Say it with knitting and our Christmas bunting knitting pattern! Whether it’s above the mantel or welcoming you in the hallway, spread festive cheer with this seasonal knitted bunting. Each letter is made up of separate pieces that are joined together by knitting across the tops of them. Display them across a string of baker’s twine or for that extra special touch, get a little bit of tinsel involved!
The bunting knitting pattern was designed by Ann Franklin and originally published in Simply Knitting magazine issue 165.
Even if it is not Christmas, you may be able to make the most of this bunting knitting pattern by stringing together your own knitted bunting using the letters on show. Knit initials for kids' bedroom doors or names if you are lucky with letters – Chris is in there! Or She/He Says Yes for an engagement celebration. Or just keep it simple and knit Christmas on your knitted bunting for a faster finish that still works perfectly for the season.
Can we suggest that tinsel yarn could be a great substitution for some of the letters in this project to up the Christmas knitted bunting celebration even further? Or send seasonal greetings with our knitted Christmas card pattern and Christmas wreath knitting pattern to top things off.
Knitted bunting materials
- Red Heart, Lisa DK (100% acrylic, 50g/133m), 1 ball of each: Yarn A Fire (207) Yarn B Fern (5689) Yarn C Gold (134)
- νA pair of 3mm needles
- νSewing thread to match each colour
- 5m of red and white baker’s twine
- 55x7mm jump rings
- A stitch holder A tapestry needle
- A sewing needle
Knitted bunting tension
Yarn used knits as DK to this tension: 24 sts and 48 rows to measure 10x10cm (4x4in) over g st using 3mm needles. To learn more about tension and why it is important, see our article on knitting tension squares.
Knitted bunting measurements
Each letter is approximately 13cm (5in) tall
Bunting knitting pattern
Note Each of the letters that make up the bunting is knitted in garter stitch (knit every row). As many of the letters involve knitting in sections, you may find it useful to use a row counter. A marker may also be helpful to identify RS and WS rows.
Although you can use a cast-on method of your choice, designer Ann Franklin recommends the use of the crochet cast on for this project, as the cast-on edge more closely mirrors the cast-off edge.
The first row is the right side for every letter.
LETTER ‘M’
(Make one in Yarn A & one in Yarn C)
First Section
Cast on 10 sts using Yarn A or C and 3mm needles.
Knit 40 rows.
Break off the yarn and leave the sts to one side.
Second Section
Cast on 2 sts using Yarn A or C and3mm needles.
Knit 2 rows.
Row 3 Kfb twice. [4 sts]
Row 4 Knit.
Row 5 Kfb, knit to last st, kfb. [6 sts]
Row 6 Knit.
Repeat Rows 5 & 6 until 16 sts are on the needle, ending with a Row 6.
Break off the yarn and leave the sts to one side.
Third Section
Cast on 10 sts using Yarn A or C and 3mm needles.
Knit 40 rows.
Join the sections
Knit across the 10 sts of the Third Section, the 16 sts of the Second Section, and the 10 sts of the First Section. [36 sts]
Knit 5 rows on these 36 sts.
Next row K16, k2tog, turn. [17 sts]
Working on these 17 sts only, knit 1 row.
Next row Knit to the last 2 sts, k2tog.[16 sts]
Next row Knit.
Repeat the last 2 rows until 11 sts remain, ending on the WS.
Cast off.
With the RS facing, re-join the yarn to the remaining 18 sts.
Next row K2tog, knit to end. [17 sts]
Next row Knit.
Repeat the last 2 rows until 11 sts remain, ending on the WS.
Cast off.
LETTER ‘E’
(Make 1 in Colour B)
Cast on 30 sts using Yarn B and 3mm needles.
Knit 16 rows.
Row 17 Cast off 20 sts, knit to end. [10 sts]
Knit 7 rows.
Row 25 Cast on 10 sts, knit to end. [20 sts]
Knit 11 rows.
Row 37 Cast off 10 sts, knit to end. [10 sts]
Knit 7 rows.
Row 45 Cast on 18 sts, knit to end. [28 sts]
Knit 15 rows.
Cast off all sts.
LETTER ‘R’
(Make one in each colour – Yarn A, Yarn B & Yarn C)
First Section
Cast on 10 sts using Yarn A, B or C and 3mm needles.
Knit 20 rows.
Break off the yarn and leave the sts to one side.
Second Section
Cast on 10 sts using Yarn A, B or C and 3mm needles.
Knit 2 rows.
Row 3 K2tog, knit to the last st, kfb.
Row 4 Knit.
Repeat last 2 rows 8 times. (20 rows worked in total on this section).
