Knitted Animal Toys: 25 knitting patterns for adorable animal dolls
5/5
()
About this ebook
Knit this charming collection of cuddly stuffed animal toys by best-selling author, Louise Crowther.
This is a curated collection of previously published knitting patterns from Louise's two animal toys titles: Knitted Animal Friends and Knitted Wild Animal Friends. We have combined the animal toy patterns from both books to create the ultimate knitted animal book featuring just the toys.
This collection of 25 knitted animal toys features all the animal patterns that have published in the author's previous two titles and include Hugo the Zebra, Olivia the Elephant, Theo the Lion, Sophie the Tiger and Edward the Sloth as more domestic animals such as Bella the Cat, George the Dog and Dorothy the Mouse.
Louise's knitting patterns are renowned for their attention to detail as well as being easy to follow. The animals are all approximately 40cm (16in) tall and their long arms, legs and tails are perfect for little hands to hold.
The animals all have the same standard shaped bodies, arms and legs so once you've got the hang of the pattern you will easily be able to follow the instructions to adapt it to different types of animals by adding stripes, patches and contrasting paws.
There are separate instructions for the head, tails and different types of fur where necessary. All the instructions are included for how to make up each different animal with step-by-step instructions and photography.
Instructions are also included for all the key techniques and stitches required to complete the animals.
Louise Crowther
Louise is a talented knitting designer who sells her patterns for dolls and toys to a growing audience. Louise has a background in textile design and is building her profile as an exciting knitted toy designer.
Read more from Louise Crowther
Knitted Animal Friends: Over 40 Knitting Patterns for Adorable Animal Dolls, Their Clothes and Accessories Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5My Knitted Doll: Knitting Patterns for 12 Adorable Dolls and Over 50 Garments and Accessories Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5
Related to Knitted Animal Toys
Related ebooks
Knitted Wild Animal Friends: Over 40 knitting patterns for wild animal dolls, their clothes and accessories Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Knitted Teddies: Over 15 patterns for well-dressed bears Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Magical Woodland Knits: Knitting Patterns for 12 Wonderfully Lifelike Animals Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Cutest Ever Baby Knits: More Than 25 Adorable Projects to Knit Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Knit a Vintage Christmas: 22 Stocking, Ornament, and Gift Patterns from Christmas Past Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Twenty to Knit: Tiny Toys to Knit Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Knitting Peter Rabbit™: 12 Toy Knitting Patterns from the Tales of Beatrix Potter Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsToys to Knit Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsKnitted Toys: 20 Cute and Colorful Projects Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsPenny the Panda Knitting Pattern: A quick & easy knitting project Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsKnitted Animal Socks: 6 Novelty Patterns for Cute Creature Socks Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Knit & Purl Pets: 20 Patterns for Little Pets with Big Personalities Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Twenty to Knit: Knitted Baby Mitts Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Twenty to Knit: Knitted Bears All Dressed Up! Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Ekoknits Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFaux Taxidermy Knits: 15 Wild Animal Knitting Patterns Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Cat Knits: 16 Pawsome Knitting Patterns for Yarn and Cat Lovers Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Adorable Baby Knits: 25 Patterns for Boys and Girls Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Big Book of Latvian Mittens: 100 Knitting patterns for colourful Latvian mittens Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsKnit Your Own Pet Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsEdward's Menagerie: The New Collection: 50 animal patterns to learn to crochet Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Edward's Menagerie: Over 40 Soft and Snuggly Toy Animal Crochet Patterns Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Knitting Children's Clothing Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsEdward's Menagerie New Edition: Over 50 easy-to-make soft toy animal crochet patterns Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Knitted Animal Scarves, Mitts and Socks: 37 fun and fluffy creatures to knit and wear Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Bedtime: Ekokids Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Knitted Animal Cozies: 37 woolly creatures to keep things safe and warm Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Partridge in a Pear Tree: Crochet the 12 birds of Christmas Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsKnitted Animal Socks and Hats: 35 furry and friendly creatures to keep you warm Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsLombardy Bonnet Knitting Pattern Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Crafts & Hobbies For You
