Jill, Kelly & Sabrina

Belts are a true wardrobe essential and whether you use them to hold up your trousers or to reak up a large block of colour on your favourite ensemble, you'll just love these three nitted gems. Two of the designs are felted and the other uses the fantastic blackberry titch to add texture to the finished piece. Although it looks complicated, it only really nvolves making lots of small bobbles – go on, give it a go!

Using 3.75mm needles, cast on 16 sts
❑ Row 1: p
❑ Row 2: p2, * (k1, p1, k1) in next st, p3tog, rep from * three times, p2
❑ Row 3: p
❑ Row 4: p2, * p3tog, (k1, p1, k1) in next st, rep from
* three times, p2
These four rows form Blackberry st patt
❑ Cont in patt as set until work meas 100 (114, 139) cm or desired length from beg, ending with a p row
Cast off pwise

To make up
Weave in all ends. Sew cotton tape to wrong side of knitted piece, folding over raw ends of tape by 2.5cm at each end. Fold the cast on end of the knitted piece around the centre bar of the buckle and sew in place to secure

NOTE: shrinkage should be approximately 21% of the width and 36% of the length.
Different washing machines can produce different results, so knit and wash a swatch, making a note of measurements before and after washing, then adjust the instructions below if necessary
Using 8mm needles, cast on 140 (160, 195) sts
❑ Beg with a k row, work 11 rows in st st
❑ Cast off pwise

Felting instructions
Weave in all ends. Place belt in the washing machine with jeans or wash balls to agitate and non-biological washing liquid or powder. Select the lowest water setting and a 40°C full wash cycle. Once the cycle has finished remove the item and tease apart any edges. Dry the felted piece flat on a towel and out of direct sunlight

To make up
Fold one side edge of the knitted piece around the centre bar of buckle and sew in place to secure

NOTE: shrinkage should be approximately 17% of the width and 30% of the length. Subtract length of fastener from waist or hip meas. Make a note of this required length

I-cord
Using two 5mm dpns and yarn A, cast on five sts
❑ K one row
❑ Next row: * without turning work and with RS facing, slide sts to other end of needle and, pulling yarn across back from left to righthand side of sts, k1tbl, k4, rep from * until cord meas required length plus 30% (see Knit wise panel)
❑ Cast off
❑ Make another cord the same length in yarn A
❑ Using yarn B, make three cords meas the required length plus 60%

Felting instructions
Weave in all ends. Place all cords in the washing machineand felt as for Kelly in a net bag or pillowcase with jeans or wash balls to agitate. When finished, remove cords and tease apart any fused areas or knots. Dry felted pieces flat on a towel and out of direct sunlight

To make up
Using a safety pin, secure all three of long cords together at one end. Plait cords until the required length is reached and secure with another safety pin. Sew a short cord along each side of plait. Attach clasp to each end of plait and side cords, sewing through holes in fastener and trimming ends of cords to fit if necessary

Click any of the images below to see a larger, clearer shot

Size: S / (M / L)
Dress size: 6-10 / (12-16 / 18-22)

Jill
Finished
length (cm): 96 / (110 / 135)
Width (cm): 6 / (6 / 6)

Kelly
Finished
length (cm): 96 / (110, 135)
Width (cm): 5 / (5, 5)

Sabrina
Finished
length: Waist measurement minus fastener
Width (cm): 5 / (5, 5)