bind of loosely like most other patterns call for). Cut yarn leaving an 8-inch tail and pull through. Weave in ends. Block if desired.

Instructions: Broken Rib Stitch Baby Blanket

(40 inches x 40 inches)

Use the Long-Tail Cast On method. Knit flat, turning after each row.

Row 1: Cast on 163 stitches. Turn.

Row 2: sl1pwyif, *k, p* x 81 (163 stitches). Turn.

Row 3: sl1pwyib, k 162 (163 stitches). Turn.

Row 241: sl1pwyif, *k, p* x 81 (163 stitches). Turn.

Get the PDF version of this Blanket Knitting Pattern.

Size Notes

This blanket will be a 40-inch by 40-inch square.

Care

If you use the materials called for in the pattern, your final product will be machine washable. To keep your baby blanket looking its best, hand wash or machine wash separately on delicate cycle in cold water. You may tumble dry on low heat or lay flat to dry.

Tip:

Keep this away from Velcro! Yarn and Velcro are never friends. Your blanket will absolutely snag if you lay it on a Velcro jacket or a toy with a Velcro seam. Other than that, these little blankets last for years if you make sure to wash them gently.

🛁 Read more Knitwear Care Tips

Free baby blanket knitting pattern, Rice stitch blanket from PurlsAndPixels

This pattern is for personal use, gifting, and charitable donation of completed items. You may also sell handmade items created using this pattern. Do not copy this pattern and distribute it. If you’d like to share the pattern, refer your friends to my website, purlsandpixels.com so they may obtain a copy.

If you find any errors or have any questions, email purlsandpixels@gmail.com and I will do my best to help.

I’d love to see your finished work! Tag your photos with @PurlsAndPixels on Twitter or Instagram.

Knitting Pattern Keepsake Book

Love this free blanket knitting pattern? You can find it in both of my books, Liz Chandler’s Knitting Guide (lessons and patterns) and Liz Chandler’s Knitting the Simple Things (patterns only). Add one to your knitting pattern book collection today. Shop Books at PurlsAndPixels.

Learn to Knit

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Home & Garden DIY

January 21, 2017April 25, 2025

Yarn Math Calculator

$Yarn Math: How to calculate leftover yarn length / yardage - lesson and free calculator from Liz Chander @PurlsAndPixels.$

Calculate How Much Yarn is Leftover

Trying to find out how much yarn you need for a project can sometimes feel like a guessing game. Do you have enough? There is one way to be sure. Do a little yarn math.

When you are finished with a project, you will often have leftover yarn; knitters call this “scrap yarn.” This leftover yarn can be perfect for smaller knitting patterns. Before you get started with a scrap knitting project, though, you will need to make sure you have enough yarn to finish it. With a bit of math, you will be able to calculate exactly what you have left. Learn how to do the quick yarn math or jump to the yarn length calculator at the bottom of this page.

Yarn Math: How to calculate leftover yarn length / yardage - lesson and free calculator from Liz Chander @PurlsAndPixels.

Many knitting patterns are perfect for scrap yarn and pattern-writers will usually tell you exactly how much yarn you need. When an author provides you with the weight of yarn needed, calculating whether you will have enough is simple; just weigh your yarn and see if you have at least as much as the writer suggests.

Sometimes, however, a pattern-writer only lists a length of yarn needed. While this makes your calculations a bit trickier, you can do a little math to be sure you have enough yarn.

Tools Needed to Calculate Yarn Math

To find out how much yarn you have left, you will need two important items.

First, you will need the label from your yarn. Nearly every new ball of yarn you purchase will have a label noting yardage and weight. If you save the label, you will be able to calculate how much yarn you have left after a project.

You will also need a scale that weighs in ounces, so that you can measure the current weight of your yarn.

