Baby boy cupcakes...

Tonight is a friend's baby shower and I am bringing cupcakes!

These were are my simple cupcake recipe from a previous post, but with 4 tbs of cocoa added to make them chocolatey.  Mmmmmmmm...

For the embellishments I used these fondant cutters I bought four years ago and have never used before.

I've always been a little bit scared of them as they seem like the kind of thing that you can never get the fondant out of again, but I found this great video on Youtube and I was off!

Using a toothpick to extract the centres of the letters...

I took some chocolate fondant (you could also use sugarpaste/ gumpaste/ modelling paste - it's called so many different things!), and cut out the shapes, leaving them on a sheet of baking paper to dry off overnight.

Then I tinted some white fondant cornflour blue and cut some more shapes and letters.

 Always use gel/ paste food colourings to tint fondant.  Use a toothpick to draw the colour through, and then knead until blended.

Then I iced my cupcakes and topped them with the embellishments - simple!

The blue sprinkles were made by crumbling the circles of fondant in the top picture (they were going to be polka dots but I decided against using them.)

I hope the mum-to-be and guests enjoy them as much as I did making them!

-----------

I linked this post up here:

Knitting for newborns: Simple hat and mitts set...

**Now updated with adjustments for 3-6 month size hat, and pattern for flower decoration**

My friend Reanna is having a baby boy at the end of February, and it's her babyshower this Saturday night.  Being that one of my "2011 crafty new year's resolutions" is to make as many gifts as possible, I decided a bit of knitting was in order.

Being a little short on time, I looked around the internet for some quick-knit patterns.  I wanted to do a hat and booties or a hat and scratch mitts set, but couldn't find the exact thing I was looking for.  So I just started knitting, then I unravelled, started again, un-picked, started again - all the while making note of the patterns that were developing.

I made a little tag out of recycled paper to safety pin to the mitts and hat.  On the reverse it has the care instructions which I took from the yarn wrapper.

I had this most amazing yarn to use up - it is a cashmere/ merino/ silk blend which I picked up in New Zealand last year and have used to make a lot of beautiful baby things.  It is incredibly soft and has this lovely subtle sheen to it.

So, I have some patterns to share with you!  These are suitable for absolute beginners as they are very straightforward.  They are also fast to knit up - meaning you don't have to delay your gratification and can knit either the hat or mitts in one evening (or both if you're fast).

If you're a beginner, you will need to be able to do the following before starting. Click on any of the terms below to be taken to a video showing you how to do it (the videos below are for "English" knitters - if you're a Continental knitter, please refer to this very useful glossary of terms featuring videos).

Cast on (CO)
Knit (K)
Purl (P)
Increase (M1L - Make One Left)
Decrease (K2tog)

---------------------------------------

Newborn Hat with Seed Stitch Trim:

Size:  
Newborn - to fit heads 35-37 cm (14 - 14 & 1/2")
(the pattern for 3-6 month size is in the comments section of this post, below)

Gauge:
26 stitches and 36 rows = 4" (10cm) in stocking stitch

Materials:
3.5mm needles (US size 4), or whatever size is needed to obtain gauge
1 x 50g ball of dk weight yarn (I used Sublime baby cashmere merino silk dk in shade 0006, 'pebble' - this one ball of wool will do your hat and your mitts)
Tapestry needle

CO 78 stitches (I use cable cast-on because it creates a lovely edge)
Continue in K1, P1 seed stitch until you have 4 cm (1 & 1/2") of knitting on your needles

Continue to work in stocking (stockinette) stitch for a further 5cm (2").

