machine knitting pattern

Oct 3
2025

How to Knit a Sweetheart Bodice on a Knitting Machine – New Pattern and Tutorial!

by Lauren

I am so excited to be back today with a new machine knitting tutorial for you! In this new tutorial, I walk you through all of the steps to knit my new pattern “Total Sweetheart“, which was inspired by my knitted wedding dress!

While I also have a pattern that is closer to the original design of my wedding dress that uses a standard gauge machine and ribber attachment, I designed this one so that it could be made on an LK150. Because it uses a sport weight yarn, you can also knit it on a standard gauge (4.5mm) machine. With this design the traveling rib pattern is latched up, so you don’t need a ribber to make it and can use any flat bed machine.

There are also 2 other versions of this bodice within the pattern that you can make, that are equally as cute! There is a “Slanted” version (blue) which has the beautiful fanned out design created by the transfer rows, but without the latched up ribbing so it takes less time, and a “Simplified” version (pink) which has the increases at the side rather than at the bust darts, making it the speediest option to knit up. It is up to you, and I talk through all of the different options in the video.

In the new tutorial, first I show you how to cast on for mock ribbing for the bottom band, which is a folded hem that looks ribbed but doesn’t require a ribber. Next, I walk through how to work the transfer rows and do increases for the darts that make this bodice fit so beautifully. Then I show you how to do the sweetheart neckline using short rows, an amazing technique that I was so excited to figure out! Lastly, I show you how to knit the picot edge, seam the sides and neckline, and a couple different options for adding straps to the bodice. The tutorial can be found on YouTube here.

The yarn I feature in this new pattern and tutorial is Hobbii Friends “Extra Fine Merino”. I love this yarn because it is so super soft, and wonderful to work with on the machine! It is a 100% superwash merino, and comes in an amazing array of colors. I featured the Olive, Deep Ocean, Dark Denim, and Dusty Rose colors which were my personal faves.

You can also use your preferred sport weight yarn as long as you’re able to get the gauge, which is 27 stitches and 39 rows = 4 inches in Stockinette Stitch. I used T2.5 on my LK150 to get this gauge, and T9 on my standard gauge machine. The pattern comes in 10 sizes that range to fit a 30-60″ bust, and more info about sizing and yardages can be found on the Ravelry page here.

If you do have a standard gauge knitting machine with a ribber attachment, and would like to use it to make the original design of the bodice, you can check out that pattern here! Fair warning that it is quite challenging as there are a lot of transfers and short rows which can be a bit tricky with 2 beds, but if you are up for the challenge it is a rewarding result! There is also a simplified version of this design within the pattern that primarily uses the main bed, and is also and option. This design uses a 4-ply/fingering weight yarn, so is finer than the other bodice.

Lastly, I also just published another design, “Flora Aura“, that is similar to these in that it has a traveling rib pattern and sweetheart neckline. This one has a 3×3 rib pattern, so a little different (and reminds me of a cactus!) This design uses a 4-ply/fingering weight yarn, and requires a standard gauge machine with a ribber attachment. Like the “Bridal Bodice” pattern, it is quite challenging, but so amazing to accomplish!

I hope you enjoy the new designs, and if you are a hand knitter, I’ve got you girl! “Total Sweetheart“, “Bridal Bodice“, and “Flora Aura” are also hand knitting patterns. I had a lot of fun knitting these traveling rib bodices by hand, and think you will too!

💜 Lauren

Dec 12
2024

Machine Knit Ruffle Scarf – New Pattern and Tutorial

by Lauren

Back in September ’21, I decided to come to the UK to do my masters in fashion knitwear design! I studied at Nottingham Trent University, which is known for its fabulous knitwear facilities. Even though I worked in NYC as a fashion designer for 15 years, fun fact, I was self-taught and had never actually gone to fashion school! I always thought it would be fun to study fashion and explore my creativity, creating a collection based on whatever was of interest to me. After looking into the MA program, applying, and being accepted (along with a partial scholarship!), I was so excited for the adventure ahead.

