lil' gingerbread cookie pillow pattern

Lil' Gingerbread Cookie Pillow

As the year winds down, I'm still creating with a mad-rush to get those last minute holiday patterns published and out the door! I'm proud to introduce my newest pattern, Lil' Gingerbread Cookie Pillow. I absolutely love this guy! He's easy to knit and fun and simple to decorate. 

The pillow measures about 12-inch/31 cm tall from head to toe. A perfect size for that extra holiday throw pillow. With all the gingerbread-themed decorations out there in the stores, I just had to create my own version. I started it last year but never finished, but I gave them as holiday gifts (always a sign of my affections towards something I create)!

The gingerbread pillow begins at the neck, starting with a scrap yarn cast-on and knits downwards to the legs. The head stitches are then picked up and knit upwards to the top. Both the arms and legs are picked up and knit separately. The pillow is stuffed to plumpness using fiberfill stuffing. It's then ready for embellishing!

White or cream buttons are sewn down the front of the tummy. This is a great project for using grandma's heirloom buttons. Simple embroidery is used to create the icing squiggles on the arms and legs. The finishing touch is a strip of torn home-spun fabric tied around the neck into a bow.

When done, right out of your creative oven, the pillow is ready to serve to your family and friends!

This gingerbread cookie pillow will soon become a traditional holiday heirloom! I've already knit five of them, one for every room in my house!

Happy knitting!

gingerbread cookie candle rugs

woolly gingerbread cookie

'Tis the season for all things sweet and sugary, but in this case, sweet but woolly. This larger-than-life gingerbread cookie candle rug would make a great holiday hostess gift. It measures about 10-inches tall from head to foot.

I used two strands of Cascade 220 worsted weight yarn and one strand of sport Berroco Ultra Alpaca, both in brown tones and size 13 dps. I followed my Woolly Gingerbread Cookie pattern just like a recipe. I had hoped that the alpaca would 'fill in' better than it did, but the garter stitch ridges were still apparent after several washes. Sometimes that happens when you double up your yarns. I am hoping to try it again but redesigning the pattern not knitting it in the garter stitch but rather in stockinette.

When I designed this pattern I wanted the thickness of a solid gingerbread cookie and the felted garter stitch does just that. The cookie when knit with only one strand felts beautifully and all the stitches disappear every time, but two strands is another story, sometimes.

vary the sizes

This photo, right, shows the differences in sizes: the smallest cookie is one strand of worsted and the large cookie, 2 strands worsted and 1 strand sport. The larger size lends itself perfectly for the candle rug idea.

Add a candle that gives off the aroma of sugar cookies or baking gingerbread as it burns. Too bad you can't eat them!

Happy knitting!