Bernat Blanket BIG Cupcake Storage Pouf

It’s BIG! You may have spotted the new line of Bernat Blanket BIG Yarn in Michaels stores and online. I mean how could you miss these huge fluffy skeins?! It’s the same cozy chenille-style Blanket yarn that you love, now in a jumbo weight! Ideal for larger projects, the jumbo gauge of the yarn stitches up quickly and beautifully perfect for blankets, pillows, and poufs! PLUS there is an extra incentive to get your hands on this yarn. Now through February 28th, 2017 you have the chance to Stitch ‘n Win!! There is a tag on the inside of every skein with a code on it. Enter the code in online to win. Every skein is a winner! See details below:

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Contest Name: Bernat® Stitch ‘n Win™

Location/Retailer: only at Michaels store in both the U.S. and Canada

Products: Bernat® Blanket™ and Bernat® Blanket BIG® – Bernat® Blanket BIG ™ is a new yarn and currently only available at Michaels

How it Works: Each specially marked Bernat® Stitch ‘n Win™ skein of Bernat® Blanket™ and Bernat® Blanket BIG™ contains a PIN Code Tag. The consumer goes to www.stitchnwin.com to enter the PIN Code. When you enter the PIN Code you receive a coupon for 10%, 25%, or 50% off your next purchase, and are automatically entered into the draw for the grand prize and other prizes.

Contest Prizing:

1. Every skein is a winner! Over 580,000 instant discounts available!
2. Grand Prize – You could win 1 of 2 Trips to San Francisco!
3. Other Prizes Available: You could win 1 of 20 $500 Visa Gift Cards or 1 of 50 $100 Michaels Gift Cards!

Time Frame: The Bernat® Stitch ‘n Win™ program runs exclusively at Michaels from September 9, 2016 to February 28, 2017.

My idea for a Cupcake Storage Pouf came to me after I created Zoe’s Yarn Basket Halloween Costume (see it HERE). I thought a circle laundry basket would be perfect for toy storage and the Bernat Blanket BIG yarn easily covers the basket and hides the toys inside! And with the additional of a cute cupcake design, you’ve turned ugly storage, into a cute piece of furniture! The top of the cupcake fits snuggly over the rim of the basket and you can remove it at any time. Did I mention it’s functional too? I stuffed the top with softer toys and pillows so you could actually use this as a little resting spot (for the kids, I wouldn’t recommend an adult lay on it). You can really use any colors you want!

Materials:
– Bernat Blanket BIG Yarn (3) Big Grape, (4) Hot Pink, a bit of Red and Moss Green (yellowish color for sprinkles). Find all the colors HERE on Michaels.com
– Circular laundry basket (mine is 53L). I used THIS one but you could find these at the Dollar Store.
– Jumbo Size 25MM crochet hook
Note: No tapestry needle needed! You can easily weave in the end with your fingers. The yarn is so large you can weave in a loose strand by weaving it under and over through the stitches and then tie it off.

Give your self a little time to adjust to the large hook and yarn. You may need to hold the hook differently than you usually do. It took me a little practice but once I got the hang of it, it was smooth sailing! I was able to finish this project in just a few hours.

Cupcake Pouf Pattern:

Top of Cupcake:
With Pink
Magic Ring, chain 2 and make 8 DC in ring, join to first DC, chain 2
Round 2: 2 DC in each stitch around.. PLUS two extra stitches in the gap before you join. Because the yarn is so large, I noticed sometimes you have an large gap that needs to be filled before you join. Join, chain 2
Round 3: 2 DC in first, DC in next, repeat around, join, chain 2. (if you notice a large gap before joining at any round, feel free to add an extra stitch. This won’t mess up the shape so don’t worry about an exact stitch count).
Round 4: 2 DC in first, DC in next 2, repeat around, join, chain 2.
Round 5: Skip one stitch and make 4 DC all in next, skip another stitch, join to next with slip stitch (this is your first scallop), skip one stitch, make 4 DC all in next, skip another stitch, join to next with slip stitch, repeat around.
Round 6: Make 2 SC in each stitch along the scallops, slip stitch in spaces where your slip stitches are from the previous row. fasten off, weave in ends.

This is the underside of the cupcake where you will make the rim (see below)

Flip over and join yarn to the stitches on the underside of your cupcake, right under the scallop. This might be easier for you to see if you refer to my cupcake hat construction HERE. We are now going to make the ridge that fits snuggly over the top rim of the laundry basket.
Round 1: SC in each stitch along the underside of the bottom of your scallop.
Round 2: SC Decrease, SC in next, repeat around. Fasten off and weave in ends.

Red Cherry:
Magic Ring, chain 1 and make 8 SC in ring, join to first SC. It will automatically curve and you can sew it on with buy weaving your yarn (with your hands!) through the SC stitches and the top of the cupcake.

Tie on “sprinkles” by cutting an 6-8 inch piece of yellow yarn and knotting it around random DC stitches.

Bottom Basket Cover:
With purple…
Magic Ring, Chain 2 and make 10 DC in ring, join, chain 2
Round 2: 2 DC in each stitch around…PLUS two extra stitches in the gap before you join. Just like before,  the yarn is so large I noticed sometimes you have a large gap that needs to be filled before you join. Join, chain 2 (22 DC)
Round 3: In back loops only, DC in each stitch around… PLUS add one or two extra stitches at the end to fill the gap before joining. I ended up with 24 DC stitches. Join, chain 2
Round 4-8: Now working in both loops. DC in each stitch around. Join, chain 2
Fasten off and weave in ends. Now it should fit tightly around the base of your laundry basket.

One you have finished your two pieces, slip them snuggly over your laundry basket and start using it for a hidden storage solution! And don’t forget to go to www.stitchnwin.com to enter the PIN Code found at the center of your skein!