This wise little owl, with his simple textured front, will keep your linens smelling floral-fresh and is a fantastic way to use up any leftover yarn. Tuck it among your small clothing items or add a loop of ribbon if you want your lavender bag to adorn a coat hanger.
Yarn and Other Materials
Sirdar Country Style DK (40% nylon, 30% wool, 30% acrylic; 170yd/155m per 1¾oz/50g ball) light worsted (DK) yarn
- 1 ball of shade 409 Naturelle (A)
Very small amounts of any light worsted (DK) yarn in each of shades:
- Mid-blue (B)
- Dark red (C)
- Dark gray (D)
2 x 4in (5 x 10cm) rectangle of plain white or cream cheesecloth or fi ne cotton
¼–½oz (10g) 100% polyester toy fi lling
Small handful of dried lavender
Needles and Equipment
Size US 3 (3.25mm) knitting needles
Yarn sewing needle
Large-eyed embroidery needle
Standard sewing needle and white or cream sewing thread
Gauge (Tension)
24 sts and 32 rows in stockinette (stocking) stitch to a 4-in (10-cm) square on US 3 (3.25mm) needles.
Measurements
The owl is approx. 4in (10cm) tall
Abbreviations
inc increase
k knit
k2tog knit two stitches together
kwise knitwise
m1 make one stitch
p purl
rep repeat
ssk slip one stitch, slip one stitch, knit slipped stitches together
st(s) stitch(es)
st st stockinette (stocking) stitch
WS wrong side(s)
* work instuctions after/between asterisk(s) as directed.
Owl
Back
(make 1)
Cast on 14 sts in A.
Row 1: Inc1, k to last 2 sts, inc1, k1. (16 sts) Row 2: P.
Row 3: K2, M1, k to last 2 sts, m1, k1. (18 sts)
Row 4: P.
Rep last 2 rows once more. (20 sts)*
Work 20 rows in st st beg with a k row.
Row 27: K2, k2tog, k to last 4 sts, ssk, k2. (18 sts)
Work 3 rows in st st beg with a p row.
Row 31: K2, k2tog, k to last 4 sts, ssk, k2. (16 sts) Row 32: P.
Row 33: K2, k2tog, k to last 4 sts, ssk, k2. (14 sts) Row
34: K.
Row 35: K2, m1, k to last 2 sts, m1, k2. (16 sts) Bind (cast) off kwise.
Front
(make 1)
Work as for back until *.
Row 7: K7, p6, k7.
Row 8: P.
Row 9: K6, p8, k6.
Row 10: P.
Row 11: K5, p10, k5.
Row 12: P.
Rep last 2 rows 3 times more.
Row 19: K6, p8, k6.
Row 20: P.
Row 21: K7, p6, k7.
Row 22: P.
Row 23: K8, p4, k8.
Work 3 rows in st st beg with a p row.
Row 27: K2, k2tog, k to last 4 sts, ssk, k2. (18 sts)
Work 3 rows in st st beg with a p row.
Row 31: K2, k2tog, k to last 4 sts, ssk, k2. (16 sts) Row 32: P.
Row 33: K2, k2tog, k to last 4 sts, ssk, k2. (14 sts)
Row 34: K.
Row 35: K2, m1, k to last 2 sts, m1, k2. (16 sts) Bind (cast) off kwise.
Making up and finishing
With back and front WS together, join the sides of the owl using mattress stitch, leaving a gap at the side for stuffing. Oversew the lower seam from the inside and the top seam from the outside.
Fold the rectangle of fabric in half width wise and sew the two side seams. Fill with lavender and then stitch the top closed.
Stuff the owl with fiberfill, inserting the lavender bag inside, then stitch the gap closed.
Using B, work two sets of lazy daisy stitch for the eyes. Using C, work a French knot in the center of each eye for the pupil. Using D, work two sets of straight stitch, one over the other, to form a V-shape for the beak.
This project is from Knitting Stashbusters by Fiona Goble. To get more fab blog posts like this one - direct to your inbox - be sure to sign up to our mailing list here.