How To Make Small Batch Cupcakes For Two!

Cupcake Recipes for Two

By Amber Cox

Baking without the excess! These delicious recipes are just enough for a couple and easily doubled or tripled for a family! 

6 different small batch cupcake recipes

&

3 small batch icing recipes

Hello! I absolutely love baking, but I always dread making cake or cupcakes because then the extras will be sitting around the house. Inevitably, I will either eat way too many cupcakes or have to throw them away. Instead of having to make 24 cupcakes at once to celebrate birthdays, holidays, promotions and other special days, I decided to figure out how to make just two cupcakes! Just enough for my husband and I, and easily doubled or tripled for a whole family! I didn’t want to be limited to the plain vanilla and chocolate that I found online, so I went about creating six different cake recipes and three icing recipes that could be mixed and matched. 

Though very messy, it was so much fun playing with the mixtures and creating these recipes. It took a few times to get the right balance for the coffee cupcakes, and luckily I had a very willing taste tester in my husband! At the end of the day, we both agree that the banana cupcakes are our favorite! 

Now I have these cupcake recipes in my back pocket for all special occasions and hope they are helpful to others as well! - Amber

Cupcake Recipes

Banana Cupcakes for Two
Chocolate Chip Cupcakes for Two 
Vanilla Cream Cupcakes for Two 
Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cupcakes for Two
Chocolate Coffee Cupcakes for Two 
Chocolate Cream Cupcakes for Two

Icing Recipes

Buttercream Icing for Two 
Chocolate Icing for Two 
Cream Cheese Icing for Two 

Banana Cupcakes for Two

Prep Time: 5-8 Minutes | Bake Time: 18-20 Minutes | Serving Size: 3 (This one comes with a bonus!) 

Ingredients
¼ Cup Flour
2 Tablespoons Granulated Sugar
¼ Teaspoon Baking Soda 
⅛ Teaspoon Salt
2 Tablespoons Milk 
2 Tablespoons Cinnamon Applesauce (Can be replaced by regular applesauce or vegetable oil) 
¼ Teaspoon Vanilla Extract 
½ Banana 

Steps

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and place three cupcake liners in a 12 cupcake baking tin. Optional: Spray liners with nonstick spray.
• Mix all dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt) in a medium bowl until evenly distributed. 
• In a small bowl, mash half of a banana. I typically use a potato masher for this, however, you can also use a fork. 
• Add banana and wet ingredients (milk, applesauce, and vanilla extract) to your flour mixture. Whisk until combined. 
• Fill cupcake liners ½-¾ full with batter. 
• Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean when inserted. 
• Once cooled, choose an icing and decorate as desired. Enjoy! 

Chocolate Chip Cupcakes for Two 

Prep Time: 5-8 Minutes | Bake Time: 18-20 Minutes | Serving Size: 2

Ingredients 
¼ Cup Flour
2 Tablespoons Granulated Sugar
¼ Teaspoon Baking Soda 
⅛ Teaspoon Salt
2 Tablespoons Milk 
2 Tablespoons Cinnamon Applesauce (Can be replaced by regular applesauce or vegetable oil) 
¼ Teaspoon Vanilla Extract 
1 Tablespoon Mini Chocolate Chips 

Steps

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and place two cupcake liners in a 12 cupcake baking tin. Optional: Spray liners with nonstick spray.
• Mix all dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt) in a medium bowl until evenly distributed. 
• Add wet ingredients (milk, applesauce, and vanilla extract) to your flour mixture. Whisk until combined. 
• Fold in mini chocolate chips.
• Fill cupcake liners ½-¾ full with batter. 
• Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean when inserted. 
• Once cooled, choose an icing and decorate as desired. Enjoy!

Vanilla Cream Cupcakes for Two 

Prep Time: 10 Minutes | Bake Time: 18-20 Minutes | Serving Size: 2

Cake Ingredients 
¼ Cup Flour
2 Tablespoons Granulated Sugar
¼ Teaspoon Baking Soda 
⅛ Teaspoon Salt
2 Tablespoons Milk 
2 Tablespoons Cinnamon Applesauce (Can be replaced by regular applesauce or vegetable oil) 
¼ Teaspoon Vanilla Extract 

Cream Ingredients
¼ Cup Heavy Cream
1 Tablespoon Sugar
¼ Teaspoon Vanilla Extract 

