4 Great knitting and crochet projects you can make!

Here are four easy knitting and crochet project that you can make quickly and easily as gifts or just for yourself:

• Peover the playful pig

• Gadget cosy / Knitted phone case

• Chunky neck cosy

• Knitted valentines heart

Peover the Playful Pig

You Will Need:

- Sirdar Snuggly Baby Crofter DK (main colour - mc) bonnie (shade 150) x 1 50g ball (here)

- Sirdar Bonus Toytime DK (contrast colour 1 – cc1) white (shade 961) 1 x 25g ball

- 3.5mm needles (here)

- 2 x 3.25mm dpns (for tail)

- Toy filling (here)

- 12mm toy safety eyes (optional)

- 1 x 2cm button (for flower)

- 2 x 1cm buttons (for nostrils)

- Darning needle (here)

Tension:

Work 24sts and 34 rows in stocking st, to measure 10x10cm/4x4in using 3.5mm needles, or size required to obtain tension.

Abbreviations:

K: Knit

P: Purl

St(s): Stitch(es)

M1: Make one stitch. With the left needle, pick up the horizontal bar between the two needles (insert needle from front to back). Knit into the back of the loop.

Kfb: Knit into the front and back of the next st.

K2tog: (Knit 2 sts together). Knit the next two stitches together as one stitch to decrease 1 st.

P2tog: (Purl 2 sts together). Purl the next two stitches together as one stitch to decrease 1 st.

Skpo: Slip one stitch, knit next stitch, pass slipped stitch over the knitted stitch to decrease 1 stitch

Dpns: Double pointed needles

[ ]: Work the instructions in the square brackets as many times as instructed.

To knit an i – cord: Cast on the number of stitches as stated onto one dpn. Knit across the stitches with the second dpn. *Slide stitches to the opposite end of the needle (do not turn the needle). Pull yarn tight across back of work and knit the stitches**. Repeat from * to ** until required length is reached.

Instructions

Body:

With 3.5mm needles and MC, Cast on 9 sts

Rows 1, 3, 5, 7: P

Row 2: [kfb] to the end (18 sts)

Row 4: [kfb] to the end (36 sts)

Row 6: [k1, kfb] to the end (54 sts)

Row 8: [k2, kfb] to the end (72 sts)

Rows 9 - 50: starting with a p row, st st 42 rows

Row 51: p35, p2tog, p35 (71 sts)

Shape Head:

Row 52: k2tog, k31, skpo, k1, k2tog, k31, k2tog (67 sts)

Row 53 and every alternate row: p

Row 54: k2tog, k29, skpo, k1, k2tog, k29, k2tog (63 sts)

Row 56: k2tog, k27, skpo, k1, k2tog, k27, k2tog (59 sts)

Row 58: k2tog, k25, skpo, k1, k2tog, k25, k2tog (55 sts)

Row 60: k2tog, k51, k2tog (53 sts)

Row 62: k2tog, k49, k2tog (51 sts)

Pattern courtesy of Lynne Rowe from lynnesknits.weebly.com©Lynne’s Knits 2011. This pattern is an original design, protected by copyright. The pattern is intended for personal use only. Feel free to knit as many as you like for family and friends, or for charity fund raising

Gadget Cosy

This free knitting pattern is for a knitted gadget phone cosy to fit an iphone, ipod or any smartphone such as a blackberry. It can be knitted up in less than an hour and would make a great last minute gift for christmas, a birthday, or just to say thanks. With the cost of christmas rising, it's the perfect time to go handmade with your gifts.

You Will Need:

- Approximately 10g double knitting yarn (wool)- 1 pair 3.25mm needles (here)- 1 pair 3.5mm needles (here)- Darning needle (here)- Optional button and sewing thread.

Abbreviations:

- k = knit- p = purl- st st = stocking stitch (one row knit, one row purl, repeated)- st(s) = stitch(es)- [ ] repeat the instructions in the brackets as many times as stated.

Instructions:

Using 3.25mm needles, cast on 19 sts.

Row 1: [k1, p1] to the last st, k1.

Row 2: [p1, k1] to the last st, p1.

Rows 3-8: repeat rows 1 & 2 three times more.

Change to 3.5mm needles.

Rows 9-14: starting with a k row, st st 6 rows.

Row 15: k5, [p1, k1] 4 times, p1, k5.

Row 16: p5, [p1, k1] 4 times p1, p5

Note: Rows 15 & 16 are the start of the moss stitch square, which is worked over the centre 9

sts

Row 17-30: repeat rows 15 & 16 seven times more.

Rows 31-40: starting with a k row, st st 10 rows. Cast off knitwise.

Pin the two pieces together with right sides facing and wrong sides together and use a mattress stitch to stitch the two pieces together, leaving the cast on ribbed edges open. Alternatively, pin with right sides together and wrong sides facing and whip stitch the two pieces together, leaving the cast on ribbed edge open. Turn the cosy the right way out. The ribbed edge will hold the gadget in place.

You may wish to add a pretty button or a vintage button to your gadget cosy. Stitch a medium button to the centre of the ribbed edge on one side of the cosy (this will then be the front). Take a length of yarn approximately 10cm long. Tie a knot at one end and trim the yarn just above the knot. Stitch the other end of yarn to the inside centre of the ribbed edge. Wrap the yarn around the button a couple of times to keep the gadget safe and secure.

