Felted acorns

As promised, my free pattern for making these felted acorns. Please feel

free to share the acorn love.

First, a few things: I have never written up a pattern before. I'm a fly by the seat of my pants kind of girl. So if it doesn't quite work for you, apologies. Having said that; since these are going to be fulled (the accurate word for felting knitted things) mistakes really don't matter. The fulling process is very forgiving and you can shape things quite a bit while they are wet.

Which brings me to the next point. MAKE SURE the yarn you are going to use is 100 per cent wool (or a natural yarn like alpaca) and that it WILL felt. I've used all kinds of colours from the Patons Classic wool range. I love this wool; it comes in many different colours and it's a good price-and FANTASTIC for felting. I've also used Lion Brand Fisherman's wool for the caps as it felts brilliantly as well. The orange nut that I knitted up for this demonstration, although 100 percent wool didn't felt nearly as much as the Patons.

Just goes to show. Use something you KNOW will felt. Having said that, this would be a great project to use up some wool scraps that you have as you really don't need that much for each one.

Felted Acorns

I've used a medium gauge wool (see above) with US size 8 (5mm) Double pointed needles(DPN). You don't need to swatch as the gauge really doesn't matter.

Nuts

Cast on 18 stitches onto 3 DPN (6, 6, 6)

Join carefully to knit in the round being careful not to twist the stitches.

Knit in the round for roughly 14 rounds.

Next row: Knit 2 together, Knit 2 K2 tog on each needle to end of round. (12 stitches-4, 4, 4).

Knit one round.

Next row: Knit 2 together, Knit 2 on each needle to end of round (9 stitches-3, 3, 3).

Knit one round.

Next row: Knit 2 together, Knit 1 to end of round (6 stitches-2, 2, 2).

Knit one round.

Break wool and thread through final 6 stiches.

Pull the wool down through the hole to the inside and tighten, then weave in ends.

Cap

*if you caught this post earlier and meticulously copied this down, I'm sorry, but after knitting 6 more tonight, I've modified the pattern.*

Cast on 21 stitches on to 3 DPN (7, 7, 7).

Knit 2 rounds.

Next row: Knit 2, "make 1" repeat to end of needle- you'll have one extra stitch; just knit that,* repeat to the end of the round

To make one: Find the bar between the stitches,

Put your needle in there...

And knit it like a normal stitch. You don't need to twist it or anything because these will be felted and any holes will disappear.

You should now have 30 stitches on the 3 needles (10, 10, 10)

Knit 2 rounds.

Next row: Knit 2 together, Knit 1 (plus that one extra stitch on each needle) to end of round (7, 7, 7)

Knit 1 round.

Next row: K1, K2 tog, K1, K2 tog, K1 per needle. (5, 5, 5)

Next row: K2 tog, K1, K2 tog per needle (3, 3, 3)

Next row: K1, K2 tog per needle (2, 2, 2)

Next row:K2 tog around onto one needle so that you have the final 3 stitches on one needle.

Then make a small I cord for the stalk: keep knitting the 3 stiches WITHOUT turning your work. Keep slipping the stiches up to the other end of the needle and bring the wool around the back.

Do this for about 4 or 5 rows then break the wool and pull it through the final 3 stitches.

Thread it on a needle, pull it down through the stem and weave in the end on the inside.

Weave in the starter end too and it should look something like this:

Next you are ready for the fun part; the FULLING or FELTING.

Soak your knitted acorns in hot water-as hot as you can comfortably sink your hands into.

After a few minutes pick one out, squirt a tiny drop of liquid soap on it (it can be dishwashing or whatever you have-it needs to be reasonably soft on your hands) and start rolling it around in your hands. Roll it like you would to make a ball out of clay.

If it gets too soapy, dunk it back in the water and then keep rolling. This can be hard work- works your shoulders. Just keep dunking and rolling. If the edges felt more slowly, you can roll it like you would to make a sausage. It gets slowly smaller.

You want to try to get it to the point where you can't see any knitted stitches (told you it didn't matter).

It should shrink down to the size of a big thimble. Here's a before and after comparison.

When you get them to the size you want, rinse them in COLD water (it helps the felting process as it shocks the fibres), squeeze out as much water as you can and then shape them to how you want them. Make sure your cap fits over your nut while they are still wet. You want a fairly tight fit. You can stretch them a little at this stage to get it right. Leave them to dry...or it you are impatient like me, stuff with some stuffing and stitch the cap on top- make sure you can't see the stitches. If you wanted to, you could use fabric glue once they were dried.

You could even put a clove or some lavender in the middle to make them smell pretty. Tie a ribbon on to make an ornament or a lovely little addition to a Christmas package, or just have them sitting in a bowl.

Now, my own family- you are not allowed to make any of these for yourself...You MAY or MAY not be getting some for Christmas...