Want a versatile fashion choice? Try a skull and crossbones! This fun, expressive motif can mean pirate or punk or poison, Halloween or Día de los Muertos or everyday goth accessory. I’ve also included a few other pirate patterns. Updated 9/15/24
To get the knitting patterns, scroll down the page to the individual pattern you want and click on the link to that pattern.
These patterns are not my designs but links to other designers who have generously shared their patterns. If you have questions about how to knit a specific pattern, please contact the designer directly.
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Free Patterns
Papa Spooky Cowl
Beginner-friendly, spooky colorwork cowl, knit from the bottom up with repeated skulls and curlicues. Designed by Shauna Caffrey. Worsted weight yarn.
Skulls Pullover
Long-sleeved pullover sweater jumper with intarsia skull motifs. Sizes Finished Bust About 38 (45, 52, 59, 66) in. (96.5 (114.5, 132, 150, 167.5) cm). Worsted weight yarn. Designed by Lion Brand.
Snuggly Skull Boot Cuffs
Boot cuffs knit in the round, with a sweet skull motif - perfect for Halloween or any day. Designed by Elizabeth Rogers. Worsted weight yarn.
Valkyrie Mitts
Fingerless gauntlets with intarsia skulls inspired by the gloves worn by Kenzi, from SyFy channel’s Lost Girl, and valkyries choosing souls for Viking afterlife. Sizes S, M, L. Designed by Natalia Kolasa.
Scare Isle Tam
Look closely at this fair isle beret to see skulls and other scary motifs. Designed by Lorraine Condotta for Knitty.
Skull and Bones Baby Beanie
Hat for your little pirate with a skull and crossbones in intarsia on a striped background inspired by a pirate's bandana. Designed by Ashlee Prisbrey. Worsted weight yarn.
Bonehat
Beanie with skulls in stranded colorwork. Designed by Gerrit Rijken (Tundra Toucan) and Noeska Smit. Aran weight yarn.
Dancing Skeleton Socks
Socks with a Día de los Muertos theme in stranded colorwork. Designed by Erssie for Anticraft. Great for fans of Coco too.
Skull and Crossbones Dishcloth
Skull and crossbones in knit and purl for cloths, afghan blocks, or other projects. Designed by Miriam Giles. Pictured project by tiggershark
POISON! Coffee Cozy
Cup sleeve with stranded skull and crossbones motif. Designed by Carissa Browning. Pictured projects by the designer and lilbit411
Skull and Crossbones Cushion Cover
Pillow decorated with intarsia pirate skull design. Size 21” square. Designed by Clare Doornbos of Natty Knits
- Get the free knitting pattern
- See the Ravelry page
- See more Knitting Patterns by Clare Doornbos of Natty Knits
Ski Skulls
Scarlet Taylor designed this chullo style ski hat for Red Heart.
Mini Skull and Crossbones Tote
Felted clutch bag with handle and intarsia motif. Designed by Adrian Bizilia. Pictured project by jaknit
Pirate Bootie Baby Set
This matching set of baby hat and booties feature a skull motif that can be worked in intarsia, fair isle, or duplicate stitch. Designed by Patricia Lillie. Pictured project by bluenail
Jolly Roger Poncho
This poncho features a skull and crossbones motif in intarsia. Designed by Nicky Epstein. Quick knit in super bulky yarn.
Skull Keychain
Quick project for a felted skull motif that can be made key chains used for patches on hats, bags, or scarves.. Designed by Teresa Murphy of Knituition who said it took her about 20 minutes to knit one. Great for scrap yarn! Pictured project by surfinsandy
Skull Baby Jumper Dress
A cute baby jumper with a skull motif knit from the bottom up. Designed by Malia Mae for 6 months to 1 yr.. Pictured project by dubeau-papillon
Highway to Hell Shifter Cozy
This skull motif shift stick cover was designed by Cindy Murdock Ames
More Free Patterns
Skullkerchief
Knitty or Nice designed this tricky little kerchief that looks like an abstract design until you pull it over your face.
Snowball’s Chance in Hell Mitts
A snowflake transforms to a skull in Renée Rigdon and Zabet Stewart’s design of fingerless armwarmers. Length: 17”. Design is done with duplicate stitch but I think you could adapt for double knitting or other colorwork. Pictured project by onetomatotwo
The Pirate Queen’s Booty Bag
Webwench’s reversible, double-knit, felted bag features a skull and crossbones.
Hoochie Cozies
What’s your poison? Diana Troldahl designed this skull and crossbones bottle cozy and several others including xXx, Rat Bile, Rot Gut, and more. Pictured project by BoatkrazysWife
- See more pics and get the free knitting patterns
- See the Ravelry page
- See more Beverage Cozy Knitting Patterns
Pirate Dog Coat
I-Matey Dog Coat features a skull and crossbones intarsia motif. Sizes Extra Small, Small, Medium, Large Designed by Bernat Design Studio. Pictured project by naharbeit
Algormortis Teapot Cozy
Vanessa Carter’s skull and crossbones cozy is perfect for pirates, Halloween, or just when you want to make a statement.
