Life is just a bowl of cherries

Something sunny, summery and fun - a bowl of cherries. The other day I had an urge to make something small and silly. Last year I made strawberries and in years gone by I have made raspberries, so now I have some cherries to add to the collection. The bees certainly liked them. The cherries are knitted and the bowl is crocheted. They are quick and easy to make and only require oddments of wool. I made a total of 12 cherries to fit in the bowl.

Here's how I made them:

Cherry

Using 3.75mm needles and oddments of red DK yarn, cast on 12 stitches.

row 1. Purl

row 2. Knit

row 3. Purl

row 4. Knit

row 5. Purl 2 tog 6 times (6 stitches)

Cut yarn and thread through all the stitches. Pull up tightly and fasten off.

Sew up sides seam and stuff.

Gather cast on edge, pull up tightly and fasten off.

To add a stalk, make a short twisted cord using green DK yarn and attach it to the top of the cherry.

Using white yarn embroider 2 straight stitched to put a 'shine' on each cherry.

Bowl

Using 3mm crochet hook and yellow DK yarn, chain 2.

1st round. Work 6 double crochet into 1st chain.

It is helpful to put a marker on the 1st stitch of the round so that you know where the beginning of each round is.

2nd round. 2 dc in to each dc (12 sts)

3rd round. (2 dc into next dc, 1 dc) 6 times (18 sts)

4th round. (2 dc into next dc, 2 dc) 6 times (24 sts)

5th round. (2 dc into next dc, 3 dc) 6 times (30 sts)

6th round. 1 dc into each dc

7th round. (2dc into next dc, 4 dc) 6 times (36 sts)

8th round. As 6th round

9th round. As 6th round

10th round. (2dc into next dc, 5 dc) 6 times (42 sts)

11th round. As 6th round

12th round. (2 dc into next dc, 6 dc) 6 times (48 sts)

13th round. As 6th round

14th round. (1 dc, miss next dc, 5 tr into next dc, miss next dc) 12 times.

Slip st into 1st dc and fasten off.

There you go, nice and easy.