The Big Book of Maker Skills: Tools & Techniques for Building Great Tech Projects Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Crochet For Beginners: The Complete Beginners Guide on Crocheting! 5 Quick and Easy Crochet Patterns Included Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFloriography: An Illustrated Guide to the Victorian Language of Flowers Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Navy SEALs Bug In Guide: A Comprehensive Manual for Defense and Resilience in Times of Crisis Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsCrocheting in Plain English: The Only Book any Crocheter Will Ever Need Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Modern Crochet Bible: Over 100 Contemporary Crochet Techniques and Stitches Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Kawaii Crochet: 40 Super Cute Crochet Patterns for Adorable Amigurumi Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Calligraphy Workbook for Beginners Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/540+ Stash-Busting Projects to Crochet! Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Practical Weekend Projects for Woodworkers: 35 Projects to Make for Every Room of Your Home Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsRockhounding for Beginners: Your Comprehensive Guide to Finding and Collecting Precious Minerals, Gems, Geodes, & More Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSharpie Art Workshop: Techniques & Ideas for Transforming Your World Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The CIA Lockpicking Manual Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Crochet Home: 20 Vintage Modern Crochet Projects for the Home Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Crochet in a Day: 42 Fast & Fun Projects Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Floret Farm's Cut Flower Garden: Grow, Harvest, and Arrange Stunning Seasonal Blooms Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Lit Stitch: 25 Cross-Stitch Patterns for Book Lovers Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Sewing For Dummies Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Morpho: Anatomy for Artists Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5A Handwriting Manual Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Edward's Menagerie: Over 40 Soft and Snuggly Toy Animal Crochet Patterns Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Fairytale Blankets to Crochet: 10 Fantasy-Themed Children's Blankets for Storytime Cuddles Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Crochet: Fun & Easy Patterns For Beginners Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Crochet Every Way Stitch Dictionary: 125 Essential Stitches to Crochet in Three Ways Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Fellowship of the Knits: Lord of the Rings: The Unofficial Knitting Book Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Art of Tinkering: Meet 150+ Makers Working at the Intersection of Art, Science & Technology Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Related categories
Reviews for Knitted Animal Toys
1 rating0 reviews
Book preview
Knitted Animal Toys - Louise Crowther
INTRODUCTION
Welcome to my collection of animal toys, all knitted with one thing in mind: to make them irresistible. We all have a special person in our lives who would love one of these little characters, even if it’s ourselves! If you can’t choose between a smart fox, or a cheeky raccoon, you could always make them all…
In this book I have gathered all the information you will need from yarn choice to finishing techniques, and kept the patterns concise and clear to make the creation of each animal as enjoyable to knit as the finished toy is to give.
The patterns in this book are designed for you and your friends and family to enjoy and are for private use only. I can’t wait to see photos of your knitted animal toys! Share them using the hashtag #knittedanimaltoys so that I can enjoy looking at your creations and you can take a look at everyone else’s too.
Whatever you choose to knit, I hope that you enjoy the process and cherish your finished animal toy as much as I have loved designing and creating them.
TOOLS AND MATERIALS
YARN
Cotton yarn has always been my favourite yarn for toys. I love the look and feel of cotton, it is non-allergic for most people, incredibly robust and stands up well to being played with.
The animals in this book have all been made using Scheepjes Stonewashed yarn which is a sport weight 78% cotton/22% acrylic mix yarn. Sport weight is slightly thicker than 4-ply but thinner than DK, also sometimes referred to as 5-ply yarn.
Although I recommend using the above yarn to achieve the same look and feel as my animals, the patterns will work just as well with other sport weight yarn. When substituting yarns you need to look for ones with a similar tension/gauge on the ball band as the ones recommended (see below for ball band information).
BALL BAND INFORMATION:
SCHEEPJES STONEWASHED
Available in balls of 50g (13/4oz) = 130m (142yd)
Tension: 24 stitches and 32 rows for a 10 x 10cm (4 x 4in) tension square using 3–3.5mm (US 2½–US 4) needles.
NEEDLES
The animals are all made flat on a pair of straight needles; I like the structure this gives the animals and find working Intarsia and stuffing the toys much easier this way.
You will need a pair of 2.75mm (US 2) straight needles to knit the animals '(and a pair of 3mm (US 2½) double-pointed needles to make Ella the Unicorn), but you may find you need to adjust your needle sizes to achieve the correct tension/gauge.
BUTTONS
For the animals’ eyes I have used 10mm (½in) diameter buttons.
Safety note – Don’t use safety eyes, buttons, beads or glass eyes on toys for children under three years old as they are a potential choking hazard.
STUFFING
I recommend a synthetic high-loft polyester toy filling for stuffing these animals. It is lovely and soft, holds its shape well and is hand or machine washable on a cool delicates cycle. When stuffing your animal use small pieces, roll and manipulate the body parts in your hands to spread the stuffing evenly and ensure a smooth shape. Tease out any lumps using a blunt tapestry needle carefully inserted through the knitting in the gap between stitches.
BASIC KIT
In addition to the things on the ‘You Will Need’ lists in the patterns, these are the other items you need to complete the animals. The following is a basic guide:
Cable needle
Tapestry needle
Stitch holders
Stitch markers
Removable stitch markers
Waste yarn
Sewing needle and thread
Long sewing needle
Scissors
Toy stuffing
Blocking pins
WASHING
If made using the recommended yarn and stuffed with synthetic toy filling, these animals can either be washed by hand or on a gentle cool cycle in your washing machine. I would recommend reshaping the animals whilst still damp.
