It's not everyday we get an email from the States, but this one is especially good. Jennifer Powell found out about our Big Knit campaign through the Mason-Dixon Knitting blog (a really big knitting blog in America), and soon found that "making these little hats is very addictive".
Jennifer has very kindly sent us in a pattern guide which you can use to make her brilliant flower cup. So, needles at the ready, and away we go...
Using dk weight wool and size 5 (US) needles (3.75mm needles for us Brits), cast on 56 stitches
Join to knit in the round (be careful not to twist stitches)
Knit 2 rows
Next row: k2tog all around (28 stitches)
Knit for 10 rows
Change to new colour and knit 3 rows
Change to green and k2tog all around (14 stitches)
Next row: k2tog (7 stitches)
Next row: k2tog until last stitch, k1 (4 stitches)
Knit 3 rows
K2tog, cut yarn and draw through remaining 2 stitches
Weave in ends and hey presto, you've got yourself one beautiful hat.
You can check out Jennifer's very own blog and read about her knitting adventures here.
Call up some friends, crack out the biccies and throw the knitting event of the century. We've just added a whole host of downloadable resources to the big knit area of the website. We've got invites to knit-ins to send your friends, a customisable hatometer, downloadable posters and enough patterns to keep you pearling for ages.
Thank you to Debs for sending patterns for these fine hats. They make me feel nice and cosy on this cold autumn morning. We hope that you enjoy them, and if you have any creative ideas that you would like to share, then please get in touch. Think of it like a swapsies of inspiration.
"Hellooo
Here are the patterns for the tea pot and the cake…
Starting with a nice cake
To make a ball shaped hat - cast on 28 stitches and rib two rows.
Next row: increase to 42 stitches evenly across row purl 42 stitches. Next row: increase to 56 stitches evenly across row stocking stitch 7 rows decrease to 42 stitches evenly across row purl 42 decrease to 28 stitches evenly across row purl 28 stitches decrease to 14 stitches decrease to 7 stitches on the purl row thread the wool through and pull up tightly.
To make the icing pattern in the ball shape, alternate brown and white evenly across the 7 rows of 56 stitches.
Then top off with a red cherry bobble!
And for the tea pot
Cast on 28 stitches and rib two rows in blue.
Alternate blue and white wool every two rows for 3 rows Knit one row in blue then during the next purl row decrease once somewhere in the knitting to end up with 27 stitches.
To create the flat top of the tea pot
Knit 27 stitches in white, then knit the next row to create a purl row on the right side. In blue (K1, K2tog) to end. 18 stitches. Purl one row in blue. In white (K2tog) to end 9 stitches.
Bind off tightly and sew hat side together.
Add a blue bobble.
To make the spout and handle
Knit these by using i-cord. You knit this on two double ended (cable) needles. Cast on 4 stitches, then knit a row. Instead of passing the needle over to your left hand and turning it over, push the knitting to the end of the needle and carry on knitting with the wool passed behind the knitting. If you pull as you knit, you will create a tube of knitting. Continue until you have a spout and handle the right size. Thread the wool through the four stitches, pull tightly and fasten off, threading the wool through the i-cord. Now attach to tea pot.
Cheers
Debs"
As we promised, here's a nice pattern to get your needles into. Courtsey of Kim L from Sainsbury's Bridgnorth. Thank you Kim.
28st 10 black, 8 white, 10 rows
K1, P1 4 rows
K row, P row - 10 rows
K2 tog, 14 sts
P2 tog, P1 *rep
Knit
Purl
K2 in 1
Knit 10 rows
Purl
K2 tog
Purl 2 tog
Thread through and fasten off
Wings
3 sts - knit, purl
K1, K into 2, K1 (4 sts)
K1, K into 2, K3 (5 sts)
ss st 5 rows
K2 tog, K1, K2 tog
Purl White - ss st 10 rows (3st)
S1 1, K2 tog, psso
Hat
24 sts, purl row, knit 10 rows
K2 tog, P2 tog
Thread through
Scarf:
40 sts, knit 2 rows, cast off
Some of you have been asking for some challenging hat patterns now that you’ve mastered the bobble. So I’ve made this ‘Knitting Patterns’ section in the Knitter Natter blog to upload and share some great knitting patterns. If you’ve made any creative hats and would like to share you tricks with other knitters, please send them in an e-mail, with a photo of the finished product. I’ll be uploading the best here, so it’s best to keep an eye out. Food-inspired hats always go down well last thing - Mike just showed me some Christmas Pudding hats and they looked delicious.
