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Making a knitted coat hanger

making a knitted coat hanger

These knitted coat hangers are something that always reminds me of grandparents - clothes handing carefully on knitted or crocheted covered hangers. Clothes that were properly looked after, brushed, spot cleaned, mended. The space between them given by the chunky hangers protection from damp or fustiness. My Gran has some with little bags of lavender hanging from the hook.

They are perfect ways to use up odds and ends of wool, it is my go to stash busting pattern.

You only need 40 grams of double knitting wool per hanger and they can be striped or plain. I tend to keep all my tiny left over balls in a basket along with a small circular needle, and knit these whenever I'm at a loose end - they are perfect tv knitting.

small balls of knitting wool and knitted coat hanger

You need

  • Two 20 g balls of double knitting wool
  • Knitting needles size 3.25mm (UK 10)
  • Tapestry needle
  • A 40 - 43 cm padded coat hanger
  • 1 metre velvet ribbon 0.5 cm wide

Tension: 20 stitches by 24 rows in garter stitch to make 10 cm square

Method

  • Using ball 1 cast on 92 stitches.
  • Join in ball 2 and knit 2 rows
  • Change to ball 1 and knit 2 rows.
  • Continue in this way, making two row stripes until row 38, just carry the wool up the side of the knitting, don’t cut it off.
  • Cast off.
  • Find the centre of your knitting and slip it over the hook of the hanger, spread it out to cover the hanger and sew the edges together so that they enclose the hanger.
  • Tie one end of your ribbon to the base of the hook and wrap it around the hook first one way and then the other, back to the base. Tie in a knot or bow.

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Comments: 9 (Add)

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Ann

Thank you for this pretty memory jolt! I bought wooden coathangers a few years back intending to do just this and to give as Christmas gifts. I never got round to it but it seems to me this is exactly the right time to knit a coathanger. And yes, my Mum had a number in her wardrobe, some were probably her Mum's, and now they are in my wardrobe. :-)

Becky

I love this - brought back a long forgotten memory, this was the first thing we were taught to knit at school! Back in the day, when girls did knitting and sewing, and boys got to use much bigger tools!

Lesley Boast

Can I ask where you can buy the wooden coat hanger from please?

Moira Russell

In reply to Becky
Me too! 71 years ago I learned to knit at school by knitting a coat hanger cover in 2 colours. My Auntie Doreen crocheted it together for me! I haven't thought about that for years - we knitted a kettle holder the next year - two squares with Auntie Doreen to the rescue with the crochet hook to join them! In those days kettles and pans were boiled on the hob and did not have insulated handles so to pick them up you needed a kettle holder! My Granny kept a kettle on a swee over the coal fire and had a kettle holder hanging by the fireside. What a tumble of memories - thank you! :)
SnapdragonJane

In reply to Moira Russell
What lovely memories Moira - my school knitting wasn't as useful - a rather sad looking teddy with one leg a lot shorter than the other! J x
SnapdragonJane

In reply to Ann
I have a few that have been handed down too - and you often see lovely ones in charity shops. Obviously too good to throw out x
SnapdragonJane

In reply to Becky
It is a great school knitting project - now I'm not sure that anyone learns to knit at school, perhaps they do or maybe it is from YouTube in their twenties. . . . J x
SnapdragonJane

In reply to Lesley Boast
Sorry I missed this Lesley - you can often pick them up in charity shops or google padded hangers - easier than starting from scratch with the wood and strips of fabric. Though it is a good way to use up past it knitted jersey fabric, cutting into strips and wrapping round and round as a base. J x
Moira Russell

In reply to SnapdragonJane
Bet you loved him all the more - Wabi-Sabi ! Perfection is over rated! x
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