Are you searching online for information on how to make a bobble MB in knitting? Maybe you are working through a pattern that has asked you to MB. It could be that the pattern has not even given you instructions on how to do this. If they have it may be that those instructions are somewhat brief.
When I come across a knitting technique that I am not familiar with, I need to research it first to get all the ins and outs of what it’s about. In this post, I hope to give you a better understanding of what bobbles are and how to go about creating one in your knitting.
MB Definition
When we are told to MB we need to create a bobble. So what is a bobble then? It is a bunch of extra stitches that are made at a defined point in the knitting such that a tiny ball is formed on top of the knitted fabric.
This technique adds interest, decoration and texture to a knitted project – such as a bedspread or on garments like baby layettes – see below (affiliate link)
How Do You Make a Bobble?
As with many other techniques in knitting, there are several ways of making a bobble. Also, a bobble may vary in its size and that changes the way it is created. Your pattern should tell you how many stitches are needed when making the bobble for that particular project.
At the point in your knitting where you are asked to make a bobble, you will need to work the number of stitches required – say for example 5 stitches into the same stitch. You do this by first knitting into the designated stitch, then without dropping off the loop you then move the yarn forward and purl a stitch (that’s 2 stitches) then repeat this again to get four stitches and then finally do one more knitted stitch and let the loop finally drop off,
Next, you will have to turn your work at this point and knit/purl those 5 increased stitches.
Now turn again and knit them again.
Now you decrease by passing four of the stitches on your right-hand needle over the first stitch. This stage is a little fiddly and you have to be careful so as not to drop the stitches. Keep holding tight onto the working yarn to give it tension and reduce the danger of losing some stitches. So you’re once again back to one stitch and can carry on knitting the rest of that row.
You may come across patterns using small bobbles which are usually 3 stitches and bigger ones may be 5 or even more stitches.
Different Shapes Sizes & Textures of Bobbles
Once you understand that a bobble is made by adding several stitches into one stitch and then creating an extra flap of knitted fabric by working back and forth, and finally decreasing those stitches down to one again. – you can now easily see how there are many ways of creating a bobble
Create a big booble by adding on more stitches and knitting more rows back and forth.
Change the look of it by knitting or purling those rows back and forth. Knitting every row as in garter stitch will give a different look to a bobble than if it was done in stocking stitch.
Instead of turning your work, you can use the technique of knitting backwards.
Finally, when you decrease those extra stitches to get back to the one stitch – that decrease can be done many ways – passing stitches over or knitting 2 together etc
There are many ways to make a bobble in knitting