Pattern courtesy of Lynne Rowe from lynnesknits.weebly.com©Lynne’s Knits 2011. This pattern is an original design, protected by copyright. The pattern is intended for personal use only. Feel free to knit as many as you like for family and friends, or for charity fund raising

Chunky Neck Cosy

"At last, here's my free knitting pattern #3. A pretty, chunky neck cosy. Perfect for those cold, winter days that are inevitable at the time of year. After an enjoyable extended mild spell we been plunged into the depths of winter here in Congleton, Cheshire. It's snowed lightly over night and we've had hail this morning. Brrrrr. Had to put the heating on for an extra hour to as we were soooo cold...... I made this neck cosy for my daughter who is living in Chester as has a long walk to school each morning. Sometimes she has to be at school really early for extra ballet lessons, so I knitted this to help keep her nice and warm on her walk to school, as I'm not there to drive her around.The cosy takes just one ball of Sirdar Big Softie, (or 2 for a deeper cosy). That's a great price for a knitted neck cosy. The cosy is knitted in a broken moss stitch, so it's really quick to knit and looks pretty too. I think it took me about 1 hr to make up, so it would make a great last minute gift. The broken moss stitch gives the cosy a good texture and helps it to stand up against your neck. You can fold the top over too if you wish."

– Lynne

What you need:

– Sirdar Big Softie Super Chunky Yarn (here)

– 10mm needles (here)

Use 10mm circular needles, but if you don't have circular needles or don't like using them, you can use two straight 10mm needles and stitch the side seam together, using mattress stitch (full instructions are at the end).

The cosy measures approximately 21 or 22 inches around.

Important: Some people have commented that their cosy turns out smaller. Tension with Sirdar Softie and 10mm needles working in stocking stitch should be: 9 sts to 10 cm 12 rows to 10 cm If your tension is tighter, please use larger needles.

Instructions for circular needles:

Using Big Softie and 10mm needles, loosely cast on 48 or 50 stitches. Round 1: k Round 2: [k1, p1] to the end Round 3: k Round 4: [p1, k1] to the end

Repeat these four rounds until you have approximately 2 metres of yarn left. Cast off loosely.

Instructions for straight needles:

Using Big Softie and 10mm needles, cast on 49 or 51 stitches loosely.

Row 1: k Row 2: [k1, p1] to the last stitch, k1 Row 3: k Row 4: [p1, k1] to the last stitch, p1 Repeat these four rows until you have approximately 2 metres of yarn left. Cast off loosely. Sew the side seam using mattress stitch.

Wear and enjoy! x

Pattern courtesy of Lynne Rowe from lynnesknits.weebly.com©Lynne’s Knits 2011. This pattern is an original design, protected by copyright. The pattern is intended for personal use only. Feel free to knit as many as you like for family and friends, or for charity fund raising

Knitted Valentines Heart

Here's a cute pattern for a little knitted heart. Simply attach your own personal message and pop into your loved one's pocket, lunchbox or work bag. They'll find it during the day and know how much you love them.

Abbreviatons:

st(s) = stitch(es)k = knitp = purlk2tog = knit next 2 sts together as one stp2tog = purl next 2 sts together as one stkfb = increase 1 by knitting into the front of the next st but don't remove it from the left hand needle. Knit into the back of the same st then remove st from left hand needle (two stitches made from one stitch)

Materials:

Oddments of double knitting yarn (here)3.5mm needles (here)Small amount of toy filling (here)Darning needle (here)Scissors (here)Card (here)Ribbon (here)

Instructions:

With your chosen yarn and 3.5mm needles, cast on 2 sts

Row 1: kfb, k1 (3 sts)

Row 2 and every alternate row: p

Row 3: k1, kfb, k1 (4 sts)

Row 5: kfb, k to last st, kfb (6 sts)

Row 7: repeat row 5 (8 sts)

Row 9: repeat row 5 (10 sts)

Row 11: repeat row 5 (12 sts)

Rows 12-14: starting with a p row, st st 3 rows

Row 15: repeat row 5 (14 sts)

Rows 16-18: starting with a p row, st st 3 rows

Row 19: k7, turn and work on these sts only

Row 20: p to last 2 sts, p2tog (6 sts)

Row 21: k

Row 22: p2tog, p to last 2 sts, p2tog (4 sts)

Row 23: k1, k2tog, k1 (3 sts)

Cut yarn and thread onto a darning needle.

Thread needle through last 3 sts on needles and pull tight.

Bind off yarn and trim.

Place the two heart pieces together, right sides facing.

Stitch together with a mattress stitch (trapping all yarns ends inside the heart) until approximately 3cm of the seam remains.

Fill with toy filling and stitch the remaining seam.

Tie off yarn end and weave end into the heart. Use ribbon or yarn to attach a message printed onto a small piece of card.

Pattern courtesy of Lynne Rowe from lynnesknits.weebly.com©Lynne’s Knits 2011. This pattern is an original design, protected by copyright. The pattern is intended for personal use only. Feel free to knit as many as you like for family and friends, or for charity fund raising