Cozy Up Your Pencil DIY Grip

Ever find your fingers getting tired while writing or drawing? Or maybe you just want to add a splash of handmade charm to your desk essentials? Well, have we got a delightful little project for you! We’re going to make the exact soft, pink pencil grip you see in the picture. It’s a surprisingly simple project, perfect even if you’ve never picked up a crochet hook before. Let’s get started and fashion something lovely together!

What You’ll Need

Gather these simple supplies to get started:

• 🧶 A small amount of DK (Double Knitting) or Worsted Weight yarn in a soft pink colour (like the one pictured)
• 🪡 A crochet hook appropriate for your yarn (usually around 4mm or 4.5mm for DK/Worsted, check the yarn label!)
• ✂️ Small scissors
• 🧵 A yarn needle (sometimes called a tapestry needle) with an eye large enough for your yarn
• ✏️ The pencil you want the grip for (important for sizing!)

Understanding the Basics (Absolutely No Experience Needed!)

Before we jump into the steps, let’s quickly go over the only two stitches you need to know. Don’t worry, they’re super simple!

• Chain Stitch (ch): This is the foundation! Make a slip knot on your hook. Now, wrap the yarn over your hook (this is called a yarn over or yo) and pull that loop through the loop already on your hook. That’s one chain! You’ll just repeat this to make a starting chain.
• Single Crochet (sc): This stitch forms the lovely textured fabric of the grip. Insert your hook into a stitch (or chain). Yarn over, pull a loop through (you’ll have two loops on your hook). Yarn over again, and pull through both loops on your hook. That’s a single crochet! Easy peasy.

Let’s Make Your Pencil Grip!

We’ll work up a small flat rectangle first, then sew it into a tube. This method is very beginner-friendly.

Getting Started: The Foundation Chain

1. Make a slip knot and place it on your crochet hook.
2. Chain 9 stitches. (Chain Stitch (ch): Yarn over, pull through loop on hook. Repeat 8 more times). This little chain should be roughly the desired length of your pencil grip when you hold it against the pencil. You can add or remove a chain or two here if needed for your pencil – feel free to check!

Building the Fabric: The Rows

Now we build the main part of the grip using single crochet.

Row 1: Skip the first chain stitch (the one closest to your hook). Insert your hook into the second chain from the hook. Work 1 Single Crochet (sc) into this stitch. (Remember: Insert hook, yo, pull up a loop, yo, pull through both loops). Now, work 1 sc into each of the remaining 7 chain stitches across. You should have a total of 8 sc stitches in this row. Count them to be sure!

Row 2: Chain 1 (this is a turning chain, it doesn’t count as a stitch, it just gets you up to the right height for the next row). Turn your work around so you’re ready to work back across the stitches you just made. Work 1 sc into the very first stitch (the last sc you made in Row 1). Then, work 1 sc into each of the next 7 stitches across. You should still have 8 sc stitches.

Tip: Make sure you are inserting your hook under both top loops of the stitch from the previous row for a neat fabric.

Rows 3 – onwards: Repeat Row 2 exactly. Chain 1, turn, work 1 sc in each of the 8 stitches across. Keep repeating Row 2 until the flat piece is long enough to wrap snugly around your pencil. Don’t make it too loose! Check the fit frequently by wrapping the piece around the part of the pencil where you hold it. The image shows a grip that is quite dense and hugs the pencil well. Aim for that snug fit. It will likely take around 10-14 rows, depending on your yarn and tension.

Finishing Off

1. Once your rectangle is the right size, cut the yarn, leaving a tail about 6-8 inches long.
2. Yarn over your hook one last time and pull the yarn tail completely through the loop on your hook. Pull it tight to secure the last stitch. This is called fastening off.

Assembling Your Grip

Now we just need to put together the final piece!

1. Thread the yarn tail you left onto your yarn needle.
2. Fold your rectangle in half lengthwise, bringing the two long edges together. The side facing outwards now will be the outside of your grip.
3. Using your yarn needle, carefully whip stitch or mattress stitch the two long edges together. To whip stitch, just pass the needle through the corresponding loops on both edges, working your way down the seam. Try to keep your stitches neat and even.
4. When you reach the end of the seam, make a small knot to secure the thread.
5. Weave in both yarn ends (the starting tail and the finishing tail) securely into the inside of the grip using your yarn needle. This means running the needle back and forth through the stitches on the inside a few times before trimming the excess yarn close to the fabric. This hides the ends and stops them from unravelling.
6. Gently slide your finished grip onto your pencil! It should be snug.

Enjoy Your Cozy Pencil!

Look at that! You’ve fashioned a wonderful, soft pencil grip just like the one in the picture. Feel how much more comfortable that pencil is now? There’s something truly special about using tools you’ve enhanced with your own hands.

Don’t hesitate to try this with different colours or even slightly different yarn weights (adjusting your hook size accordingly). It’s a fantastic way to practice basic crochet stitches and produce something useful and lovely in no time at all. Go ahead, show off your newly accessorized pencil!