How to Weave a Pattern on a Knitted Piece

Knitting can be done by hand or machine.

Enhance a knitted piece, such as a scarf, with a woven embellishment. Many knit stitches lend themselves to weaving yarn through the knit fabric, with the stitches serving as the warp. An afghan, or Tunisian, hook is a crochet hook with a long shank up to around 14 inches. The afghan hook assists with pulling the weft yarn through the knitted stitches similar to a shuttle on a loom. This process works best with knitted pieces with a simple repetitive stitch pattern, such as Stockinette stitch.

Things You'll Need

• Yarn in a weight appropriate for the knitted piece
• Afghan crochet hook in a size to match yarn
• Scissors
• Tapestry needle

Instructions

1. Slip the hooked end of the afghan hook through the knitted stitches. Work in an over and under manner until you are starting where you want the right side of the weaving to be. Stop when you reach the desired left side of the weaving or when the knitted fabric is crowding the shank of the afghan hook.

2. Wrap the yarn about 6 inches from the end around the hook. Pull the yarn back through the gathered knit stitches until about 6 inches from the end remains on the left side. Smooth out the gathered stitches of the knitted piece so that the yarn lays flat against the piece.

3. Move up to the next row of knit stitches on the left side of the work. Insert the hook through the stitches but work in an under and over pattern in a manner opposite to the previous row. Stop when you reach the right side.

4. Grab the yarn with the hook and pull it completely through the stitches. Smooth the work flat again.

5. Repeat this process until the weaving is the desired size. Overlap yarn ends by 6 inches when changing to a new strand. Leave a 6-inch tail when changing to a new color. Thread loose yarn ends on the tapestry needle when finished and pass under the woven stitches.

Tips & Warnings

• Skip stitches such as five knitted stitches to show off a fancy weft yarn against the knitted background.

References

• Wrights: Crocheted Pillow with Ribbon Weaving

Resources

• Georgia College and State University: The Art and History of Weaving
• Crochet Cabana: Tunisian Crochet