Mr Gnome plush toy pattern

As this is a free pattern, pattern is for personal use only and may not be sold, photocopied or copied electronically or distributed in any way.  Please don't sell the toy you've made, and please provide credit for the design to myself (Knitterbees).

Materials:

1. 8 ply weight wool or acrylic. 
2. 3.25mm  40cm  circular needles/ 3.25 DPN or size needed to obtain gauge. 
3. Buttons for eyes
4. Stitch marker
5.  Yarn needle
6.  polyester stuffing

Gauge: not important

Colours for Mr Gnome:

MC – blue

CC1- red

CC2 - White

CC3 – Cream

CC4 – brown

Knitterbees stitch dictionary:

CC: contrasting color (CC1= contrasting color 1 etc.)

dpns: double pointed needles

k: knit

k2tog: knit the next two stitches together.

Kfb: knit front and back

MC: main color

pm: place marker

rm: remove marker

ssk: slip next 2 sts knitwise onto your right needle, insert left needle purlwise into the front of the sts & knit them together.

St st: stockinette/stocking stitch. k a row, purl a row. (In the round however you must knit every round.)

st(s): stitch(es)

yo: yarn over

Body and Head:

With the circular needle cast on 18 stitches (MC).  Join to work in the round, being careful not to twist the stitches. Place a stitch marker on the first stitch. Work onto double‐pointed needles when necessary.

Row 1-10(MC): knit

Row 11(MC): (k2, ssk, k1, k2tog, k2)repeat once.

Row 12 (MC): (k2, ssk, k2tog, k1)repeat once.

Change to CREAM yarn

Row 13-14(CC3): knit

Row 15(CC3): kfb every sts

Row 16-23(CC3): knit

Row 24(CC3): k2, (k2tog, k1) Repeat to the end of the round.  Insert stuffing before hole gets too small.

Row 25(CC3): knit

Row 26(CC3): (k2tog) Repeat to the end of the round.

Break yarn and thread tail through remaining stitches, pull to inside of cap and weave in end.

Beard:

With the straight needle cast on 16 stitches (CC2). 

Row 1-2(CC2): knit

Row 3(CC2): knit

Row 4(CC2): ssk, knit to last 3 st, k2tog

Row 5(CC2): knit

Row 6(CC2): ssk, knit to last 3 st, k2tog

Row 7(CC2): knit

Row 6-8(CC2): ssk, knit to last 3 st, k2tog

Cast off.

Purl side as the right side, wrap beard around the front of face and sew at top of beard.

Hat:

With the circular needle cast on 30 stitches (CC1).  Join to work in the round, being careful not to twist the stitches. Place a stitch marker on the first stitch. Work onto double‐pointed needles when necessary.

Row 1-6(CC1): knit

Row 7(CC1): (k4, k2tog) Repeat to the end of the round.

Row 8-9(CC1): knit

Row 10(CC1): (k3, k2tog) Repeat to the end of the round.

Row 11-13(CC1): knit

Row 14(CC1): (k2, k2tog) Repeat to the end of the round.

Row 15-18(CC1): knit

Row 19(CC1): (k1, k2tog) Repeat to the end of the round.

Row 20-23(CC1): knit

Row 24(CC1): (k2tog) Repeat to the end of the round.

Row 25 (CC1): knit

Break yarn and thread tail through remaining stitches, pull to inside of cap and weave in end.
Sew hat on top of head with a few stitches

Belt:

With the straight needle cast on 3 stitches (CC4). 

Row 1-?(CC4): do stockinette stitch until the belt wraps around the waist.

Finishing:

Use yellow yarn to sew buckle on and attach buttons for eye.

Killerbees

Mr Gnome's mushrooms pattern

As this is a free pattern, pattern is for personal use only and may not be sold, photocopied or copied electronically or distributed in any way.  Please don't sell the toy you've made, and please provide credit for the design to myself (Knitterbees).

Materials:

1.       8 ply weight wool or acrylic. 

2.       3.25mm  40cm  circular needles/ 3.25 DPN or size needed to obtain gauge. 

3.       Stitch marker

4.       Yarn needle

5.       polyester stuffing

Gauge: not important

Colours for Mushroom:

MC – green

CC1   - White

Big Mushroom:

With the circular needle cast on 8 stitches (MC).  Join to work in the round, being careful not to twist the stitches. Place a stitch marker on the first stitch.

Row 1-15(CC1): knit

Row 16(CC1): kfb every sts

Row 17(CC1): knit

Row 18(CC1): (kfb , k1) Repeat  to the end of the round.

