How to Knit a Cherry Pie

Knitting isn't just about scarves and sweaters. You can create fun decorative items like a slice of cherry pie that looks good enough to eat. With a stockinette stitch crust and bobble filling, this project is easy enough for beginners. Get out your knitting needles and yarn, and knit yourself some pie.

Things You'll Need

• 1 pair size US 7 or 8 knitting needles
• 1 skein red worsted weight yarn
• Darning needle
• 1 pair of US size 7 or 8 knitting needles
• 1 skein worsted weight yarn in a crust color
• Red-colored yarn
• Crust-colored yarn
• Craft stuffing

Instructions

Learn the Bobble Stitch to Make Cherries

1. Insert the needle knitwise into the stitch where you want the bobble.

2. Create five stitches from the one by knitting one stitch into the front, doing a yarn over, knitting another stitch into the back of the stitch, yarn over, and knit the stitch off. You should now have five stitches on your needle.

3. Turn your work and knit one row. Do this twice more, for a total of three knit rows.

4. Reduce the number of stitches back to one by slipping the first two stitches knitwise, knitting the three remaining stitches together, and then passing the two slipped stitches over the knit-together stitch. One stitch should remain on your needle.

5. Poke the bobble toward you with your finger, knit the next stitch, and pull the yarn tight.

Make the Cherry Filling

1. Cast on 11 stitches loosely in the red yarn for a deep-dish pie. Work the pattern in multiples of three stitches plus two, so if you want to make a thinner filling, cast on eight stitches (two multiples of three, plus two) instead, and adjust the rest of the pattern multiples accordingly. The filling is in reverse stockinette stitch.

2. Produce the base of the filling by purling one row, turn, and knit the next row.

3. Start the pattern stitch by purling the next row, considered row 1, and all odd-numbered rows.

4. Begin row 2 and all even-numbered rows with 1 knit stitch, then the pattern. For this row, knit 1 stitch. Then knit 2, and make the first row of bobble increase in the third stitch (the "pattern," see Section 1 for bobble increase instructions). Repeat the knit 2 and bobble increase until you reach the last stitch. Knit that stitch.

5. Purl row 3, and then make row 4. Knit 1; knit 2, slip two stitches knitwise, knit three together (bobble decrease; Step 4 in Section 2). Repeat the bobble decrease to the last stitch, and knit the last stitch.

6. Use this pattern for row 6: knit 1; bobble increase, knit 2; repeat until the last stitch, and knit the last stitch.

7. Knit one stitch to begin row 8. The pattern is bobble decrease, knit 2; repeat the pattern until the last stitch; knit the last stitch. Repeat rows 1 through 8 until the filling is long enough to fit around the crust slice, or about five times. Bind off all stitches.

Knit the Crust

1. Take your needles and the crust-colored yarn and cast on 30 stitches. They'll be worked in multiples of six. Purl row 1.

2. Make row 2 by repeating "knit 4, knit 2 together" to the end of the row. Turn your work and repeat "purl 2 together, purl 3" to the end of the row. Turn your work, and repeat "knit 2, knit 2 together" to the end of the row. Purl the next two rows.

3. Continue in stockinette stitch starting with a knit row for 16 rows (or the width of the filling) ending in a wrong side row.

4. Change to the purl stitch and purl the next three rows. Make the wedge shape by continuing in stockinette stitch, decreasing one stitch on each side, one stitch in from the end for every other row twice.

5. Go on in stockinette, but now decrease every fourth row, using this pattern: Knit 1; slip one stitch knitwise twice, insert left needle into the front of the two slipped stitches, and knit the 2 together; knit to the last 3 stitches; knit 2 together, knit 1. Purl next row. On the next row, repeat the first pattern in this step.

6. Repeat the following rows until three stitches remain: purl a row; knit a row, purl a row, use the pattern from Step 5. When only three stitches are left, knit them together and fasten off.

7. Pick up 15 stitches along the purl edge where the top crust edge meets the back. Knit one row, then repeat Step 6 to make the top wedge.

Finish the Pie Slice

1. Use the instructions from Section 1 to make several extra bobbles in the red yarn. Sew these cherries strategically around the filling on the knit side of the filling piece. This is optional but makes a more realistic looking filling.

2. Check your yarn's label to see if you can iron it. If you can iron it, iron the purl side of the filling lightly after weaving in all ends. Use the steam and light setting to iron. If the yarn is wool, block traditionally.

3. Cut a long piece of the crust color yarn and sew the top and bottom of the filling to the crust piece. Before sewing the last seam, fill the piece of pie with craft stuffing, and then finish the last seam. Weave in any remaining ends.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep your tension loose enough to be able to slip the last two stitches over the knit-together stitch.

• See the bobble tutorial on the PieKnits website if you need help.

• Remember to purl all odd-numbered rows.

• Look at the photos on the PieKnits website to see how this should look.

Resources

• Bobble tutorial on the PieKnits website