Pod pattern

I've had one or two requests, so here it is, how to knit your very own 'pod'. Oh, I really hope you do. This is the first time I've written a pattern, simple as it is. Please let me know if you find mistakes.

Concept: Knit top-down in the round, starting with a smallish opening, and increasing regularly at four points, with plain rounds in between the increase rounds.

The number of increases per round, combined with the number of plain rounds in between increase rounds, determines the angle at which the pot slopes. Keep in mind also that stocking stitch will shrink more lengthwise than widthwise - so the shape you see before felting is quite different, more elongated, than what you'll see afterwards.

After a section of plain rounds in the middle, you reverse the process and start decreasing at the same rate as you increased. Once you reach the circumference you started with, you decrease every round to make a more-or-less flat bottom for the pot.

Materials:

I often use two strands held together for felting projects, to get a nice dense felted fabric. If in doubt about the needle size, it's generally better to go for a looser gauge than you would normally want, this seems to make the fabric felt more willingly. This means that your pre-felted pod really won't look much at all like the finished object. That's one of the things I love about felting.

One strand of Sean sheep 'Armytage', held with one of Lincraft 'Cosy wool'.
Needles: set of five 8mm dpns. No you don't have to use five, it's just neat that way as there are four sets of increases/decreases.

Note: use whatever increase suits you for the M1: I lift the bar just to the left of the next stitch and KTBL. It won't show after felting anyway.

Cast on 24 stitches and put 6 on each needle. Join to work in the round. Place a marker if you like.

Round 1. Knit
2. * K1, M1, K4, M1, K1 * repeat from * to * (32 sts)
3. K
4. K
5. * K1, M1, K6, M1, K1 * repeat from * to * (40 sts)
6. K
7. K
8. * K1, M1, K8, M1, K1 * repeat from * to * (48 sts)
9. K
10. K
11. * K1, M1, K10, M1, K1 * repeat from * to * (56 sts)
12. K
13. K
14. * K1, M1, K12, M1, K1 * repeat from * to * (64 sts, 16 on each needle)
15. K
(the red/orange pod has a few more rounds in this section)
16. K
17. K
18. * K1, K2tog, K10, K2tog, K1 * repeat from * to * (56 sts)
19. K
20. K
21. * K1, K2tog, K8, K2tog, K1 * repeat from * to * (48 sts)
22. K
23. K
24. * K1, K2tog, K6, K2tog, K1 * repeat from * to * (40 sts)
25. K
26. K
27. * K1, K2tog, K4, K2tog, K1 * repeat from * to * (32 sts)
28. * K1, K2tog, K2, K2tog, K1 * repeat from * to * (24 sts)
29. * K1, K2tog, K2tog, K1 * repeat from * to * (16 sts)
30. * K2tog, K2tog * repeat from * to * (8 sts)

Cut off yarn, run both strands through all remaining stitches, draw tight and weave in on the wrong side.