ONE PATTERN

Three looks Lucille Randall’s cute

cactus designs – which
one will you choose?

1mossBobbly cactus:
stitch texture

3 Tall cactus: bright

crochet flower and
fluffy mohair.
2 Round cactus:
easy rib pattern
Woolly cacti

MATERIALS

T
YOU WILL NEED hese wonderful woolly cacti will last much longer than the
Rowan, Pure real thing – and they’re perfectly prickle-free! Lucille
Wool DK (100% Randall’s three cactus designs are fun to knit, and they’ll
wool, 50g/130m)
make fantastic gifts – for Christmas, or as a housewarming
1 ball of each:
present to brighten up a room.
Parsley (020) and
“If you’re new to knitting in the round, this is a great first
Pine Needle (050)
project, as it really doesn’t matter if your cactus ends up knobbly.
Rowan, Kidsilk
Haze (70% mohair,
It will just add to the charm,” says Lucille. “Feel free to try out
30% silk, 25g/210m)
different shapes. After all, no two cacti are the same – or is that
1 ball of: Jelly (597) snowflakes?” With little crochet flowers, your cacti will bloom all
A set of 3½mm year round, and you know they’ll never die of neglect!
DPNs
A 3.5mm
crochet hook
Toy stuffing Start knitting here... LARGE BOBBLE
Mini flower pots
A stitch holder SMALL ROUND CACTUS Cast on 39 stitches using 3½mm DPNs.
For yarn stockists Cast on 48 stitches using 3½mm DPNs. Divide evenly over 4 DPNs and place a
contact Rowan Divide evenly over 4 DPNs and place a stitch marker at the beginning of the
01484 681881 stitch marker at the beginning of the round. Join into a round.
www.knitrowan. round. Join into a round.
com Round 1 (K1, P1); to end of round.
Round 1 (K1tbl, P1); to end of round. Round 2 (P1, K1); to end of round.
TENSION Repeat round 1 for 30 rounds Repeat these 2 rounds to create the moss
Yarn used knits as stitch pattern.
DK to this tension:
Break off yarn leaving a long tail and Work 30 rounds in moss stitch.
28 sts and 26 rows
thread tail through your darning
to measure
needle. Pass the needle through all of * Break off yarn leaving a long tail and
10x10cm (4x4in)
the stitches on the DPNs, dropping them thread tail through your darning
over stitch pattern
off as you go. Pull tight to close the hole needle. Pass the needle through all of
using 3½mm
needles
at the top and fasten off. Weave in loose the stitches on the DPNs, dropping them
end. Stuff with fibre fill and sew up the off as you go. Pull tight to close the hole
ABBREVIATIONS bottom end. at the top and fasten off. Weave in loose
ch chain end. Stuff with fibre fill and sew up the
ktbl knit through TALL CACTUS bottom end.**
back of loop Cast on 30 stitches using 3½mm DPNs.
tr treble Divide evenly over 4 DPNs and place a MEDIUM BOBBLE 1
stitch marker at the beginning of the Cast on 27 stitches using 3½mm DPNs.
round. Join into a round . Divide evenly over 4 DPNs and place a
stitch marker at the beginning of the
Round 1 (K1tbl, P1) to end of round. round. Join into a round.
Repeat round 1 for 30 rounds.
Round 1 (K1, P1); to end of round.
Join in mohair and continue to work Round 2 (P1, K1); to end of round.
with both yarns together for a further Repeat these 2 rounds to create the moss
20 rounds. stitch pattern.
Work 20 rounds in moss stitch.

1
Break off yarn leaving a long tail and
thread tail through your darning
needle. Pass the needle through all of
the stitches on the DPNs, dropping them
off as you go. Pull tight to close the hole
at the top and fasten off. Weave in loose
end. Stuff with fibre fill and sew up the
bottom end. Tease out the fibres of the
mohair yarn to create a fluffy cactus.
Finish off the same as Large Cactus,
* to **.
MEDIUM BOBBLE 2
Cast on 21 stitches using 3½mm DPNs.
Divide evenly over 4 DPNs and place a
stitch marker at the beginning of the
round. Join into a round.

BOBBLY CACTUS Round 1 (K1, P1); to end of round.

You can add more bobble shapes Each piece is made individually and Round 2 (P1, K1); to end of round.
to make an even larger cactus! worked in moss stitch. Repeat these 2 rounds to create the moss
 we r s a d d a s p la sh of colour,
“Croch et flo g u p sc ra ps of ya rn.
r u sin
and a re gre at fo to se w th e m in place”
s
Use th e ya rn tail

stitch pattern. bobble. Use the main picture as

Work 20 rounds in moss stitch. reference.

2
Finish off the same as Large Cactus, CROCHET FLOWERS
* to **. Using a 3.5mm crochet hook, ch4 and
join with a ss to form a ring.
SMALL BOBBLE Into the centre hole: (tr3, ss) 4 times into
Cast on 15 stitches using 3½mm DPNs. the ring.
Divide evenly over 4 DPNs and On last ss break off yarn and pull
place a stitch marker at the Tip through ss loop.
beginning of the round. Join To make
into a round. a mega-sized Fasten off and weave in
cactus, use some
super chunky loose end. Thread the other
Round 1 (K1, P1); to end of yarn and 8mm tail through your needle
Thread yarn through your stitches
round. needles. and sew flower onto your and pull together to close the shape.

Round 2 (P1, K1); to end of
round.
Repeat these 2 rounds to create the
moss stitch pattern.
Work 16 rounds in moss stitch.
3
cactus.
Now you’re ready to pop your cactus
into its plant pot. A strip of double-sided
tape on the inside of the rim will help to
secure it in place.

Finish off the same as Large Cactus,

* to **.

MAKING UP
Using a matching thread, sew the 2
Gently tease out the mohair yarn to
medium and small bobbles to the large give a fluffy look to the tall cactus.

CROCHET
STEP-BY-STEP HOW TO DO TREBLE

Bring the yarn through

Wrap the yarn round the
2 Wrap yarn round the
1 hook, from back to front
of the hook once. Now insert
hook (back to front)
and bring the yarn through
the stitch. Wrap yarn round
the hook into the top of the
the hook; you will now have
next stitch.
4 stitches on the hook.
3 Pull the yarn through
4 both stitches; this will
the middle 2 stitches on
the hook, leaving 2 stitches
on the hook. Wrap yarn
leave you with 1 stitch on
the hook. Repeat these
steps into the top of the next
round the hook (from back
and following stitches.
to front).