Knitted bow ring

Remember my knitted bow I did a while ago? Meet its young sibling, the knitted bow ring – gifted this xmas to my BFF, Amy (who is also modelling it above). Nice huh? It's basically a long thin (I think I cast on four or five stitches) strip of stocking stitch, folded over and with the yarn wound around the middle as usual. Then hot glue gun (or tie) onto a ring back and you're done. Cute huh?

Christmas wreaths chez Monty

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas…


After I made my first (trad) wreath (this red velvet and gold one, in fact), the bug bit, and I just had to make more. I knew I'd be making an obligatory yarn wreath before I tried the trad one, and was pretty chuffed with how it turned out. I made sure I cut the felt flowers on the wonk – no, rilly I meant for it to be like this – as I thought it would make them look more real (altho quite how real a felt flower can get, I have no idea).

Next up, my third and final one. Wasn't sure what to do for it, until I found a left-over book in the office (it was an old covermount from a magazine we'd got in). Loath to stick it in the recycling, one of the team suggested I use it for my final wreath. And **ding** an idea struck. Ripped into strips and dunked in a bit of PVA/water mix, it looks pretty awesome (even if it was uber messy). I was going to do some book flowers (like the felt ones above) but decided it needed a pop of colour. And so, a good-old pom-pom or two!

Yarn-wrapped letter

When we featured Cranny + B's yarn-wrapped letter M in issue 20's Trends, I knew just had to have a go.

But before I got started, I had to purchase the Best Craft Gadget Ever So Far™ - a hot glue gun. I hadn't used one since year 6 design and tech but, screw that, I have yarn to wrap dagnammit!

Quite proud of how my first one turned out - Cranny's instructions are really clear and she made me feel rather confident (dare I say gung ho?) about tackling something that did seem a teeny bit daunting initially.

Yes, I think there might be a few of these personalised pressies given this year - look out our F&F! The fact that the Monty household is now a cobweb of strange stringy glue stuff, and the TV remote is attached to the cushion, is mere coincidence. Ahem.

Knitted bow take two: moss stitch

So I think we'll all agree that my first attempt at a knitted bow was a little… floppy? Yuh. OK, let's pretend we never saw that (and we'll quietly fume and blame the evil crochet anyway). While I'm a crocheter-in-training, let's continue with another knitted bow, this time modified a little and in moss stitch, for extra sturdiness. Much better… Also, apologies for my chipped nails. Promise to be fully mani'd next time. Ahem.

[caption id="attachment_97" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Knit, purl, knit, purl… etc[/caption]

I used aran yarn and size 6mm (UK 4, US 10) needles
Cast on 37 stitches (more if you want your bow to be wider, but this may make it floppier).
Row 1: Moss stitch (k1, p1) to end.
Row 2: Moss stitch (k1, p1) to end.
Continue for eight rows (again more if you want a bigger bow) then cast off, and sew in your ends. You should be left with a rectangle of moss stitch.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Moss stitched rectangle[/caption]

Create a loop and sew.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Looped…[/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="230"] Looped. Again…[/caption]

Now wind some yarn around the middle, pulling tightly to cinch in the bow. Knot at the back.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Yay, done! Easiest knitted bow ever[/caption]

Attach a hair clip (or brooch pin) and you're done :D

Knitted bow

[caption id="attachment_86" align="aligncenter" width="612"] Knitting - better than crochet, right?[/caption]

Time to dig out the needles (my trusted bamboo lovelies) for a swift knitted bow. Yes, it's floppy and would be much sturdier if crocheted – but I can't crochet **sad face** No matter how many times I've tried to teach myself, or others have sat patiently with me, or YouTube videos watched, I just can't seem to get my head around it. I think my main issue is that I can't see the stitches – not like I can with knitting anyway. Also it doesn't help that everyone who **can** crochet always comes out with the same, "Oh, but it's eeeeeeeasy," shenanigans. It's not feckin' easy, it's really really difficult, m'kay? I am giving crochet one last chance. We have a really cool cover project coming up – basically, if I can't learn to crochet with it, I'm never going to. It's do or die for you and me, Crochet – do or die!

So anyway. This knitted bow. Perfectly wondrous in its un-crochetedness, dammit.