Row 19(CC1): knit

Row 20(CC1): (kfb , k2) Repeat  to the end of the round.

Row 21(CC1): knit

Change to RED yarn

Row 22(MC): knit

Row 23(MC): purl

Row 24-29(MC): knit

Row 30(MC): (k2tog, k2) Repeat to the end of the round.

Row 31(MC): knit.  Insert stuffing before hole gets too small

Row 32(MC): (k2tog, k1) Repeat to the end of the round.

Row 33(MC): knit

Row 34(MC): k1(k2tog) Repeat  to the end of the round.

Break yarn and thread tail through remaining stitches, pull to inside of cap and weave in end.

Small Mushroom:

With the circular needle cast on 8 stitches (MC).  Join to work in the round, being careful not to twist the stitches. Place a stitch marker on the first stitch.

Row 1-30(CC1): knit

Row 31(CC1): kfb every sts

Row 32(CC1): knit

Row 33(CC1): (kfb , k1) Repeat  to the end of the round.

Row 34(CC1): knit

Change to RED yarn

Row 35(MC): knit

Row 36(MC): purl

Row 37-41(MC): knit.  Insert stuffing before hole gets too small

Row 42(MC): (k2tog, k2) Repeat to the end of the round.

Row 43(MC): knit

Row 32(MC): k1, (k2tog, k1) Repeat to the end of the round, k1

Break yarn and thread tail through remaining stitches, pull to inside of cap and weave in end.

Killerbees

Mr Gnome and Mushroom plush toy

A quick knit project this week... Mr Gnome....so hansomely cute!!!

Mr Gnome - pattern available here

Yarn: Panda, Magnum 8ply 100% acrylic.
Needles: 3.25mm 

Mr Gnome's mushroom - pattern available here

Yarn: Panda, Magnum 8ply 100% acrylic. 

Needles: 3.25mm

Killerbees

Macarons

My Boyfriend have been complaining about my excessive time of knitting and the lack of baking, so I've decided to bake him some treats. After watching a french cooking show on TV, I've decided to try macarons, something that everyone thinks its difficult to make. I thought that will earn me some points on trying an impossible task and still impress my boyfriend even if I fail.  After reading a few recipes, I've made a few adjustment myself and here's what I did.
Please note that while making the cookies, I broke my piping bag, and a spoon was used to spread my cookies out, hence the cookies are not in perfect circle shape.

Cookies (makes about 40)
1/2 cup almond meal
0.8 cup icing sugar
3 egg whites
4 spoon sugar
3 tablespoons cocoa powder

1. preheat oven to 140 degree., fan bake
2. line baking sheets on 2 baking trays. 
3. sift almond meal, coco powder and icing sugar to remove any clumps. 
4. beat egg whites on low speed, when it gets a little foamy, add sugar slowly. Increase speed to medium and beat until it becomes stiff and glossy. 
5. add about 1/2 of the almond meal mixture and fold in gently, continue to add mixture slowly until its properly mix. 
6. pour your batter into your piping bad and space your batter on the tray, giving them space to spread. (form circles about 3cm). 
7. tap the pan to bring up any air bubbles and until macaons flatten. 
8. put the tray in the oven's middle rack and bake for 35 mins. 
9. remove cookies from baking sheets once it is cooled. 

Now prepare the Ganaches.
1.25 cup bittersweet chocolate
1 cup cream
2 tablespoons butter

1. finely chop chocolate.
2. heat cream over medium heat. 
3. pour over the chocolate and stir gently until all chocolate melts, then put butter in.
4. allow to stand at room temperature. 
5. once cookies and ganaches is cooled, spread ganaches on to cookie and sandwich another cookie on top. 

and start nom nom nom. Enjoy!!!

Killerbees

RUGBY WORLD CUP IS FINALLY HERE...AND GO THE ALL BLACKS!

I must admit I'm not a huge rugby fan, I've tried to watch the odd game on telly, I really have.  Over the year my boyfriend who is a crazy rugby fan tries his best to explain the game's rules to me.  I still don't understand fully all that rucking and mauling business.

But no matter what, New Zealand is hosting the 2011 rugby world cup, the biggest event it has ever hosted and you have to love the atmosphere that is washing over Auckland... and Go the ALL BLACKS.!!!!

Downtown Auckland

It was chaos downtown but a great turnout for Auckland and everyone I saw was happy - even if we didn't get anywhere near getting into the wharf or Party Central areas.  My boyfriend decided to head back to Bastion Point for the firework as it was impossible to see it in town.  Definitely the highlight of my day.!!!

Bastion Point, Auckland

and ….GO THE ALL BLACKS! 

killerbees