Mini Hot Water Bottle Pattern

These little Hot Water Bottle covers are brilliant for lots of different things. Firstly, they make a really fun little decoration alond with the mini mittens and sweaters of the season. Secondly, they fit those little mini hot water bottles that you can get that you click and heat your hands up. In my version, I made little mini rice bags that go inside. Basically, cut two small squares of fabric. Sew together on three sides, leaving one side open. Fill will dry uncooked rice. Sew up the fourth side. These can then be microwaved in 10 second bursts until snuggly and warm. Put inside the cosy and you are done!

They take small amounts of DK yarn, whatever you have left over, and I can knit one in less than 30 minutes.

 You will need:
Small amounts of DK yarn
3.75mm needles
Tapestry needle

Tension isn't important for this project.

Abbreviations
sts- Stitchs
K- Knit
P-Purl
K2tog- knit two stitches together
P2tog- Purl 2 stitches together
Kfb- knit into the front and the back of the stitch
Pfb- Purl into the front and the back of the stitch
St St- stocking stitch

Cast on 20 sts
Row 1: Purl
Row 2: K4, (kfb) twice, K8, (Kfb) twice, K4
Row 3: P5, (pfb) twice, P10, (pfb) twice, P5
Starting with a K row, st st  22 rows
Next Row: K5, (K2tog) twice, K10, (K2tog) twice, K5
Next Row: P4, (P2tog) twice, P8, (P2tog) twice, P4

Next Row: (K2,P2) to end
Repeat the last row 5 more times (6 rows of Rib in total)
Cast off in Rib.

Sew the side seam at the centre back, and sew the bottom up. The seam should be up the centre at the back of the work
Fill with stuffing, pot pourri, rice bag, mini hot water bottle, in fact anything you like. Ive knit quite a few of these now, in all sorts of colours, even a fair isle version. Let your imagination go wild and go for it



Nunchuks Away!! New Pattern

So what do you knit as a christmas present for a man who owns an armoury?

Nunchuks. Obviously.

So if you have a wannabe Ninja in your ranks, or maybe someone who needs nunchuk practise and is fed up of the bruises, knit a pair. They are so quick, takes about three hours and you are ready for anything!!!

You will need: 5mm needles (2 straight and 2dpns)

                       Black Chunky/bulky yarn

                       2 colours of grey DK wool, or one grey chunky

                       Tapestry needle

                       Stuffing

There isnt really a gauge for these, just make sure your needles are about 2 sizes too small for the yarn you are using. This is to create a tight fabric so you cant see the stuffing through the knitting.

Abbreviations

sts- stitches

K- knit

P- Purl

kfb- knit in the front and the back of the stitch, a form of increase

st st- stocking stitch (knit a row, purl a row)

k2tog- knit two stitches together

DPN- double pointed needles, in this pattern used for I cord

Nunchuks

Using 5mm needles, Cast on 4 sts

Row 1: kfb in all stitches (8 sts)

Row 2: Purl

Row 3: Kfb in all stitches (16 sts)

St st for 7-8 inches, ending after a P row. Here is where you can add length or shorten your nunchuks depending on the size of your ninja.

Change to grey (i used 2 strands of DK held together- if you have chunky/bulky use one strand)

Next Row: K

Next Row: K

St St for 6 rows

Next Row: K2tog across row (8 sts)

Next Row: P

Next Row: K2tog across row (4 sts)

Put these stitches onto a DPN

I cord for three inches

Cast off the 4 sts.

Sew the i cord into a loop at the top of the nunchuk. Sew up the side seam of the nunchuk and then stuff. Close and you have one half of your nunchuk. Make one more.

Chain Loops (make 3)

Cast on 4 sts using DPNs

I cord for 4 inches

Cast off.

Thread through the loop and sew together. Complete all three and link together as shown in the picture.

Then hide your valuables!!!

Hope you enjoy. I have knitted this up, but it has not been tested, let me know if there are any problems.

Shawl we dance?

Here in the Blattcave, as I am sure you can see, we like to get ahead on our christmas knitting. I am also stash busting, so what can you do with all those odd balls left over from projects and those that were just too much of a bargain to miss out on? Well if you are here, you make shawls/shrugs/scarves with them. With the help of Ravelry of course this is so blooming easy. I have now knit 8 of them, and the mass shawl-a-thon doesnt seem to be stopping any time soon!  So here we go, ill show you what Ive been working on, with the pattern links so you can shawl along with me!!! Here are 6 of the 8, as the shrug im knitting Falling Leaves, still needs to be sewn up and the last Gedifra Samina Impossibly big needs casting off.

Number 1: Lace Triangle Scarf- knit in Tivoli Ocean I got on holiday in Shropshire in February in colour number 164 (i think) Beautiful wool yarn and so so pretty colourway

Number 2: Snap Knit in another yarn I bought in Shropshire. It is white, and has glitter running through it. It is called Pearl. Looks fab now I have blocked it

Number 3: A Chinook Scarf, knit in a yarn I bought in Wilkinsons for £1 a ball. (this is a normal line not on offer and so good to knit with) I think it is called Stripes. The pattern is amazing, the straight edge is an I-cord knit into the pattern and then the other side is a lovely lace edge. loved this pattern so much!!

Number 4: This is a Lacy Baktus, made in Sirdar Juicy in orange (which was on sale in Hobbycraft-this particular yarn was a leftover from my mum when she made a top). this is a great pattern if you have a couple of balls of yarn because you increase for one ball then decrease for the second which makes sure you use up all those old balls but also creates a fab scarf/shawl

These last two are called impossible large, impossibly easy- and i promise this is exactly right. Although the pattern calls for 10mm needles, I chose 7mm circulars (and my first time on circulars and Im converted) and created these amazing shawls. So good and so pretty, and im about to finish my third of these and probably cast on the fourth!!
This blue one is made from some yarn from the Roof, ie my grannys loft. It is a beautiful wool with a gold thread running through which makes it shine.

This white one is made from Picasso. As you can see it is white, but actually has shades of colour in the stripes. It is so pretty and so soft, which probably comes down to the fact that it is baby wool. I love it so so much and it reminds me of a pretty crystal rainbow.

So thats what Ive been up to!!!  

Breakfast Set Pattern- Egg Cosy

Hope you are enjoying the tea cosy pattern, but if (like me and the blattman) you arent a tea drinker, fancy something a little bit smaller or just have chilly eggs, you might prefer an egg cosy. So here is the matching egg cosy pattern to go with the breakfast set

You will be needing-

Needles- 3.75mm
Yarn- 2 colours of DK yarn (use up your leftovers, you won't need a lot- in mine, yarn A is green and yarn B is pink)

Abbreviations
Gt st- garter stitch (knit every row)
st st- stocking stitch (knit one row, purl one row)

Cast on 30 sts using 3.75mm needles in yarn A
Gt st 4 rows in yarn A
St st 4 rows in yarn B
St st 4 rows in yarn A
St st 4 rows in yarn B
St st 4 rows in yarn A
Cast off in yarn A

Making up
Fold the knitted piece in half with the right sides facing. Sew up the side seam. Leave the top open. Turn piece the right way around. Gather around the first row in yarn B from the top.

Hope you like the patterns and enjoy knitting them. Let me know if there are any problems or errors in the pattern.