Sunflower bookmark
Turn your reading corner into the brightest place to be with Louise Smith’s super-cheery sunflower bookmark.
YOU WILL NEED
■ Any DK yarn in: yellow, brown, pink and green
■ A pair of 2 mm needles
■ A pair of 2 mm double-pointed needles (DPNs)
■ A pair of googly eyes
■ Small amount of pink felt
■ Tapestry needle
■ Pink sewing thread or glue
TENSION
Yarn used knits as DK to this tension: 25 sts and 37 rows to measure 10x10cm (4x4in) over st st using 2 mm needles
MEASUREMENTS
30cm (12in) tall
8cm (3 in) wide at head 4.5cm (1 in) wide at pot
ABBREVIATIONS
B&T Break and tighten: break off the yarn and thread the end through the sts left on the needle. Pull the end of the yarn to tighten the sts together.
kbfb knit into the back, front and back of the next st [inc 2 sts]
For a full list see page 95 Cast on a needleful of sunshine when you knit this glorious little bookmark by Louise Smith. Filled with a handful of simple techniques – like knitting an i-cord and picking up stitches – ambitious novice knitters should be able to finish this project with a flourish. Why not knit a handful for the school fête? You can also adapt the pattern to create fun brooches. Note Use cable cast on throughout.
FACE
Cast on 24 sts using 2 mm needles and brown yarn.
Row 1 and every foll alt row (WS) Knit. Row 2 (RS) *K4, k2tog; rep from * to end. [20 sts]
Row 4 *K3, k2tog; rep from * to end. [16 sts]
Row 6 *K2, k2tog; rep from * to end. [12 sts]
Row 8 *K1, k2tog; rep from * to end. [8 sts]
Row 10 *K2tog; rep from * to end. [4 sts] B&T.
Sew seam to form a circle. PETALS
Note The Sunflower Petals are picked up and knitted around the edge of the Sunflower Face, each Petal shares a stitch with the Petal either side of it.
*Using 2 mm needles and yellow yarn, pick up and knit 2 sts around edge of Sunflower Face.
Row 1 (WS) Purl.
Row 2 (RS) (Kfb) twice. [4 sts]
Row 3 Purl.
Row 4 Knit.
Repeat Rows 3 and 4 once more. Repeat Row 3 once more.
B&T.
Repeat from * 23 times, picking up 1 st at the base of the previous Petal and 1 unworked st from Sunflower Face.
POT
Cast on 12 sts using 2 mm needles and pink yarn.
Row 1 (WS) Knit.
Row 2 (RS) Purl.
Repeat Rows 1 and 2 once more.
Row 5 Purl.
Row 6 Knit.
Repeat Rows 5 and 6, 5 more times. Repeat Row 5 once more.
Next row K1, ssk, K to last 3 sts, k2tog, K1. [10 sts]
Next row Purl.
Cast off.
STEM (I-CORD)
Cast on 3 sts using 2 mm DPNs and green yarn.
Row 1 *K3, do not turn, slide sts back to other end of needle; repeat from * until i-cord measures approx 20cm, pulling yarn tightly across back of work.
Cast off.
BIG LEAF
(MAKE 2)
Using 2 mm needles, green yarn and the image as a guide, pick up and knit 3 sts down the side of the Stem.
Row 1 (WS) Purl.
Row 2 K1, kbfb, K1. [5 sts]
Row 3 Purl.
Row 4 Knit.
Repeat Rows 3 and 4 twice more. Repeat Row 3 once more.
Next row Ssk, K1, k2tog. [3 sts]
B&T.
SMALL LEAF
(MAKE 3) Using 2 mm needles, green yarn and the image as a guide, pick up and knit 2 sts down the side of the Stem.
Row 1 (WS) Purl.
Row 2 (Kfb) twice. [4 sts]
Row 3 Purl.
Row 4 Knit.
Repeat Rows 3 and 4 once more. Repeat Row 3 once more.
Next row Ssk, k2tog. [2 sts]
B&T.
FINISHING
Using tail ends where possible, sew the Sunflower Face to the top of the Sunflower Stem. Sew the Sunflower Stem to the top-centre of the Sunflower Pot. Using image as a guide, sew the googly eyes to the centre of the Sunflower Face. Using a small amount of pink yarn, embroider a mouth beneath the googly eyes. Weave in any remaining ends. Cut out a small amount of pink felt to match the shape of the Sunflower Pot. Sew (or glue) the felt in place on the back of the Sunflower Pot.