Free Loom Knitting Patterns

Free patterns, and how to use a loom with them

Every pattern in this collection downloads as a PDF at no cost, so you can print several, try them and keep the ones that suit your loom. That matters because looms are not interchangeable: the peg spacing and the number of pegs determine what a given loom can make. Before printing anything, count the pegs on your loom and note the gap between them. A pattern written for 41 pegs at wide spacing will not work on a 24-peg fine-gauge loom, and no amount of wishful thinking will fix it mid-project.

Where beginners should start

• A hat on a round loom — e-wrap every peg, knit until deep enough, gather the stitches and pull closed. One evening, one skill set.
• A garter scarf on a long loom — flat knitting, turning at the end of each row, no shaping.
• A cowl — knitting in the round without decreasing, so you can concentrate on even tension.
• Baby booties and small blankets — quick, useful and forgiving of a wobbly first row.
• Dolls and toys — small tubes off a round loom, stuffed and seamed.
• Socks and slippers — the step up, because they need a short-row heel worked across part of the pegs.

The three stitches that cover most patterns

The e-wrap knit is the first thing anyone learns: wrap each peg in a figure of eight and lift the lower loop over. It is quick but produces a loose, slightly twisted fabric, which is why loom-knitted hats sometimes look holier than expected. The flat knit, also called the u-knit or the true knit, lays the yarn across the front of the peg instead of wrapping around it and gives a tighter, tidier fabric — it is worth learning in your first week. The purl is made by placing the working yarn below the loop and pulling the new loop down through. With knit and purl you can produce garter, rib and most textures, which is enough for almost everything in this collection.

Tension, yarn and quantity

Loom tension is controlled mainly by the loom, not by your hands, which is one reason the technique is so consistent for beginners. Your job is to keep the working yarn moving at a steady pull and not to yank the stitches tight against the pegs. Match yarn to peg spacing: chunky and super chunky on wide-gauge looms, aran on regular gauge, DK or 4 ply only on fine-gauge looms. As a planning guide, a loom-knitted adult hat generally uses around 100 to 150 metres, a scarf 200 to 400, and a baby blanket considerably more — always work to the metreage on the pattern.

Casting off and making up

The gather bind-off is used to close the top of a hat: cut a long tail, thread it through every live loop in order, lift the loops off and pull the circle closed from the inside. For flat pieces, a basic chain bind-off keeps the edge flexible; keep it deliberately loose, because a tight bind-off on a loom-knitted scarf pulls the whole end narrow. Seams are worked with a tapestry needle in mattress stitch, exactly as for needle knitting. Weave ends along the direction of the stitches, and wash and dry according to the ball band of whatever yarn you chose.

Free loom knitting questions

Are these patterns really free? Yes — every pattern in this collection is a free PDF download.

Do I need a special loom? You need a loom with the right peg count and spacing for the pattern. Round looms make tubes; long looms make flat pieces.

Is loom knitting easier than needle knitting? Many people find it easier on the hands and quicker to learn, since the loom controls the tension.

What yarn should I use? Chunky for wide-gauge looms, aran for regular, DK or 4 ply for fine-gauge. Using yarn that is too thin leaves gaps.

Can I knit socks on a loom? Yes, on a small fine-gauge round loom, using a short-row heel worked over part of the pegs.