It wouldn't be spin to describe this craft as ridiculously easy. Although in some ways that's exactly what you do with a Knitwit: spin (well, wrap) thread around a circular or square-shaped tool to create loopy rosettes. Rendered with luxurious yarns such as mohair, these florets look decidedly modern.
To determine how much yarn you'll need per rosette, follow this rule of thumb: Winding once around the tool requires two yards, winding twice requires three yards, and so on. The Knitwit kit ($20, knitwit.com) comes with instructions, so we've limited the how-tos to our modifications.The basic technique involves wrapping the yarn and then twisting the tool's stem to release the floret with a satisfying pop.
Hat and Mittens How-To
Make your little one's winter wear even cozier with rosettes. These call for angora, wrapped three times each. To attach them as earflaps, first put on the hat (high on the head). Hold the rosettes to cover the ears, and mark the position. Use the same yarn and a needle to stitch the earflaps to the hat. To embellish the mittens, affix florets at their centers and at each knot (you'll know where they are from the Knitwit instructions) around the perimeter.
Editor's Tip
Creating these blossomlike designs calls for a different kind of holiday wrapping. Wind thread around a Knitwit, knotting at each loop with a needle. For thicker yarn, use a tapestry needle; for thinner, a sewing one. To alter the "pattern," play with thread type and the number of times it's wound around the tool.
More Knitwit How-Tos No-Knit Floral Sweater Flourish
No-Knit Rosette Scarf
No-Knit Textured Throw and Patterned Pillows
I agree with Vicki I only looked because of the hat and mittens pattern. Maybe we are to buy the hat and just add the rosettes but that isn't really homemade in my book.
Where is the pattern for mittens and hat??? Not even a mentiion about where they got them. I love Martha's ideas, but the show as well is turning into a commercial for everything she sells! Not good.
Mohair for a baby wearable??? Puh-leeze. 1. costly. 2. hairy/sheds. 3. many babies will find this fiber itchy.
Love ya, Martha, but this one's better in the photo layout than real life.
It seems to me that this is a great advertisement for the KnitWit, however, there are no instructions on how to make the hat and mittens. That was the reason I clicked on this project was to see how to make this item.
Julie, I appreciate the free craft projects also. I just don't like being mislead.
+All+these+craft+ideas+are+for+free%2C+this+website+is+beautiful%2C+I+can+pick+and+choose+and+do+what+I+want+with+any+of+Martha%27s+Ideas.++So+some+of+them+don%27t+work+out+for+me+or+are+not+what+I+had+expected%2C+some+are+right+up+my+alley%21++And+once+again%2C+this+is+free%21++I+am+so+grateful+and+want+to+give+the+people+who+do+this+site+and+Martha+a+a+great+big+Thank+You+for+all+your+ideas%21+
I agree - just title the craft something like, Add embelishments to existing pieces...
I also was expecting something cut from an old sweater and felted, not embellished store bought hat and mittens. Also, the mohair hat and mittens, if store bought, would be quite expensive and elegant enough without embellishment. I,too, was disappointed in this project.
Google making rosettes yarn and you'll find many results if rosettes are your "thang". They aren't mine. I expected to find no knit hat and mittens, not how to embellish a ready made hat and mittens. It's got nothing to do with creativity. I am an artist. I'm creative. I'm also aggravated.
If you hadn't noticed, many of the things in crafts here and elsewhere require specialty tools, and this one isn't even expensive. How much does an embossing gun cost, to make greeting cards and invitations that the reciever is just going to throw away after the event ?
It seems that some of the commenters here are lacking in creativity. Like an earlier comment said, make a simple tool, or go buy one, and use it many times to decorate dozens of things around your house and to embleish gifts. Not to mention all the things you can make out of just rosettes.
aye . . . this instructs how to make ROSETTES--not the "Hat and Mittens." whimsical and fun, though mislabeled.
I believe this is titled wrong. There are no instructions for the hat and mittens, just the rosettes.
I agree with Lucy, the tool looks simple to make.
Why not make your own rosette? Perhaps a circle of reinforced cardboard with
ball headed straight pins inserted evenly aroud the edges into the cardboard.
Poster board (the foam filled) might be just the ticket.
I quite agree with the comments above...If you don't have the tool, you cannot do anything!!!
MMC>
Nice ad for knitwit but otherwise, rather useless as an actual craft.