How to Knit a Cupcake
Complete Size - 5cm Base Diameter x 5cm height (9cm including candles), 8cm Top Diameter
What you will need...
Total time - 2 Hours 40 Minutes Each Birthday Knitted Cupcake
3.25mm knitting needles (UK 10, US 3)
4.5cm Cardboard Circle to firm up the base
Double knitting yarn - desired colours
Sewing up needle
Toy stuffing / filling
Scissors
Before You Start...
Abbreviations
K = Knit P = Purl St = Stitch Sts = Stitches
Cast On - I use the thumb method.
St-st = stocking stitch. Alternating a row of knit stitches (right side), with a row of purl stitches (wrong side).
K2tog = Decrease by knitting two stitches together, making one stitch from two.
Inc = Increase - by knitting into the front and the back of the same stitch, to make two stitches out of one.
Yrn = 'Yarn Over' - Loop the yarn around the end of your needle (under and over) to create a new stitch.
Cast off - P wise. US - bind off.
B&t tightly - Break off yarn and thread yarn through the remaining stitches on needle, pull up tightly and fasten off.
TOP TIP
Sewing up the sprinkles and top icing to the top of the cake before fixing it altogether will allow a neater finish, by hiding loose ends more easily.
How to Make it...
Made from a knitted case, a knitted cake top piece, a piece of knitted icing with some sewn-on sprinkles and some finger-knitted candles. All pieces are sewn together with a 4.5cm cardboard circle in the base to help support its shape.
Case
Make 1
Time - 1 Hour each
Size 8 cm Depth and Diameter
Needles 3.25 mm
Yarn Colour of Choice
Cast on 55sts
Beginning with a P row st-st 3 rows
Next row k1 (yrn, K2tog) to end (55sts)
Beginning with a P row, st-st 3 rows
Next row K8, (K2tog, K16) twice, K2tog, K9 (52sts)
Next row P
K5, (K2tog, K11) three times, K2tog, K6 (48sts)
P 1 row
K5, (K2tog, K10) three times, K2tog, K5 (44sts)
P 1 row
K4, (K2tog, K9) three times, K2tog, K5 (40sts)
P 1 row
K4, (K2tog, K8) three times, K2tog, K4 (36sts)
Beginning with a P row st-st 3rows
Continue to shape the flat bottom...
Next row (K2, K2tog) to end (27sts)
P 1 row
Next row (K1, K2tog) to end (18sts)
P 1 row
Next row K2tog to end (9sts)
P 1 row
B&t tightly
Cake Top
Make 1
Time - 30 Minutes Each
Size 7.5 cm Diameter
Needles 3.25 mm
Yarn Brown
Cast on 54sts
P 1 row
Next row (K4, K2tog) to end (45sts)
P 1 row
Next row (K3, K2tog) to end (36sts)
P 1 row
Next row (K2, K2tog) to end (27sts)
P 1 row
Next row (K1, K2tog) to end (18sts)
P 1 row
Next row K2tog to end (9sts)
P 1 row
B&t tightly
Candles
Make 3 (Or however many!)
Time - 5 Minutes each
Size 4.5 cm
No Needles
Yarn - 2 strands, pink and white
Finger-knit both strands of yarn together to make a two-tone candle, to approximately 4.5cm in length.
At one end of each candle, cut the two yarn ends approximately 1cm from the end of the knitted stitches. These form the wicks of the candles.
Icing
Make 1
Time - 15 Minutes Each
Size 4 cm
Needles 3.25 mm
Yarn White
Cast on 4sts
Inc Knit-wise into every stitch (8sts)
Next row P
Continue in st-st a further 4 rows, Inc Kwise into the first and last stitch of all K rows (12sts)
St-st a further 2 rows
Continue in st-st a further 4 rows, decreasing by K2tog at the start and end of all K rows (8sts)
K2tog to end (4sts)
Cast off Pwise
Piece it Together...
Sewing up & Embroidery Time - 40 Minutes
Cupcake Base
Folder over at the top of the cupcake main piece, at the 'yrn' stitching to form the crinkled case effect, and pin in place before lightly catching the cast-on row to the inside of the case.
Then begin to sew up the case, beginning at the cast-off edge, and sewing across row ends all the way up to the top edging.
Using a compass draw and cut out a 4.5cm sturdy cardboard circle and push into the bottom of the case, as shown in the picture.
Fasten off all loose ends.
Top of the Cake
Sew some sprinkles randomly onto the surface of the knitted icing piece, in your desired position and colour.
Complete the Cake Top piece by oversewing row ends to form the circular shape.
Sew the sprinkle-patch icing and the finger knitted candles to the top of this Cake Top piece, before finally sewing this top piece just inside the knitted case, stuffing the cake lightly as you go.
Fasten off all loose ends and ensure all pins are removed when complete if used.
Make it Different...
Choose your own cake and case colour depending on your favourites, to make it personalised and unique. Experiment with your toppings to be as extravagant or artistic as you like as you could with a real cupcake - sugar unicorns and rainbows would be Ellie's pick, but I chickened out of that one! You could pick another little knitted shape such as knitted flowers, knitted hearts or other small knitted pieces from other knitting patterns - just mix and match.
Perfect handmade birthday gift or keepsake, a nice decoration or even a pin cushion (although the latter not for kids!)
Behind the Scenes!
These patterns are all made up as I go along, learning from mistakes along the way. Every time I create a new pattern, I record it in the Updates part of this site (effectively my blog…) There is a story behind each creation, and this can help give you some more ideas and inspiration.
All done?
Feel free to share your successes or any other tips or suggestions by emailing me. If it's all gone swimmingly and you're ready for you next challenge, have a look at what to try next!