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How To Knit Bobbles

Blog » Decorative » How To Knit Bobbles

How To Knit Bobbles

Liat Gat - Founder

June 27, 2011

Bobbles are a fun challenge for the decoratively-minded. Here I show you how to add small or large bobbles to your knitting. Practice your increases and decreases with this intermediate-knitting challenge.

First, the goods. By special request: how to knit bobbles.

pink bobbles swatch

Filmed from the rooftop of the hostel in Mendoza, Argentina:

KnitFreedom | Embellishments | Bobbles -  How To Knit Big and Small Bobbles
KnitFreedom | Embellishments | Bobbles - How To Knit Big and Small Bobbles

Bobble Instructions: Large (5-st) bobble

pso = pass stitch over
Row 1: Into same st: k1, yo, k1, yo, k1. Remove st from needle (4 sts increased). Turn.
Row 2: P across 5 sts in bobble. Turn.
Row 3: K across 5 bobble sts. Turn.
Row 4: P across 5 sts in bobble. Turn.
Row 5: Sl1, k2tog twice, pso, pso. K across row. Turn. Bobble is finished.
Row 6: Purl across row once more.

And now, some photos from Argentina, and some thoughts on living here.

A cool knit hat that a girl was wearing in the phone store.

Making felt (“fieltro”) with a new knitting friend. We were making a purse (below)…

I love the garbage-removal service at the apartments here – you hang your bag of trash on this tree branch at 3:00pm (15:00, that is), and a gentleman comes by to pick it up.

And, I have a local yarn store WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE of my apartments. The sights there made me so happy!

** Home is where yarn is **

My home rocks.

Silky goodness

There are a lot of “street dogs” here, that sort of belong to everyone and no one. Here, I caught one guy outside a pet store, where they keep bags of dog food outside with no lids. Poor guy!

Also, I’m learning how to make mate delicious. A bitter drink if not prepared properly, it can be delicious and satisfying if made just right.

The secret is adding small amounts of hotter and hotter water as the kettle heats up, and letting the yerba soak up the water slowly. And NEVER let the water boil.

My roommate pronounced this “un buen mate” – high praise!!

Here’s a preview of my latest design with local wool – it’s a neck muff knit sideways with the thick-and-thin yarn from last week’s post, shaped to make it huge in front, and kitchenered with a contrasting yarn.

I’m also designing a quick pair of bulky two-at-a-time-ready mittens, which is a class that’s been requested for quite a while. Here’s a sneak peek – you can see how exciting these mittens are!

And lastly, here are me and my roommate working in the living room on a lazy Sunday (“un domingo tranquilo”)…

The TV is on, as is requisite in any Latin-American household (here was Harry Potter in Spanish).

Remember I told you mate is a drink for sharing among friends? Here we have 2 separate mates because he is sick…

Some thoughts and observations on living in Argentina so far: It’s awesome, but pretty different.

You have to wait longer in stores, because they have an incredibly inefficient system of buying stuff: enter, take a number, wait in line, order your (empanadas, meat, vegetables, etc), possibly wait for them to heat up whatever it was that you ordered, wait in another line to pay, pay the cashier, and then get your stuff.

On the other hand, I waited 15 minutes last night for the pizzeria to hand-make my empanada order right then – and 5 incredibly delicious and couldn’t-be-fresher empanadas set me back $3.75.

However, a lot of stuff here is more expensive than in the States, because you can’t get it at a big-box store. I needed a desk, so Emiliano and I decided to buy a new living-room/dining-room table and that he would give me the one that was previously in the living room.

The cheapest dining-room table you can buy costs about $200, and is made of solid wood, by an actual person, who probably lives in the same town that you bought the table in.

Other differences? Well, they think it’s cold here, even though it’s about 40 degrees and sunny. For Aspen, it’s simply balmy! I actually got PICKED UP BY THE POLICE yesterday for walking down the sidewalk barefoot (hey, my shoes hurt) – I guess they wanted to make sure I wasn’t crazy.

I was detained in the police station for about 30 minutes while they verified my identity. Sheesh!

Everyone loves fútbol, which means there’s always something on TV that everyone likes. Which is good, because TV is a constant here (maybe it is in the States, too – I don’t know – back home, we don’t have one).

Watching the important games gives me something current to chat about with the people who live here. “Did you see the game yesterday?! I know, those fans were insane…”

What else – everyone kisses on the cheek to say hello – they NEVER shake hands.

It’s really “yanqui” (“yankee,” that is) – marks you right away as a foreigner. I’ve learned now when meeting people for the first time to just lean in for a kiss!

If you come into a house with four people, you walk up to each person and give them a kiss on the cheek. Each time you see them. It’s pretty rad!

Basically, Argentina rocks. I can’t wait to share my new patterns with you! The scarf will be first, and hopefully give you some inspiration for what to do with that thick-and-thin handspun that you just had to buy but have no idea what to do with.

It will also be a great project to do with a new-ish intermediate knitter, since it incorporates a few select intermediate techniques, but is a very quick knit.

Thanks for reading this long post, and for all your lovely comments last week. Till next week – hasta luego!

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20 thoughts on “How To Knit Bobbles”

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    1. Hi Alva,

      Isn’t the hat cool? I don’t think there’s a pattern anywhere – I just snapped the photo of the girl when I was waiting in line somewhere. I probably had the idea to write up the pattern someday, but my to-do list of knitting videos is just too long. :(

  1. So glad you are enjoying your time in Argentina …I grew up there in patagonia Trelew Chubut and Bariloche Rio Negro …. i found your page today …Im exited …will keep reading more of your adventures and yes things are a bit differnent there…but knitters are the same everywhere that’s the beauty…………

    1. Hi! That’s so cool – I’m so glad you found me! Argentina is a fantastic place – I feel so lucky to be here. Where do you live now?

      1. i live in Tucson Arizona and i drink my mate everyday ……miss being there …….trying to go back soon hopefully by february it is the best time of the year to go……..not to hot or cold weather is perfect …..

  2. Liat, it really looks like you are having adventure down in Argentina. (damn policia) geez, barefeet are in this season, dont they know that. Hey do your roommates know your a famous Youtube’r? Not to mention a famous KNITTING master, and not to mention a Master KNIT teacher? If not, maybe you should not tell them- maybe the policia dont like knitted scarves (laugh). I am glad to see your videos, from down south. I am loving your pics of life and your roommates. Keep on posting.. I enjoy reading and viewing from my FAVORITE YouTube teacher! thanks, Ãmy (yet another person who considers you their “KBFF”, as I have no other friends that knit)

    1. You are the best!! Thank you so much for your encouragement! I walked barefoot again today. Breakin’ the law! Haha. And I love being your knitting BFF!

  3. Vicki in Bozeman

    Just found time to watch the bobble video – thanks so much for doing it for us! It really is easy once you see it done!

  4. Liat, Thank you for the awesome video on bobbles. I never liked making them until now
    I have purchased “how to be a knitting superstar” and I will soon be knitting two socks at a time, thanks to your awesome instruction and videos. I feel like you are my KBF (knitting best friend). Thank you too, for sharing your journey with us. You are the best

    1. Thank you, for making me your KBF! I love sharing my adventures and I am so delighted you like reading about them :)

      Thank you also for the purchase. Welcome to Knitting Superstardom!

  5. Liat, your going to be soo upset when you have to buy Mate in the States, the mate sold here is nothing like what you’re getting there, if you do find authentic South American mate when you get back please let me know!

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