Use your stash of yarn to crochet a bowl full of decorative cupcakes

KAREN ADENDORFF

Materials

Vinnis Colours Nikkim cotton yarn

(50 g balls): 1 ball each Natural (500),

Chestnut (503), Raspberry (559), Blue

Canard (549), Purple Pink (525)

Leftover four-ply cotton in red and green

3 mm crochet hook

Stuffing

Small coloured beads and bigger red beads

A piece of hard plastic, like the lid of an ice cream tub

General needlework kit

Abbreviations

sl st – slip stitch

c/off – cast off

h tr – half treble/short treble (US half double crochet)

dc – double crochet (US single crochet/crochet)

ch st – chain stitch

tr – treble crochet/double crochet

rnd(s) – round(s)

st(s) – stitch(es)

tog – together

Method

Base of cupcake
Start with 4 ch sts, sl st into 1st ch st to form a ring.
Rnd 1: 1 ch st, 6 dc in ring, sl st in 1st dc.
Rnd 2: 1 ch st, 2 dc in each dc (= 12 dc), sl st in 1st dc.
Rnd 3: 1 ch st, (1 dc in next dc, 2 dc in next dc) 6 times, (= 18 dc), sl st.
Rnd 4: 1 ch st, (1 dc in next 2 dc, 2 dc in next dc) 6 times, (= 24 dc), sl st.
Rnd 5: 1 ch st, (1 dc in next 3 dc, 2 dc in next dc) 6 times, (= 30 dc), sl st. C/off.

Edge of cupcake
Start with 10 ch sts.
Row 1: 1 dc in 2nd ch st from hook, 1 dc in each ch st (= 9 dc).
Row 2: 1 ch st, 1 dc in each of next dc just through last loop. (This makes a ridge.)
Rows 3-37: Same as row 2. C/off.
Trimming that goes over the edge
Start with 4 ch sts, sl st in 1st ch st to shape ring.
Rnd 1: 1 ch st, 6 dc in ring, sl st in 1st dc.
Rnd 2: 1 ch st, 2 dc in each dc (= 12 dc). Place a marker to indicate beginning of the rnd and move it up after every rnd. Do not end with sl st, go on to next rnd.
Rnd 3: (1 dc in next dc, 2 dc in next dc) 6 times, (= 18 dc).
Rnd 4: (1 dc in next 2 dc, 2 dc in next dc) 6 times, (= 24 dc).
Rnd 5: 1 dc in each dc.
Rnd 6: (1 dc in next 3 dc, 2 dc in next dc) 6 times, (= 30 dc).
Rnd 7: 1 dc in each dc.
Rnd 8: (1 dc in next 3 dc, 2 dc in next dc) 7 times, 1 dc in next 2 dc (= 37 dc).
Rnd 9: 1 dc in each dc.
Rnd 10: (1 dc in next 3 dc, 2 dc in next dc) 9 times, 1 dc in last dc (= 46 dc).
Rnd 11: 1 dc in each dc, increase 2 dc in the rnd, (= 48 dc), sl st in next dc.
Rnd 12: 1 dc in same st as sl st, (slip 2 dc, 5 tr in next dc, slip 2 dc, 1 dc in next dc) 8 times, sl st in 1st dc. C/off.
Small decoration on top of previous trimming
Crochet same as previous trimming till after rnd 4, sl st in next dc.
Rnd 5: 1 dc in same st as sl st, (slip 2 dc, 5 tr in next dc, slip 2 dc, 1 dc in next dc) 4 times, sl st in 1st dc. C/off.
Cupcake with cream swirl
Crochet same as previous trimming till after rnd 11.
Rnd 12: (1 dc in next 6 dc, slip 1 dc) 6 times, 1 dc in last 4 dc, sl st in next dc. C/off.
Cream spiral
Crochet 170 ch sts, 1 dc in 2nd ch st from hook , 1 dc in each ch st to end. Leave a thread long enough to fasten off.
Red cherry
Rnd 1: Crochet 2 ch sts, 6 dc in 1st of 2 ch st, close off with sl st.
Rnd 2-4: 1 ch st, 1 dc in each dc, sl st. Rnd 5: Crochet 2 dc tog all around. Insert stuffing and sew up.
Green stem
Crochet 8 ch sts, sl st in 2nd ch st from hook. C/off. Leave a thread long enough to thread through and fasten off.
Green leaf
Crochet 5 ch sts, sl st in 2nd ch st from hook, 1 dc in next ch st, 1 h tr in next ch st, 1 dc in last ch st. C/off.
Flower
Crochet 5 ch sts, sl st in 1st ch st to form a ring.
Rnd 1: 1 ch st, 10 dc in ring, sl st in 1st dc.
Rnd 2: (3 ch sts, 2 tr in next dc, 3 ch sts, sl st in next dc) 5 times. C/off.

FINISHING OFF

Cut a circle of 47 mm in diameter out of the plastic lid (or cardboard) for each cupcake. Sew up edge’s side seam. Stitch base to edge. Place plastic circle inside cupcake and put stuffing in. Put stuffing in trimming and stitch scalloped edge of trimming to the edge of the cupcake to make it look as if the cream is running down the side. Decorate with cherry and add stem and leaf if desired, and sew on beads. The smaller trimming or flower can also be sewn on to the bigger trimming and decorated with beads.
Cupcake with cream spiral
Put plastic circle and stuffing into cupcake and put stuffing into the trimming. The trimming is put around the edge and sewn on. Sew the long crocheted cord in a spiral around the trimming and decorate it with beads. Sew on a bigger red bead or cherry.

SOURCES
ELMARIE KNAPTON