Steps

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and place two cupcake liners in a 12 cupcake baking tin. Optional: Spray liners with nonstick spray.
• Mix all dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt) in a medium bowl until evenly distributed. 
• Add wet ingredients (milk, applesauce, and vanilla extract) to your flour mixture. Whisk until combined. 
• Fill cupcake liners ½-¾ full with batter. 
• Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean when inserted. 
• While cupcakes are baking, add cream ingredients (heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla extract) to the bowl for your stand mixer. Mix on high until cream thickens (see photo). 
• Fit pastry bag with plain cone tip and fill with cream. 
• Once cupcakes have cooled, stick pastry bag tip deep into your cupcake and slowly pull out, filling the hole created by the pastry bag with cream. (You will have extra cream so enjoy! It is hard to cut down this recipe even further.) 
• Choose an icing and decorate as desired. Enjoy! 

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cupcakes for Two

Prep Time: 5-8 Minutes | Bake Time: 18-20 Minutes | Serving Size: 2

Ingredients
¼ Cup Flour
2 Tablespoons Granulated Sugar
¼ Teaspoon Baking Soda 
⅛ Teaspoon Salt
1 Tablespoon Cocoa Powder
2 Tablespoons Milk 
2 Tablespoons Cinnamon Applesauce (Can be replaced by regular applesauce or vegetable oil) 
¼ Teaspoon Vanilla Extract 

Steps

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and place two cupcake liners in a 12 cupcake baking tin. Optional: Spray liners with nonstick spray.
• Mix all dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder) in a medium bowl until evenly distributed. 
• Add wet ingredients (milk, applesauce, and vanilla extract) to your flour mixture. Whisk until combined. 
• Fold in mini chocolate chips.
• Fill cupcake liners ½-¾ full with batter. 
• Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean when inserted. 
• Once cooled, choose an icing and decorate as desired. Enjoy! 

Chocolate Coffee Cupcakes for Two 

Prep Time: 5-8 Minutes | Bake Time: 18-20 Minutes | Serving Size: 2

Ingredients
¼ Cup Flour
2 Tablespoons Granulated Sugar
¼ Teaspoon Baking Soda 
⅛ Teaspoon Salt
1 Tablespoon Cocoa Powder
1 ½ Teaspoons Instant Coffee 
2 Tablespoons Milk 
2 Tablespoons Cinnamon Applesauce (Can be replaced by regular applesauce or vegetable oil) 
½ Teaspoon Vanilla Extract 

Steps

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and place two cupcake liners in a 12 cupcake baking tin. Optional: Spray liners with nonstick spray.
• Mix all dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, cocoa powder, and instant coffee) in a medium bowl until evenly distributed. 
• Add wet ingredients (milk, applesauce, and vanilla extract) to your flour mixture. Whisk until combined. 
• Fill cupcake liners ½-¾ full with batter. 
• Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean when inserted. 
• Once cupcakes have cooled, choose an icing and decorate as desired. Enjoy! 

Chocolate Cream Cupcakes for Two

Prep Time: 10 Minutes | Bake Time: 18-20 Minutes | Serving Size: 2

Cake Ingredients
¼ Cup Flour
2 Tablespoons Granulated Sugar
¼ Teaspoon Baking Soda 
1/8 Teaspoon Salt
1 Tablespoon Cocoa Powder
2 Tablespoons Milk 
2 Tablespoons Cinnamon Applesauce (Can be replaced by regular applesauce or vegetable oil) 
¼ Teaspoon Vanilla Extract 

Cream Ingredients 
¼ Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
1 Tablespoon Sugar
¼ Teaspoon Vanilla Extract 

Steps

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and place two cupcake liners in a 12 cupcake baking tin. Optional: Spray liners with nonstick spray.
• Mix all dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder) in a medium bowl until evenly distributed. 
• Add wet ingredients (milk, applesauce, and vanilla extract) to your flour mixture. Whisk until combined. 
• Fill cupcake liners ½-¾ full with batter. 
• Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean when inserted. 
• While cupcakes are baking, add cream ingredients (heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla extract) to the bowl for your stand mixer. Mix on high until cream thickens (see photo). 
• Fit pastry bag with plain cone tip and fill with cream. 
• Once cupcakes have cooled, stick pastry bag tip deep into your cupcake and slowly pull out, filling the hole created by the pastry bag with cream. (You will have extra cream so enjoy! It is hard to cut down this recipe even further.)
• Choose an icing and decorate as desired. Enjoy! 

