This pattern is based on the crochet Hobbes pattern first developed by Sukigirl74 and Bill Waterson’s lovable Hobbes.

If you crochet
check out her pattern! I did my best to adapt it to a knitting pattern for those of us who are dying to make Calvin’s best friend but just
don’t crochet.
http://sukigirl74.blogspot.com/ Search Ann Stiver-Balla or Sukigirl74 on ravelry.com

Skill Level:

Skilled Intermediate

Tools and Materials: Anatomy of a Pattern:

1 set of No. 6 DPNs CO Cast On
Row marker K Knit
Yarn in the following colors: P Purl
Orange 1 skein S Slip
Black ½ skein KFB / PFB Knit Front & Back / Purl Front & Back
White ¼ skein M1 Make One
Black embroidery thread K2Tog / P2Tog Knit Two Together / Purl Two Together
Black sewing thread SSK Slip Slip Knit
Black Felt (A very small amount) BO Bind Off
Scissors St(s) Stitch(es)
Tapestry/Darning Needle [ @#$%! ] x6 Repeat everything between brackets the
Sewing needle number of times indicated (Though I hope you
Fiberfill stuffing don’t find yourself repeating what’s between
Your preferred fasteners for finishing these brackets while following this pattern) ;^)

Read the pattern in its entirety before starting the project.

Ready to get started?
Head:
Starting from top down. Place row marker after the first st on needle #1 to mark the beginning of your row.
(1) In orange CO 6 st and divide between 3 needles.
(2) Join in the round by KFB into every st (12 st)
(3) [ K1, KFB ] x6 (18 st)
(4) [ K2, KFB ] x6 (24 st)
(5) [ K3, KFB ] x6 (30 st)
(6) [ K4, KFB ] x6 (36 st)
(7) [ K5, KFB ] x6 (42 st)
(8) [ K6, KFB ] x6 (48 st) (16 st each needle)
(9) K48 around

Row (12) begins the Intarsia in the round stripes. Take a deep breath, if you can
do wrap and turns, you can do this! NOTE: When you come to a stitch with a
wrap be sure to knit the wrap and stitch together to hide it! See the tips at the end

(10) In orange, K16, switch to black, K32, W&T

(11) Continuing in black, P32, wrap black yarn around orange, continue in
orange, P16 W&T
(12) Continuing in orange, K16, wrap orange yarn around black, continue in
black, K32. DO NOT W&T! Continue to Knit on needle #1.
(13-14) Switch to orange, K48

(15-19) Repeat rows (10-12) and (13-14) to create a second stripe

(20-22) Repeat rows (10-12) to create a third stripe. You should have three black
stripes interrupted by an orange block which is Hobbes’ face.
(23-30) Switch to orange, K48
(31) [K6, K2Tog] x6 (42 st)
(32) K42
(33) [K5, K2Tog] x6 (36 st)
(34) K36
(35) [K4, K2Tog] x6 (30 st)
(36) K30
(37) [K3, K2Tog] x6 (24 st)
(38) K24
Body:
Continued from head without binding off. (10) Switch to black (break orange and tie on black), P28, wrap
NOTE: You’ll need to break the yarn and tie it together at the black yarn around white, continue in white, P14 W&T
orange/black color change in row (7) and between rows (9) (11) Continuing in white, K14, wrap white yarn around black,
and (10) or there will be holes in the work. continue in black, K28, W&T
TIP: Make a gauging swatch and play with the tension of the (12) Continuing in black, P28, wrap black yarn around white,
wrap and turns until you get a satisfactory result. Too loose continue in white, P14 W&T
and they’ll be floppy, too tight and they’ll create a bunch down
the side of Hobbes’ belly. When in doubt err towards loose. Repeat rows (7-9) six times and (10-12) fives times for a total
of six black stripes (including the one worked in rows (4-6)) and
Before you begin the body, K2 in orange and redistribute the six orange stripes. The last row you work should be row (9).
stitches so those stitches fall at the end of needle #3. (This will
help prevent Hobbes’ body from twisting out of alignment of his (40) Switch to black, P28, wrap black yarn around white,
head due to the neck decreases) Continue the pattern below. continue in white, P14 W&T
(41) Continuing in white, S1, K12, wrap white yarn around
(1) Switch to white, K8, switch to orange, K16 W&T black, continue in black, K30 W&T
(2) P1, PFB, [ P3, PFB ] x3, P2, switch to white, P1, PFB, P6, (42) Continuing in black, P32, wrap black yarn around white,
PFB, P2 W&T (30 st) continue in white, P10, W&T
(3) Continuing in white, K10, wrap white yarn around orange, (43) Continuing in white, S2, K6, switch to orange, continue in
continue in orange, K20, W&T (30 st) orange, K36 W&T
(4) Switch to black, P2, PFB, [ P4, PFB ] x3, P2, switch to (44) P42 W&T
white, P1, PFB, P8, PFB, P1 W&T (36 st)
(5) Continuing in white, K12, wrap white yarn around black, STOP! It’s time to stuff Hobbes before the body decreases!
continue in black, K24, W&T (36 st) Stuff to a squeezable feel, he’s meant to be cuddled!
(6) Continuing in black, P3, PFB, [ P5, PFB ] x3, P2, switch to
white, P1, PFB, P10, PFB, P1 W&T (42 st) (45) [K5, K2tog] x6 (36st)
(46) [K4, K2tog] x6 (30 st)
(7) Continuing in white, K14, switch to orange (break black and (47) [K3, K2tog] x6 (24 st)
tie on orange), continue in orange, K28, W&T (48) [K2, K2tog] x6 (18 st)
(8) Continuing in orange, P28, wrap orange yarn around white, (49) [K1, K2tog] x6 (12 st)
continue in white, P14 W&T (50) [k2tog] every st (6 st)
(9) Continuing in white, K14, wrap white yarn around orange, (51) BO and bury end of yarn into Hobbes’ body with tapestry
continue in orange, K28, W&T needle.

