Hot Cross Buns, Hot Cross Buns

I was thinking to myself, what could I create on the loom that would be different than the usual Easter bunnies, chicks, eggs, and lamb projects? And then it hit me: how about hot cross buns? I don't recall having seen them knit before, so why not give it a shot? So here they are, fresh from the oven:

A sweet treat, just in time for Easter!

I just made up the pattern based on how I thought a knitted hot cross bun might look. I used the Knifty Knitter green straight loom with the corner pegs in, casting on all pegs with a 1 over 2 stockinette stitch. I started out with some leftover cream colored yarn to make the sides of the bun. I knit off 5 rows, snipped the cream yarn, then began a combination of the cream yarn and Loops & Threads Impeccable Worsted Topaz yarn. I kept the cream yarn on 9 pegs at both corners of the loom (including the corner peg) and used the Topaz for the rest of the pegs. The Topaz is the top and bottom color of the bun. I knit off 60 rows like this and then snipped the Topaz so I could knit off 5 rows on the entire loom of just the cream yarn.

Once I cast off, I carefully thread Topaz yarn through the inside of the brown stitches to create the different bun sections.

Then I sewed together one side of the piece. I cinched the Topaz yarn a bit that I had threaded through the stitches and knotted it. Then I turned the piece inside out and stuffed it with batting. After shaping the piece, I sewed the other end shut.

I then knit 5 I-cords using some white yarn I had around, and carefully sewed them to the top of the piece. Voila!

Top:

Side:

Bottom:

I will try this pattern again, and next time I plan to use less cream yarn on the corners so that more of the brown bun will be showing. And the bottom could even be a lighter color yarn than the Topaz. I had thought about adding a few specks of raisins and fruit to the sides and top, but decided against it. When I try the pattern again maybe I'll add it just to see how it would look.