Buttercream Icing for Two 

Ingredients 
1 Tablespoon Softened Butter
¼-¾ Cup Confectionary Sugar 
½ Tablespoon Milk 
½ Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

• Mix all ingredients together, starting with ¼ cup confectionary sugar
• Continue adding sugar until you get the consistency and taste you want (I used ½ cup of sugar)
• Either use a knife or a pastry bag to ice cupcakes when they are completely cooled
• Serve and enjoy! 

Chocolate Icing for Two 

Ingredients
1.5 Tablespoons Softened Butter
¼-¾ Cup Confectionary Sugar 
⅛ Cup Cocoa Powder
½ Tablespoon Milk 
½ Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

• Mix all ingredients together, starting with ¼ cup confectionary sugar
• Continue adding sugar until you get the consistency and taste you want (I used ½ cup of sugar)
• Either use a knife or a pastry bag to ice cupcakes when they are completely cooled
• Serve and enjoy! 

Cream Cheese Icing for Two 

Ingredients
1 Tablespoon Softened Butter
1 Tablespoon Cream Cheese
¼-¾ Cup Confectionary Sugar 
¼ Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

• Mix all ingredients together, starting with ¼ cup confectionary sugar
• Continue adding sugar until you get the consistency and taste you want (I used ½ cup of sugar)
• Either use a knife or a pastry bag to ice cupcakes when they are completely cooled
• Serve and enjoy! 

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Nicole F. Cox

How To Make A Streamer Toy For Baby!

Fabric Streamer Baby Toy

With Guest Crafter Amber Cox

This is an easy to make baby sensory toy that was a huge hit with my three month old!

My little one constantly needs new entertainment and is the type of baby that loves to look at things, wiggle about, and is easily bored. One day I noticed that he was fascinated by the pacifier clip that was attached to his toy (typical that he likes the clip more than the toy itself!). This gave me the idea to create a fabric streamer toy! Once it was made, he LOVED it. This toy gives him something bright to look at, fun new textures to grab at, and helps him with movement in terms of grabbing and moving the streamers back and forth. 

Important Note: Please remember that this is a handmade baby toy. As with many baby activities, you should always supervise your child when they are playing with this toy. 

Materials: 
Wooden Dowel – 36 inches long 
10 Wooden Discs with Hole at Top – 2 ¼ inches in diameter
Fabric – 18 ½ inches long, 22 inches wide 
Sewing Machine with matching thread 
Twine 

Supplies

Step One: Cut the fabric into 2 inch thick strips along the width. You should end up with 11 strips. (You can make your strips wider if you want by having less strips or more fabric). I recommend using a bright colored fabric to grab the attention of your little one! You can also use black and white fabric for very little babies. I folded the fabric in half before cutting to make it easier to cut in a straight line.

Cut 2 inch strips

Step Two: Fold the fabric strips in half lengthwise and iron flat. When you do this, the side of the fabric you want to eventually be on the outside should be folded inward and not visible. Your strips should now be 1 inch wide. 

Fold strips in half and sew

Sew long edge and 1 short edge, leaving one end open for turning.

Step Three: Using a sewing machine, sew the long side and one of the short sides for each strip. 

Step Four: Turn your strips inside out (so that the fabric you want to be seen is now visible). This is the most tedious part of the project. You can use your wooden dowel to help turn the fabric inside out. If you have wider strips, this part will also be easier. I recommend taking breaks and having a friend do some for you! 

Turn right-side out using a dowel to push knitting.

Step Five: Iron your strips flat.

Step Six: On the open edge of each strip, fold the rough part over and then fold again about one inch down. Sew across this flap. This will create a pocket to slide your wooden dowel through. 

Step Seven: Take your wooden discs and check them for rough edges. Make sure they are all smooth so they are safe for baby hands. 

Check edges for smoothness

Step Eight: Cut the twine into four long pieces so that they are the length of your fabric stripes with about 5-6 inches extra. For each piece of twine, tie a wooden disc to the bottom, making sure to knot it 4-5 times so it won’t come off easily. 

Step Nine: Add 1-2 wooden discs to each piece of twine by pulling the twine through the holes in the disc twice and pulling tight once the disc is positioned where desired. I did two strings of two and two strings of three. 

Step Ten: At the top of the twine, fold the twine over to make a loop that is big enough to fit on the dowel and then knot.  

Step Eleven: Slide the fabric strips and twine onto the wooden dowel in any pattern that you want. I did the following: 2 fabric strips, twine with 2 discs, 2 fabric strips, twine with 3 discs, 3 fabric strips, twine with 3 discs, 2 fabric strips, twine with 2 discs, 2 fabric strips. 

