How to knit a cactus
Published on 30 April 2019 By Merion 1 min readHouseplants are famous for their health-giving benefits, helping us breathe by removing toxins from the air, and their gentle presence and colours make us feel calm - but what do you do if you can't keep a houseplant alive? Knit a cactus instead. Knitted plants are great fun to make and kooky gifts to give!
To make Emma Friedlander-Collins' sweet knitted cactus, you will need 4mm knitting needles, a tapestry needle for sewing up, a small amount of stuffing and a little pot. Emma has used Paintbox Yarns Cotton DK in Grass Green and topped her cactus with a little crocheted flower in some cotton from her stash - but if you haven't got a flower, you could always sew on a little pink button, or glue on some flower petals cut out of felt.
Materials
Steps to knitting a cactus pattern
1
Begin by casting on 18 stitches using your favourite cast-on method. You don't need to worry about tension for this project.
2
Row 1 - Begin the textured rib: *K2, P1*, repeat to end.
Row 2 - *P2, K1*, repeat to end.
3
Row 3 - 16 Repeat rows 1 & 2 to create the body of the cactus
4
Row 17 - Begin the decrease to create the shape of the cactus: k2tog, p1 to end.
5
Row 18 - Work a final decrease row: p2tog to end.
6
Leaving a long tail, thread a yarn needle and thread through the stitches on the needle. Cinch together, and then stitch along the seam, stuffing the cactus evenly as you go.
Top with a little crocheted flower, or a pink button for a flower, and pop into a tiny terracotta pot.
