These only exist because the hearts were so much fun. Well, that, and I wanted to see if I could make them with absolutely no seaming, no picking up stitches, and only two ends to weave in (the answer was yes, yes I could, which is just darn nifty).

Seriously though, the hearts were so much fun (and so popular with you folks) that I wanted to see what other sorts of tiny nonsense you’d let me get away with. Because really, there was every chance that the hearts were a fluke and only popular because I managed to bring them out shortly before valentines day.

But making tiny little structural things satisfies my brain in a way I cannot fully explain, so I wanted to do it again. And so the stars happened. And they’ve been my bestselling pattern ever since. I love it when you like my weird little projects as much as I do!

General information

This 26-page pattern is tremendously detailed and holds your hand every step of the way. There are pages and pages of step-by-step photos to show you exactly what to expect as you work. The pattern is full of helpful tips on everything from casting on, blocking, filling your stars, and managing your ends.

It’s almost absurdly detailed, but it really does mean you can totally make these, even if you’ve never knit a project like this before!

Skills & scope

Each star fits in the palm of your hand and takes only a few hours to knit. You’ll cast on at the outer perimeter of the star, work one side, flip your work over, and work the other side. That keeps things as simple as possible (no seams to sew, no stitches to pick up, only two ends to weave in) and means you’ll start to see your star take shape after just a few rows of knitting.

The pattern uses charts, so you will need to know how to follow a knitting chart.

Yarn, gauge & sizing

The pattern comes in three sizes, three shapes (four, five, and six pointed version), and three textures (stockinette, reverse stockinette, and ribbed). You can make it in any weight of yarn, and the finished size will change depending on what yarn you use. You don’t need to match any particular gauge, but you do need to knit tightly enough to make a firm fabric so your filling doesn’t show through.

I’ve knit this in everything from fingering-weight up through bulky-weight yarns.

This is a perfect project for scrap yarn.

The stars in the pictures took less than 50 yards each (the smallest ones took less than 25 yards). They are worked between 9 stitches per inch (for the fingering-weight yarn) and 5 stitches per inch (for the bulky-weight yarn). They are between 1 and 5 inches across and about an inch deep.

Tools & supplies

You’ll need needles that let you work in the round (circulars or DPNs) in whatever size lets you get a firm fabric with your chosen yarn plus the general knitting tools you need for most projects (scissors to cut your yarn, a darning needle to weave in ends, the occasional stitch marker or bit of scrap yarn to hold stitches).

You’ll also need something to fill the stars with. I have a page here with information about the supplies I use in my projects.