The first week of the program we were asked to decide what we wanted our project to be, then spent the rest of the year carrying out that vision. I decided I wanted to design a collection of knitted evening dresses, because I had always been in awe of glamorous gowns, and thought that exploring that would push me creatively. What kinds of yarns would lend themselves to evening wear? What sort of techniques would make sense to use? Knitwear isn’t common in formal wear, so I loved the creative challenge.

One technique that I explored every which way of doing was knitting ruffles. I wanted to create volume with my dresses, and kept thinking about how I could do that. One way you can create ruffles, which is the same technique you would use to knit a circle skirt, is by using short rows. This is a method that machine knitting really lends itself to.

Another way you can knit ruffles, which I came upon after much experimentation, is by knitting long panels, and then rehanging them 3-4 stitches at a time to create that gathered effect. While it may seem intuitive to do this, one limitation you might find is that the panels will be limited to the width of your flat bed. To get around this, I decided to knit panels in long vertical strips, and then rehang the rows. Using this method, the length of your ruffles and how much you can gather them is unlimited!

In my new pattern and tutorial for my “Ruffles on Ruffles” Scarf, I show you how to do these two approaches. The scarf is first knitted by using short rows, and then another ruffle is knit vertically and added onto it for a doubley ruffley scarf. You can use any flat bed knitting machine to make this design, and the pattern includes instructions for using either a standard gauge (4.5mm) or mid-gauge (6.5mm) knitting machine, with suggested tensions for various yarn weights. This pattern is very versatile, and a great way to use up some of the lightweight yarns in your stash!

I hope you enjoy this tutorial, and have fun knitting ruffles! This scarf was one of the many pieces that made it into my final collection. If you want to see the rest of the collection and learn more about my research and inspiration, check out the website I created for my masters at laurenriker.com. Would love to know what you think!

💜 Lauren

Dec 1
2023

Machine Knit Cardigan Pattern and Button Band Tutorial

by Lauren

Ever since I got my knitting machine, I have wanted to knit a button down cardigan. But how do you do the button band, and how do you make the button holes? I had seen people make separate bands that they added on, or hand knit the bands on afterwards. I wanted to do it in a way that was simple and straightforward and 100% on the machine for those who don’t hand knit. As for making the button holes, every way I saw looked overly complicated.

After MUCH experimentation, I came up with a way to do a button band that you knit alongside the garment, and a way to create buttonholes using short rows, that in my opinion, is much easier than binding off and casting on again. I also came up with a way to make seaming the button band a breeze, by creating a latched up column that guides you for where to seam the band.

In my new YouTube tutorial, I show you exactly how to do this, so you can try it out for yourself! You can use this technique on any flat bed machine. I also have a new pattern, the “Girlfriend Cardigan” that uses this method. For the samples pictured above and in the demo, I feature Hobbii “Portobello” in Antique Rose and Teal. This is a fabulous DK weight yarn with a unique variegated look that was a pleasure to knit with on my machine.

This LK150 cardigan pattern comes in 9 sizes that range to fit a 28-54″ Bust, with 4 different length options. You can make it Cropped (3 buttons), Regular (4 buttons), Long (6 buttons), or as a Dress (8 buttons). You can also customize the width of the sleeves, making them as fitted or loose as you like.

I designed this pattern with the beginner in mind, and have included tons of detailed photos of all techniques used within the pattern. I also demonstrate all of the important steps needed to construct this cardigan in my YouTube tutorial. If you want to add pockets on to your finished cardigan, I have another video tutorial which explains how to do that here.

After publishing this tutorial and pattern, I got some requests to offer it in a fingering weight yarn so that it could be made on a standard gauge machine. I then published my “Girls Best Friend” Cardigan, that is just that! This cardigan is the same design as the “Girlfriend Cardigan”, just adapted to be knit with a lighter weight yarn. You can still use the video tutorial, as the construction and techniques are mostly the same.

I hope you enjoy these new tutorials and cardigan patterns, and would love to know what you think of this technique!