Pirate Bookscarf
Double knit reversible bookmark featuring a skull and crossbones motif. Designed by Sandra Jäger. The chart can also be used for other colorwork projects. Pictured project by PixelBamf
Skull Hoodie with Hat
Bernat pattern for children’s sweater and chullo style hat sized for 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 years.
- Get the free knitting pattern
- See more Hoodie Knitting Patterns
- See more Ear Flap Hat Knitting Patterns
Pirate Mittens
Mittens featuring skull and crossbones colorwork designed by Adrian Bizilia. Pictured project by HedvigHandarbetar
Sherlock Lives Cardigan
Professor Fonz’s sweater was inspired by the BBC show Sherlock and incorporates Moriarty’s skulls, the wallpaper pattern in Sherlock’s flat, and a secret message on the sleeve.
- Get the free knitting pattern
- See more Sherlock Knitting Patterns
- Get Sherlock on Amazon
- Get series related books at Alibris
High Functioning Cowl
This cowl inspired by the BBC Sherlock series features a skull motif and the Baker Street wallpaper design. Designed by Professor Fonz. Pictued project by stephisanerd
We Call Them Pirates
Adrian Bizilia’s beanie hat features skull and crossbones motifs in stranded colorwork.
Skull Cable
Adrian Bizilia designed a skull cable that knitters have used on hats, sweaters, arm warmers, and other projects. Note that this is just a pattern for the cable design. Pictured project by roko but there isn’t a pattern.
Skull Illusion Scarf
Designed by Cathy Munoz
Skull Hat
Gina Davidson’s intarsia beanie has a panel to cover the yarn floats on the back.
- Get the free knitting pattern – click on the direct pdf link on the page
- See the pictured project by Sorella and Company
Pretty Punk Blanket
Afghan for the pirate or punk in your life from the Running Yarn. This blanket is knit in five long strips, like scarves, then seamed together at the end. Width: 5 feet Length: 7 feet.
Chauncey
Dee Frey designed this skull softie.
Yorick
Kate Kuckro designed this felted skull scarf.
Skull and Crossbones Lace
Sarah Bradberry designed a skull lace pattern that can be used for blankets, shawls, scarves, mitts, even kitchen curtains! The pictured project is a baby blanket by Pipistrelle
Tricorn Hat
Laura Thomas & Heidi Waterhouse given instructions for your own hat to top off your pirate costume, nautical outfit, or fashion statement.
Ahoy Hat
Elizabeth Mautz-Redmann designed this hat inspired by a pirate’s kerchief headwrap with a detachable eye patch. Child and adult sizes.
Patterns for Purchase
Skull Sweater
Extraordinary pullover featuring a skull in cables and texture. 2 sizes. Designed by Wenche Aarvik.
Treasure Island Pirates Toy Play Set
Instructions to knit two pirates (the Captain with their parrot, and Ship’s Mate wearing an eye patch), a treasure island, treasure chest, and log raft with a Jolly Roger flag. Size: The dolls are 10cm/4 inchs tall. These toys are knit flat on two needles, predominantly in stockinette stitch, with increases and decreases for shaping. Designed by Amanda Berry. DK weight yarn.
Poor Yorick Cardigan
Skulls create an intriguing fair isle pattern on this cardigan sweater in women's sizes XS through 3X. Poor Yorick Cardigan designed by Kate Bellando. Sport weight yarn.
Skull Blanket
A skull sampler blanket! Blanket with a skull designed with different textured stitches. Size 82cm x 95cm. Designed by KnitSewMake. Aran weight yarn.
A Pirate's Tale Sweater
Top-down colorwork pullover sweater worked seamlessly in the round with stranded designs of skull and crossbones, waves, and other pirate motifs. Age sizes 4 (6, 8, 10, 12) years old. Designed by Upon a Yarn Designs. Aran weight yarn.
Sassy Skull Blanket
Cable blanket with cable skull motif. Written instructions and charts. Size 105 x 195 cm. Designed by Jane James Knitwear. 2 strands of sport weight yarn held together to get worsted weight.
Skull Wrap in 2 Sizes
Wrap is worked sideways in a crescent shape with a skull motif and sawtooth edge. 2 versions in 2 different yarn weights: a large shawl in super bulky yarn and a shawlette in bulky yarn. Designed by Michelle Porter
Skulls & Flowers Mittens and the Skulls Fingerless Mitts
Includes both patterns for handwear with all-over skull motif in stranded colorwork. Sizes adult small, medium, large Designed by Jennifer Thompson
Pirate Panda Amigurmi
Amy Gaines designed this plush toy bear 9 inches long.
Ghost Rider Beanie
Hat with flaming skulls in sizes from toddler to adult.
- See more pics and get the knitting pattern on Etsy
- Get Ghost Rider games, collectibles, dvds, comics and more
- See more Super Hero Knitting Patterns
Pirate Doll Costume
One of 25 costumes for 18 inch dolls in Enchanted Knits for Dolls by Nicky Epstein
- See more pics and get Enchanted Knits for Dolls on Amazon
- See more pics and Enchanted Knits for Dolls on Alibris
Flaming Skulls Infinity Scarf or Cowl
Designed to be knit to your desired length, this flamin’ hot infinity scarf or cowl pattern is double knit and fully reversible.
Skull Wash Cloth
Finished Size: 7″W X 7 1/4″ H (18cn X 18.5 cm)