Basic Yarn Math Formula

To find out the yardage you have left after using some yarn, we will use simple ratios. A ratio compares two things; here we want to compare the length of our yarn to the weight of our yarn. Mathematically, you would write out our basic ratio like this:

But we are trying to find out the length of yarn we have now, based on information about the yarn we had when we had a full skein of yarn. So, we really want to compare two different ratios. If you can make the ratios equal to one another, you’ll have all the numbers you are looking for. Making two ratios equal in this way is called solving a proportion. Our basic math will start with this proportion:

If you’ve just finished a knitting project and you have your yarn label, you will have information to fill in three blanks in the proportion above. You will know the length of yarn in a full skein, the weight of yarn in a full skein, and the weight of the left-over yarn.

To calculate the length of your leftover yarn, you will “cross multiply, then divide.” This means, multiply the Length of Yarn in a Full Skein by the Weight of the Leftover Yarn (the two numbers you have across from each other), then divide that number by the Weight of a Full Skein of Yarn. The result will be the Length of Leftover Yarn.

Or just a bit more mathematically, use the following formula to solve:

An Example, Using the Yarn Math Formula

If you started with a ball of Caron Simply Soft Yarn, one of the suggested yarns in this book, the label would show that you started with 315 total yards or 6 total ounces of yarn. After you’ve made a project or used some of your yarn, you weighed the leftovers to find that you have exactly 1.2 ounces of yarn left. How many yards is equal to 1.2 ounces of this yarn?

Start by filling in your formula with the numbers you know:

Then solve the math problem. Cross multiply (multiply the numbers shown in purple) then divide (by the number shown in teal). If it makes it easier, fill in the formula and solve:

Now, you’re ready to calculate how much yarn you have leftover. You can do the math yourself, or use the calculator below for quick answers.

Yarn Math Calculator:

Find Out How Much Yarn You Have After a Project

January 1, 2017December 26, 2024

Shipping Cookie Gifts

Homemade cookies baked fresh from the oven are my favorite holiday gift to give. When loved ones are far away, you can ship cookies to their homes. Find Liz Chandler's tips @PurlsAndPixels

How to ship cookies for gifts and care packages

This year the holiday budget was a little tight, so I decided to make everyone cookie baskets for Christmas.

Christmas cookie gifts. How to wrap cookies for gifts, tutorial from PurlsAndPixels.

For our nearby friends and family I picked up some round, decorative plastic boxes. I used cupcake papers and aluminum foil to separate the different types of cookies and arrange them nicely.

Packing up bundles of pretty cookies to give as a gift is not too difficult to do when your friends and family are local, but much of my family lives over 2000 miles away. It took a bit of creative packaging, but I was successful at shipping cookie gifts cross-country. Let me show you how I did it so you can ship your on cookie gifts for holidays and care packages.

Choosing the right cookies

Choose your favorite cookies for this project, because almost* any cookie will do. Give a big batch of your favorite kind of cookie, or make an assortment and let them try a variety of your homemade baked goods. I especially like to share Soft Gingerbread Cookies shaped like Hippos for Christmas (recipe here).

*If you plan to ship your cookies in the mail, choose cookies that are on the denser and thicker side. Treats that are especially thin or fragile can be tasty, but probably wont make it thru the mail. The cookies pictured held up well in shipping.

For my gift baskets this year, I made gingerbread cookies, snowball cookies, chocolate chip cookies, fudge, and peanut brittle. I’ve pinned all of the recipes for my favorite treats here, so check out and follow my cookie, candy, and crafty eats boards for ideas on home-cooked gifts.

Packaging materials

How to wrap cookies for gifts and care packages, tutorial from Liz @PurlsAndPixels

If you are mailing your cookies, you are going to need a few supplies. You’ll need:

Carefully wrap between 6 and 12 of each type of cookie in cellophane. Next, wrap that bundle of cookies again, this time loosely with in aluminum foil. Gently mold the foil around the cookies to make a block and keep the cookies from sliding around inside the bundle. Place this double-wrapped cookie bundle in a Ziploc bag. Repeat this process with the rest of the cookies that you want to ship. Place them in the shipping box, filling any empty spaces in the box with cellophane or other packing filler to make sure the cookie bundles don’t slide around in the box. I added a gift wrapped pair of handmade mittens to the box, as well. Tape up the box and you’re ready to get a shipping label and mail your cookies.