Now your toy is done! I use this to dangle over my baby when he is lying down or sitting in his chair. I also put it in between two of our table chairs so he can play with it on his back. He loves looking at the color in the fabrics and feeling the textures in the fabric, wood and twine. It is also easy to move around and store. Once he grows out of it, I will be able to reuse the dowel and the wooden discs as an added bonus!

Finished Sensory Toy

Important Reminder: Please remember that this is a handmade baby toy. As with many baby activities, you should always supervise your child when they are playing with this toy. Hang or hold toy securely and never allow baby to become entangled in the streamers.

Read more »

Nicole F. Cox

Loom Knit Fish Pattern (Free)

Ferdinand - The Fighting Fish

Loom Knitting Pattern

Ferdinand is a handsome fighting fish with beautiful colors! A tuck stitch gives a lovely texture to his scales. He enjoys swimming his day away and makes friends with some of the local shorebirds. If you really want to make him fancy, add a bit of fringe to his tail and fins.

Level:  Confident beginner. Read over pattern before starting to determine appropriate skill level. There is no video pattern for this fish.

Yarn:  Main Fish, Patons Classic Wool, 100% wool, #4 worsted weight, Ball Size: 100 g/3.5 oz, 192 m/210 yds.
     1 skein, color #244077, Kimono.
Fins,  Cascade 220, worsted weight, 100% wool.
      1 skein or less, Color #8415, Cranberry.
    .
Pattern Notes: Wool or other natural fiber yarn is recommended to allow for blocking knitting to square and reduce rolling of edges. Square pictured below is before blocking.

**Important! If intended as a child's toy (under 3) do not sew on beads/buttons or other choking hazards. Place filling inside of nylon stocking and sew closed so that a child couldn't accidentally pull out the filling and choke on it. It is much safer to sew the face and secure with knots. Always supervise baby when using home-made toys.**

Supplies

• Knitting tool
• 3/8" peg spacing loom with at least 44 sts.
• Crochet hook
• Tapestry/yarn needle
• Poly-fil or other stuffing. If you wish for the stuffing to be held inside cat then use inexpensive stockings to hold stuffing.

Special Stitches

Glossary of knitting terms and video links are available under the learn tab of this blog. Or click here, Glossary

K = Knit. Regular knit stitch.

TK = Tuck knit. Knit all sts on peg together as one.

CO = Cast on

St (s) = Stitch(es)

skip1 wyifp = Skip peg by laying the working yarn on top and in front of peg. Do not work.

Foundation Row:  Chain CO 44 pegs/sts; work as flat panel.
Row 1:  Knit
Row 2:  K1, *Skip 1 wyifp, K1, rep from * to last st, k1.
Row 3:  K2, TK, skip 1 wyifp, rep from * to last st, k1.
Repeat rows 2 and 3 until you have a square, length is the same as width. Measure width after 6 inches of knitting. Change color every 6 rows.
Bind off:  Chain one bind off.

Small Fins (Make 2)
Foundation row:  Chain CO 14 pegs with 1 strand CC.
Row 1:  K1, p1, rep from * to end.
Row 2:  P1, k1, rep from * to end.
Rep rows 1 and 2 until knitting measures 1 inch.
Next row:  BO 4 sts, continue ribbing for 2 rows.
Repeat last row until there are 2 sts on the loom. Rib 2 more rows then Bind off all remaining sts.

Large Fin (Make 1)
Foundation row:  Chain CO 24 pegs with 1 strand CC.
Row 1:  K1, p1, rep from * to end.
Row 2:  P1, k1, rep from * to end.
Rep rows 1 and 2 until knitting measures 1 inch.
Next row:  BO5 sts, continue ribbing for 3 rows.
Repeat last row until there are 4 sts on the loom. Bind off all remaining sts.



Finish:  Weave in ends. Block square to square measurements (width should equal length). Follow assembly directions below. There is no video pattern the instructions and schematic should be sufficient to complete this project.

Loom, square, 1 large top fin and 2 smaller side fins.

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Nicole F. Cox

Crafting Friday!

I was in bad need of a day off today so I spent the day making some things for my home. I have a french blue stoneware dinner set in my dining room and need some coasters to match. My table is a beautiful wood and I'm always afraid of watermarks forming on it. After making a couple of coasters I needed a break and began making a pom-pom trivet for the table too. This is my progress so far. I plan to make the trivet larger but my husband is taking me out for a dinner date tonight so it's going to have to wait!

