Festive Flower Pots

I am always looking for new things and new ways to yarn bomb the everyday objects around the house.  The silly season is the perfect opportunity to take things to a new level of daft, all in the name of Christmas!

Dressed up in their festive finery they’ll look just fabulous on a windowsill or table, planted with a small conifer or poinsettia (what a great gift!)

I designed these festively themed flower pot covers for Simply Knitting magazine and you can find the pattern inside issue 139.

For the Santa pot you will need:

• James C Brett, Twinkle DK (97% acrylic, 3% polyester, 100g/300m) Red
• Stylecraft , Special DK (100% acrylic, 100g/295m) Black
• Oddment of Gold DK

For the Snowman pot you will need:

• Patons, Merino extrafine DK (100% wool, 50g/120m) White and Black
• Oddment of orange DK
• Stuffing
• Buttons

For both:

• 3.25mm DPN’s
• Black 13cm  flowerpots

As always I would love to see your finished projects,

Happy Knitting,

Stylish beaded napkin rings

Threading loads of beads onto yarn for a beaded project is not my idea of fun, so “Beading Beautiful” is another of my patterns that use the crochet hook technique.

With a lovely dark yarn and contrasting shiny beads make contemporary stylish looking napkin rings, perfect for your festive table.

If you are not familiar with this beading technique there are some fantastic resources out there to get you started.  Laura Nelkin has a fantastic Craftsy course that teaches many ways to add beads to your knitting, even some that use dental floss!  I warn you though, if you enrol in this Craftsy class you will spend so much time looking for more and more projects you can add beads to, totally addictive!

As always I would love to see your finished projects on my Facebook page

You can download Issue 87 of Let’s Knit Magazine here.

Festive Teddy Outfits

Bring your favourite Teddy into the seasonal festivities with either a Mr or Mrs Santa Claus outfit. Thinking of buy a Build a Bear toy this Christmas? These outfits are the perfect fit for their standard height characters.

They’re designed for an average sized teddy, but if your teddy is (ahem!) slightly larger tummy, some elastic webbing will accommodate the more, ahem, ‘rotund’ stuffed belly.

And if you dare treat a younger, less careful person with such a charming outfit, it’s also machine washable!

As always I would love to see your finished projects on my Facebook page

You can download Issue 87 of Let’s Knit Magazine here.

Christmas Glamour Knits gets some balls

Christmas Glamour Knits are my best selling pattern by far,  all year round I sell these little Christmas knits across the globe.  I have been a busy bee adding a couple of new patterns to this collection, so you can add to yours.

New for this year are two pattern leaflets…

The aptly titled Christmas Glamour Bauble pattern (I know where did I come up with that name, right?)

 

This is knitted in the round on double pointed needles, with a small stranded colour work section (which is worked from a chart).  If you are new to stranded colour work this is the project for you to dip your toe into the stranded knitting pool so to speak (because there is only a small section of colour work).  The pattern includes as always full written instructions and video links to tutorials to get you started with any new techniques or offer a refresher should you need one.

 

Finally, a couple of small balls (too easy?)  Christmas Glamour Mini Baubles

This pair are tiny, measuring a mere 11cm in circumference, you will be able to make these in no time at all.  The beaded bauble uses a crochet hook to apply the beads.  There is both written and video instructions for this technique.  I can not recommend learning this skill enough, no more threading hundreds of beads onto your yarn!

I hope you enjoy the new additions to the family,  I would love to see what you make.

Buy your patterns here for immediate download.

Christmas Glamour Knitting Patterns has a new sugar loaded colour palette

Everybody likes a sweetie or seven at Christmas, don’t they?

This year I decided that I would rework my Christmas Glamour patterns range in a sugar loaded colour palette.  I have chosen to use the gorgeous 4ply merino yarn from Wendy.