I used USPS three day priority shipping to save a few dollars, but it would probably be even better to use one day shipping.

After packing up all the cookies and treats in the box, I taped it shut and wrote FRAGILE in large capital letters with a big red marker on two sides of the box.

I shipped one package in a USPS flat rate box, and another in a standard brown shipping box. Both were successful, so use what you have available.

How they arrived

After shipping these cookies over 2000 miles from Virginia to Colorado, I expected to loose a few cookies to breakage along the way. Trucks and airplanes are bouncy, so I thought at least a few would be lost. Lucky for me, all of the cookies this year arrived in good shape. I know using the aluminum foil as a protective cushion for shipping the cookies really helped. But, I think a major part of the success of this gift project was because I was lucky with my postal carrier for USPS. The boxes had been treated very carefully. I hope your postal worker is as kind and careful as ours.

Cookies before being given as gifts by PurlsAndPixels

Did you try it? Let me know how your luck was with shipping cookie gifts. What kind of cookies did you send in your gift or care package? Did they get there in good shape? Let me know in the comments below.

More Holiday Craft Ideas

Love DIY Christmas and holiday projects? Find more handmade holiday craft ideas at my Holiday Pattern Roundup Post.

And, find my 10 Thoughtful DIY Gift Ideas here.

You can also follow my blog with Bloglovin.

December 23, 2016December 3, 2024

Printable “From Santa” Gift Tags for Christmas, a Free DIY project

Printable “From Santa” Gift Tags for Christmas

A Free DIY project from Liz @PurlsAndPixels

Free printable "from Santa" gift tags from PurlsAndPixels

It turns out that Santa doesn’t always remember to put tags on the presents he brings. I needed some gift tags for my presents this year, so I made up this sheet of printable “from Santa” gift tags for Christmas. If you need some gift tags for your little one’s presents, you are welcome to use mine. Below is a link to my Word document file of printable “from Santa” gift tags. Download it, add your child’s name, print, and cut out for a quick and free DIY project.

Download little “from Santa” gift tags, free from Liz Chandler @PurlsAndPixels

Download little "from Santa" gift tags, free from Liz @PurlsAndPixels

How to add your child’s name

With the little “from Santa” gift tags file open in Microsoft Word, open the find and replace tool.

Type “Name” in the “Find what” field. Type your child’s name in the “Replace with” field.

Click “Replace all.”

How to use the replace tool in Microsoft Word to change names on gift tags

Print your From Santa Gift Tags

Free customizable printable gift tags from Liz @PurlsAndPixels

Print on the best quality setting your printer allows. Try printing on different kinds of paper to mix up the look. If you use basic white printer paper, try cutting out a slightly larger square of colored paper or gift wrap and place it behind the label. These labels look so festive and bright.

Or, print on a natural brown colored craft paper made for printers, like I did, to get a more rustic on to your Santa Gift tags.

Cut Out your Christmas Gift Labels

These labels are smaller and will print so that you can cut them into 1.25 inch squares. Try using a paper cutter or a square paper punch to help make sure the labels come out perfectly square. Attach the labels to your gifts with a small bit of tape, and you are all done!

More Holiday Craft Ideas

Love DIY Christmas and holiday projects? Find more handmade holiday craft ideas at my Holiday Pattern Roundup Post.

Free printable "from Santa" gift tags for Christmas from Liz @PurlsAndPixels

If you like these printable “From Santa” Gift Tags for Christmas, I’d love hear about it. Comment below or share your photos with Liz @PurlsAndPixels on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook.

October 15, 2016September 2, 2024

Knitwear Size Guide

Unsure of which hat or mitten size to choose? Here are my standard sizing measurements. I generally follow the Crafty Yarn Council’s size guidelines when designing my knit and crochet clothing. My knitwear size guide should help you take your measurements and choose the size that will fit best.

Hats

Adult Extra Large size fits adults with larger heads, or measuring 23 to 25 inches around.

