Free Scrunchie Knitting Pattern. Use up the Scraps

Scrunchies are a quick easy projects, perfect for less experienced knitters. They only take a few hours to make, especially if you use a thicker yarn. The free scrunchie knitting pattern here will work for almost any weight yarn, and only uses tiny quantities, so it’s perfect for using up small scraps. Match the cardigan you just knitted, or make a couple as a thoughtful gift. They can also be a great Market Make.

(If you are considering making items for sale, please check the copyright disclaimer at the end, and only do so on a small scale).

This pattern is part of a series of DIY scrunchie techniques. Have you tried the crochet scrunchie, or the sewing scrunchie? Read about which one I though was best. (links to be added)

Materials

Yarn: Any weight yarn will do. Only small scraps are needed. If in doubt you can weigh your scraps to check.

Fingering/Sock yarn sample needs 8 grammes.

Double knit sample takes 15 grammes.

Aran weight sample takes 15 grammes.

Chunky weight sample takes 19 grammes.

Knitting needles

You will need appropriate needles for using your preferred method for small circumference knitting in the round, and optionally, a spare circular needle for a three needle bind off.

I used a circular needle with long cable and the ‘magic loop’ method for all samples. If you are unfamiliar with knitting in the round, and want to follow my steps exactly, this is what I recommend. However, you can also use double pointed needles or shorter circulars for this pattern.

The needle size should match the yarn.

The needles I used to work the samples are listed below as a guide:

Sock yarn: 3mm circular needles.

Double knit yarn: 4mm circular needles.

Worsted weight yarn: 5mm circular needles.

Chunky weight yarn: 6mm circular needles.

Notions:

You will need a hair elastic in your favourite size. I used elastics with a circumference of 12 centimetres, or 4.75 inches. If yours is a different size, this won’t affect the pattern.

You will also need a darning needle for sewing in ends.

Abbreviations and Accessibility

This pattern is written without abbreviations or tables, to aid screen reader accessibility.

The terms used are:

Knit, knit two together, yarn over, cast on, bind off.

Time to make:

2 – 4 hours

Knitting skills used

This is an adventurous beginner level pattern. It assumes you already know how to knit stocking stitch, and have tried, or want to learn, knitting in the round.

A suggested bind off technique will avoid needing to sew the work closed as a separate step. However, this is not necessary to complete the pattern, and you can bind off using a technique you are familiar with and seam the scrunchie closed instead.

Pattern Begins

Cast On

Using a cable cast on, Cast on any even number of stitches for a circumference of 40 centimetres or 16 inches. For experienced knitters: Join to work in the round, being careful not to twist. For less experienced knitters, I recommend knitting the first row before joining to work in rounds, as it is easier not to twist the work this way. Check out the instructions on my Instagram video here to see this being done. This will leave a tiny gap, but it won’t be seen in the finished piece.

Note: if you are using up scraps from a recently completed project, the easiest way to calculate the perfect stitch count is to measure the gauge on your finished work over 10 centimetres or four inches, and multiply this figure by four.

As a guide I used the following stitch counts for each sample, but remember your tension may be quite different to mine.

Sock yarn: 100 stitches.

Double knitting yarn: 86 stitches.

Aran Yarn: 72 stitches.

Chunky yarn: 50 stitches.

First half

Round one: knit to end. Join to work in rounds if you didn’t after the cast on.

Round 2: knit

Repeat round 2 until work measures 6 centimetres or 2.5 inches

Pico outer edge

Pico round: Knit 2 together, yarn over. Repeat to end.

Note: This round ends on a yarn over. If it feels difficult to transition to the next needle and round after a yarn over, you can simply knit the last two stitches.

Second half

Next round: Knit to end.

Repeat until second half measures the same as the first half.

Place the hair elastic inside the tube you have knitted, and fold as shown in the photo. It is often easier to do this over a water glass, pillar candle or other circular object.

Bind off : Bind off and join simultaneously. Insert needle into the first stitch, and the first stitch of the cable cast on, and knit together. (one knitted stitch) Repeat, (two knitted stitches), lift first knitted stitch over second. Repeat these steps to the end of the round.

Finishing: weave in ends.

I hope you enjoyed this free knitting scrunchie pattern, and have fun wearing it. Why not post to Instagram, and tag me @TheFairythorn so I can see? You can also create a Ravelry project page to show it off.

Have you seen my patterns on Ravelry?

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Copyright disclaimer:

This pattern, including the wording and the pictures, are my work and copyright. Please do not distribute them except by using the link to this blog. You may not copy in any way, including by making your own videos, if they are directly based on my work.

This blog is not intended for commercial use. You may sell finished items based on this pattern only if you have made them in your own home, with your own hands.