Whimsical Loom Knits – Peppermint Pinwheel

Designed by Jenny Stark

Bring a little zing to your holidays with these pretty little peppermint pinwheels.  These delightful little pinwheels look intricate, but they are simple to make and so much fun!

Loom: KB Sock Loom EFG, or His & Her Sock Loom

Yarn: Red Heart Classic Crochet Thread in White, and in Victory Red

Notions: knitting tool, yarn needle, scissors

Gauge: Not essential for this project.

Size: Approximately 1.75″ in diameter

Abbreviations

K=knit stitch

P=purl stitch

Sl=slip

Techniques

Double E-wrap Cast-On:  Wrap the first peg twice.  With the knitting tool, pull the lower wrap past the upper wrap and over the top of the peg.  Repeat this process for each of the remaining pegs.  Cast on is now complete.  Continue on as directed in the pattern.

U-wrap Knit Stitch:  Bring the working yarn in front of the peg to be worked, above the existing stitch on the peg.  Bend the working yarn around the peg, creating a u shaped wrap. Knit the lower stitch over the u wrap.

Slip:  For the purposes of this project, slip simply means to skip the peg.

Basic Bind Off:  Knit the first two pegs.  Move the stitch from the second peg over to the first peg.  Knit the lower stitch over the upper stitch.  One stitch has now been bound off. Move the stitch from peg 1 to the empty peg.  This is now peg 1.  Knit the next stitch.  Move the stitch that was just knit over to the first peg.  Knit the lower stitch over the upper stitch.  Continue working in this manner until there is one stitch left. Cut the working yarn, leaving a yarn tail that is at least 4” long.  Wrap the yarn tail around the last peg.  Knit the last stitch over the yarn tail and pull the yarn tail out through the stitch.  Bind off is now complete.

 INSTRUCTIONS

Begin with the white yarn.  Cast on 6 stitches using the double e-wrap cast on method.

Wedge Pattern

Row 1:  Sl 1, K5

Row 2:  P5, K1

Row 3:  Sl 1, K4

Row 4:  P4, K1

Row 5:  Sl 1, K3

Row 6:  P3, K1

Row 7:  Sl 1, K2

Row 8:  P2, K1

Row 9:  Sl 1, K1

Row 10:  P1, K1

Row 11:  Sl 1, K5

The first wedge is now complete.  Drop the white yarn to the center of the loom, but do not cut it.

Switch to the red yarn.  Beginning on the left side of the knitted work, repeat rows 2 through 11 of the wedge pattern.  The second wedge is now complete.  Drop the red yarn to the center of the loom, but do not cut it.

Pick up the white yarn.  Repeat rows 2 through 11 of the wedge pattern.  The third wedge is now complete.  Drop the white yarn to the center of the loom, but do not cut it.

Pick up the red yarn.  Repeat rows 2 through 11 of the wedge pattern.  The fourth wedge is now complete.  Drop the red yarn to the center of the loom, but do not cut it.

Pick up the white yarn.  Repeat rows 2 through 11 of the wedge pattern.  The fifth wedge is now complete.  Drop the white yarn to the center of the loom, but do not cut it.

Pick up the red yarn.  Repeat rows 2 through 11 of the wedge pattern.  The sixth wedge is now complete.  Drop the red yarn to the center of the loom, but do not cut it.

Pick up the white yarn.  Repeat rows 2 through 11 of the wedge pattern.  The seventh wedge is now complete.  Drop the white yarn to the center of the loom, but do not cut it.

Pick up the red yarn.  Repeat rows 2 through 11 of the wedge pattern.  The eighth wedge is now complete.  Drop the red yarn to the center of the loom, but do not cut it.

Pick up the white yarn.  Repeat rows 2 through 11 of the wedge pattern.  The ninth wedge is now complete.  Cut the white yarn, leaving a 4” yarn tail.  Drop the yarn tail to the center of the loom.

Pick up the red yarn.  Repeat rows 2 through 11 of the wedge pattern.  The final wedge is now complete.

Remove the pinwheel from the loom using the basic bind off method.  Cut the red yarn, leaving a 12” yarn tail.  Fasten off.  Using the 12” yarn tail, seam the first wedge and the tenth wedge together.

Weave in all yarn ends.

A few ideas for your pretty pinwheels:

• Add an ornament hanger and put a pinwheel in your Christmas tree.
• Add a magnet to the back of a pinwheel and stick it on your refrigerator.
• Add a hair clip to the back of a pinwheel and wear it in your hair.
• Add a pin finding to the back of a pinwheel and wear it on your clothing.
• Decorate the top of a Christmas present with a peppermint pinwheel.
• Decorate the front of a Christmas card with a peppermint pinwheel.
• Use a pinwheel as an applique in your next knitting project.

Want a bigger peppermint pinwheel?  Follow this same pattern using worsted weight yarn on the KB Sock Loom 2:

(Larger peppermint pinwheel measures approximately 2.75″ in diameter)

Merry Christmas!