💜 Lauren

Aug 7
2021

Knitted Pants and Shorts using Fingering Weight Yarn!

by Lauren

When I designed my “Cozy Up With Me” machine knitted pants and shorts pattern last year, I got a lot of requests for them to be adapted for a standard gauge knitting machine using fingering weight yarn. So here they are! “Lounging My Best Life” is a machine knitting pattern now available on Ravelry and features Knit Picks “Muse” Hand Painted Sock Yarn in Thrill. You can knit them on a standard gauge (4.5mm) flat bed knitting machine, and still use the video tutorial I created as the techniques used are the same. Paired with the “Get it Girl” Bra Top, a tank top pattern that can easily be converted to standard gauge, this makes an undeniably adorable loungewear set!

“Lounging My Best Life” is also a machine knit shorts pattern which you can make using your standard gauge knitting machine. These shorts are so cute and comfy, and I have loved wearing mine around the house and to sleep in. For this pair I used Knitcrate’s “La Brebis” Marled Sock Yarn in Grey Twist. While this particular yarn is discontinued, you can use any 4-ply yarn you like to make this design!

I know a lot of hand knitters also prefer knitting with fingering weight yarn, so these shorts and pants are available as a hand knitting pattern as well. “Keep Dreaming” is a hand knitted shorts (and pants!) pattern featuring Knit Picks “Muse” Hand Painted Sock Yarn. Isn’t this yarn gorgeous? It is the Kindness Speckle color way, and when knit up looks like a beautiful piece of art . This design is basically the same as “Ombré All Day” Shorts and Pants but using fingering weight yarn. I love how they came out, especially paired with the “Get it Girl” Bra Top (which you can adapt for any gauge). You couldn’t look any cuter while getting some zzz’s!

I always listen to your pattern requests, so if you have any please comment below!

Happy Knitting!

💜 Lauren

Jun 18
2021

How to Knit Lace on an LK150 Knitting Machine using the Needle Beetle

by Lauren

Hello! Today I have a new video tutorial where I will be showing you how to knit lace on your LK150 knitting machine using the Needle Beetle by Kris Krafter. The Needle Beetle is an automatic needle selector and will help you knit lace by selecting which stitches you will need to transfer each row for your lace pattern, eliminating potential mistakes and making the transfers much easier to see. The Needle Beetle selects repeats of 8, so you can use it with any pattern that is a multiple of 8 stitches. Check out the video to learn more about the Needle Beetle and see it in action to fully understand how it works and can help you knit lace.

In this demo I show you how to read a lace chart and translate that to the Needle Beetle. I walk you through every row of a 26 row lace chart which is the lace pattern featured in my two newest designs, “Awesome Blossoms” Lace Sweater and Dress and “Lace for Days” Leg Warmers. After the lace demo, I show you how to do a latched up ribbed edge, a technique used in the leg warmers pattern. To give you an idea of how quickly you can knit lace on a knitting machine using the Needle Beetle, the picture below is the front of the sweater which I knitted in only one day!

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“Awesome Blossoms” is a machine knitting pattern that can be either a sweater or a dress, and is based off of an existing hand knitting pattern I designed years back called “Take a Bow”. This sweater is updated from the original design to have a crew neckline and sloped shoulders so that you can add sleeves. I’ve added an additional .pdf to “Take a Bow” so you can make these mods with the hand knitting pattern – if you have purchased the pattern you should have received an update! I love this design as a drop shoulder sweater with sleeves, and I hope you do too. The yarn I used for this sweater is a gorgeous DK Merino Silk blend which unfortunately is discontinued, but a yarn that has the same fiber content and is just as beautiful is Knit Picks “Gloss DK” which I used for another one of my machine knit samples as well as the original hand knit version.