2 Re-imagined in Knitting by Karen Van Raden

Muzzle: (Worked flat) Ears: (Make 2)
The muzzle uses actual W&T short rows (1) In black CO 4 st and divide between 4 needles
(1) In white, CO 18st (2) K4
(2) K17, W&T, P to last st, W&T, K17 (18 st) (3) Join in the round by KFB into
(3) P1, M1, P to last 2 sts, M1, P1 (20 st) every st (8 st)
(4) K1, M1, K to last 2 sts, M1, K1 (22 st) (4) K8
(5) P22 (5) K1, M1, [ K2, KFB ] x3, K1 (10 st)
(6) K1, M1, K to last 2 sts, M1, K1 (24st) (6-7) K10
(7) P24 (8) BO using a three-needle bind off.
(8) K1, M1, K to last 2 sts, M1, K1 (26 st) Leaving enough yarn to stitch to head.
(9) P26
(10) K1, SSK, K to last 3 sts, K2Tog, K1 (24 st) NOTE: Hobbes’ ears are not stuffed,
(11) P24 TIP: It is easier for me to first divide
(12) K1, SSK, SSK, K to last 5 sts, K2Tog, K2Tog, K1 (20 st) the 4 stitches first onto two needles
(13) P1, SSP, SSP, P to last 5 sts, P2Tog, P2Tog, P1 (16 st) and then add in the third and fourth as
Repeat rows (12) and (13) until you have 8 sts I knit.
BO leaving enough yarn to stitch to head.

Tail: Legs: (Make 4; Two of these will be used for the arms)
Starting from tail tip. Place row marker after the first st on needle Starting from bottom up. Place row marker after the first st on
one to mark the beginning of your row. needle one to mark the beginning of your row.
(1) In Black CO 6 st and divide between 3 needles. (1) In white CO 6 st and divide between 3 needles.
(2) Join in the round by KFB into every st (12 st) (2) Join in the round by KFB into every st (12 st)
(3-6) K (3) [ K1, KFB ] x6 (18 st)
(7-9) in Orange, K (4) [ K2, KFB ] x6 (24 st)
(10-12) In black, K (5-7) K24
Repeat rows (7-9) and (10-12) until you have 10 stripes of each (8-10) In black, K24
color (or until you like the length). (11-13) In orange, K24
BO, leaving enough yarn to stitch tail to body. Repeat rows (8-13) until you have 4 stripes of each color.
BO, leaving enough yarn to stitch leg to body.
Hobbes’ Head and Face

Mark the centerline of the muzzle and the centerline of Hobbes face to help with alignment of the muzzle. Sew the bottom, top and one
side of Hobbes’ muzzle on using your tapestry needle. Through the un-sewn side, insert Fiberfil stuffing and finish sewing on the
muzzle. Make sure the muzzle reaches all the way down to the top of Hobbes’ white belly so there isn’t orange showing between the
muzzle and belly. Sew on Hobbes’ ears.

Cut felt pieces for Hobbes eyes, nose and two long strips for his forehead stripes. The eyes should be
ovals about four rows high and two stitches wide. The nose is a big-ish triangle. The felt stripes are
rectangles with round corners. Arrange the felt pieces on Hobbes’ face according to the image and sew
in place using the black thread and needle. Check placement often and be sure you like where things
are before you sew them! Use the embroidery thread to add the detail of Hobbes’ mouth, a little upside-
down V under his nose.

Final Assembly
Lightly stuff legs, arms and tail (if you overstuff than they will be difficult to bend) and stitch all pieces to
the body.

Helpful Techniques:

Knitting (or purling) a Wrapped Stitch

Because the wraps in this project are contrasting you don’t want to just knit it with the stitch as you would a regular wrapped stitch
due to the likelihood of the contrasting wrap still being visible. Instead, add this quick extra step to make sure that wrap is hidden
when it is knitted (or purled). Search “Cat Bordhi” on youtube.com for a good video of this technique: “Wrapping & turning,
concealing wraps” (The concealing wraps technique starts around minute 6:30, before that is how to do W&T short rows)
1. Insert the needle as if to knit (or purl) the wrap BUT DON’T.
2. Pick the wrap up and pass it over the top of the stitch it wrapped and place it on the needle. Now the wrap should be
sitting on your needle between the stitch it wrapped and the next stitch in line looking a lot like a contrasting yarn
over.
3. NOW insert your needle into the first stitch AND THE WRAP and knit (or purl) them together.
Knitting Jogless Stripes in the Round
There are several techniques for knitting jogless stripes. If you have one you like use it for this project. The simplest I have found
is outlined below but I have also had nice results with the technique on hookandneedles.com under the knitting tutorials.
1. Knit one full round in the stripe color.
2. At the start of the second round of the stripe color slip the first stitch.
3. Continue to knit as usual.
See? Simple! Repeat this at every stripe to help hide the jog.

3 Re-imagined in Knitting by Karen Van Raden