Cherries are the Bomb
I like/love lemons, but cherries are another favorite fruit. And, well let's face it, you can't really eat lemons straight up the way you can eat cherries. A fruit shaped like a sexy little bomb? Oh yes please! Cherry pie, maraschino cherries, cherry ice cream (without chocolate chunks!),fresh Bing cherries that stain your lips a purple-y blue. What's not to like? Materials Set of five US size 6 double pointed needles Worsted weight yarn in colors red and green Stitch marker Material for stuffing (yarn scraps or batting) Yarn needle Cherry Pattern Using red yarn, cast on 6 sts and knit one row as for I-cord. Divide sts equally among 3 dpns. Place stitch marker and begin to knit in the round. Round $1:^{\star}k1$ , kfb; repeat from \* (9 sts) Round 2: knit Round 3: \*k1, kfb, k1; repeat from \* (12 sts) Round 4: knit Round 5: $\mathrm{}^{\star}\mathsf{k}\,\mathsf{1}$ , kfb; repeat from \* (18 sts) Rounds 6-8: knit Round 9: $\mathrm{}^{\star}\mathsf{k}\,\mathsf{1}$ , k2tog; repeat from \* (12 sts) Round 10: knit Round 11: \*k1, k2tog, k1; repeat from \* (9 sts) Round 12: knit Stuff cherry with yarn scraps or batting Round 13: \*k1, k2tog; repeat from \* (6 sts) Round 14: knit Transfer all stitches onto one dpn and switch to green yarn Row 15: k2tog as if for l-cord across row (3 sts) Continue knitting as an I-cord until cherry stem is the length you desire. Knit one stitch and k2tog the last two stitches (2 sts). Leave this cherry on the needle, cut a 6-inch tail and set aside. Using the remaining four dpns, make a second cherry in the same manner. Once both cherries have been made, transfer the first cherry stem onto the dpn you are now using. You should now have 4 sts on one needle. Knit the 4 sts as an I-cord for about 4 rows to join stems. Cut yarn and leave a 6-inch tail. With yarn needle, pass yarn tail through stitches, knot discreetly and weave in ends. Poke, squish and mold your cherries into nice little balls.
Leaf Pattern Leaf is knit flat. With green yarn, cast on one stitch. Row 1: kfb (2 sts) Row 2: k1, kfb (3 sts) Row 3: k1, kfb, k1 (4 sts) Rows 4-6: knit Row 7: k1, k2tog, k1 (3 sts) Row 8: k1, k2tog (2 sts) Row 9: k2tog (1 st) Cut yarn and leave a 6-inch tail. With yarn needle, pass yarn tail through last remaining stitch on the needle. Weave in tail so both cast on and cast off tails are at the same end of the leaf. If you don't have a fifth dpn, you can use any other U 6, or smaller, needle or a piece of yarn to hold your stitches while you knit the second cherry. Sure, you can make a single cherry too (I made mine a maraschino). Knit as above, but once the stem is the length you want, kfb into first and third stitches so you have 5 sts on your needle. I-cord for 4 rows, pass yarn tail through stitches, knot discreetly and weave in ends. Cherries are approximately 1.25 inches in diameter.