It matches by stoneware perfect!

 

Pom-Pom Trivet, this would also be a great rug!

100% Wool

This will be the braid I do for my next cozy!

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Nicole F. Cox

How To Make Easy Gift Tags!

Wooden Gift Tags

With Guest Designer Amber Cox

Adding these wooden gift tags will give your wrapping a “made with love” feel! 

One of my favorite activities is wrapping gifts! I always look forward to making them look extra special for those I am giving to. Needless to say, Christmas is one of my favorite holidays because I get to do A LOT of wrapping! I am always looking for ways to add a little homemade flair to my gift wrapping. These easy wooden gift tags are different, fun and bright, and a relaxing project if you like no pressure painting. It is easy to do a bunch at once and then put them with your wrapping materials to use as needed.

Materials

Wooden Discs with Hole at Top (any size – the ones I used had a 2 ¼ inches diameter)
Acrylic Paint
Paint Brushes
Ribbon
Gifts!

Steps

Step One: Mix the color paints that you want. I usually use old Tupperware container lids as a palette and to paint on, versus using newspaper. The paint doesn’t stick as easily and makes for easy cleanup at the end! For this project, I used very bright colors so that I could use them to brighten birthday gifts throughout the year. Another idea is to use green and red for Christmas!

Step Two: Paint all your discs a base color. Paint the one side and allow to dry (about one hour). Once one side is dry, flip the disc over and paint the other side.

Step Three: Once both sides are dry, use a paint brush to decorate one side of your wooden discs. You can use shapes and patterns (hearts, zig-zags, polka dots, etc.), images (balloons, animals, etc.), and words (“love”, “mom”, etc.). You can use any colors for this part. I used white and black to contrast with my bright base colors. This part should be fun! Don’t worry about making mistakes! Just enjoy the free form painting!

Step Four: Once your designs are dry, you can store your tags with your wrapping materials.

Step Five: When you are ready to use your tags, use a Sharpie to write “To” and “From” on the side of the disc that does not have the design on it. You can also add a short message if you want to.

Step Six: After wrapping your gift, tie the ribbon around the box and double knot. Before tying the bow, pull one of the ribbon tails through the hole on the wooden disc so that it will lie pattern up. Then tie a bow and you are finished!

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Nicole F. Cox

Loom Knit Cat Pattern (Free)

Sebastion - Alley Cat

Loom Knitting Pattern

A chunky, adorable, plush cat. Sebastion likes to hang out in the alleyways and hunt rodents, this is why his waistline is a little, hmm shall we say, "thick". He also loves to play with the occasional ball of yarn and is never far from a loom. Enjoy making your own friend and please share in the comments below what you name them.

Level:  Confident beginner. Read over pattern before starting to determine appropriate skill level. There is no video pattern for this cat.

Yarn:  Cascade 220 Superwash, 100% Superwash Wool, Worsted #4 Weight: 100 g / 3.5 oz, Approx: 220 yds / 200 m.
     1 skein, color #821, Daffodil.
     1 skein, color #900, Charcoal.

Pattern Notes: 

• Wool or other natural fiber yarn is recommended to allow for blocking knitting to square and reduce rolling of edges. Square pictured below is before blocking.
• The regular knit stitch was used throughout pattern.

Supplies

• Knitting tool
• 3/8" peg spacing loom with at least 44 sts.
• Crochet hook
• Tapestry/yarn needle
• Poly-fil or other stuffing. If you wish for the stuffing to be held inside cat then use inexpensive stockings to hold stuffing.

Special Stitches

Glossary of knitting terms and video links are available under the learn tab of this blog. Or click here, Glossary

K = Knit. Regular knit stitch.

TK = Tuck knit. Knit all sts on peg together as one.

CO = Cast on

St (s) = Stitch(es)

skip1 wyifp = Skip peg by laying the working yarn on top and in front of peg. Do not work.

Foundation Row:  Chain CO 44 pegs/sts; work as flat panel.
Row 1:  Knit
Row 2:  K1, *Skip 1 wyifp, K1, rep from * to last st, k1.
Row 3:  K2, *TK, skip 1 wyifp, rep from * to last st, k1.
Repeat rows 2 and 3 until you have a square, length is the same as width. Measure width after 6 inches of knitting. Change color every 6 rows.
Bind off:  Chain one bind off.

