The body of this cheerful little reindeer is started at the front and creates a little “dip” for the head to sit in, giving him a lovely look. If you prefer, you can work the nose in brown yarn or stick to red for that festive feel.
Yarn and materials
Rowan Felted Tweed (50% wool, 25% viscose, 25% alpaca) light worsted (DK) weight yarn, 191yd (175m) per 1¾oz (50g) ball:
- ¾ ball of Rose Quartz 206 (light brown) (MC)
- ⅓ ball of Phantom 153 (dark brown (CC1)
Rico Ricorumi DK (100% cotton) light worsted (DK) weight yarn, 63yd (58m) per ⅞oz (25g) ball
- Small amount of Red shade 028 (CC2)
Toy filling
Pair of 5mm black domed safety eyes
Small amount of black fingering (4-ply) weight yarn (A)
Needles and equipment
US 2 or 3 (3mm) knitting needles
Spare knitting needle for three-needle bind (cast) off
Yarn needle
Scissors
Pins
Finished size
Nose to tail: 7⅛in (18cm)
Top of head to foot: 6¼in (16cm)
Gauge (tension)
Approx 26 sts to 4in (10cm) measured over stockinette (stocking) stitch using US 2 or 3 (3mm) knitting needles.
Head
Using MC, cast on 14 sts.
Row 1 (WS): Purl.
Work inc rows as foll:
Row 2: K1, [kfb, k1, kfb] to last st, k1. (22 sts)
Row 3: Purl.
Row 4: K1, [kfb, k3, kfb] to last st, k1. (30 sts)
Row 5: Purl.
Row 6: K1, [kfb, k5, kfb] to last st, k1. (38 sts)
Row 7: Purl.
Starting with a k row, work 4 rows in st st.
Row 12: K1, M1, k15, ssk, k2, k2tog, k15, M1, k1.
Row 13: Purl.
Rep last two rows twice more (st count will rem the same).
Starting with a k row, work 4 rows in st st.
Row 22: K2, ssk, k to last 4 sts, k2tog, k2. (36 sts)
Row 23: Purl.
Rep last two rows twice more. (32 sts)
Row 28: K1, ssk, k to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1. (30 sts)
Row 29: P1, p2tog, p to last 3 sts, p2togtbl, p1. (28 sts)
Rep last two rows once more. (24 sts)
Divide rem sts evenly between two needles and, with RS tog and using third needle, bind (cast) off using three-needle bind (cast) off technique (see page 139).
Body
Using MC, cast on 14 sts.
Row 1 (WS): Purl.
Row 2: K1, [kfb, k1, kfb] to last st, k1. (22 sts)
Row 3: Purl.
Row 4: K1, [kfb, k3, kfb] to last st, k1. (30 sts)
Row 5: Purl.
Row 6: K1, [kfb, k5, kfb] to last st, k1. (38 sts)
Row 7: Purl.
Row 8: K1, [kfb, k7, kfb] to last st, k1. (46 sts)
Row 9: Purl.
Row 10: K1, [kfb, k9, kfb] to last st, k1. (54 sts)
Row 11: Purl.
Work 6 rows in st st.
Row 18: K2, M1, k22, ssk, k2, k2tog, k22, M1, k2.
Row 19: Purl.
Rep last two rows four more times (st count will rem the same). Work 6 rows in st st.
Row 34: K2, ssk, k to last 4 sts, k2tog, k2. (52 sts)
Row 35: Purl.
Rep last two rows three more times. (46 sts)
Row 42: K2, ssk, k to last 4 sts, k2tog, k2. (44 sts)
Row 43: P2, p2tog, p to last 4 sts, p2togtbl, p2. (42 sts)
Rep last two rows once more. (38 sts)
Row 46: K2, ssk, k14, M1, k2, M1, k14, k2tog, k2.
Row 47: P2, p2tog, p14, M1, p2, M1, p14, p2togtbl, p2. Divide rem sts evenly between two needles and, with RS tog and using third needle, bind (cast) off using three-needle bind (cast) off technique.
Legs
(make four)
Using MC, cast on 12 sts.
Starting with a k row, work 10 rows in st st.
Row 11: [K2, M1] 5 times, k2. (17 sts)
Break off B, join in CC1.
Starting with a p row, work fi ve rows in st st.
Row 17: Bind (cast) off 7 sts, then k to end. (10 sts) Row 18: Bind (cast) off 7 sts, then p to end. (3 sts) Row 19: [K1, M1] twice, k1. (5 sts)
Row 20: Purl.
Row 21: K1, M1, k3, M1, k1. (7 sts)
Starting with a p row, work 3 rows in st st.
Row 25: K1, ssk, k1, k2tog, k1. (5 sts)
Row 26: P2tog, p1, p2togtbl. (3 sts)
Bind (cast) off .
Nose
Using CC2, cast on 3 sts.
Row 1 (WS): [P1, M1] twice, p1. (5 sts)
Row 2: K1, M1, k3, M1, k1. (7 sts)
Starting with a p row, work 3 rows in st st.
Row 6: K1, ssk, k1, k2tog, k1. (5 sts)
Row 7: P2tog, p1, p2tog. (3 sts)
Thread yarn through rem sts to fasten off.
Ears
(make two)
Using MC, cast on 5 sts.
Starting with a k row, work 6 rows in st st.
Row 7: K2tog, k1, k2tog. (3 sts)
Starting with a p row, work 6 rows in st st.
Bind (cast) off .
Long antler piece
(make two)
Using CC1, cast on 8 sts.
Starting with a k row, work in st st until work measures 2in (5cm).
Bind (cast) off .
Short antler piece
(make four)
Using CC1, cast on 7 sts.
Starting with a k row, work in st st until work measures ¾in (2cm).
Bind (cast) off .
Making up
Starting at the bound- (cast-) off end of the body sew the seam, stuffing with toy filling as you go, ensuring the tail has enough toy filling inside. Continue sewing the seam to the front of the body, gather the cast-on edge closed and fasten off .
Pin the head together and stuff with toy filling. Add the safety eyes to the head by pushing through the knitting using the photos as a guide for position. When you are happy with the placement, remove the pins and toy filling and firmly push the backs onto the post of each eye. Re-stuff and sew the head to the front of the body.
Sew a gathering thread around the nose. Place a small amount of toy filling inside then pull the yarn to gather the nose. Using the photos for guidance, sew the nose to the front of the head.
Using MC, and starting at the top of the leg, sew the seam that will be at the back. Change to CC1 and fi nish sewing the seam. Stuff the foot with toy filling (leaving the leg unstuffed). Fold the base of the foot up and sew in place. Repeat for the remaining three legs. Pin the legs in place, using the photos as a guide for position and sew in place.
Fold the ear in half and sew along the side seams. The narrower part of the ear will be at the front. Fold the edges in at the bottom to give the ear a good shape and sew a few stitches to secure. Repeat for the second ear. Pin the ears in place using the photos as a guide, leaving a gap for the antlers in between. Sew the side seams of each antler piece, then sew the shorter antler pieces to the main antler following the photos. Repeat for the second antler. Pin the antlers in place between the ears and sew in place.
Using A, embroider the mouth using backstitch.
This pattern is from Cute Knitted Animals by Sue Stratford. To get more fab blog posts like this one - direct to your inbox - be sure to sign up to our mailing list here.