Turkish Cast on: Click here for video. Tie a slip knot in the yarn, hold the circular needle parallel to the dp needle with the circular needle on the bottom. Slip the loop of the slip knot onto them, slide it to the left and pull it just enough to hold it into place. Be sure the yarn to be worked is hanging downward. Wrap the yarn 16 times to the right from here. Start each wrap by wrapping toward you over the top of the needles then away from you under the needles while keeping the circular needle below the DP needle the entire time. This may sound silly, but if you don't wrap in the right direction you won't get what you need. You should complete this step with 16 loops on the dp needle and the yarn hanging down in the front of the needles. If you referred to the video, you’ll see that the first row is a knitted row. With this pattern you will purl the first row.
Front Consolidation (fcm): Hold these parallel in your left hand with the working yarn on the right as if you were going to resume the knitting (The stitches to be worked are on the front needle and the stitches just worked are on the back needle.) Slip all stitches onto a third needle in your right hand beginning with the stitch on the back needle and alternating with the stitches on the front needle. Slip every other stitch until all stitches are on the needle in your right hand.
Back Consolidation (bcm): Hold these parallel in your left hand with the working yarn on the right as if you were going to resume the knitting (The stitches to be worked are on the front needle and the stitches just worked are on the back needle.) Slip all stitches onto a third needle in your right hand beginning with the stitch on the front needle and alternating with the stitches on the back needle. Slip every other stitch until all stitches are on the needle in your right hand.
PSSO: pass slipped stitch over
KLL: (Knit Right Loop) insert right needle into right loop of stitch just below next stitch; place it onto left needle and knit it; then work the pattern as instructed. This is essentially an increasing method. You can substitute your preferred method, but be sure to account for it when working the rows which use this method. Click Here for Video (scroll down the page to find the video) Tbl (through back loop): work stitches as directed through the back loop rather than the front loop.
KRL: (Knit Left Loop) insert left needle into loop of stitch just below stitch just worked; and knit it: then resume working the pattern. . This is essentially an increasing method. You can substitute your preferred method, but be sure to account for it when working the rows which use this method. Click Here for Video (scroll down the page to find the video
KFB: Knit into front of stitch on the left needle but before removing it from the needle knit into the back. You now have 2 stitches where you originally had one. Click Here for Video
Knit enc: sl1 stich from the left needle to the right needle, lift the stitch below the next stitch onto the left needle. Slip previously slipped stitch back onto the left needle and knit the two together.
Purl enc: sl1 stich from the left needle to the right needle, lift the stitch below the next stitch onto the left needle. Slip previously slipped stitch back onto the left needle and purl the two together.*Weave in loose ends as you go before stuffing with fiber-fill.
You'll begin this critter by making the legs and placing them on a needle for later. Then you will begin the head and work from the top down attaching the legs at intervals. Once the body is complete you will make the ears and attach them. The final step will be to emroider on his facial features and you are free to embellish him as you wish. Enjoy.
Legs (make 4): *With Y1 CO 24 stitches. Do not turn, you’ll be knitting in the round by working from the first stitch you casted on. Round 1-7 (odd rounds only): knit, Round 2: (k4, inc 1, k4) 3 times. (27 stitches) Round 4: (k4, inc 1, k5) 3 times, (30 stitches) Round 6: purl Round 8: (k1, k2tog) 10 times (20 stitches), Round 9: (k1, k2tog, k1) 5 times, (15 stitches) Round 10: k1, (k2tog) 7 times, (8 stitches) cut yarn leaving a 6 inch tail, and using a tapestry needle thread it through the remaining 8 stitches, pull tight and tie off on the purl side of your work. Do not stuff yet. Turn your work around so you that you are looking at the knit side and begin working with the cast on edge. Tie the new working yarn Y2 to the tail left from the cast on. Using the outside loop of each cast on stitch, pick up 24 stitches around the edge. Rounds 1 & 3: knit, Round 2: (k3, k2tog, k3) 3 times (21 stitches) Round 4: (k2, k2tog, k3) 3 times (18 stitches) Rounds 5-8: knit (If you prefer not to count rows, you can just k360). Stuff with fiber-fill and close the arms using the Back consolidation Method (see stitch instructions), * you should now have all stitches on one needle, turn and p2tog across, leaving you with 9 stitches. Cut yarn leaving enough that the stitches don’t come undone (approximately 6 inches). Cut yarn leaving enough that the stitches don’t come undone (approximately 6 inches. Transfer all legs to your circular needle as they are completed with the purl side of the final row facing you. This will be important when you attach them to the body.
