Mama Cat (photo)
Anthony Ascione (model)

Honey Pot

The safe haven of flower kissing bees, treasury of sweet honey.

I dream of your first kiss and then
I feel upon my lips again
A taste of honey
A taste of honey
Tasting much sweeter than wine
—The Beatles

by Janis Neville

Suggested Listening

"A Taste of Honey"
Please Please Me
by The Beatles

Difficulty

MoonPrincess Dropout
Click here for definitions of difficulty levels.

Finished Measurements

About 4"/10cm x 4"/10cm.

Materials

• Cascade 220 Heathers [100% Peruvian highland wool; 220yd/203m per 3.5oz/100g skein] color 2437, 30 yards
• US 5/3.75mm knitting needles
• Craft glue
• 10mm pompoms, in black (6 needed) and yellow (3 needed)
• 26 gauge floral wire
• 3mm googly eyes (6 eyes needed)
• White craft felt
• Wire clippers
• Fine nosed pliers (needle nose or jewelry)
• Scissors
• Fiberfill
• Thick stick, pencil, or US 9/5.5mm knitting needle

Gauge

21 sts per 4"/10cm in pattern.

Design Notes

The hive is knit in one piece and then folded over, partially seamed, stuffed, and seamed shut. The bees are attached on wire springs that you coil yourself.

Directions

Knitting the hive:

Cast on 7 stitches.
Row 1: (k1, kfb)x3, k1. (10 sts)
Row 2: purl.
Row 3: (k1, kfb)x2, k2, (kfb, k1)x2. (14 sts)
Row 4: purl.
Row 5: (k1, kfb)x2, k6, (kfb, k1)x2. (18 sts)
Row 6: purl.
Rows 7 and 8: knit.
Row 9-11: repeat Rows 6-8.
Row 12: purl.
Row 13: k1, kfb, k to last 2 stitches, kfb, k. (20 sts)
Row 14: purl.
Row 15: repeat row 13. (22 sts)
Rows 16 and 17: purl.
Row 18: knit.
Rows 19 and 20: purl.
Row 21: knit.
Row 22: purl.
Row 23: k1, k2tog, k to last 3, ssk, k. (20 sts)
Row 24: purl.
Row 25: repeat row 23. (18 sts)
Row 26: knit.
Row 27: purl.
Row 28: knit.
Row 29: repeat row 23. (16 sts)
Row 30: purl.
Row 31: repeat row 23. (14 sts)
Row 32: purl.
Row 33: repeat row 23. (12 sts)
Row 34: repeat rows 19-21.
Rows 37 and 38: purl.
Row 39: repeat row 23. (10 sts)
Row 40: purl.
Row 41: repeat row 23. (8 sts)
Row 42: purl.
Row 43: k2tog, k2tog, ssk, ssk. (4 sts)
Rows 44 and 45: purl.
Row 46: k, kfb, kfb, k. (6 sts)
Row 47: (and all following odd rows): purl.
Row 48: k, kfb, k2, kfb, k. (8 sts)
Row 50: knit.
Row 52: k, kfb, k to last 2, kfb, k. (10 sts)
Row 54: repeat row 52. (12 sts)
Row 56: (k, kfb)x2, k to last 4, (kfb, k)x2. (16 sts)
Row 58: repeat row 52. (18 sts)
Row 60: repeat row 56. (22 sts)
Row 62: knit.
Row 64: k, ssk, k to last 3, k2tog, k. (20 sts)
Row 66: repeat row 64. (18 sts)
Row 68: (k, ssk)x2, knit to last 6, (k2tog, k)x2. (14 sts)
Row 70: repeat row 64. (12 sts)
Row 72: (k, ssk)x2, (k2tog, k) x2. (8 sts)
Row 74: k, ssk, k2, k2tog, k. (6 sts)
Row 75: Bind off all sts.

Assemble the Bees: (make 3)

For each bee, have two black pompoms and one yellow pompom. Cut two teardrop shapes for the wings from the craft felt. Glue pompoms in a line in this order: black, yellow, black. Glue wings to the join between one black and one yellow, with the tips of the tear drops pointing towards the black and the rounder end positioned over two pompoms. This will define the head and body pompoms. On the head pompom, make a small dot of glue on each side of the pompom and add one googly eye to each side.

Assemble the Beehive:

Anthony Ascione (photo)
click image to enlarge

Fold beehive in half on the purl fold line and match the top edges and widest points of the back and front. Whip stitch around the edge of beehive, leaving 2"/5cm open at one end.

Cut three 14"/35.5cm lengths of wire. Take one half of the length of wire (7"/17.75cm) and coil wire around finger to make a loose, flat spiral to be the base of the spring. Repeat for each length of wire.

Insert uncoiled end of wire through the front side of the beehive from inside to out. Put coil against back side of beehive. Repeat for each length of wire.

Stuff hive lightly with fiberfil and sew the beehive shut.

Wind exposed wires around a stick, pencil, or knitting needle (~US9/5.5mm) to make a spring. Unwind roughly last 1"/2.5cm of each spring and wrap closed around the "neck" of a bee. Complete for all three springs. Pose bees artfully.

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