Adult size fits most adults and teens, or heads measuring 21 to 24 inches around.

Child size fits children ages 2 – 14 years, or heads measuring 19 to 21 inches around.

Toddler size fits children ages 3 months – 2 years, or heads measuring 16 to 19 inches around.

Baby size fits infants from birth to 3 months, or heads measuring 13 to 16 inches around.

Preemie size fits extra small babies, or heads measuring 10.5 to 13 inches around.

How to Measure for Hat Size

If you are unsure of the size you need, choose the size that most closely matches your measurements. You can easily find your head measurement if you have a soft measuring tape. Wrap the measuring tape around your head just above your eyebrows, as if you were wearing a headband low across your forehead. This will give you your head circumference (the length around your head). Use the length you measure as a guide to select your hat size.

Gloves and Mittens

Adult Extra Large size fits men with larger hands or 9 to 11 inches around hand, without thumb.

Adult Medium/Large size fits men and women with larger hands or 7.5 to 9 inches around hand, without thumb.

Adult Small size fits women with small hands and older children or 6 to 7.5 inches around hand, without thumb.

Child size fits most boys and girls age 4-10 years of age or 5.5 to 6 inches around hand, without thumb.

Toddler size fits most boys and girls age 2 to 4 years of age or 4.5 to 5 inches around hand, without thumb.

Baby size fits most boys and girls age 0 to 2 years of age or 3 to 3.5 inches around hand, without thumb.

How to Measure for Glove Size

As with hats, choose the gloves or mittens that match your measurements most closely. To measure your glove size, wrap your measuring tape around the palm of your hand and measure it at the widest part of your hand that does not include your thumb. You will be measuring across your knuckles. Use this number to select your best fitting pair of gloves or mittens.

Shop Hats & Mittens handmade by PurlsAndPixels, or get my patterns to knit them yourself.

September 1, 2016September 5, 2023

World of Warcraft Horde Symbol Hat, Free Knitting Chart

WoW Horde Symbol Knit Hat. Free knitting chart from PurlsAndPixels.

World of Warcraft Horde Symbol Knit Hat

A Free Knitting Chart from Liz @PurlsAndPixels

Yesterday I was taken a bit off task from my mitten design to make a World of Warcraft Horde Symbol knit hat. It is no secret that my husband, Hermit_theCrab, loves video games, so of course he was playing the new release of Legion. He dared me to see if I could make a hat with the Horde symbol, so I gave it a go. I got a little red and a little black yarn and set to work. Before I knew it I was all done knitting this hat. Here’s how my World of Warcraft Horde symbol knitting turned out:

How I made a World of Warcraft Horde Symbol Knit Hat

First, I charted out the Horde symbol so that I could make the shape with individual knitting stitches. I included two diamonds with the Horde symbol to make the knitting more practical (it is hard to carry the red yarn over a large field of black). I also added a fair isle border to make the hat a little more interesting. Then, I used the adult XL size of my favorite basic knit hat pattern, and did a bit of math. Five of the individual horde symbols fit onto the adult XL size hat. I simply replaced the solid color rows in the hat pattern with the Horde symbol knitting chart.

Free knitting chart, World of Warcraft Horde Symbol

I thought it would be nice to share my knitting chart for the World of Warcraft Horde symbol, so you can knit your own Horde fan art. Even though I put it on a hat, you could use this chart for lots of knitted items, and even as an embroidery chart. Try adding the design to hats, socks, sweaters, or mittens. You can make all sorts of gifts and gear for all the the World of Warcraft players among your friends and family. Happy crafting!

I’d love to see your finished work! Tag your photos with @PurlsAndPixels on Twitter or Instagram.

July 18, 2016September 6, 2024

Mickey’s Birthday Cake, Inspired by Disney Jr. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse

Mickey Mouse Birthday Cake as seen on Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, how to DIY guide by Liz @PurlsAndPixels

Mickey’s Birthday Cake

A Do-It-Yourself Guide from Liz @PurlsAndPixels

When my little one turned 2, he was completely obsessed with Disney Junior’s Mickey Mouse Club House. So, of course, I decided to throw him a Mickey themed birthday party. The most important part of the party was his mickey cake. Mickey Mouse has a birthday in one of the episodes, and his cake is a yellow and red Mickey head. I tried to mimic this cake, and here is how I did it.

