The Tortured Poet Bookmark Knitting Pattern

Hey, fellow knitters and Swifties!

I’m excited to share with you a special project that’s close to my heart— The Tortured Poet bookmark.

This pattern is a tribute to Taylor Swift’s evocative album, The Tortured Poets Department, which dives deep into themes of introspection, heartbreak, and the beautifully complex emotions of a writer’s soul.

Much like Taylor’s lyrical genius, this bookmark is all about twists and turns that capture the essence of the brooding, creative spirit.

Scroll down to view the free pattern, or grab the printer-friendly ad-free PDF here.

Why a Cable Knit Bookmark?

There’s something poetic about cables, isn’t there?

They remind me of the way life can wind and twist unexpectedly, just like the stories and emotions we hold inside us.

The Tortured Poet bookmark uses simple cable techniques that intertwine, much like Taylor’s narratives, reflecting the push and pull of creativity, love, and longing.

The Tortured Poet Bookmark Knitting Pattern

Skill Level – Intermediate (Experienced knitters)

• Make a knitted bookmark with an intricate cable design.
• This quick knitting project will be great for stash-busting and using yarn scraps.
• This easy bookmark pattern and finished product is for personal use only.

Yarn & Needles:

Yarn

For this project, I recommend a soft, durable yarn that feels just right in your hands as you work.

Something that echoes the textures of old leather-bound journals or crumpled love letters written late at night.

You can use any fingering or sport-weight yarn in muted, moody tones—perhaps a rich navy or deep burgundy.

I opted for a cozy merino blend in a soft grey, which perfectly complements the introspective feel of the bookmark.

• Fingering weight yarn/4 Ply.
• Amount of yarn – around 15g/40 meters.
• Yarn – Dark Omen Yarn, Merino Sock Mini in the color Void.

Needles:

• Size 3.5mm (US 4) straight or circular needles.
• Cable needle.

Notions

• Darning needle/tapestry needle or yarn needle
• Scissors
• Tape Measure

Size Information

• The bookmark length measures – 8.5 inches.
• The width measures – 2.5 inches.
• Gauge – 16 stitches/18 rows in 5 x 5 cm/2 inches.

Knitting Abbreviations

• CO – Cast on
• C4F (Cable 4 Front) – Slip next 2 sts onto cable needle and hold at front of work, knit next 2 sts from left hand needle and then knit 2 sts from cable needle.
• K – Knit
• P – Purl
• PM – Place marker
• SM – Slip marker
• St(s) – Stitch(es)
• St st – Stocking stitch
• T4B (Twist 4 Back) – Slip next 2 sts onto cable needle and hold at back of work. Knit next 2 sts from left hand needle, then purl 2 sts from cable needle.
• T4F (Twist 4 Front) – Slip next 2 sts onto cable needle and hold at front of work, purl next 2 sts from left hand needle, then knit 2 sts from cable needle.
• Rep – Repeat
• RS – Right side
• WS – Wrong side
• 1×1 Ribbing – K1, P1 repeat.

The Tortured Poet Bookmark Pattern

The cables themselves are simple, but they tell a story.

I designed this to be a reflection of the ups and downs—the places we get stuck, and the breakthroughs that set us free.

Scroll down to view the free pattern, or grab the printer-friendly ad-free PDF here.

Here’s the pattern:

A panel of 16 sts on a background of Rev st st.

• Cast on 22 stitches.
• Work 4 rows of 1×1 Ribbing.
• Row 1 (RS): K2, (edge) P1, PM, P2, C4F, P4, C4F, P2, PM, P1, K2 (edge).
• Row 2 (WS): K3, SM, K2, P4, K4, P4, K2, SM, K3.
• Row 3: K2, P1, SM, P2, K4, P4, K4, P2, SM, P1, K2.
• Row 4: As row 2.
• Rows 5-6: As rows 1-2.
• Row 7: K2, P1, SM, [T4B, T4F] Twice, SM, P1, K2.
• Row 8: K3, SM, P2, K4, P4, K4, P2, SM, K3.
• Row 9: K2, P1, SM, K2, P4, C4F, P4, K2, SM, P1, K2.
• Row 10: As row 8.
• Row 11: K2, P1, SM, K2, P4, K4, P4, K2, SM, P1, K2.
• Row 12: As row 8.
• Rows 13-22: Rep rows 9-12 twice more, then rows 9-10 again.
• Row 23: K2, P1, SM, [T4F, T4B] Twice, SM, P1, K2.
• Row 24: As Row 2.
• Rows 13-22: Rep rows 9-12 twice more, then rows 9-10 again.
• Row 23: K2, P1, SM, [T4F, T4B] Twice, SM, P1, K2.
• Row 24: As Row 2.
• Rep rows 1-24 until the length measures = 8 inches.
• Work 4 rows in 1×1 ribbing on row 4 cast off (in ribbing).
• Weave in any loose ends/yarn tails.
• Block the work if necessary.

The Inspiration: Taylor Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department

When I first heard this album, I was immediately transported into the minds of artists struggling to articulate their emotions.

The raw vulnerability, the sense of being lost yet so full of passion—that’s what I wanted to translate into this bookmark design.

The cables symbolize the internal tug-of-war many writers feel as they wrestle with their thoughts and emotions.

As you knit this bookmark, I hope you’ll listen to the album, let the music flow through your stitches, and feel connected to that deeper, emotional journey.