7 Free, Fabulous Ways to Make a Lovely Hanukkah with Your Yarn

Hanukkah and Jewish festivals take center stage with this free knitting and craft pattern collection

A Jewish holiday celebrated during the month of December, Hanukkah is a festival that commemorates the rededication and purification of the Temple after it was occupied and desecrated by a Syrian army in 168 BCE.

The history of the occupation and desecration, followed by the victory of the Jews over the Syrians, is told in ancient Jewish texts known as Maccabees I and II.

Today, Hanukkah celebrates Jewish courage in the face of the overwhelming odds of a devastating conquering enemy. It also serves as a reminder to Jews to hold fast to their faith, even when it may seem impossible.

I must confess that I heard of the holiday of Hanukkah for years without recognizing what it celebrated or represented. Now that I have read of the festival’s origin and history, I love that it has become such a popular holiday, particularly in the west.

Some of the patterns in this collection are Hanukkah-themed, while others more generally Jewish-themed. I put this collection together out of a desire to offer my Jewish friends a seat at the knitting table (particularly since so many winter holiday patterns are Christmas-themed)!

(One pattern is not knitting, but it still involves yarn crafting, so I included it.)

Do you have a favorite Hanukkah or Jewish-themed pattern I haven’t listed here? Be sure to let me know in the comments, and I’ll gladly add it to this list!

Free Patterns for the Festival of Lights

Hanukkah and Christmas Coasters: These can be either for Christmas or Hanukkah, depending on the colors of yarn you use. There’s a knitted version and a crocheted version.

Hanukkah Dishcloths: This is a series of 3 different Hanukkah-themed dishcloth patterns (ignore the first one listed, unless you want to knit a Shih Tzu dishcloth, too!). The great thing about these patterns is that they could be used for projects other than dishcloths; for instance, sew several together and make an afghan, or use one on a larger square and make it a panel for a pillow!

Dreidel Toy: Lion Brand calls this a “catnip pet toy,” which is certainly one way it could be used. Leave out the catnip and it could make an adorable toy for a baby or child, or even a decoration!

Star of David Dishcloth: Self-explanatory, I think!

Kippah: What a beautiful gift this Kippah (also called a yarmulke) might make for a boy (or a man!).

Matzoh Holder: I think this is a really attractive piece for the Passover table.

Finally, just for fun, how about if we throw in a pattern for a Chanukah garland. It’s not actually a knitting project, but rather a craft project using yarn. It looks like a lot of fun, too, and a beautiful way to decorate your home.

Any of these patterns would create beautiful gifts for Jewish friends and family. They could also make exceptional donations to charity, particularly homeless shelters (where non-Christmas donations may be especially scarce).

And, of course, if you love to celebrate Hanukkah yourself, I hope you enjoy creating one or more of these projects for your own household!