Eight point Christmas star pattern

courtesy Anna-MarieB

Browsing Facebook yesterday, discovered a lovely photo of eight point stars knit with colorful Noro Kureyon. With the variegated colors, they could even pass as leaves. Great as a Christmas tree ornament, coasters, or hung together as a garland. A pattern for a six point star was referenced, which didn't work at all. This star pattern needed 8 points!

So I trotted out to my LYS this afternoon and found a skein of Kureyon yarn. Plymouth Yarns 'Gina' will work as well, as will Poems 'Silk,' but probably on a larger needle. First, I blew up the original photo and counted the rows of purl bumps. Using the first pattern for the 6-point star, I was able to write the eight point Christmas star pattern below.

copyright SWatterson, knitnscribble, 2017

Here's the eight point star pattern fresh off the needles, along with some photos of my stars. Such an easy pattern and fun to knit. I knit the first one (solid pink) in some Malabrigo scrap yarn. Just a good way to use up bits and pieces of stash yarn. They haven't been blocked yet, of course, but measure 4" from point to point. Crochet a chain and hang as a Christmas ornament on your tree or wreath.

(You are welcome to print this star pattern out, please do not copy and paste it to another site, use a link to this article instead, thank you.)

Eight Point Christmas Star knitting pattern
Materials:
1 skein worsted weight yarn will make oodles of stars
US 7 (4.5 mm) dpn's (double pointed needles)

CO 6sts, leaving a 10" tail.
Rows 1,3,5,7,9 (WS): knit
Rows 2,4,6,8: K1, M1 (knit in the back of  M1), K3, K2tog (6sts)
Row 10: BO, leaving the last stitch on your needle. Pick up 5 sts at the left edge of that stitch, using the purl bumps as a guide. (6 sts)
Remember, you are knitting 8 little diamonds to shape the star pattern. Repeat Rows 1-10, seven more times. Sew seam and pull in center stitches just like the top of a knitted hat. Imagine these stars as sparkling appliques knit in metallic yarn! Back them with felt and use them as coasters.

copyright SWatterson, knitnscribble, 2017

Experimenting later to see if this eight point star pattern can be adjusted to knit a larger star, too. For instance, with 8 constant stitches, CO 8 sts. and work enough rows in the same manner as above to make 7 purl bumps on the RS. Row 2 would read " K1, M1, K5, K2tog." Click here for larger star pattern.You can of course, change your yarn weight and enlarge your needle to make a larger star and use my original pattern above.

This star pattern was adapted from B. Breiter's 6-point star pattern.