This little cupcake can be used as a pincushion or just for display (please be wary of beading if you're intending to give

it to a child to play with). The knitting of it is quite straightforward but sewing it up can be a bit fiddly, although ultimately worth the effort. t is knitted flat in a couple of pieces so there is a bit of sewing up to construct it but these seams do help to give it a pleasing shape. This pattern has been tweaked many times over the last ! years and !"" odd cakes that #ve made from it but think $m finally content with it. hope you find it fun to do and are pleased with your finished cake. This pattern is suitable for intermediate knitting skills. %inished si&e' appro( )cm (* + inches) high

Please note: This pattern is an original, copyrighted design. ,lease do not reproduce or distribute without first obtaining permission, thanks.

-.............................................................................................................................................................................................

.aterials that you will need'

/nitting needles 0 si&es *.12mm ( 34 si&e * ) and *.*2mm ( 34 si&e 5) Tapestry needle for sewing up 6ream cotton ! ply yarn for the cake case (Yarn A) 4mall amount of 7/ weight wool 8 wool blend in brown for the $cake# (Yarn B) 4mall amount of 7/ weight cotton glace in pink 8 white for the $icing# (Yarn C) 4mall amount of cotton glace yarn for the cherry 8 flower (Yarn D) ,olyfil 8 toy stuffing 4eed beads for decoration 9 pretty plate to display your creation

-.............................................................................................................................................................................................
A note on abbreviations: :%;< = :arn forward over needle 0 makes an e(tra stitch. 4tart with the working yarn at the back of the work, bring it over the right hand needle to the front and back under the right hand needle again to the back so making a loop. ;n the following row work this loop as if it were a normal stitch (either knit or purl as required). This is my preferred method of making an e(tra stitch as it gives a decorative finish but there are some very good tutorials for alternative methods of increasing here' http'88www.knittinghelp.com8videos8increases .ore detailed pictures' #ve loaded the pictures from this pattern into a photo album so you#ll be able to enlarge them and see the detail better. >opefully that will help you to make sense of the pattern' http'88littlecottonrabbits.typepad.co.uk8photos8cake8 f you get stuck at all please let me know and 'll do my best to help. 9lternatively there is an e(cellent on0line resource for knitting which gives clear e(planations backed by videos to help in mastering a wide variety of knitting techniques' http'88www.knittinghelp.com8

------------........................................................................................................................................... ? 6opyright @ulie Ailliams *""). 9ll rights reserved. ,age 5

6upcake case base'

3sing *.*2mm (34 5) needles and :arn 9 (and leaving a tail of around ) inches for sewing up with later), cast on B stitches Ro Ro Ro Ro Ro Ro Ro Ro Ro !: ": #: $: %: &: ': (: ): ,url /*, (:%;<, /5) 2 times, /5 (5C stitches) ,url /*, (:%;<, /5) 5" times, /5 (*C stitches) ,url /*, (:%;<, /5) *" times, /5 (!C stitches) 6hange to *.12mm needles, ,url /nit 6ast off in purl leaving another tail of ) inches for sewing up with later.

To make this into a circle for the bottom of the cake thread a needle with the cast on end and with right side of work facing catch up the right side loops from the cast on row. ,ull up tight to gather in the center and un0thread the needle. De0thread the needle with the cast off end and use this to close the seam working from the outer edge to the center and using mattress stitch. Tie off the two ends securely in the center and leave for now

9fter joining the seams

.ain part of cupcake'

3sing *.12mm (34 *) needles and :arn 9 (and leaving a tail of around 5! inches for sewing up later), cast on !! stitches Ro !: (wrong side)' ,*, (/5, ,5) repeat to end of row Ro ": (/5, ,5) repeat until last * stitches, /* Depeat these * rows * more times () rows in total) Ro ': ,*, (/5, ,5) repeat to end of row Ro (: /5, ,5, (:%;<, /5, ,5) *" times, :%;<, /* ()2 stitches) Ro ): ,* (/ normally into the made loop, /5, ,5) repeat to end Ro !*: (/5, ,*) repeat until last two stitches, /* Ro !!: ,* (/*, ,5) repeat to end Ro !": (/5, ,*) repeat until last two stitches, /* Ro !#: cast off loosely keeping ribbing correct (use row 55 as a guide if necessary) 6ut the work from the ball leaving a tail of around ) inches for sewing up later. Aith right side of work facing you bend the work towards you to e(pose the back. Eeginning at the *nd row down from the cast off edge of the work and using your cake coloured yarn (yarn E) pick up and knit stitches from the back of the work as follows' working from right to left, knit up C stitches from the first knitted rib ridge, then 5 from each purl rib and 5 from each knit rib until the last purl ridge where knit up * stitches 0 a total of !2 stitches. This image shows the front of the work

