Little Bee Cowl

New pattern! Little Bee stitch is my new fave stitch, it's so cute. I want to knit a swatch in yellow and black like a bee. I'm trying pdfs for my patterns from now on. Hope this works.

There, just click the arrow to download the pdf.

If that doesn't work, try clicking here to download the pdf directly.

Ostrich Plume Cowl

You will need:
3 balls Sirdar Denim Ultra (or other mega chunky yarn)

10 mm knitting needles (US size 15)

7 mm knitting needles

This makes a medium to large size cowl, but it is easy to make smaller. It's basically 3 repeats of the ostrich plume stitch, with reverse stocking stitch in between - so if you want to make the cowl smaller (or larger), simply decrease (or increase) the amount of reverse stocking stitch between the pattern repeats. (This pattern states 3 sts between repeats, but the cowl in the picture has 4 sts).Gauge is not massively important, but about 3 sts per inch.

Ostrich plume pattern is easy to remember:
1st row: K.
2nd row: P.
3rd row: K4tog, (YF K1) 5 times, YF, K4tog.
4th row: P.

Cowl pattern:
With 7mm needles CO 51 sts, K2 P2 rib for 3 rows, then switch to 10mm needles.

K to end of row.
P to end of row.
K3, *K4tog, (YF K1) 5 times, YF, K4tog; repeat from * to last 3 sts, K3.
P to end of row.
Repeat last 4 rows until cowl reaches desired length, then switch to 7mm needles and K2 P2 for 3 rows.
BO in pattern (using a 10 mm needle to keep the BO sts loose).
Weave in ends, sew together.

There, easy!

Flowers for Mam

I made some of these for my Mam’s 56th birthday, she loved them, and has started making some as gifts for her knitting friends. They are also super easy to make!
Use any wool that you like, and pretty much any size needles. I used DK with 3.5mm double pointed needles.

You will need:

Set of 4 dpns (whatever size you’re used to)
Yarn (whatever type goes with your chosen needles)
Tapestry needle
Scissors
A spare hour or two

Okay here we go:
CO 30 sts. I always cast all my sts onto 1 ordinary needle, then transfer them to the double points as needed. I also CO 1 extra st, then knit the extra st and the first st together.
Divide the sts as 10 on each needle, join, then K 1 round.
K2, P1, K4, P1, K2 – for three rounds.
K until piece is about 1 ½ inches long.
Begin decreases:
K2, K2tog, K2, K2tog, K2.
K 1 round.
K1, K2tog, K2, K2tog, K1.
K1 round.
K2, K2tog, K2.
K2, K2tog, K1.
K1, K2tog, K1.
K1, K2tog.
You’ll now have 2 sts on each needle, cut the yarn leaving a long tail and thread through remaining sts, remove the needles and pull to draw tight. Weave in the yarn.

Now turn it inside out.
Pick up sts along a line, 1 sts every other purl bump.
Slip the first sts of every row, and then stocking sts until piece measure approx 5 inches / 13cm.
Garter stitch (knit every row) for another 2 inches / 6cm.
Cast off (bind off) leaving a long tail.
Now roll the long strip up like a swiss roll, and using the tail of yarn, sew closed at the end which is the bottom of the cup.
Now you turn the cup inside out, push a knitting needle through the middle of the flower and out of the end of the cup, pull down all the way and…

Presto! You have a flower. Make loads and put them in a vase.