Head: With Y2 and using the Turkish Cast On Method wrap yarn counter clockwise 16 times , turn and purl (rather than knitting as the video demonstrates), turn again. Row 1: sl1, k14, (1 st remains unworked) turn, Row 2: sl1, p13, (1 st remains unworked) turn, Row 3: sl1, k12, (2 sts remain unworked) turn, Row 4: sl1, p11, (2 sts remain unworked) turn, Row 5: sl1, k10, (3 sts remain unworked) turn, Row 6: sl1, p9,(3 sts remain unworked) turn, Row 7: sl1, k8, (4 sts remain unworked) turn, Row 8: sl1, p7, p enc, (3 sts remain unworked) turn, Row 9: sl1, k8, k enc, (3 sts remain unworked) turn, Row 10: sl1, p9, p enc, (2 sts remain unworked) turn, Row 11: sl1, k10, k enc, (2 sts remain unworked) turn, Row 12: sl1, p11, p enc, (1 sts remain unworked) turn, Row 13: sl1, k12, k enc, (1 sts remain unworked) turn Row 14: sl1, p14, (you will not p enc here, because you should be at the end of the row) turn, Row 15: sl1, knit across. You should still have a total of 16 stitches and you will now start knitting in the round. Slide your circular needle into place and just continue knitting all stitches. Be sure you are looking at the knit side of your work before you complete this step. Also make sure you are not using the yarn tail for your working yarn. Now is a good time to start using your DP needles if you prefer can use two circulars. Once you knit the stitches along the cast on edge, move the yarn tail to the front of your work. It will mark the beginning of each round and you should have a total of 32 stitches. Rounds 1-5: knit, cut yarn leaving enough to tie Y1 onto and begin short rows.
Snout: Row 1: Here you will work the first 16 stitches of the round only, leaving the other 16 unworked until row 29.. (KRL, k1) 8 times, (KLL, k1) 8 times (32 stitches), (begin working short rows) turn, Row 2: sl1, p30, (1 st remains unworked) turn, Row 3: sl1, k29, (1 st remains unworked) turn Row 4: sl1, p28, (2 sts remain unworked) turn Row 5: sl1, k27, (2 sts remain unworked) turn, Row 6: sl1, p26, (3 sts remain unworked) turn, Row 7: sl1, k25, (3 sts remain unworked) turn Row 8: sl1, p24, (4 sts remain unworked) turn Row 9: sl1, k23, (4 sts remain unworked) turn Row 10: sl1, p22, (5 sts remain unworked) turn Row 11: sl1, k21, (5 sts remain unworked) turn Row 12: sl1, p20, (6 sts remain unworked) turn Row 13: sl1, k19, (6 sts remain unworked) turn Row 14: sl1, p18, (7 sts remain unworked) turn Row 15: sl1, k17, k enc, (6 sts remain unworked) turn Row 16: sl1, p18, p enc, (6 sts remain unworked) turn Row 17: sl1, k19, k enc, (5 sts remain unworked) turn Row 18: sl1, p20, p enc, (5 sts remain unworked) turn Row 19: sl1, k21, k enc, (4 sts remain unworked) turn Row 20: sl1, p22, p enc, (4 sts remain unworked) turn Row 21: sl1, k23, k enc, (3 sts remain unworked) turn Row 22: sl1, p24, p enc, (3 sts remain unworked) turn Row 23: sl1, k25, k enc, (2 sts remain unworked) turn Row 24: sl1, p26, p enc, (2 sts remain unworked) turn Row 25: sl1, k27, k enc, (1 st remains unworked) turn Row 26: sl1, p28, p enc, (1 st remains unworked) turn Row 27: sl1, k29, k enc, turn, Row 28: sl1, p30, p enc, turn, Row 29: sl1, k31, do not k enc, do not turn. Cut yarn leaving enough to tie Y2 onto and resume working in the round. k16 and you should now be at the beginning of each round once again.