ABBREVIATIONS
ESSENTIAL NOTES
The best way to avoid potential muddles is to start off correctly, and to be armed with advance knowledge of any particular techniques a knitting pattern might ask for. Please do read the following notes before you begin – they apply to all the patterns and they’re not called essential for nothing!
FINISHED SIZE
All of the animals are approximately 40cm (16in) tall (excluding ears).
TENSION
29 sts and 47 rows to 10 x 10cm (4 x 4in) over stocking stitch using 2.75mm (US 2) needles.
FOR ALL PATTERNS…
Cast on using the Long tail cast-on (double cast-on) method (see Techniques: Casting On and Stitches). Leave long tails when you cast on and cast off to sew the parts together, this will make your life easier when sewing up the animals.
Use Mattress stitch (see Techniques: Casting On and Stitches) for sewing up seams (unless stated otherwise) and weave in ends as you go.
Use the Intarsia technique (see Techniques: Colourwork) for changing yarn across a row; the different yarn colours within a row are indicated in brackets: (A) = use Yarn A, (B) = use Yarn B.
If you find the central increase stitches on the animal’s head too tight to manage, wrap the yarn twice around the needle when knitting or purling the centre stitch on the row below, dropping this extra wrap before making the first central increase on the next row.
Always slip markers as you come to them unless otherwise stated.
STANDARD BODY PARTS
All of the animals are a standard size and shape, and most feature the same basic bodies, arms and legs. The standard patterns for these body parts are given here and referenced throughout the book. Yarn details and any alterations to the patterns are provided with the instructions for each animal, but please feel free to mix and match the different body part styles and vary the colours to create your own unique animals too!
Before you start, please read the Essential Notes at the beginning of this book.
BODY
PLAIN (PHOTO 1)
Using Yarn A and 2.75mm straight needles, cast on 8 sts.
Starting at base:
Row 1 (ws): Purl.
Row 2: [K1, M1] to last st, K1. (15 sts)
Row 3: Purl.
Row 4: [K2, M1] to last st, K1. (22 sts)
Row 5: Purl.
Row 6: [K3, M1] to last st, K1. (29 sts)
Row 7: Purl.
Row 8: [K4, M1] to last st, K1. (36 sts)
Row 9: Purl.
Row 10: [K5, M1] to last st, K1. (43 sts)
Row 11: Purl.
Row 12: [K6, M1] to last st, K1. (50 sts)
Row 13: Purl.
Row 14: [K7, M1] to last st, K1. (57 sts)
Row 15: Purl.
Row 16: [K8, M1] to last st, K1. (64 sts)
Row 17: P20, K10, P4, K10, P20. (The knit stitches on this row mark the leg positions.)
Rows 18-37: Stocking stitch 20 rows.
Row 38: K1, K2tog, K17, CDD, K18, CDD, K17, SSK, K1. (58 sts)
Rows 39-47: Stocking stitch 9 rows.
Row 48: K1, K2tog, K15, CDD, K16, CDD, K15, SSK, K1. (52 sts)
Rows 49-55: Stocking stitch 7 rows.
Row 56: K1, K2tog, K13, CDD, K14, CDD, K13, SSK, K1. (46 sts)
Rows 57-61: Stocking stitch 5 rows.
Row 62: K1, K2tog, K11, CDD, K12, CDD, K11, SSK, K1. (40 sts)
Rows 63-67: Stocking stitch 5 rows.
Row 68: K1, K2tog, K9, CDD, K10, CDD, K9, SSK, K1. (34 sts)
Rows 69-71: Stocking stitch 3 rows.
Row 72: K1, K2tog, K7, CDD, K8, CDD, K7, SSK, K1. (28 sts)
Rows 73-75: Stocking stitch 3 rows.
Row 76: [K1, K2tog] to last st, K1. (19 sts)
Row 77: Purl.
Row 78: K2tog to last st, K1. (10 sts)
Cut yarn leaving a long tail. Using a tapestry needle, thread tail through the stitches left on needle and pull up tight to gather stitches.
CONTRAST FRONT 1 (PHOTO 2)
Using Yarn A and 2.75mm straight needles, cast on 8 sts.
Rows 1-17: As Rows 1-17 of Standard Body – Plain.
Row 18: (A) K21, (B) K22, (A) K21.
Row 19: (A) P21, (B) P22, (A) P21.
Rows 20-37: Rpt last 2 rows 9 more times.
Row 38: (A) K1, K2tog, K16,