How to Make Mickey’s Birthday Cake

Pans

First things first, you will need three round cake pans to make Mickey’s Birthday Cake. One should be 8 inches and two should be 4 inches. I used two sets of these pans for my cake:

Wilton Perfect Performance Round Cake Pan Set

This will be a two layer cake. The 8 inch pan will make Mickey’s face, and the 4 inch pans will be his ears.

Recipe

I used my all time favorite chocolate cake recipe for this cake. It comes from Hershey Kitchens and you can get the full recipe and see other people’s reviews of it here. I love this chocolate cake because it is extremely moist and fluffy. It has the consistency of a box mix cake, but the flavor of homemade. Love it!

If you already have a favorite cake recipe, use it. This Mickey cake is all about the cake’s shape, so as long as your recipe can be baked into round layer cake pans, you can use any flavor or recipe you desire.

You’ll need to make a double batch of cake. So, either double your cake recipe, or make the cake twice. I made the cake twice, since my mixer just won’t hold two batches worth of ingredients. And, since my oven isn’t enormous, I was worried all the cakes wouldn’t fit at the same time.

How to Make the Mickey Cake Shape

Make sure your grease your cake pans well before you start. I used Pam Olive Oil cooking spray.

For the first set of cakes, divide your batter between one 8-inch cake pan and two 4-inch cake pans. Put a little more than half of the cake batter into the 8-inch pan, and divide the rest between the two 4-inch pans. Don’t overfill the pans or you’ll have spillage during baking.

Bake as directed in the cake recipe you are following.

While these three cakes are cooling on wire racks, repeat this process. So, make another batch of cake and divide it among an 8-inch pan and two 4 inch pans. Bake and cool these cakes as well.

Once your cakes are cool, you can stack them and decorate.

Decorating Mickey’s Birthday Cake

Stack the cakes

First, frost one of the 8-inch cakes with a filling or frosting of your choice. I used chocolate frosting, but this is where you can get creative with flavor.

Carefully stack the second 8-inch cake on top of the first.

Place two of the 4 inch cakes so they make Mickey’s ears. Frost them with your filling frosting, then stack the other 4 inch cakes on top. You should now have a two layer cake that looks like mickey.

Frost your cake

You’ll need two batches of vanilla frosting – or two cans if you use store bought like I did. Dye one can of the frosting with a generous amount of yellow food coloring. I used Lemon Yellow from the Wilton icing color set.

Dye the other can of frosting red, and put it into a piping bag with an “open star” style tip.

Frost the cake yellow, as smoothly as you can. Then pipe red along the top outside of the Mickey shape, then around the bottom of the cake.

All done! Hip Hip Hooray!

Did you try making a Mickey’s birthday cake for your little one? Let me know how it turned out. Comment below or share pictures with #PurlsAndPixels on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter.

Discover more fun ideas on the DIY page.

April 16, 2016November 14, 2024

DIY Learn to Knit Gift Set for Beginner Knitters

Give the gift of handmade by creating this do-it-yourself (DIY) Learn to Knit Gift Set. Get the list of everything you'd need to start your knitting lessons without buying any supplies.

Do-It-Yourself Knitting Gift Set from Liz @ PurlsAndPixels

Do you have a friend who always says, “I wish I knew how to knit”? Well, it’s time to make their yarn dreams come true with a DIY Learn to Knit Gift Set! This thoughtful and budget-friendly gift idea is perfect for birthdays, holidays, or just as a “thinking of you” surprise. Expectant and new moms love this too; it’s a cozy and creative baby shower gift that won’t end up in the ‘never used’ pile. Trust me; this kit has everything they need to knit their stress away.

