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After knitting the cupcakes I thought I might make up my own free knitting pattern for a mug. I did toy with the idea of a chintzy teacup and saucer but that was a pattern too far! The instructions are for a striped mug, but the body of the mug is really a blank canvas. Why not create your own design, plain, patterned or even words. You could also add a tea bag tag. On the tag you could write a message "Happy Birthday", "Thank You" etc. To knit the mug I used double knitting wool in white, green and brown. 4 UK No. 9 (3.75mm, US 5) double ended knitting needles. Polyester wadding for stuffing. A disc of plastic or cardboard, to put in the base of the mug, with a diameter of about 7cm. 

Using white yarn, cast on 6 sts on dpns.

Row 1 (and all odd-numbered rows): k all sts

Row 2: kfb into each st (12 sts)

Row 4: [kfb, k1] across (18 sts)

Row 6: [kfb, k1] across (27 sts)

Row 8: [kfb, k2] across (36 sts)

Row 10: [kfb, k2] across (48 sts)

Row 11: k (48 sts)

Row 12: p (48 sts)

Rows 13-15 k

Rows 16-19 change to green colour k 

Rows 20-23 change to white colour k  

Rows 24-27 change to green colour k 

Rows 28-31 change to white colour k  

Rows 32-35 change to green colour k 

Rows 36-39 change to white colour k 

Rows 40-43 change to green colour k 

Rows 43-45 change to white colour k  

Row 46: p

Rows 47-54 k

Change to brown colour

Row 55: k

At this point I cut a circle of plastic 7cm wide, place it at the base of the mug. Fill mug with stuffing, up to about row 35 

Row 56: k2tog k2 across (36 sts)

Row 58: k2tog k2 across (27 sts)

Row 60: k2tog k1 across (18 sts)

Row 62: k2tog k1 across (12 sts)

Row 64: k2tog across (6 sts)

Cut the yarn. Thread a needle with yarn and run it through the remaining stitches and fasten off.

Push down the brown top to form the drink inside the mug.

Alternatively you can make an "empty" mug. 

Omit the stuffing.

Rows 47-77 k

Place plastic circle in the base

Row 78: k2tog k2 across (36 sts)

Row 80: k2tog k2 across (27 sts)

Row 82: k2tog k1 across (18 sts)

Row 84: k2tog k1 across (12 sts)

Row 86: k2tog across (6 sts)

Cut the yarn. Thread a needle with yarn and run it through the remaining stitches and fasten off.

Push inside to form mug

The Handle (made from I-Cord)

Cast on 8 sts using 2 double pointed needles. Knit, don't turn.

Slip the sts back to the beginning of the needle and k the row again.

Continue in this manner until you have a short length of knitting, pull down on the cord and the gap at the back will close.

K about 38 rows. Cast off leaving a long enough length of yarn to sew the handle on to the body of the mug. To stuff the handle I rolled a piece of polyester fleece and threaded it through the I-Cord. Attach the handle to the mug.

I came across a pattern for a knitted tattoo heart and thought it was perfect for a Valentine's day token/card. The free pattern is from Jujube and Lolo. The original version of the pattern is for a winged heart but It works just as well without the wings. I also embroidered "LOVE" on the ribbon, the original pattern proclaims "MOM". As a keepsake the heart looks good in a box frame. 

In January I knitted a 'tattoo' heart. The free pattern is from Jujube and Lolo. From the photograph, I took, I wanted to turn it into a Valentine's Day card. Besides printing the image on photographic paper I also printed it onto a sheet of inkjet iron-on transfer paper, for fabric. I followed the instructions on the packet and ironed the 'heart' onto plain white cotton material. I might make it into a bag or something! I could have printed it onto a plain white T too.

I was sorting through and pairing up my knitting needles when I came a cross a broken one. It was a really old yellow plastic one. I decided I would turn the 'perfect' needle into a bangle. I experimented with the broken one first. The best and easiest method, I found, was to put the needle into a pan of boiling water, a bit like cooking spaghetti. When it was soft and malleable, this didn't take long, and wearing rubber gloves, I moulded it round a tin can. I overlapped the ends and secured them with some garden wire, just to hold it together while it cooled. I popped my bracelet in the fridge until it was cold and set. This would be a great present for a friend that knits.

When I went to Hitchin on Friday I went into a charity shop and found some yarn and plastic knitting needles. When I went to pay for them on the counter they had a basket containing little knitted chicks. I picked one up and realised inside the chick was a Cadbury's creme egg, so sweet! I bought one of the chicks. When I got home I made up my own free pattern.

To make a chick you will need...

1. Small amount of yellow DK yarn
2. A pair of needles UK size 3.75mm / 9 / US 5
3. Small amount of stuffing for the head
4. Small piece of felt for the beak
5. Chocolate egg, plastic or hard boiled!

Body:

Cast on 26 stitches. 

1. Row 1: K1, increase 1, K to the end.
2. Repeat first row until you have 36 stitches on the needle (10 rows) 
3. Knit four rows. (14 rows)  

Shape the tail:* (abbreviations expanded to make it clearer)

1. Row 1: K3, bring yfwd, slip next stitch, ybk, move slip stitch back to left needle. Turn 
2. Row 2: K3 to end 
3. Row 3: K2, bring yfwd, slip next stitch, ybk, move slip stitch back to left needle. Turn 
4. Row 4: K2 to end 
5. Row 5: Cast off 10 stitches, K to end
6. Repeat last five row for the other side to shape tail. 
7. You will have 16 stitches left in the centre of your knitting.

Fluffy Chicks

Using my basic Chick Pattern I made some fluffy additions, see them here. I used Fancy Yarn (Fur) instead of the DK yarn and a pair of size 3.75mm (9 UK, 5 US) size needles, you may require larger or smaller size needles, depending on your knitting tension.