Knitting: knit a cute collection of aliens from outer space
Little astronauts will love these alien creatures creatures.
MATERIALS
DK yarn in Aqua Blue (30 g) A, Orange (5 g) B, Red (35 g) C, Black (2 g) D, Green (30 g), E, Yellow (5 g) F, Mid Blue (5 g) G, plus oddments of Dark Green, Claret and Deep Blue for embroidery; a pair of 3.25 mm (No. 7) needles plus a spare needle; stitch markers; tapestry needle; toy stuffing.
ABBREVIATIONS
alt – alternate;
K– knit; m1 – make one stitch by picking up horizontal loop lying bbeforef nextt stitchtith andd workingki into the back of it;
P– purl;
PM – place marker;
rem – remain;
st(s) – stitches;
st-st – stocking-stitch (knit 1 row, purl 1 row);
tbl – through back of loop;
tog – together.
Size
Approx. 29 cm (11½ ins) tall.
Tension
26 sts and 34 rows to 10 cm (4 ins) measured over st-st using 3.25 mm knitting needles.
Important Note
Figures in square brackets [ ] are worked the number of times stated. These toys are not recommended for children under the age of three. When writing to us you must enclose an SAE if you would like a reply.
Blue Martian
Note: Split yarn A into 2 balls.
Right foot – With 3.25 mm needles and A, cast on 22 sts and PM between 7th and
8th st just cast on.
1st row – Purl.
2nd row – K2, [m1, K2] to endd – 32 sts. t
3rd - 11th rows – Beg with a purl row, work in st-st.
Shape foot –
12th row – K5, [K2tog, K1] 6 times, K9 – 26 sts.
13th row – Purl.
14th row – K4, [K2tog] 8 times, K6 – 18 sts.
15th - 19th rows – Beg with a purl row, work in st-st.
Break off yarn and set aside.
Left foot – With 3.25 mm needles and A, cast on 22 sts and PM between 15th and 16th st just cast on. Work first 11 rows as given for right foot.
12th row – K10, [K2tog, K1] 6 times, K4 – 26 sts.
13th row – Purl.
14th row – K6, [K2tog] 8 times, K4 – 18 sts.
15th - 19th rows – Beg with a purl row, work in st-st.
Join legs – Knit across 18 sts of left leg and then with the same yarn, cont knitting across 18 sts of right leg – 36 sts. Place a marker at beg and end of last row.
21st row – Purl.
22nd row – K4, [m1, K4] to end – 44 sts.
23rd row – Purl.
24th row – K9, [m1, K1] 6 times, K15, [m1, K1] 6 times, K8 – 56 sts.
25th - 33rd rows – Beg with a purl row, work in st-st.
Work patch – Join in B and 2nd ball of A and work in blocks of colour, twisting yarn when changing colours to avoid a hole.
34th row – K22A, K12B, K22A (2nd ball).
35th row – P22A, P12B, P22A..
36th - 39th rows – Rep last
2 rows twice more.
40th row – With A, K13, K2tog, K7, K12B, with A, K7, K2tog, K13 – 54 sts.
41st row – P21A, P12B, P21A.
42nd row – K21A, K12B, K21A.
43rd row – P21A, P12B,
P21A.
44th row – With A, K12, K3tog, K6, K12B, with A, K6, K3tog, K12 – 50 sts.
45th row – P19A, P12B, P19A.
46th row – K19A, K12B,
K19A.
47th row – P19A, P12B,
P19A.
Break off B and 2nd ball of A and work in A to end.
48th row – [K11, K3tog,
K11] twice – 46 sts.
49th - 51st rows – Beg with a purl row, work in st-st..
52nd row – [K10, K3tog, K10] twice – 42 sts.
53rd - 55th rows – Beg with a purl row, work in st-st.
56th row – [K9, K3tog, K9] twice – 38 sts.
57th - 59th rows – Beg with a purl row, work in st-st.
60th row – [K8, K3tog, K8] twice – 34 sts.
61st - 63rd rows – Beg with a purl row, work in st-st.
64th row – [K7, K3tog, K7] twice – 30 sts.
65th - 67th rows – Beg with a purl row, work in st-st.
Cast off.
Head – With 3.75 mm needles and A, cast on 30 sts. Beg with a purl row, work 3 rows in st-st.
4th row – K4, [m1, K2] 5 times, K4, [m1, K2] 5 times, K2 – 40 sts.
5th - 19th rows – Work in st-st.