Head cont: Round 6: (k2tog tbl) 16 times. k16, (you should 32 stitches total) Rounds 7 & 9: knit Round 8: (k1, k2tog tbl, k1) 4 times, k16, (28 stitches) Round 10: (k1, k2tog tbl) twice, (k2tog tbl, k1) twice, k16, (24 stitches). You will now be working rounds of the neck and body.Neck: Rounds 1-4: knit, (you can make up to 24 rounds if you want the neck slightly longer, but more than that might cause the little guy to tip over too much) Stuff the neck with fiber fill. Tamper filling until it reaches your desired firmness. Don’t stuff too full and don’t stuff up to the needles or you will end up with fibers in your knitting which are difficult to remove.
Body: Knit 16 more stitches. You should now be at the midway point of the back where you will begin each round from now on. Round 1: (k4, KLL, k4) 3 times (27 stitches) Round 2: knit Round 3: k5, KRL, k9, KRL, k8, KLL, k5 (30 stitches) Round 4: k6. You are now going to consolidate the next 9 stitches to be worked with the stitches on one leg so they can be worked together. While holding the body section as if you were going to continue knitting, pick up the needle containing the legs so that you can see the purl side of the final row and place it in front of the stitches of the body section that are to be worked next. bcm (see instructions above) one leg only. Now where you would have worked 9 stitches on the body, you have 18. (p2tog) 9 times. Now attach a second leg in the same manner again (having 18 stitches total where there would have only been 9), but this time use the fcm (See instructions above). k6, Rounds 5-17 (odd rounds only): knit, Round 6: k5, KRL, k10, KLL k10, KLL, k5, (33 stitches) Round 8: k5, KRL, k11, KRL, k12, KLL, k5 (36 stitches) Round 10: k6, KRL, k12, KLL, k12, KLL, k6 (39 stitches) Round 12: k6, KRL, k13, KRL, k14, KLL, k6 (42 stitches) Round 14: (k7, KRL) twice, k5, KRL, k4, KLL, k5,(KLL, k7) twice (48 stitches) Round 16: (k8, KRL) twice, k6, KRL, k4, KLL, k6,(KLL, k8) twice (54 stitches) Round 18: (k9, KRL) twice, k6, KRL, k6, KLL, k6,(KLL, k9) twice (60 stitches). Here’s a good place to switch to your circular needle. Rounds 19-26: knit, Round 27: (k2, k2tog,) twice, k4, k2tog, k32, k2tog, k4, (k2tog, k2,) twice,(54 stitches) Round 28: knit, Round 29: k3, k2tog, k8, k2tog, k6, k2tog, k8, k2tog, k6, k2tog, k8, k2tog, k3 (48 stitches) Round 30: k13. You are now going to consolidate the next 9 stitches to be worked with the stitches on one leg so they can be worked together. While holding the body section as if you were going to continue knitting, pick up the needle containing the legs so that you can see the purl side of the final row and place it in front of the stitches of the body section that are to be worked next. bcm (see instructions above) one leg only. Now where you would have worked 9 stitches on the body, you have 18, (p2tog) 9 times. k4, and attach a second leg in the same manner again (having 18 stitches total where there would have only been 9), but this time use the fcm (See instructions above). k13, Round 31: (k3, k2tog, k3) 6 times. (42 stitches) Round 32: k2, k2tog, k6, k2tog, k4, k2tog, k6, k2tog, k4, k2tog, k6, k2tog, k2 (36 stitches) Round 33: (k2, k2tog, k2) 6 times, (30 stitches), stuff the upper portion of the body until firm. Round 34: k1, k2tog, k4, k2tog, k2, k2tog, k4, k2tog, k2, k2tog, k4, k2tog, k1 (24 stitches) Round 35: (k1, k2tog, k1) 6 times, (18 stitches) Round 36: (k1, k2tog,) 6 times (12 stitches) cut yarn leaving a 8 inch tail, and using a tapestry needle thread it through the all stitches. Stuff more fiber-fill into the body until you are satisfied with the firmness, pull tight and tie off. You’ll need to be creative with this step since it’s closed and you can’t work from the inside.
Ears: Row 1: Using Y2 CO 18 stit ches, turn, Row 2: sl1, p2tog 8 times, p1, turn, Row 3: sl1, k2tog 4 times, k1, do not turn, cut yarn leaving a 12 inch tail, and using a tapestry needle thread it through the 6 remaining stitches pull tight. Fold the ear in half vertically and stitch the bottom edge together. Secure each ear to the top of the head along the line where you began to work the encroachment stitch earlier.
Finishing: Embroider on the facial features and voila! You now have your very first Sock Hippo. You are free to embellish him any way you wish.
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