How To... Three Knitted Pumpkin Patterns

Hello to you all! I hope you are all keeping well. I moved house last month and I'm just getting to the stage where I am organised enough to start making and writing again- sorry for my long break! It's been quite a year which has meant that I haven't been able to devote as much time to blogging and making, but hopefully going forward into the new year I can get back on track. As I get more organised I'll share some photos of how my new craft room is coming along.

Mr Writer and I have moved to a different part of Essex and we are enjoying exploring the very autumnal countryside around us. There is a lovely local farm shop that has the most brilliant pumpkin display and that reminded me of the knitted pumpkins that I designed and shared the patterns for this time last year. I'd like to share the patterns with you again as a celebration of autumn and the pumpkin season! I used less than 25g of leftover DK yarn to make three pumpkins so this is an ideal project to make in an evening. Grab some needles and knit yourself a lovely Autumn display! Find out how to make them here


Happy making!

Louise xx

If you make some pumpkins I'd love to see, please share your photos in the comments below!

Bead Embellished Gloves How To

It's been a colder than normal January in the UK. I'm so looking forward to Spring-  I can't remember the last morning I woke up and there wasn't a frost and below freezing temperatures!

However, although I'm not a fan of the cold, I really love Winter clothes- big knitted jumpers, cosy coats, hats and gloves. I'm never without a pair of gloves at this time of year and this gave me the idea for this How To. Why not add some sparkle to your Winter wardrobe with my How To for bead embellished gloves? Stay warm and happy making!

How To... Three Knitted Pumpkin Patterns

October is here, meaning it's officially pumpkin season! I thought it would be fun to get into the spirit and make some Autumnal themed decorations, so I set to work with my needles and came up with three knitted pumpkin designs. I used less than 25g of leftover double knit yarn to make the three pumpkins, so they are a great thrifty make and they make lovely stand alone decorations on a mantle piece or as part of an Autumn wreath. Happy Autumn and happy making!

A note on the pumpkin sizes...

The small pumpkin measures approx 2.5cm high, 4cm circumference,36sts x 10 rows

The medium rib pumpkin measures approx 3.5cm high, 7cm circumference, 36stitches x 15 rows

The large stocking stitch pumpkin measures approx 4.5cm high, 9.5cm circumfernce, 36stitches x 20 rows

I used 3.25mm needles and double knit yarn. I haven't specified a tension, so your pumpkins may come up slightly larger or smaller than mine, but they will still be very cute! The most important thing is that the stuffing can't be seen through the knit when you stuff the pumpkins- if you think it's looking a bit loose, go down a needle size

1) You will need

Approx 25g double knitting yarn (I used Stylecraft Special DK in shade 1711 Spice), Small amount of green double knitting yarn (I used some from my stash), Small amount of toy stuffing, knitter's sewing up needle, Scissors,  Pair of 3.25mm knitting needles

2) To make the large (I say large, but it's pretty small really!) stocking stitch pumpkin, cast on 36 stitches and work in stocking stitch (Row 1= knit, Row 2= purl) for 20 rows. Do not cast off

3) Allowing a 30cm tail (for sewing up), thread your working yarn onto the sewing up needle and thread through all of the stitches on the needle. You can remove the stitches from the needle if you prefer, but I find it easier to do this when the stitches are held on the needle

4) When all the stitches have been threaded, remove the stitches from the needle and gather up tightly, as if you were making a hat

5) Fasten off securely, keeping the needle and yarn still attached. With right side facing, sew down the side seam of the pumpkin using mattress stitch. Alternatively, if you prefer, you could turn the piece inside out and stitch the side seam with a running stitch

6) Once the side seam is sewn up, with the needle and yarn still attached, sew a running stitch all the way around the inside bottom edge of the pumpkin. Pull the yarn to draw together slightly

7) Use toy stuffing to firmly stuff the pumpkin

8) Once the pumpkin is completely stuffed and you're happy with its shape, draw the thread up tightly to gather the top and fasten off securely

 9) Now to knit the stalk! The stalk is basically a knitted i-cord, which is most commonly knitted using double pointed needles (DPNS) . To knit the stalk in this way using DPNS, first cast on 5 stitches using the green DK yarn. Knit 1 row. Slide the work along to the other end of the needle and knit the next row. The working yarn will be on the left side of the work, but draw it across the back of the work and use it as normal. Knit 5 rows in this way, then cast off.

However, if you don't have DPNS, it is possible to knit an i-cord on single pointed needles. Here's how...

* Cast on 5 stitches

* Knit 1 row

* Slide the stitches from the right needle onto the left needle

* The working yarn will be to the left side of the work. Simply draw the yarn to the right across the back of the work. Continue working in the way described above until the i-cord measures the desired length

* Fasten off the top piece of yarn and weave in the end. Leave a long piece of yarn attached to the bottom of the i-cord, to use to sew onto the pumpkin

The i-cord I used for the stalks on my pumpkins was 5 stitches wide by 5 rows long, but you could adjust the size accordingly, just keeping checking the length of the knitted stalk against the pumpkins as you knit

10) Sew the stalk onto the centre top of the pumpkin

So that was the pattern for a basic pumpkin, but you could also try a couple of variation!

