The Beauty Of Bobbles: Adding Texture To Your Knits

Bobbles are a great way to add texture and interest to your knit projects. They’re also easy to make and fun to play around with.

If you’re new to knitting, you might want to check out this tutorial on how to make bobbles first before diving into the patterns below!

MB (Make Bobble) For Knitting, Worked With Knitting Needles

Takeaways
Bobbles are small mounds of raised stitches that add texture to knitting projects.
Bobbles can be made by working several stitches into the same stitch and then turning the work to purl and knit them again.
Bobbles can be used in a variety of knitting projects, from simple hats and scarves to complex sweaters and blankets.
Combining bobbles with other knitting techniques, like cables and lace, can create multidimensional knitting projects with stunning textures and patterns.
Though they may be challenging for beginners, with practice and patience, anyone can learn to make beautiful bobbles and elevate their knitting projects.

Table of Contents

Simple Bobble

To make a simple bobble, you need to have 3 stitches on the left needle. To start, insert your right needle into the back of the first stitch and purl it. Then insert your right needle between the first two stitches and purl into that stitch.

Finally, insert your right needle under both loops of the next stitch (which will be fourth from last) and knit it through its front loop only. You now have 6 stitches on your left-hand needle — 1 knit stitch in each side of a triplet of knits!

Purl all six stitches together (k1p2tog). Turn work so purl side is facing and repeat from beginning until desired width is reached or until you reach end of row/round where you want bobbly part to stop (or just continue pattern as normal).

Creating colorful patterns through tapestry crochet and adding dimension to your knits through colorwork can create stunning textures to your knitting projects. To learn more about the magic of colorwork, check out our article on colorwork magic.

Popcorn Bobble

It’s easy to make a popcorn bobble. The only preparation is making sure the yarn you want to use has been wound into balls before you start!

To make a bobble:

With your working yarn in front, slip two stitches purlwise onto the right-hand needle.

Purl one stitch through the back loop (p1tbl), then wrap the slipped stitch with your non-dominant hand and place it on top of your working yarn.

Let go of all three strands now wrapped together except for the one from which you just worked; this will be referred to as “the slipped stitch” from here on out.

Continue wrapping twice more so that four strands are now circled around each other one working yarn strand (in front), one newly made slipknot (behind it), and two wrapped strands coming off that slipknot (to either side).

Twist those four strands once clockwise so they look like an “8” shape with a loop at its center where all four threads cross over each other and form a knot underneath them.

Popcorn Bobble Stitch	Description
Definition	The popcorn bobble stitch is a type of stitch that creates a cluster of stitches that pop out and add texture to a knitting project.
How to Make	To make a popcorn bobble stitch, knit several stitches into one stitch, then remove the needle from the stitches and insert it through the first stitch from the bottom to the top. Pick up the other stitches that were previously knitted and pull them through the first stitch.
Uses	The popcorn bobble stitch can be used to create a variety of textured knitting projects, including scarves, hats, and blankets.
Variations	There are several variations of the popcorn bobble stitch, including the double popcorn stitch and the mini popcorn stitch. These variations create different textures and patterns in knitting projects.
Difficulty	The popcorn bobble stitch can be challenging for beginners, but with practice and patience, anyone can learn to create this textured stitch.

Lift up both ends of this knot above all other loops, holding them with your thumb and index finger; this will leave just enough slack so that when you tighten up these ends after knitting each new row, no hole will show in front where stitches were casted off incorrectly under tension instead of being knit properly through their entirety!

A sweater is a true test of a knitter’s skill, and adding texture to your design can elevate the finished product. For tips and tricks on knitting your own sweater and adding texture, be sure to read our ultimate guide to knitting sweaters.

Short Rows

The beauty of bobbles, lace and ribbing is that they can be created with short rows. Short rows are clever little tricks for creating shaping on a knitted piece without having to pick up or bind off stitches.

You’ll see this technique used to make a sweater fit better or to change the shape of a sleeve cap into something nicer looking than just knitting straight up from the cuff.

To work a short row:

Work until you reach your turning point in the pattern (usually where each repeat ends or begins, such as where each pattern repeat ends). This will mean that you’re leaving some stitches unworked at the end of that row, but don’t worry—that’s exactly what we want!

Turn your work around so you’re facing in the opposite direction from which you normally work (making sure not to twist it). Begin working again from this new starting point toward where your next turning point would be if you weren’t working on short rows!

Stop when there are still enough stitches left over so that when everything is counted together later on, everything comes out even (or nearly even).

If this isn’t possible because there aren’t enough unworked stitches left over after working back across all those picked up/dropped stitches correctly according to directions given by pattern designer(s), then try instead taking out one more stitch before working turn back across all picked up/dropped sts correctly according before beginning final WS row(s; see below).

Lace knitting and bobbles add unique textures to your knitting projects, giving them a beautiful and intricate look. Check out our guide to the art of lace knitting for more techniques that can elevate your next project

Texture or Texture and Color

Adding texture to your knit is a great way to add interest and depth to your garment. There are many ways you can achieve this, from using different colors of yarn, different types of yarn, and even different stitch patterns!

