Cute zoo animals
Toy genius Amanda Berry takes four popular animals and turns them into playful friends for your little ones.
Amanda Berry
“I had to make a lion because I adore big cats (I love his hair!). I made him a few animal friends too, so he doesn’t get lonely.”
Soft, safe makes for little ones are some of the most rewarding things you can knit. Amanda Berry’s quartet of wild animals are bound to include a favourite or two! Their simple construction and detail means you’ll find them easy to tackle, even if you’re new to toy making.
ELEPHANT HEAD
Cast on 10 sts using 3 mm needles and Yarn A.
Start at the back of the Head.
Row 1 ( WS) Purl.
Row 2 (RS) (Kfb) 9 times, K1. [19 sts] Row 3 Purl.
Row 4 (K1, kfb) 9 times, K1. [28 sts]
Row 5 Purl.
Row 6 (K2, kfb) 9 times, K1. [37 sts] Rows 7-15 Starting and ending on a WS purl row, work in st st.
Row 16 K6, (K2, ssk) 3 times, K1, (k2tog, K2) 3 times, K6. [31 sts]
Row 17 Purl.
Row 18 K6, (K1, ssk) 3 times, K1, (k2tog, K1) 3 times, K6. [25 sts]
Row 19 Purl. Cast off all sts.
TRUNK
Cast on 25 sts using 3 mm needles and Yarn A.
Start at the top of the Trunk.
Row 1 ( WS) Purl.
Row 2 (RS) (K2, ssk) 3 times, K1, (k2tog, K2) 3 times. [19 sts]
Rows 3-5 Starting and ending on a WS purl row work in st st.
Row 6 (K1, ssk) 3 times, K1, (k2tog, K1) 3 times. [13 sts]
Rows 7-15 Starting and ending on a WS purl row, work in st st.
Row 16-17 Knit.
Row 18 K1, (k2tog) 6 times. [7 sts] Cut yarn and thread through rem sts to fasten off.
BODY
Cast on 9 sts using 3 mm needles and Yarn A.
Start at the bottom of the Body.
Row 1 ( WS) Purl.
Row 2 (RS) (Kfb) 8 times, K1. [17 sts]
Row 3 Purl.
Row 4 (K1, kfb) 8 times, K1. [25 sts]
Row 5 Purl.
Row 6 (K2, kfb) 8 times, K1. [33 sts]
Row 7 Purl.
Row 8 (K3, kfb) 8 times, K1. [41 sts] Rows 9-15 Starting and ending on a WS purl row work in st st.
Row 16 K9, (ssk, K3) twice, K3, (K3, k2tog) twice, K9. [37 sts]
Rows 17-19 Starting and ending on a WS purl row work in st st.
Row 20 K9, (ssk, K2) twice, K3, (K2, k2tog) twice, K9. [33 sts]
Rows 21-23 Starting and ending on a WS purl row work in st st.
Row 24 K9, (ssk, K1) twice, K3, (K1, k2tog) twice, K9. [29 sts]
Rows 25-27 Starting and ending on a WS purl row work in st st.
Row 28 K2, (k2tog, K1) twice, (ssk, K1) twice, K1, (K1, k2tog) twice, (K1, ssk) twice, K2. [21 sts]
Row 29 Purl.
Row 30 K2, (k2tog) twice, (ssk) twice, K1, (k2tog) twice, (ssk) twice, K2. [13 sts] Cast off.
EARS
(MAKE 2)
Cast on 14 sts using 3 mm needles and Yarn A.
Start at the inner edge of the Ear.
Row 1 Purl.
Row 2 (K1, kfb) 3 times, K1, (K1, kfb) 3 times, K1. [20 sts]
Row 3 Purl.
Row 4 K1, kfb, K2, kfb, K3, kfb, K2, kfb, K3, kfb, K2, kfb, K1. [26 sts]
Row 5 Purl.
Row 6 (K1, kfb, K4, kfb, K4, kfb, K1) twice. [32 sts]
Rows 7-9 Starting and ending on a WS purl row work in st st.
Row 10 (K1, ssk, K10, k2tog, K1) twice. [28 sts]
Row 11 Purl.
Row 12 (K1, ssk, K8, k2tog, K1) twice. [24 sts] Row 13 Purl. Cast off.
LEGS
(MAKE 2)
Cast on 17 sts using 3 mm needles and Yarn A.
Start at the top of the Leg.
Rows 1-11 Starting and ending on a WS purl row, work in st st.
Rows 12-13 Purl.
Row 14 Knit.
Row 15 P1, (p2tog) 8 times. [9 sts] Cut yarn and thread through rem sts to fasten off.
ARMS
(MAKE 2)
Cast on 14 sts using 3 mm needles and Yarn A.
Start at the top of the Arm.
Rows 1-21 Starting and ending on a WS purl row, work in st st.
Row 22 Purl.
Row 23 (P2tog) 7 times. [7 sts]
Cut yarn and thread through rem sts to fasten off.
TAIL
Cast on 4 sts using 3 mm DPNs and
Yarn A.
Using two DPNs work i- cord for 6 rows. Cut yarn and thread through rem sts to fasten off.
LION MANE
Note The mane is knitted in loop stitch.
LOOP STITCH PATTERN
1 Knit into the stitch, but do not allow the original stitch to fall off the left- hand needle. Bring the yarn forward between the tips of the needles to the front.
2 Stretch out your left thumb so that it is in front of the knitting and wrap the yarn around and under it.
3 Take the yarn back between the tips of the needles to the back (keeping it wrapped around your thumb to make a loop).
4 Knit into the same stitch again on the left needle, and drop the original stitch off the left needle. Take your thumb out of the loop.
5 Put the tip of the left- hand needle through the front of the two stitches just made on the right needle and knit together.
Cast on 10 sts using 3 mm needles and Yarn D.
Start at the centre back.
Row 1 (RS) K1, (loop) 8 times, K1.
Row 2 ( WS) (Kfb) 9 times, K1. [19 sts] Row 3 K1, (loop) 17 times, K1.
Row 4 (K1, kfb) 9 times, K1. [28 sts]
Row 5 K1, (loop) 26 times, K1.
Row 6 (K2, kfb) 9 times, K1. [37 sts]
Row 7 K1, (loop) 35 times, K1.
Row 8 Knit.
Rows 9-10 Rep Rows 7- 8.
Row 11 Rep Row 7.
Cast off.
HEAD
Cast on 10 sts using 3 mm needles and Yarn C.
Start at the back of the Head.
Rows 1-19 Follow Elephant Head patt Rows 1-19 in Yarn C. [25 sts] Cast off.
SNOUT
Cast on 25 sts using 3 mm needles and Yarn C.
Rows 1-5 Starting and ending on a WS purl row, work in st st. Row 6 K1, (k2tog, K1) 8 times. [17 sts] Row 7 Purl.
Row 8 K1, (k2tog) 8 times. [9 sts] Cut yarn and thread through rem sts to fasten off.
BODY
Cast on 9 sts using 3 mm needles and Yarn C.
Rows 1-31 Follow Elephant Body patt Rows 1-31 in Yarn C. [13 sts]
Cast off.