* Create a "rustic pumpkin" by knitting the basic stocking stitch pumpkin to your desired size and then stuffing it. Instead of fastening off the yarn once you have drawn up the bottom of the pumkin securely, instead, thread the yarn tail onto a needle and draw the yarn up directly through thecentre of the pumpkin and pull the thread through the top.

* Follow the lines of stitches and draw the yarn once again through the bottom of the pumpkin and out through the top, to create an authentic textured pumpkin effect! Fasten the yarn securely on the underside once you have achieved the desired effect. Sew on the stalk

* To create a ribbed pumpkin, cast on 36 stitches in orange double knit and work 15 rows in 2x2 rib (Row 1= knit2, purl 2, Row 2= purl2, knit 2). Finish as for the stocking stitch pumpkin

That's really all there is to it to make some simple but effective Autumnal decorations. If you knit some pumpkins, please share your photos in the comments! Enjoy!

How To... Fabric Scrap Photo Frame

I keep this fabric scrap, decopatch photo frame that I made for a blog How To a couple of years ago on my bedside table- this pic of Mr Writer and myself is one of my favourites. I wanted to share the post again as it has been one of my most popular posts so far and it's such a fun make! All you need to make your very own customised frame is some fabric scraps, Mod Podge (or watered down PVA glue is a good alternative), a paint brush and a photo frame in need of a new lease of life. This thrifty make is a lovely way to display a special photograph and would also make a thoughtful gift. Check out the How To here. Happy making!

If you try this How To and make your own frame I'd love to see- share your makes in the comments below!

Makes Using Felt Flowers

Last week I shared this How To showing you how to make felt flowers and I so was so chuffed to receive such a positive response- it seems that lots of you are in the mood for Spring inspired makes! Today I'd like to share just a few of many many ways you could use your felt/fabric flowers...

Add details to your flowers... 

There's no need to buy anything for this make as chances are you have everything you need already!

This is a really thrifty make, using scraps of felt or other fabrics left over from other projects and you can raid your stash of embroidery thread, beads and buttons to add different centres to the fabric blooms and create your own unique flowers. 

Cut leaf shapes from scraps of green felt and stitch to the back of flowers to create foliage

Crochet a chain (or use ribbon) and either stitch or glue the flowers onto it using small pieces of felt to create a pretty garland

Attach a felt flower to an elastic hairband and wear flowers in your hair!

Glue a flower onto a ring base to create a great statement ring

 There are so many ways you could use the flowers. I'd love to know what you are making with yours- share your makes in the comments!

Happy making!

How To... Make Felt Flowers

The weather here in this little corner of Essex is typically Spring like- beautiful spells of sunshine, followed by April showers, then back to bright blue skies! The countryside and gardens are looking so pretty, with the blossom in the trees and flowers in bloom and this is what inspired my latest How To. Using just scraps of felt and a needle and thread you can create your own felt flowers and bring some Spring sunshine into your home. Be sure to check back later in the week as I'll be sharing some ideas for how to use your floral creations. 

Here's how to make the flowers...

1) You will need

Scraps of felt, needle and thread, pins, fabric scissors, scrap of paper for template, something round to draw around to make the petal template (I used a cotton reel), pencil, glue gun (optional)

2) To make the template for the petals, draw around your cotton reel or other round object on scrap paper and cut out. I've found that something about the size of the end of a cotton reel or slightly smaller works really well for this technique, but you could experiment with other sizes

3) Pin the template to the felt and cut out five pieces

Now you have your five circles of felt, one will become the backing piece and four will become the petals

4) To make the petals, first take a circle of felt and fold it in half

5) Fold the circle again so you now have a quarter circle

6) Place the folded piece onto the top corner of the background circle, ensuring the edges of both pieces are flush. The straight edge of the folded piece should be facing the middle and the open folded edges should be facing the bottom of the circle. Hold in place with a pin and stitch in place with 3 or 4 stitches

7) Fold the next felt circle in exactly the same way as the previous one, stitching it to the background piece ensuring that the straight edges meet

8) Turn the piece upside down and repeat the process with the remaining two felt circles to complete the flower

9) Now to make the flower centres! Cut a long strip of felt measuring approx 1cm wide (or your chosen width- experiment to see what you like best) in your chosen colour. Don't worry if it's wonky, it won't notice in the end

10) Cut into the felt at regular intervals along the length, ensuring not to cut all the way through. Cut into strips approx 5-6cm long

11) Roll the small strips of felt and secure together with a few stitches

To make an alternative flower centre, don't cut into the felt strip, simply leave as it is and roll it up, securing with a few stitches

12) Add a small blob of glue (I've found using a glue gun works best) to the centre of the flower and press the centre into it. Alternatively, you could stitch the centre into the flower

That's all there is to it, so simple but very effective!

You can use any fabric to make these flowers but I find felt works so well because the stiffness of the fabric creates a more three dimensional flower compared with other fabrics and it's so easy to use because it doesn't fray!  If you would like to make the flowers using other fabrics, I find it best to iron interfacing onto the back first to help prevent fraying

I'll be back on Wednesday to share some suggestions of how to use your floral creations. Until then, happy making!