Car motif square

Car Motif Square by Fiona Kelly

Project Overview

This knitted picture square features a charming car motif and is designed as an ideal beginner-friendly project. The square combines basic knitting with duplicate stitch embroidery (also known as Swiss Darn in UK terminology) to create a finished decorative piece. The design is quick and easy to complete, making it perfect for crafters new to combining knitting with embroidery techniques.

What Is Being Made

A knitted square featuring a car motif created through a two-step process: first knitting a plain colored base square, then embellishing it with duplicate stitch embroidery to add the car design in contrasting colors. The project offers flexibility in finished size depending on yarn weight selection.

Available Size Options

• Aran (Worsted) Weight Square: 6 x 6 inches (15 x 15 centimeters)
• Double Knitting (Sport) Weight Square: 5 x 5 inches (12.5 x 12.5 centimeters)
• 4Ply (Fingering) Weight Square: 4 x 4 inches (10 x 10 centimeters)

Knitting Techniques Used

This project employs fundamental knitting techniques suitable for intermediate crafters. The base square is created using basic knit stitches in a straightforward construction. The primary technique beyond standard knitting is duplicate stitch embroidery (Swiss Darn), which involves using a tapestry needle to embroider over completed knitted stitches to add the car motif details without requiring complex colorwork during the knitting process itself.

Stitches Used

The pattern utilizes basic knit stitches for the foundation square. Duplicate stitch embroidery is then worked over the completed knitted base using a tapestry needle, allowing the car design to be added after knitting is finished rather than during the knitting process.

Materials Required

For Aran (Worsted) Weight Version

• 20 grams of Aran (worsted) weight cotton or similar yarn in the main square color
• 3 grams (approximately) of navy Aran (worsted) weight cotton or similar yarn for the car
• 2 grams (approximately) of red Aran (worsted) weight cotton or similar yarn for the wheels
• 1 pair of 4mm knitting needles

For Double Knitting (Sport) Weight Version

• 12 grams of DK (sport) weight cotton or similar yarn in the main square color
• 3 grams (approximately) of navy DK (sport) weight cotton or similar yarn for the car
• 2 grams (approximately) of red DK (sport) weight cotton or similar yarn for the wheels
• 1 pair of 3.5mm knitting needles

For 4Ply (Fingering) Weight Version

• 8 grams of 4Ply (fingering) weight cotton or similar yarn in the main square color
• 3 grams (approximately) of navy 4Ply (fingering) weight cotton or similar yarn for the car
• 2 grams (approximately) of red 4Ply (fingering) weight cotton or similar yarn for the wheels
• 1 pair of appropriate needles for 4Ply weight yarn

Yarn and Fiber Characteristics

The pattern recommends cotton or similar yarn in worsted, sport, and fingering weights depending on the desired finished square size. Cotton yarn provides a crisp finish ideal for displaying embroidered details and creates a fabric with good stitch definition for duplicate stitch work. The color palette includes a main base color for the square, navy for the car body, and red for the wheels, creating a simple but recognizable vehicle design.

Design Details

The car motif is created using two contrasting colors: navy for the main car body and red for the wheels. This straightforward color scheme makes the design easy to follow and suitable for embroiderers at various skill levels. The use of oddment quantities for the embroidery colors makes this an economical project that uses minimal yarn.