Materials required:
Size 21 (0.80 mm) needles, oddments of 1-ply yarn, dressmaking pins (these become the miniature knitting needles), 1:12th scale basket; tacky glue (optional)
1. Knitting on needles
Abbreviations: st – stitch; k – knit; p – purl; sst – stocking [stockinette stitch], one row knit the next row purl; ( ) – repeat instructions between brackets as detailed in text
Note: the knitting may be done with dressmaking pins, but as they are exceptionally sharp and very short, this is not a pleasant or easy experience.
Cast on 30 sts.
Rows 1-4: (k 1, p 1) to end
Rows 5-18: sst
Break wool leaving about 0.50 metres (20-inches) wool trailing, this will be used to make the ball of yarn later.
Using one dressmaking pin knit about 10-15 sts from needle, then transfer the remaining stitches from the knitting needle onto another dressmaking pin, transfer these to a third dressmaking pin so the stitches are ready for ‘working’. This is quite tricky as the dressmaking pins are quite sharp.
To stop the knitting slipping off the miniature knitting needles, a dab of tacky glue may be placed at the end of the knitting where it meets the head of the pin. Allow any glue to dry before placing the knitting in the basket.
2. Ball of yarn
Take the end of the yarn furthest from the knitting and roll it together in your fingers to make a rough ball shape. Wind some of the yarn around the centre of the rolled ball to hold it in place, then starting winding the remaining yarn around the rolled up ball of yarn to make a round shape, this can be quite tricky so patience is required.
Wind remaining wool onto the ball and push the knitting on the dressmaking pins through the ball, you may wish to push one of the dressmaking pins through the last wrap of yarn to hold it in place. Place in basket.
3. Skein of yarn
Take a 0.50 metre/20-inch length of yarn and fold it in half, fold again *and then holding one end of the folded yarns twist the folded yarns tightly together, keeping the twisted yarns tight, fold again and let the yarns twist themselves together to form a loose skein.** Repeat from * to ** until your skein of yarn is approximately 3 cm/1¼-inches long. Tuck in ends and if required tie on a label made from a piece of paper and sewing cotton.
More balls or skeins of yarn and pieces of finished knitting may be made from other oddments of yarn to fill up the basket and spare ‘knitting needles’ made from other dressmaking pins could also be placed in the knitting basket.
The knitting basket shown in the photo may be purchased in kit form from our web shop, either as an empty basket, or if you do not wish to do the knitting yourself the basket kit complete with knitting.
© Copyright F H Powell 2011
All rights reserved. This pattern is for private use only and may not be reproduced in any form, or reproduced for commercial gain including selling any item knitted up from these patterns without written permission from Buttercup Miniatures. Reproducing or transmitting this pattern by any means for any purpose other than for personal use constitutes a violation of copyright law.
For scale information: the UK coin used on the photos is slightly larger than a US Cent coin. The actual diameter is ¾-inch or 2 cm. The UK coin is the same size as a European (Euro) 5c coin.