Learn to knit gift set, DIY gift idea from Liz @PurlsAndPixels

Let’s dive in! Here’s your shopping list (with handy Amazon links) and a sprinkle of crafty advice.

Or, skip the advice and Jump to the Shopping List.

What to Include in this Gift Set

What materials do I need to learn to knit or make a gift basket for a future knitter? Find out at PurlsAndPixels.

🧶 Yarn

Let’s start simple! My top choice for beginner projects is Lily Sugar ‘n Cream 100% Cotton Yarn. It’s sturdy, easy to work with, and perfect for learning basic stitches while making something useful like a washcloth. Plus, it’s 100% cotton, making it an eco-friendly option for those who prefer natural fibers. Grab one or two balls of washcloth yarn in their favorite colors so they can start off on the right foot.

Once your new knitter masters the basics, they will quickly want to level up to something more suitable for scarves and hats. Be sure to include two balls of a scarf yarn as well. My go-to is Caron Simply Soft Yarn. This yarn is fluffy, squishy, and machine washable: everything a newbie needs for creating their first cozy scarf. Feeling eco-conscious? Opt for Patons Classic Wool Worsted instead (it’s biodegradable, while acrylic yarn isn’t).

No matter what brand you choose, just make sure it’s labeled “worsted weight.” This yarn thickness is beginner-friendly and will allow them to make a variety of projects. Pick one or two colors you know your recipient will love—there’s no need to overcomplicate things!

🪡 Knitting Needles

If your giftee gets confused by all the needle options (spoiler: they will), save the day with these two staples:

1) Clover Bamboo Circular Knitting Needles (36 inches long, US Size 7) and

2) Clover Bamboo Circular Knitting Needles (16 inches long, US Size 8).

Circular needles don’t look like your grandma’s chopsticks: they’re even better. These versatile tools can knit almost anything, and they’re easy on the hands. Your new knitter will need both sizes to get off to a great start. Save the day, by giving them the perfect tools.

✂️ Sharp Scissors or Yarn Cutting Pendant

Yes, everyone has scissors. But sharp sewing scissors are a game-changer. They’re perfect for snipping yarn without fraying or splitting the fibers.

If this kit is for a little one or if you want a safer option, consider adding a yarn cutting pendant instead. It’s stylish, safer, and just plain cool. Check out this pendant that cuts yarn cleanly without the risk of sharp blades—ideal for on-the-go knitting projects!

🪡 Tapestry Needles

These big-eyed needles are what your new knitter will need to weave in yarn ends, essentially tidying up their masterpiece. A pack of six tapestry needles will do the trick. Bonus tip: If you’re making multiple gift sets, split the package up. Sharing is caring (and cost-effective).

📚 Add Liz Chandler’s Knitting Guide & Journal

Make your gift extra special by including a copy of Liz Chandler’s Knitting Guide: Learn to Knit with Practical Patterns. It’s the perfect companion for any knitting newbie and covers all the basics without overwhelming them.

Pair it with a Knitting Journal, where they can jot down notes, track projects, and doodle their creative ideas. Together, these knitting books make a killer combo for anyone just starting out.

Get Liz Chandler's Knitting Guide: Learn to Knit with Practical Patterns.

Shop the best knitting journals online designed by Liz Chandler @PurlsAndPixels.

🖊️ Gift Card with Link to Free Video Tutorials

Include a cute gift card with a link to my Free Learn to Knit Tutorials. You can print the card on pretty paper (bonus points for brown cardstock – it’s got that rustic chic vibe) and write a personal message. With this guide, they’ll be casting on and purling in no time. It’s like giving them a one-way ticket to the wonderful world of knitting.

Knitting Gift Set DIY guide & printable gift card from Liz @PurlsAndPixels

🎁 Gift Wrap: Storage Box Edition

Time to wrap it up! Skip the flimsy gift bags and go for a decorative photo storage box or a sturdy tote. Not only do these make for pretty packaging, but they’re also practical for storing yarn, needles, and other knitting treasures. I’ve linked a few of my favorites on Amazon, but you can also find cute options at your local craft store.