Join Sections
Row 21 Work across the sts of the Second Section as follows: Kfb, knit to last st, kfb, knit across 10 sts of First Section. [22 sts]
Row 22 Knit to last st, kfb. [23 sts]
Row 23 Kfb, knit to end of row. [24 sts]
Row 24 Knit to last st, kfb. [25 sts]
Repeat Row 23 & 24 once more. [27 sts]
Row 27 Kfb, knit to end of the row. [28 sts]
Row 28 Knit.
Repeat Rows 27 & 28 twice more. [30 sts]
Knit 4 rows.
Row 37 K11, cast off 9 sts, knit to the end of the row. [21 sts]
Working on the next 10 sts only:
Knit 7 rows.
With RS facing, cast on 9 sts, then break off the yarn and leave these 19 sts on a holder.
With WS facing, re-join the yarn to rem 11 sts. Knit to the end of row.
Working on these 11 sts only:
Next row Knit to last 2 sts, k2tog. [10 sts]
Knit 3 rows.
Next row Knit to last st, kfb. [11 sts]
Knit 1 row.
Re-join the two sides of the letter as folls:
K11, then, with RS facing, knit across 19 sts from the holder. [30 sts]
Knit 5 rows.
Next row K2tog, knit to the end of the row. [29 sts]
Next row Knit.
Repeat the last 2 rows 4 times. [25 sts]
Cast off all sts.
LETTER ‘Y’
(Make one in Yarn B)
Cast on 10 sts using Yarn B and 3mm needles.
Knit 32 rows.
Row 33 Kfb, knit to the last st, kfb. [12 sts]
Row 34 Knit.
Repeat the last 2 rows 4 times. [20 sts]
Row 43 Kfb, K7, k2tog, turn.
Working on these 10 sts only:
Knit 1 row.
Row 45 Kfb, K7, k2tog, turn.
Row 46 Knit.
Repeat the last 2 rows 7 times.
Cast off.
With RS facing, re-join the yarn to the remaining sts.
Next row K2tog, K7, kfb.
Next row Knit.
Repeat the last 2 rows 8 times.
Cast off.
LETTER ‘C’
(Make one in Yarn C)
Cast on 20 sts using Yarn C and3mm needles.
Knit 2 rows.
Row 3 Kfb, knit to the last st, kfb. [22 sts]
Row 4 Knit.
Repeat last 2 rows 4 times. [30 sts]
Knit 6 rows.
Row 19 K11, cast off 7 sts, knit to the end of the row.
Working on the first 12 sts only:
Row 20 Knit.
Row 21 K2tog, knit to end. [11 sts]
Repeat Rows 20 & 21. [10 sts]
Knit 15 rows.
Row 39 Knit to last st, kfb. [11 sts]
Row 40 Knit.
Repeat Rows 39 & 40 once more. [12 sts]
With RS facing, cast on 7 sts.
Leave these 19 sts on a holder.
With WS facing, re-join the yarn to the remaining 11 sts.
Knit 1 row.
Next row Knit to the last 2 sts, k2tog. [10 sts]
Knit 5 rows.
Cast off.
Top right-hand section
Cast on 10 sts using Yarn C and 3mm needles.
Knit 5 rows.
Row 6 Kfb, knit to end. [11 sts]
Join the sections
Knit across the 11 sts on the needle, then the 19 sts from the stitch holder. [30 sts]
Knit 7 rows.
Next row K2tog, knit to the last 2 sts, k2tog. [2 sts dec’d]
Next row Knit.
Repeat the last 2 rows 4 times. [20 sts]
Cast off.
LETTER ‘H’
(Make one in Yarn A)
First Section
Cast on 10 sts using Yarn A and3mm needles.
Knit 20 rows.
With RS facing, cast on 10 sts, then leave these 20 sts on a holder.
Second Section
Cast on 10 sts using Yarn A and 3mm needles.
Knit 20 rows.
Join sections
Knit 10 sts, then the 20 sts from a holder. [30 sts]
Knit 19 rows.
Next row K10, cast off 10 sts, knit to end.
Working on the last 10 sts only:
Knit 19 rows.
Cast off.
With WS facing, re-join yarn to the remaining 10 sts.
Knit 19 rows.
Cast off.
LETTER ‘I’
(Make one in Yarn C)
Cast on 16 sts using Yarn C and 3mm needles.
Knit 10 rows.
Cast off 3 sts at the beginning of the next 2 rows. [10 sts]
Knit 36 rows.
Cast on 3 sts at the beginning of the next 2 rows. [16 sts]
Knit 10 rows.
Cast off.
LETTER ‘S’
(Make one in Yarn A & one in Yarn B)
Cast on 25 sts using Yarn A or B and 3mm needles.
Knit 2 rows.
Row 3 Kfb, knit to end of row. [26 sts]
Row 4 Knit.
Repeat last 2 rows 4 times. [30 sts]
Knit 3 rows.