Make tail
Make a 3 stitch i-cord 5 inches long. 3-stitch i-cord how to video

Make ears
(pay attention as you decrease to which sts you are knitting/purling)
Foundation row:  Chain CO 8 stitches; work as flat panel.

Seed st
Row 1:  *K1, p1, rep to end.
Row 2:  *P1, k1, rep to end.
Rep rows 1 and 2 working in seed st until knitting measures 1 inch.
Next row: k2tog, work seed st to last 2 sts, ssk.
Next row:  work in seed st.
Continue decreasing in this manner until there is one stitch left on loom and bind off.


Finish:  Weave in ends. Block square to square measurements (width should equal length). Follow assembly directions below. There is no video pattern the instructions and schematic should be sufficient to complete this project.

Pictured Above

Loom, Square, tail, and ears (2).

Assembly directions

1.  Gather head 1-1/2" from edges follow gather (red) gather lines.

2. Stuff head firmly.

3.  Fold each corner (green lines) until edges meet. Seam edges together. Stuff legs firmly. Repeat for front corners. Do the same for back corners but seam until back legs meet.

4.  Seam belly closed up to head stuffing body firmly.

5. Use extra yarn to create X's for eyes and fill in the V for the nose. Make whiskers. Use the picture as a guide.

6. Sew on tail, centered on back between legs.

7.  Sew ears to top of head.

  

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Nicole F. Cox

Making Lace With Only Knit Stitches?

Is it possible? Yes, it is on the loom and that's what I'm working on right now. I thought I'd give you a sneak peek at the lovely lace look designs that will be available in the coming weeks on our pattern sites. This has been a fun design project for the Spring 2018 collection.

UPDATE: These patterns are now published and available HERE. Soon they will be available on Etsy and Ravelry too!

Loom Knit Lace Shawl Using Knit Stitches Only!

Lace Shawl Pattern Preview

This type of lace has more in common with colorwork than regular lace knitting and believe it or not is done using only knit stitches. Yes, you heard that right, no moving of stitches or yarn overs needed. I've done all the planning for you with the 4 designs that will be offered in this collection. Each design will use the same stitch count so you will be able to choose your design and make it into a snood, shawl, cowl or scarf, giving you 16 options in one pattern set.

Loom Knit Lace Snood In Progress!

Loom Knit Lace Pattern, Close-Up!

Elegant Lace Pattern Using Only Knit Stitches On The Loom!

Above are 3 of the 4 lace patterns that will be included in this set! This will be great for the confident beginner that wants the look of lace but isn't ready for moving stitches and yarn-overs.

I hope you've enjoyed this preview and I can't wait to publish these patterns. They took months of planning, trial, and error and I'm excited to see the works in progress coming to completion. Happy Looming all!

UPDATE!! Here is the 4th lace look pattern that will be included in the collection...It's an interesting technique that looks best when backlit or against a contrasting color to best see the result.

More updates 4-12-18! The finished pieces are blocked and photographed and the patterns should be published very soon, so exciting. The link will be added to this post as soon as they are published so keep an eye out for it. They are published, woohoo! Click here to get these beautiful patterns!

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Nicole F. Cox

Common Myths In Loom Knitting!

Every day I get similar questions asking me "what brand loom did you use?", "my hat doesn't fit, why?", "can I change the stitch, the u-knit is too tight?", "you can do that on a loom?", etc. Today I'm going to answer some of these questions and more. More questions? Feel free to ask them in the comments section of this post and I'll do my best to answer them. Disagree with me? Let me know, I love hearing your opinions.

The Loom Brand Matters

Myth. Although all loom knitters have their preference of looms, the brand of the loom does not affect the outcome of the project. When doing a pattern it's the gauge or peg spacing of the loom that matters. All things equal, using the same gauge of loom as used in the pattern sample should give you the same result. Also, pay attention to whether you will be knitting in the round or double knitting such as on a rake.

The brand doesn't matter except to the manufacturer. Needle knitting pattern designers do not write their patterns for specific needle brands (unless they represent that brand), just sizes/gauges. Don't get hung up on having the exact loom. If you meet gauge and have the right amount of stitches your pattern will turn out. As I've said before, the math doesn't lie.

It's fine to prefer certain loom brands (I do!), just don't spend money to do one pattern if you already have the same gauge loom in your stash.

