Why PetiteKnit patterns are so popular
(and why they’re such a good place to start no matter your stage of knitting)
PetiteKnit patterns come up a lot.
They’re recommended in knitting groups.
They’re everywhere on Ravelry.
And since we introduced them into The Wool Shop they have become the most popular patterns we sell.
And...they’re often the patterns people choose when they want to knit something that actually looks good.
So one of the questions I get asked fairly often is,
why PetiteKnit?
The simple answer is, it’s partly brand. There's sommething about getting the patternns others are choosing.
People love them because they’re familiar. They’re consistent. And they’re presented beautifully.
But it’s not that no one else is doing this style well. There are some incredible designers out there, especially in Scandinavian and Nordic knitting, who also write beautiful patterns and design very wearable garments.
What PetiteKnit does particularly well is combine good design with very clear, very detailed pattern writing, and a well organised printed pattern distribution network, that's built on the growth they had selling PDFs.
What makes her patterns really stand out though is her cleverness in gradually exposing you, as a knitter, to new skills, and new techniques. You can see that the patterns are built carefully. The beginner patterns teach you skills that show up again later. You’re not just making one thing. You’re learning techniques that carry forward into the next project.
That’s why I often recommend PetiteKnit patterns to beginners.
It’s also why I still enjoy knitting them myself. Even now, as someone I’d describe as an advanced beginner, I’ve learned things by going back to basics and knitting one of her simpler patterns properly.
Why beginner patterns often miss the mark
A lot of beginner knitting patterns are technically simple.
But they’re not always very inspiring.
They often feel like practice pieces.
And they’re not always something you genuinely want to wear or gift.
That can make learning harder than it needs to be.
PetiteKnit beginner patterns are different because you end up with something beautiful, while still learning the fundamentals. You don’t feel like you’re doing homework. You feel like you’re making something real.
That matters more than people realise.
Why I often suggest starting with the Sophie Scarf
When someone tells me they’re a beginner, or they’re coming back to knitting after a long break, I’ll often suggest starting with the Sophie Scarf.
That sometimes surprises people.
But there’s a reason I come back to this one again and again.
The Sophie Scarf is worked in garter stitch. Just one stitch, repeated.
That might sound basic, but that’s exactly why it works.
Because you’re doing the same stitch over and over, you start to notice your tension. You can see where things are uneven. Your hands relax as you go. Your knitting improves without you having to consciously try to fix it.
If you use a smooth, tightly spun yarn, you’ll see very clear stitch definition. That’s great if you want to actively work on consistency.
If you’re brand new, or you just want something forgiving, a softer or woollier yarn hides those early inconsistencies a bit more. That can make the whole experience feel calmer.
Both approaches are valid. It just depends on what you want from the project.
It quietly teaches you skills you’ll use again
The Sophie Scarf isn’t just knitting rows until it’s long enough.
It teaches you garter stitch properly.
It teaches you increases and decreases.
It introduces the I-cord edge, which shows up in a lot of PetiteKnit designs.
The clever part is how those increases and decreases are structured.
You increase for a while, repeating the same rows.
Later, you decrease, repeating the same rows again.
So you’re not learning something once and moving on. You’re practising the same skill over and over. That repetition helps it stick, and it’s one of the reasons people often feel more confident after finishing this scarf.
Getting comfortable with circular needles
The Sophie Scarf is usually knit on circular needles.
(A beginner circular needle set we recommend for this is here)
You don’t have to use circulars, but there’s a reason they’re introduced here. Most PetiteKnit patterns use circular needles, so this is a low-pressure way to get used to them.
Because the pattern is simple, you’re not also learning a complicated stitch pattern at the same time. You can focus on how the needles feel and how your knitting moves along the cable.
Even experienced knitters sometimes find this pattern useful for that reason alone.
How to read the front page of a PetiteKnit pattern
The front page of a PetiteKnit pattern has a lot of information on it. That can feel overwhelming at first.
It’s not there to test you. It’s there to orient you.