If you would like to make some of these cute Christmas treats, you will need a ball of each of the following yarns:

• Wendy Merino 4ply Seapray shade 2380
• Wendy Merino 4ply Birch shade 2365
• Peter Pan 4ply Sugar Plum shade 909

The patterns are available via my shop or on Ravelry, you can buy all six patterns for only £3 or if you would prefer to buy just one pattern it is yours for £1.50.

This is really a great stash busting project, each piece only uses approx. 10g of yarn.  I would love to see your finished projects.

 

Do a runner this Christmas

We’re closer still to Christmas, so once you’re done creating your Halloween decorations you still have plenty of time to get hooking on this festive crochet table runner featured in issue 86 of Let’s Knit magazine.

“Christmas Feast” uses a cotton-blend yarn that has been plied with a thread of metallic silver, giving it a lovely holiday feel. Consisting of individual squares, it is a great pattern to suit any size (and shape) of table.

As always I would love to see your finished projects on my Facebook page

You can download Issue 86 of Let’s Knit Magazine here.

Good Enough to Eat, please don’t though

It’s normal for Jane’s projects to be somewhat in advance of the seasons, so creating Christmas and winter designs in spring is, well, normal. This was the case when creating her latest designs in Let’s Knit issue 86.

But there are only 7 weeks to Christmas, and still we don’t have our central heating on! So, with our warm clothes still in the dark depths of the wardrobe, may I present to you in my long lost brummy accent…

Iiiiit’s Chriiiiiiistmaaaaas!

 

“Home Sweet Home” Gingerbread house is ideal for your first winter project. A sweet and simple cable for the roof tops swiss-darned, stocking stitch walls. Fill with toy stuffing, and it’s a lovely decoration, but if you place some bagged rice inside it will make a stylish doorstop.

As always I would love to see your finished projects on my Facebook page

You can download Issue 86 of Let’s Knit Magazine here.

Pretty in Pink Christmas Tree Jumper

Pretty in Pink Christmas Tree Sweater

Image courtesy of Simply Knitting Magazine

With its twinkling Christmas tree motif this is guaranteed to delight the little Princess in your life.

The pattern is written for chest sizes 55, 58.5 and 63.5cm which is approximately 3-5 years.

Matching collar and cuff detail

This is a traditional style drop shoulder sweater, worked from the bottom up.  It is a very straight forward knit and would suit a keen beginner.  The sparkly tree is worked using the Intarsia method and King Cole Galaxy DK yarn.  If you prefer to knit this in a plain yarn, you can easily substitute another DK yarn.  Why not knit one for a little Prince?

You can find the pattern inside the Hand Knit Christmas supplement which is free with issue 125 of Simply Knitting Magazine.  You can download your copy here.

 

As always I would love to see your finished projects on my Facebook page and on Ravelry.

Tiny Knitted Gift Bags and Sparkly Sacks

These tiny bags are great for hiding treats on the tree

Image courtesy of Simply Knitting Magazine

I was luck enough to receive a pack of Lion Brand, Bonbons to try.  For those of you yet to come across these assorted packets of yarnie fun you can read some more about them in my previous blog post

I thought these Party Bonbon’s were just crying out to be Christmassy.  So the mini treat bags were born, not under a star and greeted by Three Wisemen, but here in my studio, greeted by cuppa and a digestive biscuit!

Disclaimer… I did not write the comment on the image that was the saucy sorts at Simply Knitting!

You can find the pattern inside the Hand Knit Christmas supplement which is free with issue 125 of Simply Knitting Magazine.  You can download your copy here.

 

As always I would love to see your finished projects on my Facebook page and on Ravelry.

A Penguin is not just for Christmas

And finally,  meet the Penguin with no name.  He is the last design in my ‘Mini Toppers’ hat collection.  I have been having a hard time giving him a name,  I think the reason naming him has been so difficult is …

Deck the Halls with Bells and Holly, erm Robins, Bows, Candy Canes

I am going to mention it again,  I am sorry but it’s Chrisssssssssstmas *Slade plays quietly in the background*. When you were all applying your sun cream  I spent the scorching hot days in August (remember those?) knitting Christmas decorations.  Yesterday I was in …