Same knitting tension + peg spacing + yarn = Same Results

Round looms are only for hats and knitting "in the round"

Myth. Round looms are the most versatile looms as you can knit flat panels on them or knit "in the round". A round loom is not just for knitting in the round.

If the round loom is an "adult" hat loom, the finished hat will fit all adults

Myth. The circumference of the loom is just a starting point for sizing. The stitch + yarn used + knitting tension will all affect the sizing of your hat. Some stitches are so loose that you will need to use a "child's" size loom for an adult and other stitches have so much tension that an extra large loom will be needed to knit the same size hat. The only way to be sure is to knit a sample swatch. See the gauge link below for information on gauging your loom knits. It's also important to realize that you can use the same stitch and yarn as another loomer but still end up with a different size hat due to how tight or loose you make your stitches.

Plastic "cheaper" looms are beginner looms

Myth. The material used to make a loom might be a loomers' preference but does not determine the ability or skills of the knitter. I'm a proficient loom knitter and still use my plastic looms daily to do everything from chunky knits to delicate Japanese lace.

If you are new to loom knitting, it is recommended that you choose a cheaper loom set to start until you determine if you like the fiber art and what you do and don't like in a loom.

It's hard to learn how to read a loom/needle knitting pattern, videos are easier.

Myth. This is only true in the short term. These days with the availability of YouTube videos, there is not a day that goes by that I'm not requested to do a video for a pattern. The pressure for videos is intense. I actually am of the belief that videos are making it harder for knitters to learn the language of knitting. When you watch someone do something and mimic those movements you really don't learn the process as well as if you were working through the pattern on your own. It's no different than driving somewhere on your own or having someone pointing out directions to you in the car...did you really learn the way to the destination? Think about it. Sometimes yes, sometimes no. It depends on the level of engagement.  

Pattern videos keep you dependant on others to show you how to do everything. Learning the abbreviations in loom knitting/knitting gives you the freedom to try new things as you will recognize and be able to read the patterns. Designers like myself that use needle knitting terms, to the extent possible, do that so that you can easily convert and read regular knitting patterns. I don't want you to be dependant on me, I want you to have the knowledge to explore everything this fiber art has to offer. 

Take a little time to memorize and learn the movements and abbreviations used in loom/needle knitting and I guarantee you that you will spend a lot less time being confused and seeking out videos. You will be able to go from pattern to pattern with no need for a video.  If you believe yourself to be a "visual" learner than use the videos to learn a movement and abbreviation than follow the written patterns using that knowledge. This will actually speed up your learning and the loom knitting process. Using the video as a tool in conjunction with pattern reading becomes a win, win. 

There are 30,600,000 results on Google for knitting patterns (my last search), only a small handful of these are available on video. Only doing videos greatly limits what you can do on the loom. Learning how to read a pattern gives you access to almost all of them, both loom knitting patterns and needle knitting patterns. Wow, Now that's a great reason to learn how to read a pattern!


Do you really have ONE learning style? The research says no.

The e-wrap knit stitch (twisted stockinette) is easier than the knit stitches (stockinette)

Myth. Most loom knitters find the e-wrap knit (ewk) easier because it was the first stitch they learned and are most comfortable with it. Also, I believe loom knitters become enamored with the ewk because it grows faster than regular stockinette because it is a looser stitch. The same number of rows and stitches will give you almost double the size of the u-knit stitch. The e-wrap knit is faster but not easier.

It is no easier to fully wrap a peg for an e-wrap knit stitch than to half wrap a peg for a u-knit stitch. If you can do a purl stitch than the regular knit is just the opposite of that. The flat knit is as easy as it gets as no wrapping is required (although this stitch has lots of tension, causing it to tighten if not being careful and using appropriate yarn). Find out about the knit stitches here!

U-knit stitches are tight

Nope. If your u-knit stitches are getting tight then you are using too tight of a tension or you are pulling on your yarn creating a flat knit. You must make the U behind the peg, knit the stitch and then move onto the next peg but do not yank on the yarn. If you pull on the yarn, you instantly turn your U-knit into a flat knit (much tighter tension). Knit stitches on the loom

You can't knit large cables on the loom

Myth. Yes, you can! We must use different methods to do the large cables and all of our cables look a little different than needle knitting but we can make large cables using looms. Click here to find out how to do a 6-stitch cable. You can also find even larger cables being done on the loom by doing an internet search.