Needle sizes are a guide
On the Sophie Scarf, you’ll see something like 3.5mm needles on a 60cm circular.
That’s a starting point.
If you’re a tight knitter, you might go up a needle size.
If you’re a loose knitter, you might go down.
It’s simply about how your knitting feels and what kind of fabric you like.
You can even knit the Sophie Scarf in a DK yarn if you want to. It will come out a bit bigger, and you’ll likely need two balls for the large size, but that’s completely fine.
No two Sophie Scarves need to be the same. That’s part of what makes this such a good beginner pattern.
If you like the idea of colour but don’t want the extra work of changing yarns, a variegated yarn is a great little hack. It keeps things visually interesting without adding complexity.
Yarn recommendations are suggestions
The yarn listed on the pattern is what the designer used. It’s not a rule.
In New Zealand, we often can’t access the exact yarns used in overseas patterns. Sometimes they’re unavailable. Sometimes they’ve been imported and are very expensive.
That doesn’t mean you can’t knit the pattern.
With the Sophie Scarf especially, there’s a lot of flexibility. A good 5 ply works beautifully. A smooth yarn gives definition. A softer yarn gives forgiveness. Holding two strands together is also an option once you’re feeling confident.
If you ever feel unsure, that’s where we’re very happy to help. Yarn choice is part of the learning.
Here's what we normally recommend if you want to try this as a sigle strand knit:
(sometimes we knit these on a 3.25 - it wll depend how loose you want it(
Both of these can also have a flufly like Lana Grossa Setasuri, or Sesia Viviennne knit with it
(this makes it a little denser in the knit - you can size up your needles if you prefer a looser knit)
You can also save time and effort by geting youself either the Sophie Scarf Kit (just pattern and yarn) or the DELUXE Sophie Scarf kit which has the pattern, yarn, needles, stitch marekrs and a needle for sewinng in the ends)
Sizing and brackets made simple
On the Sophie Scarf, sizing is usually Small and Large.
The Large size is shown in brackets.
So when you see a number without brackets, that’s the Small. When you see a number in brackets, that’s the Large.
This gently teaches you how pattern sizing works, which makes it much easier later when you move on to garments with more sizes.
A few small habits that make this pattern easier
I recommend using a stitch marker at the beginning of your knitting. This tells you which side you’re working your increases on.
For beginners, I also recommend adding a stitch marker every time you increase.
This might sound like a lot, but it’s incredibly helpful.
It’s a good habit to get into. And if you make a mistake and need to go back, those markers show you how many increase sets you’ve already done. You don’t undo more than you need to.
It turns fixing mistakes into a calm, logical process.
A row counter, or even a piece of paper and a pen, is also useful. Repetition is great, but it’s easy to lose track without something external.
A pattern you can come back to again and again
Once you’ve knitted a Sophie Scarf, it doesn’t stop being useful.
Because you know the pattern, you can use it to test different yarns, needle sizes, fibres, or combinations. You’re not learning the instructions again. You’re learning what yarn does.
That’s a much nicer way to build confidence than knitting random squares.
Where to go next
If you want something very similar, the Sophie Shawl is a natural next step. More fabric, same ideas.
The Sophie Hood adds a bit more structure, but by this point you understand how the patterns work.
If you want to move toward garments without adding complicated stitch patterns, the Beginner’s Jacket is one I often recommend. It’s still garter stitch, but you learn top-down construction, raglan increases, circular needle garment knitting, and buttonholes.
It’s a great bridge pattern, and one I even suggest to experienced knitters sometimes.
Finishing makes a big difference
The last thing I always encourage beginners to do is block their knitting.
Early knitting is often a bit uneven. That’s completely normal.
Blocking helps even things out.
For something like the Sophie Scarf, this usually means soaking it in cool water with a little gentle detergent, squeezing out the excess water, then laying it flat to dry. You can gently shape it and pin it if needed.
The difference can be huge.
Edges look cleaner.
Stitches settle.
And the finished piece feels intentional.
Ad thatt all changes how you feel about your knitting. You've done it.
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