,icking up the !2 stitches from the back of the work

------------........................................................................................................................................... ? 6opyright @ulie Ailliams *""). 9ll rights reserved. ,age *

.ain part of cupcake (continued)'

9fter picking up !2 stitches work as follows' Ro Ro Ro Ro Ro Ro Ro Ro Ro Ro Ro Ro Ro Ro Ro ": #: $: %: &: ': (: ): !*: !!: !": !#: !$: !%: !&: (wrong side) ,url /nit change to the chosen yarn for the icing of the cake (yarn 6) and purl a row ,url /nit ,url /nit ,url /nit ,*, (,* together, ,5) 5! times, ,5 (C5 stitches) /nit (,5, ,* together) 5" times, ,5 (*5 stitches) /nit ,5, (,* together) F times, ,* (5* stitches) /nit

4ewing up the side seam using mattress stitch

6ut the work from the ball leaving a tail of around ) inches for sewing up. Thread this tail through the remaining stitches pulling up tight to gather the top of the cake in. ;ver sew a few times to keep the top edge from loosening. 6lose the side seam (using mattress stitch) to the bottom of the $icing# and tie off the ends 0 being careful to keep your seam loose so as not to distort the shape of the finished cake. 3se the tail from the cake coloured yarn to close the small part of the cake coloured seam and tie off these ends. Take up the tail of yarn 9 (the case coloured yarn) and use to close the final part of the side seam (again being careful not to pull too tightly. Tie off the ends at the bottom edge of work. t helps to sew in and trim the ends inside the cake to stop them showing through the finished cake.

.aking up'
:ou now need to attach the circle to form the base of the cake. Thread a needle with the longest tail from the main part of the cupcake. Take the needle down through the first loop from the cast on edge of the main cupcake and pull yarn through the back of the first loop ne(t to the seam in the circular bottom piece bringing the yarn through the loop to the front of the work. ( n the picture #ve only used red yarn to make the stitches more visible). This is the start of attaching the bottom by over sewing the seam. 6ontinue around until the seam is *8Crds closed. <ow stuff the cake firmly, shaping as you go. t#s worth thinking about the stuffing you#re going to use as it will affect the final look of the cake. use a regular polyfil which holds is shape well when moulded. f you use a very high loft stuffing this will cause the cake to swell and finish up more ball like. Ahen you#ve stuffed the cake finish closing the seam. Tie off the ends and sew through the cake before trimming off the ends. 4ew the ends from the centre of the circle base all the way through to the top of the cake. thread one through the e(act centre of the top and the other slightly to the side of it and tie them securely together before sewing back inside and trimming off the ends 0 this helps to keep shape of the finished cake. Ahen the seam is completely closed the base of the cake should look like this' 9ttach the bottom by catching up the loops G oversewing

------------........................................................................................................................................... ? 6opyright @ulie Ailliams *""). 9ll rights reserved. ,age C

<ow it#s time to decorate. To hide the gathered centre in the top of the cake attach a flower or a cherry.

To make a cherry'
3sing *.12mm needles and :arn 7, cast on C Ro Ro Ro Ro Ro Ro Ro Ro Ro Ro Ro Ro !: ": #: $: ,C /5, :%;<, /5, :%;<, /5 (2 stitches) ,2 /5, :%;<, /5, :%;<, /5, :%;<, /5, :%;<, / (F stitches) %: , F &: /nit ': ,url (: /*tog through the back twice, /5, /*tog twice (2 stitches) ): ,url !*: /*tog through the back, /5, /*tog (C stitches) !!: ,url !": /5, /*tog, pass 5st stitch over and pull end through to cast off

Tie both cast on and cast off ends together, stuff with a short remnant of the same coloured yarn and sew the edges in tightly to make a round ball. Tie off ends again and use the longest to attach the cherry to the top of the cake. Tie off ends securely to anchor cherry and thread ends through the cake before trimming off e(cess. f you fancy a different decoration for the top there are free patterns for a flower and for holly G berries over on my blog'
www.littlecottonrabbits.typepad.co.uk8freeHknittingHpatterns8

%inally you can add seed beads (not recommended if you#re giving this to a young child). use strong button thread and just attach them randomly to give a $sprinkled# appearance. Thanks for purchasing this Iittle 6otton Dabbits pattern. >appy knittingJ

------------........................................................................................................................................... ? 6opyright @ulie Ailliams *""). 9ll rights reserved. ,age !