Fair Isle is not suitable for the loom

Myth. Fair Isle is perfectly suited to the loom as we have a clear visual reference for our stitches so placement of the colors is manageable. It's also easy to handle the floats once you learn how. Click here to find out how

Loom knitting is limited to hats, scarves and easy stuff. "I didn't know you could make "THAT" on a loom!"

Myth. Almost any needle or machine knitted item can be made on the loom. Sometimes we must develop different methods and techniques but most knits can be done on the loom from colorwork to lace and beyond. Don't limit yourself as a loom knitter, you can do all of the needle/machine knits.

The e-wrap knit stitch is Stockinette Stitch

No. It is twisted stockinette and produces a "dropped V" not the neat V stitch of Stockinette. It is also a much more meshy, open stitch then traditional Stockinette due to the twist producing extra stitch length. It is important to know the differences between the two and their uses.

Stockinette stitch (k) has crisper edges and neat rows making it perfect for Fair Isle, duplicate stitch, and other colorwork.  Fair Isle worked in e-wrap knit (twisted stockinette) will have a more "mottled" appearance, due to the stitches natural squiggly texture and will not look like traditional Fair Isle. If you want a more "open", loose stitch then e-wrap knit will give you that.

The e-wrap knit is the most common stitch associated to "loom knits". Although you don't commonly see this stitch in needle knitting, it can be done on the needles too. 

e-wrap knit stitch (ewk), looser and less tailored stitch.

Stockinette Stitch (K), tighter & more organized/tailored stitch.

Moving stitches around to do lace on the loom is just too "hard"

Myth. It shouldn't be hard at all. If it is for you, then you need to knit looser. Most problems with stitch movement come from knitting with too tight a tension. Practice knitting with a looser tension before attempting lace patterns. Like anything, lace just requires a little practice. Using an elastic type yarn, such as wool, can also make moving the stitches easier. Knitting a sample/gauge swatch in the pattern stitch will help you work out the tension needed for the given stitch.

Needle knitting is "real" knitting

Yes, this is true, but so is loom knitting and machine knitting. All are worthy of the fiber arts and produce similar fabric. 

Loom knitting is cheating

Myth. I've had countless people say this to me. I hand them my loom and say "show me how to cheat", they all look at me like I'm crazy because they have no idea how to use it. Each and every stitch is worked by the loom knitter, just like in needle knitting. There's no cheating involved.

All wool is "itchy"

Myth. Not all wool is created equal, some wool is quite soft. If you've been sensitive to wool in the past, try high-quality Merino Wool (it has a long fiber) as it is rated as the softest. Not all Merino wool is high-quality so research the brand before buying. Before knitting with a wool, place a piece against your neck or wrist (and wear it for a bit) to check for softness. Wools blended with silk and other soft fibers are also a good choice. Wools marketed for babies are also a good place to start as these should be bred/processed for sensitive skin.

You are most likely not "allergic" to wool (this is rare) just because you find it "itchy", more than likely the chosen wool is just coarse with a short fiber causing a skin sensitivity. Shorter fibers tend to stick out and feel prickly, use coarser wools for totes, crafts and felting projects that will not touch the skin.

Besides the staple length, for softness, it matters how the wool was spun/processed, woolen or worsted. Woolen yarns do not arrange the yarn, leaving short and long staples somewhat haphazardly arranged. The shorter fibers that stick out can prickle the skin more. 

Gauge doesn't matter in loom knitting

Myth. Yes, it does, your gauge or "knitting tension" matters and will always affect the size of your finished project. Learn about gauge here. Some projects will not require accurate gauge but things that need to "fit" will.

Common Slang words/sayings used in loom knitting (that really don't make sense but we've all used them anyway) All very confusing to the beginner (and me too!).

"knit off"/Instead of knit the row - You can't "knit off" the loom (and would you want to?), any knit stitch leaves a stitch remaining on the loom. Example; I get a lot of questions asking me if they are to "knit off" a row in one of my patterns. I'm never sure if the loomer is asking me if they are to bind off or knit the row so it also confuses me when this terminology is used.
"e-wrap" as a stitch - The e-wrap is just as it states... a wrap. It is not, in and of itself, a stitch. It becomes a stitch when the word knit is added, e-wrap knit (ewk). The term e-wrap should mean to wrap the peg in an e-wrap fashion. Why does it becomes confusing? Here's just one example; In a wrap & turn, you are asked to e-wrap the peg, if the loomer believes that e-wrap is a knit stitch then they might ewk this peg as opposed to e-wrapping the peg without knitting it.

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Nicole F. Cox