How to Knit a Chilli Pepper
It's National Knitting Week and to celebrate we've selected some of our favourite knitting patterns for you to try your hand at. These super cute chilli peppers look great in sets of three hung around the kitchen, or even made into a keyring or charm for a bag.
All imagery and text courtesy of 20 to Make Knitted Vegetables by Susie Johns published by Search Press.
You will need
How to Make
1. With 2.25 millimetre (UK 13; US 1) knitting needles and red yarn, cast on 3 sts. Rows 1–8: Beg with k row, work in st st. Row 9: inc1, k1, inc1 [5 sts].
2. Rows 10–24: Beg with p row, work in st st. Row 25: k1, inc1, k1, inc1, k1 [7 sts]. Rows 26–30: Beg with p row, work in st st. Row 31: k1, inc1, k3, inc1, k1 [9 sts].
3. Rows 32–34: Beg with p row, work in st st. Row 35: k1, inc1, (k2, inc1) twice, k1 [12 sts]. Rows 36–42: Beg with p row, work in st st. Row 43: k1, inc1, k8, inc1, k1 [14 sts].
4. Rows 44–48: Beg with p row, work in st st. Row 49: (k2, k2tog) 3 times, k2 [11 sts] Row 50: p. Row 51: (k2tog, k1) 3 times, k2tog [7 sts].
5. Row 52: p. Row 53: (k1, k2tog) twice, k1 [5 sts]. Cut yarn, leaving a long tail for sewing up, and thread through rem sts.
1. With two 2.75 millimetre (UK 12; US 2) double-pointed knitting needles and green yarn, cast on 2 sts.
2. Row 1: k2; do not turn but slide sts to other end of needle.
3. Rows 2–10: Rep row 1.
4. Cast off.
Graft the seam, adding stuffing as you go. The chilli will begin to twist, giving a very natural effect. Stitch one end of the stalk to the thicker end of the chilli. The finished chilli measures approximately 15 centimetres long (five 7/8 inches), including the stalk, and 2.5 centimetre (one inch) in diameter at its widest point.