5 Delightful Free Patterns to Knit with Acrylic Yarn

Practical, fun, frugal, and free knitting patterns available using acrylic yarn

Inexpensive acrylic yarn is great to knit with when you’re trying to save money. It’s also ideal for making projects that are easy to wash, dry, and wear. 🎉

The problem is that sometimes it can be difficult to find fun and attractive free patterns that don’t call for wool yarn. I love wool yarn, but it can be pricey–particularly if you’re looking to make a fabric that’s washable. 🤔

So today, I’ve found several cute, fun patterns that are acrylic yarn-friendly. That makes all of these patterns not only eminently washable, but also immensely frugal.

In addition, all of these patterns make ideal gifts and charity projects. So let’s take a look! 👇

No Sacrifice of Style with These Patterns

1. Berry Baby Hat

• What you’ll need to make it: About 125 yards of worsted weight yarn (100 in a solid color, 25 in green); US Size 7 & 8 circular needles and/or DPNs, depending on how you prefer to knit in the round

• Why you’ll want to: This baby hat is scrumptious, as will be the lucky baby who receives it!

2. A Very Braidy Cowl

• What you’ll need to make it: About 200 yards worsted weight yarn; US Size 8 needles; cable needle or spare DPN; tapestry needle

• Why you’ll want to: The cable design on this darling cowl give the fun appearance of a series of loose braids.

3. Wink

• What you’ll need to make it: About 32 yards jumbo weight yarn; US Size 35 needles

• Why you’ll want to: Though this adorable scarf was designed for Berroco’s “Link” yarn, you can use any jumbo weight yarn for a very quick knit! (Note: you can also use super-bulky weight yarn and US Size 13 to 15 needles; just double the number of cast-on stitches.)

4. Beatnik

• What you’ll need to make it: 1300 to 2400 yards worsted weight yarn; US Size 8 and 6 circular and/or straight needles, depending on which you prefer for flat knitting; US Size 6 circular needles or DPNs, depending on how you prefer to knit in the round; cable needle or spare DPN; stitch markers; tapestry needle

• Why you’ll want to: Most pullover patterns expect you to use wool yarn. Not this one! This is such a visually stunning sweater, with lots of beautiful cables, a boat neck, and moss-stitch sleeves.

5. Flappy Flounder

• What you’ll need to make it: 5 to 60 yards of whatever weight yarn you wish to use (actual yardage depends on weight–you’ll need more for a thinner yarn and less for thicker); circular needles or DPNs (depending on how you prefer to knit in the round) in a needle size at least 2 sizes smaller than recommended for your yarn weight; small amount of black yarn or embroidery thread; tapestry needle; small amount of stuffing; beads (optional)

• Why you’ll want to: I couldn’t resist including this little guy. You can use any kind of yarn to knit him up, and not much of it either. And how cute is he? I really want to go knit one now!

These patterns make it easy and fun to put that inexpensive acrylic yarn to use for your knitting pleasure–and create an array of projects that can be washed and dried easily!