Free Flag Knitting Patterns!

I’m slowly getting back into knit design, not because I think it’s a viable career path but just because I love doing it. I can’t stay away. You can’t make me quit. I am stubborn and will continue doing this thing I love! So, awhile ago I had this idea for constructing a flag with a triangle wedge using the same modular technique I used in my Color By Number pattern set, with bias stripes to make the triangle angles.

I messed around with that idea, made it work, and then at the beginning of June I released a free pattern for a modular progress pride flag! I put it up on my free Patreon as a printable zine version of the pattern…

And then I also released a regular pdf version of the pattern (on patreon as well as payhip and ravelry) which includes a brief description of how I made a flag into this boxy top:

This particular top was knit with super bulky yarns because it’s what I had and I wanted it done fast, but the pattern is any-gauge any-size, so you can make a top in fingering weight if you prefer. The only limitation is if you want a little patch-sized flag you can’t go heavier than fingering weight because you can only get so small; a worsted weight flag at the smallest size possible will make a pretty large patch.

And then to accompany the free pattern I also made a video tutorial showing how the construction works:

And then, at the beginning of July, I released a second modular flag pattern, called FreeFree. This Palestinian flag uses the same construction concept as the progress flag but since there are an odd number of stripes in this one the center stripe is worked as a chevron instead of a plain bias. And the sizing is simpler because there aren’t the extra arrow stripes adding extra width.

I also made a top version of this flag, and included an explanation of how I made it in the pattern pdf:

On mine here I added little shoulder wedges, so I wrote up how I did that in the pdf, as well as a little pattern for the diagonal-striped back side.

And then the FreeFree pattern also comes in a zine version of the pattern exclusive to the free patreon, plus the pdf version on ravelry and payhip, and another video showing the construction.

Below is the original prototype I knit up with random stash yarns to try out the construction idea, testing if it would work. It totally did! Needed some adjustments for the final pattern but this was pretty close to how it ended up.

I knit the top in some yarn I found at JoAnn when I stopped in for their closing sale—it’s called The Woobles Easy Peasy and it’s a cotton/nylon “tubular ribbon” style yarn. I actually really enjoyed working with it and it made a great t-shirt, but I don’t know where you can get it now.

I used EXACTLY one skein each for the whole top! Like, the two shoulder wedges are mismatched because I was using every last inch.

All the other samples except for the progress top were made with Knitted Wit Gems mini-hanks, which were awesome but I’m very sad to say that Knitted Wit has closed so these are no longer an option. Hopefully you can find several of the colors in your stash and then just fill in with something from a local yarn shop.

For the progress flags, I knit the little patch flag in fingering weight, and then the medium sized flag was made with the remaining sock yarn held triple-stranded for around a worsted weight.

For the Palestinian flags I knit the three non-top samples with the fingering weight yarn normally, just in three different sizes:

I had a mishap while knitting that medium-sized progress flag! While hurrying to get it done so I could release the pattern on June 1st, I rushed putting my stripe stitches on hold and missed the last stitch. Then I learned what happens if you do that:

I was able to get it all fixed with a crochet hook, but it wasn’t ideal! So, be sure to carefully put ALL your stitches on hold when you finish each stripe!

I love that the progress top looks good worn in either direction. I made the granny square side with squares I got at a thrift store many years ago. I was so happy to find a good use for them!

I think these are really fun to make, so I hope you’ll check out the patterns if you want to give either one a try. Show your pride and/or solidarity/support with your knitting! If you make a flag, I hope you’ll put the project up on ravelry and/or tag me on instagram so I can see it! Happy knitting!