If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you might have spotted that I’ve been getting into knitting in recent months. So much so that I’ve even had to DIY a supplies stash storage unit for my wool and patterns.
While I’m still very much a beginner and am loving working my way through the beginner’s knitting course at LearnToKnitOnline, I’ve become unbelievably excited by the possibilities that learning how to colourwork has provided.
Therefore, when I spotted the newly released book 100 Essential Knitting Motifs, I was excited to see a copy. It’s suitable for all skill levels, including beginners like me, and the author guides you through making fabulous designs to use in your knitting projects.
100 Essential Knitting Motifs by Sian Brown, GMC Publications, RRP £14.99, available online and from all good bookshops.
Plus, if you’ve ever wanted to know how wet blocking works, this book has the answers, including a few different wet-blocking techniques for different types of yarn.
I did my first wet-blocking on a headband I made during a knit-along headband tutorial video with Alice from LearnToKnitOnline, and I was surprised by what a difference it made to the finished design.
The author has kindly shared an extract of two of the knitting motifs from the book that you can follow to create your own knitted sailing boat, fish and waves.
I thought these motifs would be the perfect combination to complete a blanket to take to the beach or a colourful, coastal-themed cushion.
You can download the PDF of the instructions for the Sailing Boat and Waves here and you can download the Fish and Waves motif here. Or read on below to follow the pattern for each motif right here on my website.
Motif 8: Sailing Boat and Waves
A sailing boat floating on the waves, worked using intarsia and embroidery, makes a sunny motif square.
- A Aqua
- B Cream
- C Light Blue
- D Yellow
- E Olive Yellow
- F Red
- G Bright Yellow
- H Dark Grey
Yarn: DK
Needles: 4mm
Tension: 22 sts × 28 rows over 4 × 4in (10 × 10cm) st st
Stitches: stocking stitch, Fair Isle, intarsia, garter stitch, embroidery
NOTE: Work in Fair Isle for the waves section and intarsia for the main part.
Using A, cast on 33 sts.
K 3 rows.
Start chart
Row 1 (RS): K3, work row 1 of chart over next 27 sts, k3.
Row 2: K3, work row 2 of chart over next 27 sts, k3.
Cont to 37 rows, keeping k3 at the beginning and end of each row.
K 3 rows.
Cast off.
To finish
Sew in the ends. Block and press according to the yarn band instructions.
Using G, embroider straight stitches to form rays around the sun.
Using H, embroider two long straight stitches, caught down at the centre of each section to make a slight arch, to make seagulls.
Motif 9: Fish and Waves
Colourful fish and waves in a cotton-mix yarn make a summery square that can be combined with other coastal motifs.
- A Light Blue
- B Cream
- C Navy
- D Turquoise
- E Lime
Yarn: DK
Needles: 4mm
Tension: 22 sts × 28 rows over 4 × 4in (10 × 10cm) st st
Stitches: stocking stitch, Fair Isle, intarsia, garter stitch, embroidery
NOTE: Work in Fair Isle for the waves section and intarsia for the fish section.
Using A, cast on 34 sts.
K 3 rows.
Start chart
Row 1 (RS): K3, work row 1 of chart over next 28 sts, k3.
Row 2: K3, work row 2 of chart over next 28 sts, k3.
Cont to 37 rows, keeping k3 at the beginning and end of each row.
K 3 rows.
Cast off.
To finish
Sew in the ends. Block and press according to the yarn band instructions.
Using C, embroider a French knot on the top fish for the eye, then do the same on the lower fish using E.
I hope you enjoy getting out your knitting needles and trying these coastal-themed intarsia motifs. Let me know if you have a go at knitting either of these designs yourself – I’d love to hear how you get on in the comments below.
And, if you fancy checking out the 98 other motifs in the book, You can buy 100 Essential Knitting Motifs from Gifts to Me for only £12 (+P&P)! Usual RRP £14.99 Visit giftstome.co.uk and use the offer code R6125. Offer ends 30th August 2026
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Some items in this blog post have been gifted to me and the pink links indicate a gifted product, affiliate link or information source. All thoughts and opinions in this post are based on my own experience and I am not responsible for your experience 🙂
