Free Pattern of the Week!

This weeks free pattern is Dwell House from KnitPicks.

Finished Measurements 3” tall, 3” long, 2” wide
Needles US 1 (2.25 mm) DPNs or 40” or longer circulars for Magic Loop

A quick note about foam blocks - simple florist foam is delicate and easily crushes and fl akes. If you want to avoid this, there are more solid and sturdy blocks that can be used for this purpose. 

DIRECTIONS 

Foam House 

Begin by cutting the house shape from the foam block. Use a pair of scissors to slice a piece of foam off one block that measures 3” high x 3” long x 2” wide. Then, use scissors to shave off the excess foam at the top to form a peaked roof. To do this, measure 1” from the top of the block and scored a shallow line at 1” along both long sides. Find the center at the top of the block and make a shallow mark there as well; this will be the “peak” of the cottage roof. The center mark and side scores mark the three points of the triangle. Using the scissors, place the tip of the blade at the mark that was made at the “peak” of the house and angle the blade so that it intersected with the score marked earlier. Press down while maintaining the angle until the scissors completely cut through the foam block. Repeat on the remaining side. Measure the sides of the house and clean up the edges, making sure your walls and the roof are straight and even. 

Cottage Base

 CO 60 sts with CC1. 

Arrange the stitches between four double pointed needles as follows: needles 1&3 have 18 sts each and needles 2&4 have 12 sts each. 

Join to work in the round. 

Work 4 rounds garter stitch followed by stockinette stitch until piece measures 2” from the cast-on edge. 

Gables

Needle 4 (12 sts) will be your fi rst gable. At the end of needle 4 instead of continuing to knit in the round, turn work and work one purl row across needle 4. 

Row 1: Turn work, ssk, knit across needle 4 until last two stitches, k2tog. 

Row 2:Turn, purl one row.

Repeat rows 1 & 2 until two stitches remain, k2tog, break yarn, leaving a 4 inch tail and draw through remaining stitch. 

Needle 2 (12 sts) will be your second gable. Join yarn to the wrong side of needle 2 and work one purl row across needle 2. 

Row 1:Turn work ssk, knit across needle 4 until last two stitches, k2tog. 

Row 2: Turn, purl one row. 

Repeat rows 1 & 2 until two stitches remain, k2tog, break yarn, leaving a 4 inch tail and draw through the remaining stitch. 

Roof 

Using CC2, join yarn to the right side of needle 3. 

Work garter stitch for 1.5 “. 

Leave the stitches on the needle for now and break yarn, leaving a 4 inch tail. Using CC2, join yarn to the right side of needle 1. 

Work garter stitch for 1.5 “. 

End with a right side row. 

Hold Needle 3 and Needle 1 together and bind off stitches on both needles using the Three Needle Bind off method. Use the tails to stitch the Gables to roof edges. 

Door

Use the scissors to round off one narrow side of the dark piece of felt to create a rounded door. Sew to front of cottage with dark thread. Cut two windows from the piece of off-white felt and sew to one wall of the cottage using light thread. Gently ease the knit shell over the foam base until the shell completely covers the foam. Ta dah! One cozy dwelling. 

The Original Pattern can be found at http://www.knitpicks.com/patterns/Dwell_House_Pattern__D51028220.html