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I hadn’t thought of this dress design being a beach cover up before, but this cotton yarn I used from Knitcrate inspired it! This yarn is so much fun – it is a Pima Cotton with a subtle variegation that almost makes it look tie dyed when knit up, especially in lace. It was a limited edition yarn called Uru Yarn Cotton Basic that is now sold out, but I’m wondering if there’s something similar out there? If a yarn comes to mind let me know! I’ve also seen knitters make this dress into a graduation dress, a wedding dress (!), and an everyday top, it’s so versatile! Any DK yarn will work with this pattern (as long as you’re able to get the gauge stated) so I encourage you to go ahead and use your favorite.

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This is another version of “Awesome Blossoms” with just a touch of lace, that is included as an option within the pattern. This version is nice in that it knits up faster with less lace, and that you can just wear a bra with it without worrying about having to wear a tank top underneath. Which version do you prefer? One knitter pointed out that this lace pattern looks like tulips which was inspiration for the name, do you see them?

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“Lace For Days” is a leg warmer pattern that features the same lace pattern as above, but on a much smaller scale if you want a quick win! Wear them under boots, over tights, or to lounge around in to make your legs look pretty. Available in 5 sizes to fit Girls-Adult, this is both a hand knitting and machine knitting pattern and you will get both when you buy the pattern. They feature Skacel Knitting’s “Simplicity” Metallic which has just a hint of glimmer to give your legs some extra sparkle.

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A couple other things I mention in the video are the handheld steamer I use, and an invite to join my machine knitting facebook group!

I hope you enjoy this tutorial and and learned something new about using the Needle Beetle. If you do make any of these designs, please share photos on Ravelry or Instagram where I’m @girlyknits, I would love to see what you make! To see all of my LK150 machine knitting patterns, check them out here.

Happy Knitting!

💜 Lauren

May 19
2020

How to Knit a Bra Top on a Knitting Machine – Beginner LK150 Tutorial

by Lauren

Hey y’all! Today I am super excited to share my very first machine knitting tutorial! This past Fall I took an intensive machine knitting course at FIT here in New York, and have been obsessed ever since. I purchased an LK150 knitting machine and have had so much fun learning what I can create with it. You can finish most projects in a day which is AMAZING!

I wanted to create a tutorial for the beginner machine knitter, covering some basic techniques that you can do with your machine. I’ve adapted one of my most popular knitting patterns, the “Girly Knits Bra Top”, as it is a great piece to learn and practice on, and it’s super cute!

In the video I show you step by step how to make this design, including casting on, doing mock ribbing, increasing, decreasing, putting your knitting on hold to work one side at a time, and knitting in I-cord (so fast and fun!) I also cover seaming your bra top and using Kitchener stitch to join the front to the back. See the bottom of this post for the times in the video of each technique! The yarn I use in the video is Lion Brand “Pound of Love” in Oxford Grey.

If you don’t have an LK150, no worries at all! These techniques apply to any flat bed knitting machine, and if you get the pattern, I have instructions for adapting this pattern for any yarn/gauge you’re working with. The pattern is called the “Get it Girl” Bra Top which you can find on Ravelry here! To see all of my LK150 machine knitting patterns, check them out here.

I didn’t want to leave anyone out, so this pattern is available as a hand knitting pattern too! As this pattern is based off of the “Girly Knits Bra Top“, it is very similar, though this pattern now includes extended sizes, a different back making joining the straps easier, instructions for knitting the pattern flat if you don’t have circular needles, tips for measuring your bust to adjust the pattern to fit your personal cup size, and instructions for how to adapt this pattern to any yarn/gauge. Want to use fingering, sport, or bulky yarn, or create a size not listed in the pattern? No worries! I have included a guide for calculations you can do so you can plug your numbers into the pattern and make it work for you.

I also have a new pattern for a tank dress that uses the same machine knitting techniques covered in the video, available as a machine knitting and hand knitting pattern called the “Dream On” Tank Dress. For this dress I used Knit Picks “Brava Worsted” in Cobblestone Heather.

I hope you enjoy this tutorial! If you make either the “Get it Girl” Bra Top or the “Dream On” Tank Dress, please post a photo on Ravelry, or tag me on instagram, @girlyknits! There is nothing I love more than seeing your creations!

💜 Lauren