Find the full pattern to make knitted spheres, using short row shaping, at the end of the pictorial tutorial. Feel free to print it out and knit a gazillion little spheres for your own use or to give as gifts. Please do not use the pattern or spheres made from it for commercial purposes.
Don't feel overwhelmed. I got kinda carried away with the number of photos. It's not indicative of the difficulty of short row shaping or knitting these spheres. I think it's pretty easy, especially since you don't need to mess around with double pointed needles like most patterns for knitting spheres. (ugh, I am so darn clumsy with double pointed needles)
Don't feel overwhelmed. I got kinda carried away with the number of photos. It's not indicative of the difficulty of short row shaping or knitting these spheres. I think it's pretty easy, especially since you don't need to mess around with double pointed needles like most patterns for knitting spheres. (ugh, I am so darn clumsy with double pointed needles)
Cast on 11 stitches. Row 1: Knit. Row 2: Slip first stitch purl-wise with yarn in front.
To slip stitch, hold working yarn in front of needles. Insert right needle under the first stitch on the left needle as if to make a purl stitch.
Slip the first stitch off of the left needle onto the right needle without working the stitch. Pull the working yarn snug.
Move working yarn to back of needles, in position for knit stitches.
With one slipped stitch on the right needle, knit the next 9 stitches.
With one stitch remaining on the left needle, turn work.
To turn, keep yarn in back of needles and slip remaining stitch on left needle purl-wise onto the right needle.
Move yarn to the front of the needles.
Insert left needle into the back of the unworked stitch.
Slip the unworked stitch back onto the left needle.
Turn work (1 unworked stitch on right needle) and knit 8 stitches.
With yarn in back of needles, insert the right needle under the next stitch on the left needle as if to purl. Slip the unworked stitch from the left needle to the right needle.
With yarn in front, insert left needle into the back of the unworked stitch on the right needle.
Slip the unworked stitch back onto the left needle. Note the position of the working yarn, in between the first unworked stitch and the remaining unworked stitches on the left needle.
Turn work (2 unworked stitches on right needle) and continue knitting. Follow pattern (after the pictures) and bind off. Leave a long tail of working yarn to sew the sphere closed.
With 2 stitches remaining on left needle, turn work. Here's another look at how to turn.
Move yarn to the front of the needles.
There's no right or wrong side of the sphere. Choose whichever side you like the looks of better to be the outside. Pull the tail from casting on to the inside of the sphere. Thread a tapestry needle with the long tail of yarn left when casting off.
Overcast stitch around the top (or bottom) opening of the sphere.
Pull the stitches tight to close the opening.
This is what it will look like.
Overcast stitch the side seam closed.
Leave the other end of the sphere open for stuffing.
Gather your stuffing material. I used dryer lint.
Fill the sphere with stuffing, overcast around the opening, and pull stitches tight to close.
Tie a knot in the end of the yarn, snug against the sphere. Insert the needle into the center of the sphere and out the other side.
Pull the knot through to the inside of the sphere and cut off the remaining yarn. Do this while the yarn is pulled tight and the clipped end will be pulled back into the sphere.
Thread the needle with your choice of hanging material and pull it trough several stitches at the top of the sphere.
Hey, it just dawned on me that these knitted spheres look like monkey balls, aka hedge apples, aka osage oranges. See? (I borrowed this photo from wikipedia)
Gauge is not important. You want to knit a tight fabric so your stuffing doesn't show through the stitches. Either knit tightly or use a needle smaller than the size recommended for the weight of yarn you choose.
Monkey Ball Pattern
CO 11
Row 1: K
Row 2: Sl 1 wyif, K9, turn (1 st rem)
Row 3: K8, turn (2 st rem)
Row 4: K7, turn (2 st rem)
Row 5: K6, turn (3 st rem)
Row 6: K5, turn (3 st rem)
Row 7: K4, turn (4 st rem)
Row 8: K3, turn (4 st rem)
Row 9: K to end of row
Rep Rows 1-9, 5 more times for a total of 6 "wedges"
BO
Use yarn and a tapestry needle to close one end of the sphere and sew the side seam. Stuff sphere with your chosen material (dryer lint, fabric scraps, fiberfill,etc). Close the opening and attach a hanger.
Abbreviations:
CO cast on
Sl Slip (purl-wise)
wyif with yarn in front
K knit
st stitch(es)
rem remain
Rep repeat
BO bind off
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