Beware of crumbs in the couch! American cupcakes with sweet icing have lately worked their way into the Norwegian kitchen. It is no longer enough to just make cupcakes. They must also be decorated; each one better than the other. They need to taste sweet and look sweet.
Natural coloured linen:
67 × 52cm (261⁄2 x 203⁄4in) for the front and 52 x 52cm (203⁄4 × 203⁄4in) for the back.
Yarn
Mandarin Petit from Sandnes (cotton):
50g (13⁄4oz) pink no. 4505
50g (13⁄4oz) white no. 17
50g (13⁄4oz) red no. 4418
Pandora from Rauma Ullvarefabrikk (cotton): 50g (13⁄4oz) pink no. 232
3.25mm (size 3) needles
3.25mm (size 3) crochet hooks
Cupcakes:
Row 1: CO 21 sts with pink yarn.
Row 2: Knit k1, p1 to the end of the needle. Finish with k1.
Row 3: Knit back p1, k1 to the end of the needle.
Finish with p1.
Row 4: Repeat row 2.
Row 5: Repeat row 3.
Row 6: Knit k1, CO p1, knit p1,
*k1, p1*. Repeat from * to * 8 times,
k1, CO p1, knit p1, k1. (Now you should have 23 sts on the needle.)
Row 7: Knit back p1, k2, *p1, k1*.
Repeat from * to * 8 times, p1, k2, p1.
Row 8: Knit k1, p2, *k1, p1*. Repeat from * to * 8 times, k1, p2, k1.
Row 9: Repeat row 7.
Row 10: Knit k1, p2, k1, CO p1, knit p1,
*k1, p1*. Repeat from * to * 6 times, k1, CO p1, knit p1, k1,
p2, k1. (25 sts on the needle).
Row 11: Knit back *p1, k2*. Repeat from * to * twice.
*k1, p1*. Repeat from * to * 6 times,
*p1, k2*. Repeat from * to * twice, p1.
Row 12: Knit *k1, p2*. Repeat from * to * twice,
*p1, k1*. Repeat from * to * 6 times,
*p1, k2*. Repeat from * to * twice, p1.
Row 13: Repeat row 11.
Row 14: Knit *k1, p2*.
Repeat from * to * twice, k1, CO p1, knit p1,
*k1, p1*. Repeat from * to * 4 times,
k1, CO p1, knit p1,
*k1, p2*. Repeat from * to * twice, k1 (27 sts on the needle).
Row 15: Knit back *p1, k2*.
Repeat from * to * 3 times,
*p1, k1*. Repeat from * to * 4 times,
*p1, k2*. Repeat from * to * 3 times, p1.
Row 16: Knit *k1, p2*.
Repeat from * to * 3 times, knit k1, CO p1, p1,
*k1, p1*. Repeat from * to * twice,
k1, CO p1, p1, *k1, p2*.
Repeat from * to * 3 times, k1.
(29 sts on the needle).
Row 17: Knit back *p1, k2*
Repeat from * to * 4 times,
*p1, k1*. Repeat from * to * twice,
*p1, k2*. Repeat from * to * 4 times, p1.
Row 18: Knit *k1, p2*. Repeat from * to * 4 times,
knit k1, CO p1, knit p1, k1, CO p1, knit p1,
*k1, p2*. Repeat from * to * 4 times,
k1 (31 sts on needle).
Row 19: Knit back *p1, k2*. Repeat from * to * 10 times, p1.
Row 20: Switch to white yarn and knit k.
Row 21: Knit p back.
Row 22: Knit k4, tk2 together, k8, tk2
together, k9, k2tog, k4. (28 sts on needle).
Row 23: Repeat row 21.
Row 24: Knit k4, tk2 together, k4, tk2 together,
k4, k2tog, k4, k2tog, k4. (24 sts on the needle).
Row 25: Repeat row 21.
Row 26: Knit k4, tk2 together, k3, tk2 together,
k2, k2tog, k3, k2tog, k4. (20 sts on the needle).
Row 27: Repeat row 21.
Row 28: Knit k4, tk2 together, k2, tk2 together,
k2tog, k2, k2tog, k4. (16 sts on the needle).
Row 29: Repeat row 21.
Row 30: Knit tk2 together, k2, tk2 together, k4,
k2tog, k2, k2tog. (12 sts on the needle).
Row 31: Repeat row 21.
Row 32: Knit tk2 together, k1, tk2 together, k2,
k2tog, k1, k2tog. (8 sts on the needle).
Row 33: Repeat row 21.
Row 34: Knit k2, tk2 together, k2tog, k2.
(6 sts on the needle).
Row 35: Repeat row 21.
Row 36: Switch to red yarn and knit k.
Row 37: Repeat row 21.
Row 38: Knit tk2 together, k2, k2tog.
(4 sts on the needle)
Row 39: Repeat row 21.
Row 40: Cast (bind) off.
Attach the loose ends.
Fold the red cherry on top gently inwards so that it rounds off for a nice finishing touch. You need a row of 5, then 4, then 3 cupcakes – 12 in total. Here, some of the cakes have a dark pink cupcake case, some have light pink and some are striped. It doesn’t matter if the cupcakes are not exactly the same. Vary in the way you CO and cast (bind) off.
Lace:
For the cake platter, CO 79, 61, and 49 ch using white yarn.
Row 1: 1ch, sc into 2nd ch from hook, 1sc into each ch to end, turn.
Row 2: 1sl st into 1st st, *skip 2ch, 6dc into next st*, rep from * to * to the end of row.
Break off yarn.
For outer edge trim make 457 ch and work as given above. The lace will then be 2m (2 yds) and have 19 × 4 loops.
Assembly:
These cupcakes are sewn onto a solid piece of light grey linen canvas. Use your imagination; you can use almost anything! One alternative is to use a knitted background.
Start with the bottom lace and place it about 8.5cm (31⁄2in) from the bottom edge. Use a 15cm (6in) fold. Sew along the top edge with small invisible stitches. Place five cakes evenly out, starting with the middle cake.
Cut out a small piece of cotton wool and place it inside the cake before you sew it on to the bottom with small stitches. This will give the cakes a three dimensional shape.
When the first row is complete, place the next lace a little above it and sew it on. Continue in this way until all the cakes are in place.
Decorate the cupcakes with small glass beads sewn on with small stitches.
Make the pillow with fold (see Good Advice).
Sew the lace around the pillow. It should have 19 loops on each side.