20th row – [K2tog, K3] to end – 32 sts.
21st row – Purl.
22nd row – [K2tog, K2] to end – 24 st.
23rd row – Purl.
24th row – [K2tog, K1] to end – 16 sts.
25th row – Purl.
26th row – [K2tog] to end – 8 sts. Break off yarn and thread through sts on needle, pull tight and secure by threading yarn a second time through sts.
Arms (2) – With 3.75 mm needles and A, cast on13 sts.
1st row – Purl.
2nd row – K1, [m1, K1] to end – 25 sts.
3rd - 27th rows – Beg with a purl row, work in st-st.
28th row – K1, [K2tog, K1] to end – 17 sts.
Break off yarn, thread through sts on needle and leave loose.
Eye – With 3.75 mm needles and C, cast on 28 sts.
1st row – Knit.
2nd row – P1, [P2tog, P1] to end – 19 sts.
3rd row – Knit. Change to yarn D.
4th row – P1, [P2tog] to end – 10 sts.
Break off yarn and thread through sts on needle, pull tight and secure by threading the yarn a second time through sts.
Aerials (2) – With 3.75 mm needles and A, cast on 10 sts.
1st - 9th rows – Beg with a purl row, work in st-st. 10th row – K1, [m1, K1] to end – 19 sts.
11th - 13th rows – Beg with a purl row, work in st-st.
14th row – K1, [K2tog, K1] to end – 13 sts.
Break off yarn, thread through sts on needle and leave loose.
To Make Up –
Note: Sew up all row-end seams on right side using mattress stitch one stitch in from the edge, unless otherwise stated.
Feet, legs and body – Sew up side edges of each leg and with markers at tips of toes, oversew cast-on stitches. Bring markers together at crotch and sew round crotch.
Stuff feet and legs, pushing stuffing into toes.
Sew up side edges of body and stuff body.
Head – Sew up side edges of head and stuff. Sew head to body by sewing a small horizontal stitch from head, then a small horizontal stitch from body and do this alternately all the way round.
Arms – Roll arms up from row ends to row ends and sew side edge down. Pull stitches on a thread tight and gather round cast-on stitches, pull tight and secure.
Sew arms to Martian.
Features – Sew up row ends of eye and sew eye to head. Embroider mouth in Dark Green making two rings of 6 chain stitches at sides of mouth and join them with a curved chain stitch.
Aerials – Roll up aerials from row ends to row ends, pull stitches on a thread tight and sew side edge down.
Sew aerials to head.
Green Martian
With E, make feet, legs and body as for Blue Martian using F for patch.
Head – With E, cast on 30 sts. and work 4 rows as given for Blue Martian.
5th row – Purl ★★ .
6th row – K5, [m1, K2] 6 times, K8, [m1, K2] 6 times, K3 – 52 sts.
7th - 21st rows – Work in st-st.
22nd row – K5, [K2tog, K1] 6 times, K7, [K2tog, K1] 6 times, K4 – 40 sts.
23rd row – Purl.
24th row – K4, [K2tog] 6 times, K8, [K2tog] 6 times, K4 – 28 sts.
25th row – Purl.
Cast off.
Arms, eyes and aerials – As Blue Martian, working arms in E, two eyes in B and D and aerials in E.
Make up feet, legs and body, as for blue Martian.
Head – Sew up side edges of head and with this seam at centre back, sew across cast-off stitches.
Stuff head and sew head to body by sewing a small horizontal stitch from head, then a small horizontal stitch from body and do this alternately all the way round. Complete as Blue Martian working mouth in Claret.
Red Martian
Make feet, legs and body as for Blue Martian using C and G
(for patch).
Head – With C, cast on 30 sts and work as given for Green Martian to ★★ .
6th row –[ K3, m1] 6 times, K4, [m1, K3] 6 times – 52 sts.
7th row – Purl
8th row – K8, [m1, K2] 6 times, K14, [m1, K2] 6 times, K6 – 64 sts.
9th - 23rd rows – Beg with a purl row, work in st-st.
24th row – ★ K5, [K2tog,
K2] 6 times, K3, rep from ★ once – 52 sts.
25th row – Purl.
26th row – ★ K7, [K2tog] 6 times, K7, rep from ★ once – 40 sts.
27th row – Purl.
Cast off.
Arms, eyes and aerials – As before, work arms in C, 3 eyes in F and D and aerials in C. Make up feet, legs and body, as for Green Martian.
Sew on 3 eyes and work embroidery in Deep Blue. ■