Crown decreases:
Row 1:  K1, (K2tog, K5) to end.  (67 stitches on the needle)
Row 2:  Purl
Row 3:  K1 (K2tog, K4) to end.  (56 stitches on the needle)
Row 4:  Purl
Row 5:  K1 (K2tog, K3) to end.  (45 stitches on the needle)
Row 6:  Purl
Row 7:  K1 (K2tog, K2) to end.  (34 stitches on the needle)
Row 8:  Purl
Row 9:  K1 (K2tog, K1) to end.  (23 stitches on the needle)
Row 10:  Purl
Row 11:  K1 (K2tog) 11 times.  (12 stitches on the needle)

Break off yarn leaving a 30cm (12") tail.  Thread this tail through your tapestry needle and thread through remaining 12 stitches, removing them from the knitting needle.

Draw up tightly and fasten off so there is no hole.

Sew up hat along seam using the mattress stitch.   Weave in ends.

Position seam along centre back of hat.

The 3-6 month size is as follows:

CO 81 stitches

Work in moss stitch for 4cm, finishing after a ws row

Work in stockinette stitch for a further 5 cm, finishing after a knit row

Decrease 3 stitches evenly across the next row (this will be a purl row). Decrease one stitch each (P2tog) at around the 20th stitch, 40th stitch and 60th stitch.

You will now have 78 stitches on the needle.

Begin crown decreases:
Crown decreases are as for the 0-3 month size above.

Follow instructions for the 0-3 month size for drawing up, fastening-off and sewing up.

Flower decoration:

CO 8 stitches, leaving a tail of 6 inches

Slip the last stitch you cast on from the left needle onto the right needleCast off 7 stitches (you will have one stitch left on the needle)Swap your right needle to the left (do not turn)

* Cast on 7 stitches, slip the last stitch to the right needlecast off 7 stitches (you will have one stitch left on the needleSwap your right needle to the left. (do not turn)*

Repeat * * 12 more times


To make up:
Thread your tail onto a tapestry needle and run it through the remaining stitch, removing it from the knitting needle.  Run the needle and thread through the straight edge of the flower in a running stitch, pull tightly and secure with a few stitches. Sew onto your hat.

-------------------------------------

Newborn Scratch Mitts with Seed Stitch Trim:

Size:  

0 - 3 months

Gauge:

26 stitches and 36 rows = 4" (10cm) in stocking stitch

Materials:

3.5mm needles (US size 4), or whatever size is needed to obtain gauge

1 x 50g ball of dk weight yarn (I used Sublime baby cashmere merino silk dk in shade 0006, 'pebble' - this one ball of wool will do your hat and your mitts)

Tapestry needle

CO 28 stitches (I use cable cast-on because it creates a lovely edge)

Continue in K1, P1 seed stitch for 12 rows.

Increases:

Row 13:  K1, M1L, K until there is one stitch left on the left needle, M1L, K1 (30 stitches)

Row 14:  Purl

Row 15:  K1, M1L, K until there is one stitch left on the left needle, M1L, K1 (32 stitches)

Row 16:  Purl

Row 17:  K1, M1L, K until there is one stitch left on the left needle, M1L, K1 (34 stitches)

Row 18:  Purl

Row 19:  K1, M1L, K until there is one stitch left on the left needle, M1L, K1 (36 stitches)

Row 20:  Purl

Row 21 - 26 Alternate Knit and Purl rows beginning with a Knit row

Decreases:

Row 27:  K1, (K2tog, K3) to end (29 stitches)

Row 28:  Purl

Row 29:  K1, (K2tog, K2) to end (22 stitches)

Row 30:  Purl

Row 31:  K1, (K2tog, K1) to end (15 stitches)

Row 32:  Purl

Row 33:  (K2tog) 7 times, K1 (8 stitches)

Break off yarn leaving a 20cm (8") tail.  Thread this tail through your tapestry needle and thread through remaining 8 stitches, removing them from the knitting needle.

Draw up tightly and fasten off so there is no hole.

Sew up mitt along seam using the mattress stitch.   Weave in ends.

Position seam along centre back of mitt.

Knit another one!

--------------------------------

Please let me know if you find any errors in my patterns.  Feel free to ask any questions too!

LM x