However, one of the easiest ways to add texture is through bobbles.

Bobs are basically little balls of yarn that you create on a knit by twisting two stitches together as if they were one stitch.

You can make them in any size or color or material (e.g., acrylic or wool), but they’re very easy to work with once you get the hang of doing it!

Surprise Bobbles

Surprise Bobbles are the perfect way to add texture and interest to your knitting. You can make a bobble in any stitch pattern, using any yarn weight, with any size needle and in any number of stitches and rows.

The basic template is easy to follow, but there are so many different ways you can customize your Surprise Bobbles!

The first step when making these little guys is determining how big you want them. I like mine quite large after all, they’re supposed to be something special!

Take your knitting skills to the next level with intermediate techniques beyond the basics, like bobbles, cables, and more. For a full list of techniques and tips, be sure to read our article on beyond the basics.

Garter Ridge Bobbles

In this lesson, we’re going to look at the Garter Ridge Bobble. This bobble is worked on the right side (RS) and can be used in many ways to add texture and definition to your knits. Let’s take a look at how it’s done!

Raised or Dropped Stitch Bobble

The raised or dropped stitch bobble is the most common type of bobble used in knitting. It adds texture and interest to your knits, but it can be difficult to make because it involves a bit of counting and patience.

To make a raised stitch bobble, you’ll need to knit a stitch that’s dropped down one row below the current row, then knit the next stitch normally. Repeat this process until you’ve made 10 dropped stitches total (i.e., three rows).

Then pull on your yarn tightly so that all of your stitches are pulled together into one big bubble—this will create your bobble!

Be careful not to tug too hard with this method though; if you do, your knitting may start looking kind of wonky once you’re done tightening things up.

Raised/Dropped Stitch Bobble	Description
Definition	The raised or dropped stitch bobble is a type of stitch that creates a small, raised (or dropped) ball of yarn on the knitted fabric, adding a unique texture to the project.
How to Make	To make a raised or dropped stitch bobble, you usually knit several stitches into one stitch, then turn the work and purl the same stitches before knitting them again. This creates a small mound (raised stitch) or dip (dropped stitch) of stitches that stands out from the surrounding fabric.
Uses	Raised or dropped stitch bobbles can be used in a variety of knitting projects, such as hats, scarves, sweaters, and blankets, to add texture and interest.
Variations	There are several variations of raised or dropped stitch bobbles, including the inverted bobble, the cluster bobble, and the popcorn stitch. These variations create different textures and patterns in knitting projects.
Difficulty	Raised or dropped stitch bobbles can be challenging for beginners because they usually require several stitches to be worked into one, but with practice and patience, anyone can learn to make them.

To make a dropped stitch bobble:

With right side facing outwards and using both hands simultaneously while holding onto two separate yarns (one being held at either end), cast on 5 stitches using larger needles (or whatever size needle works best for casting on) by making loops around each other until there are 5 loops around both needles; these will become our original “bobbles” after we’ve finished making them later on when we drop down one row below where they currently sit – see photo above

Cable knitting is a classic technique that can add a stunning texture to any knitting project. If you want to learn more about cable knitting and see examples of its beauty, be sure to check out our article on the beauty of cable knitting.

Conclusion

As you can tell, I’m a big fan of bobbles not only for the way they look, but for their versatility and functionality.

So next time you want to add some texture and warmth to your knits, consider using this simple technique!

FAQs

What are bobbles in knitting and how do I make them?

Bobbles are small, raised circles of yarn that add texture and interest to knitting projects. To make bobbles, you knit several stitches into the same stitch, then turn the work and purl the same stitches before knitting them again. This creates a small mound of stitches that stands out from the surrounding fabric.

Can I use bobbles in crochet projects as well?

Yes, bobbles can also be used in crochet projects to add texture and interest. To make a bobble in crochet, you usually work several incomplete stitches into the same stitch, then yarn over and pull through all the loops on your hook to close the bobble.

How do I incorporate bobbles into a knitting pattern?

There are many knitting patterns that incorporate bobbles, from simple hats and scarves to more complex sweaters and blankets. To include bobbles in a pattern, you usually need to follow a set of instructions that tell you how many stitches to knit or purl into the same stitch to create the bobble.

Can I use bobbles in combination with other knitting techniques?

Absolutely! Bobbles can be used in combination with other knitting techniques, like cables, colorwork, and lace, to create multidimensional knitting projects with interesting textures and patterns.

Are bobbles difficult for beginners to learn?

Bobbles can be a bit challenging for beginners, since they involve working several stitches into the same stitch and turning the work to purl and then knit them again. However, with practice and patience, most knitters can master the technique and begin creating beautiful textures with bobbles.

Hellen James

My name is Hellen James, and I’m a crochet and knitting expert. I’ve been crocheting since I was just a kid, but I started taking it seriously when I realized that it was a great way to de-stress and relax. Now that I have kids of my own, I love teaching them how to do it too!