Bobble Calculator — Yarn Usage and Placement for Bobble Patterns

To make a 5-stitch bobble: knit into the front, back, front, back, front of one stitch (5 stitches from 1). Turn and purl 5, turn and knit 5, turn and purl 5. Then pass stitches 2-5 over stitch 1 to close the bobble. The bobble pops out from the fabric surface.

Each bobble uses extra yarn proportional to its size. A 5-stitch, 5-row bobble works about 25 stitch operations (5 sts x 5 rows) versus 1 for a plain stitch — but that is a count of stitches worked, not 25x the yarn length over the garment. Because bobbles are spaced apart and their turned rows are short rows over only their own stitches, the real yarn-length increase across a whole piece is much lower: an allover bobble pattern typically uses about 15-30% more yarn than the same piece in plain stocking stitch (weigh a swatch to confirm for your yarn).

A nub (also called a knot) is a small, quick version using fewer stitches and rows: typically knit into the front and back once or twice, then immediately decrease back. A bobble is larger and more prominent, using 5-7 stitches and 3-5 turned rows.

Bobbles are typically placed every 4-8 stitches horizontally and every 4-8 rows vertically. Staggering alternate rows (offsetting by half the horizontal spacing) creates a diamond arrangement. Ensure your stitch count divides evenly by the spacing.

Yes. Crochet bobbles (also called puff stitches or popcorn stitches) work on the same principle: work multiple stitches into one stitch, then join them together at the top. Crochet bobbles are typically faster to make since you do not need to turn the work.