Hello
This week I thought I'd send a pic of a Thanksgiving hat, and the pattern for how it was done. We had Key Lime Pie to celebrate...not as traditional as Pumpkin but it was yummy.
Anyway, knit using the normal hat pattern, but start off with large needles, then after a few rows use medium needles, small for the middle bit, medium and back to large again. That will give you the 'dip' in the middle of the hat. It's a great cheat's way to make a hat that gets narrow in the middle, without having to reduce and increase stitches!
Once you made the body of the hat, you can crochet a brim onto the edge. Just crochet two double stitches into each cast on stitch. It's really easy! You can add a brim to any sort of hat...maybe a witches' hat for Halloween.
I'm off on holiday next week...and I'm taking my needles with me!
Happy knitting
Debs
make 1 peice
with mink cast on 28 sts for base and k1, p1 for 2 rows
Row 1 knit : Row 2 purl : Row 3 knit across row inc evenly across by 8 sts (36 sts)
Row 4 purl
ss 6 rows (knit row , purl row)
Sauce
Row 1 k2 mink, k2 aran, k2 mink,to end
row 2 p1 mink, (p4 aran, p2 mink) 5 times , p1 mink
row 3 k1 mink, (k4 aran, p2 mink) 5 times, k1 mink
continue in aran - purl 1st row
1st dec row k1, k2 tog, k1 to end (27sts)
ss 3 rows
2nd dec row k1, k 2tog, to end (18sts)
purl row
3rd dec row k2 tog to end (9 sts)
break off yarn, leaving long end and thread through sts, draw up and fasten off, sew seam.
holly leaves
cast on 10 sts, knit 4 rows , cast off fasten in middle to form 2 leaves and sew to pudding.
add red berries ( french knots x 3 ).
using chocolate thread and vertical sts, embroider randomly over pud for currents.
I hope you enjoy this pattern,
Kim (one of our guest bloggers)
This is an intermediate knit.
The body: cast on 28 sts. K1, P1 10 rows
k1, K2 tog, (19sts) Knit 3 rows
K1, K2 in 1 to end (28sts) knit 5 rows
K1, (k2 tog, k1) 9 times (19sts)
k1 (k2 tog, k3 ) 3 times (15sts)
k2, k2 tog twice, k3, k2t og, k2 (12 sts) k2 tog, 6 times k2 tog , 3 times
break off yarn and thread though, join seam.
Leaves 8 or 9
cast on 3 sts
knit 1 row, purl 1 row, *k1, k2 in 1, k1 (4sts) purl 1 row k1, k2 in 1,k2 in 1, k1 (6sts)
purl row, knit 1 row, purl 1 row, k1, k2 tog, k2 tog, k1 (4sts) purl 1 row ,
k1, K2 tog, k1 (3sts) purl 1 row.* this is one side of leaf, repeat the pattern from * to *
then fasten off , sew up seams. sew on leaves
This body pattern can be used for all sorts of animals.
good luck with the knitting.
By Kim one of our guest Knitter Knatter writers.
|
 |
|
Jane on swans or teas? the nation holds its breath
Shona on swans or teas? the nation holds its breath
Diane W on the big knit: where wonders never cease.
Diane W on hats it
Diane W on swans or teas? the nation holds its breath
Becca on the big knit: where wonders never cease.
Becky Chilcott on the big knit: where wonders never cease.
Becky Hill on the big knit: where wonders never cease.
Sarah Chilcott on the big knit: where wonders never cease.