Strawberry Delicious

Strawberry Delicious

I love winter for the juicy strawberries mother-nature delivers, and for the knitting and crochet opportunities this season brings to us in Australia (In the northern states, our winters are short.)   

The strawberry season here is from May to November.  There are farms by the roadside where you can pick your own, and a gigantic papier mache strawberry sits by the highway further up the coast, begging you to come in. (I think buying them at the store is enough for me and I’ll put my energy into knitting or crocheting some at home!   I hope you do too.)

These easy knitted and crocheted designs are great to hang from a bag, to wear as a brooch or just to make as home accessories that add a little bit of sunshine to the table. J

STRAWBERRY LIST

Small amount of red and pink 4 ply yarn   (yarn from Spotlight)                

Strawberry components

Small amount of green 4ply yarn

3mm knitting needles  NOTE: dpns are used for the I-cord stem and could be used to make the strawberries too

3mm crochet hook

Yellow seed beads, size 11

Small beading needle

Large wool needle 

Yellow Sewing thread to match beads

Small amount of stuffing

ABBREVIATIONS

Dpn – double pointed needles

RS – right side

K – knit      P – purl                       

 KFB – knit into the front and the back of the same stitch

METHOD    (Knitting)

Join RST and turn through, use tail to gather top edge

Cast on 12 stitches in red.

Knit two rows.

3: *k1, kfb, repeat from * to the last 2 sts, k2.

4: Purl

5. K2, *kfb, k1, Repeat from * to the last stitch, k1.

6.  Purl.

7 – 12.  Stocking stitch for 6 rows

13. *k2, k2tog, Repeat to the last 4sts, K4.

14. P2, P2tog, repeat to the last 3 sts, P3.

15. K2, K2tog, Repeat to the end

16. P1, P2tog, P4, P2tog, P1

17. K2, K2tog twice, K2

18. P2, P2tog, P2

19. K1, Sl1, k2tog, psso, k1

Psso twice and fasten off.  Leave a long thread.

ASSEMBLING

1. With Rs together, sew back seam.

2. Turn to the right side.

Three leaves made

3. Sew a running stitch along the top using the tail.

4. Stuff.  Pull up gathering thread and secure. 

Make  leaves and stem (crochet)

Chain 7 stitches in green with 3mm hook. .

Dc in the 2^nd ch from the hook dc in the next 4 sts.  Slst into the first ch.

Ch another 7 stitches and repeat as above

Ch another 7 sts and repeat as above.

With the last chain on the hook, take your DPNs and cast on two more stitches – you now have 3 sts on your needles.

ICORD STEM

Knit 3 sts. Slide the sts to the end of the needle, pull the yarn tight and knit those three stitches again.

Continue for 8 more rows. Cast off.  Stem completed.

I-cord  stem

                             

Leaves and stem attached

SEEDS

Add seeds in a random pattern...

Using yellow sewing thread,  sew individual beads onto the strawberry and then using the same thread, secure the ends of the leaves to the strawberry if you wish. The leaves can be left to flap around. 

Crochet Strawberry

Magic ring, 3mm hook, red yarn

(spiral method)                                   

1. 6dc into ring

2. 2dc into each dc (12sts)

3. 2dc in each dc (24sts)

4. dc all round

5. *dc, d2tog  in next stitch, Repeat  from * (16sts) Start stuffing as you go.

6. *dc, dc2tog in next stitch, Repeat from *  to last st, dc (11sts)

7. dc, *dc2tog, repeat from * all round

8. dc2tog all round

9. dc2tog. Fasten off.

Thread green yarn onto large needle and knot the end.  Come out at the centre top and do lazy daisy stitches all round.  Leave a tail for the stem or make an i-cord as above.

Have a delicious week!

Lu xx

Make a bunch of knitted strawberries..

Look what I found in the garden! :-) 

May's Montage and Motifs

May's Montage

 From top left, clockwise: Seasonal beach Bag; mini purse; motifs for new project; paper art  from the Religio Medici for  Bibio-art exhibition at Blarney Books, Victoria, Australia; needlecase (pattern on blog); start of the poncho with Vee Barry; hydrangea chatelaine; detail of poncho; Hunni my helper on the Ripple blanket

 And so it is June... that's winter here in Australia, but we are still experiencing the most GORGEOUS days!!!!!!!!!  Barely a coat in sight which doesn't bode well for all the projects I want to make.  

I know I started the year with MOTIF MONDAY  but something keeps  diverting my attention and I find I'm looking for MORE motifs because they are soooooooooooooo much fun! Everywhere I look, there are mandalas, motifs and the most gorgeous squares with flowers, hexagons and more.  All praise to motifs and their makers.  We are all HOOKED, if you'll pardon the pun!

Motif Madness  good points?

*A quick fix

*a great distraction

*stash busters

*great use of colour

*many levels of difficulty meaning heaps of EASY ones for beginners

* easy to finish before another idea comes along! ;-) 

  Voila!  In no time, you have a DOILY for that pot or vase or for the front of a cushion cover, or for just about anything you wish.

Yes, motifs are the winners this month!

I'd like to share some of mine from the blog and hope that they inspire you...

Diabolo, motif 9 

Coaster from Mesmerising Mandala 

Beaded Jug Doily

Mesmerising Mandala and coasters

Tea Time Doilies (my favourite)

Go searching!   Make Motifs! 

Lu xx