Row 16 Cast off 19 sts, knit to the end of the row. [11 sts]
Row 17 Knit to the last 2 sts, k2tog. [10 sts]
Knit 3 rows.
Row 21 Knit to the last st, kfb. [11 sts]
Row 22 Knit.
Row 23 Knit.
Row 24 Cast on 14 sts at the beginning of the row. [25 sts]
Knit across all 25 sts.
Row 25 Knit to the last st, kfb. [26 sts]
Row 26 Knit.
Repeat Rows 25 & 26 once. [27 sts]
Row 29 K2tog, knit to the last st, kfb.
Row 30 Knit.
Repeat Rows 29 & 30 twice.
Row 35 K2tog, knit to the end of the row. [26 sts]
Row 36 Knit.
Repeat Rows 35 & 36. [25 sts]
Row 39 Cast off 14 sts, knit to end of the row. [11 sts]
Row 40 Knit to the last 2 sts, k2tog. [10 sts]
Knit 3 rows.
Row 44 Knit to the last st, kfb. [11 sts]
Knit 2 rows.
Turn, with RS facing, cast on 17 sts. [28 sts]
Knit 6 rows.
Row 53 Knit to the last st, k2tog. [27 sts]
Row 54 Knit.
Repeat last 2 rows rows 3 times. [24 sts]
Cast off.
LETTER ‘T’
(Make one in Yarn B)
Cast on 10 sts using Yarn B and 3mm needles.
Knit 40 rows.
Cast on 10 sts at the beginning of the next 2 rows. [30 sts]
Knit 18 rows.
Cast off.
LETTER ‘A’
(Make one in Yarn A)
First Section
Cast on 10 sts using Yarn A and 3mm needles.
Knit 4 rows.
Row 5 Kfb, knit to last 2 sts, k2tog.
Knit 3 rows.
Repeat the last 4 rows twice.
Turn to RS and cast on 10 sts. [20 sts]
Leave these 20 sts on a holder.
Second Section
Cast on 10 sts using Yarn A and 3mm needles.
Knit 4 rows.
Row 5 K2tog, knit to last st, kfb.
Knit 3 rows.
Repeat the last 4 rows twice.
Join Sections
Row 17 K2tog, knit to end of the row, K18, k2tog across 20 sts left on stitch holder. [28 sts]
Knit 3 rows.
Row 21 K2tog, knit to the last 2 sts, k2tog. [26 sts]
Knit 3 rows.
Repeat the last 4 rows twice. [22 sts]
Row 33 K2tog, K6, cast off 6 sts, K5, k2tog, turn.
Working on the first 7 sts only:
Knit 1 row.
Row 35 Kfb, knit to end of row. [8 sts]
Row 36 Knit.
Row 37 Kfb, knit to last 2 sts, k2tog.
Row 38 Knit.
Row 39 Kfb, knit to end of row. [9 sts]
Row 40 Knit.
Leave these stitches on a holder.
With WS facing, re-join the yarn to the second set of 7 sts.
Knit 1 row.
Next row Knit to the last st, kfb. [8 sts]
Knit 1 row.
Next row K2tog, knit to the last st, kfb.
Next row Knit.
Next row Knit to the last st, kfb. [9 sts]
Knit 1 row.
Re-join sections
Next row K2tog, knit across all sts except the last 2 sts of the row, k2tog. [16 sts]
Knit 3 rows.
Next row K2tog, knit to last 2 sts, k2tog. [14 sts]
Knit 3 rows.
Repeat the last 4 rows, 3 times.
Cast off.
To Make Up
For all letters, fasten off all ends neatly.
Making sure that you have the WS facing you, sew jump rings just below the top edge of each letter, ensuring that you have one jump ring on each section’s ends, and adding additional jump rings where there is a gap larger than 5cm.
For the letters E, C and S, using a matching sewing thread, link the horizontal sections of the letters with a double strand of thread, making sure that the sections are lying in the correct position to form the letters correctly.
Thread the baker’s twine through the jump rings, making sure that the letters are spaced evenly, and that the colour pattern (ABCABC, etc) is observed. Once you are happy with the position of the letters, sew one or two jump rings of each letter to the twine to hold the letters in place.
Download the bunting knitting pattern
We know many of our Gathered makers prefer to have a PDF they can easily save on three computer or tiny out to knit from, so we ahem the knitted bunting available as a download. Click this link to download the bunting knitting pattern. The download is an A4 PDF with three pages containing the bunting knitting pattern.
More like the knitted bunting
There are plenty more free projects like the bunting knitting pattern to enjoy on Gathered.how. Check out our free crochet flower bunting or our how to make bunting tutorial for a fabric version. For more festive knitting, see our Santa hat knitting pattern or our advent calendar wreath. To treat yourself, see our best knitting kits review or Christmas knitting and crochet kits round up.
