Purple cat and mouse

The cat is a cuddling toy, only the head is stuffed. I made this as a birth present, but as I am terribly behind with making those, the baby is almost a toddler :). The mouse is for her big brother.
I have browsed Internet for a good pattern, but could not find one. In the end I decided it would save me time to start knitting and designing the pattern myself meanwhile. So I started well, wrote down what I did after almost every row. When the body was knitted I was not content with it, it was too big for my purpose and the knitting itself was too loose and therefor ugly. I used needle size 4 mm, as recommended at the label of the yarn. I frogged the whole thing and started again with needle size 3 mm. And forgot to write down anything while knitting. I did afterwards and I hope it will make any sense. I am absolute rubbish in following patterns myself. I have tried to put it down as clear as it can be, but I will fully understand if you don't catch it :). Please feel free to let me know if you find any obscurities. Brings me to the question: should I translate this pattern in Dutch?




Purple cat pattern


Abbreviations used:

incr: increase/increases/increasing
K or k: knit
K2tog: knit 2 stitches together
skp: slip, knit, pass stitch over- one stitch decreased

Used Materials:
100 cm circular needle 3 mm
DK Washed Haze of Patons, 1 ball of each color. Any yarn of DK weight will do however, I needed about 20 grams of each.
Scratch (dark coloured) yarn to do the face.
Toy filling.

Body and head
Use main colour: cast 8 stitches on each needle of the circular (16 stitches total), using one of these methods:
knitty magic cast on
queen Kahuna Aloha cast on

K one row.
Second row: inc in every stitch to 32 stitches
Third and next rows: *incr first stitch on needle, knit to last stitch on that same needle, incr that last stitch*
Turn to other needle and repeat from *

Repeat this round, increasing 4 stitches every round, to a total of 48 (24 per needle) stitches has been reached or to the desired amount.

Knit one or two rows. Change to other colour(B). Work now in two row stripes of both colours for the body.

Knit to a height of 10 cm.

*decrease by k2tog the first stitches an skp the last two stitch of each needle. Next row knit *
Repeat from * until 24 (12 each needle) stitches are left.

Change to main colour. Knit one row. Break of yarn of colour-B, leaving a long tail. Use this to graft together the neckline: graft the bumps of colour-B below the stitches on each needle. Weave in the ends.
Knit 1 row more with main colour.

Begin the shaping of the head: *k1 incr next stitch * repeat from * this row.

Continue knitting for 19 rows

Shape top of head: * k2tog the first 2 stitches, knit to the last to stitches on the needle and skp. Turn to other needle and repeat. Next row K *
Repeat 2 times more.

Next row: k2tog to end of row.
Next row: k2tog to end of row.

While leaving the remaining stitches on the cord of the needle, stuff the head. Break off yarn, leaving a long tail and use this to graft the remaining stitches together.

Arms (make 2).
Using main colour: cast on 5 stitches on each needle (see above).
Knit 1 row
Second row: increase in every stitch.

Knit 4 rows, than change color. Work now in 2 row stripes.

Knit to a height of 5 cm.
*decrease by knitting together 2 stitches, knit all other stitches on needle. Turn needle, knit to last two stitches on that one, then skp. Knit next row * Repeat from * until there are 6 stitches left in total. Cast off.

Ears (make 2).
Using main colour: cast on 5 stitches on each needle (as above). Knit 1 row. Next row: increase in every stitch. Knit 3 rows.
Next row: * knit together first 2 stitches. Knit 6 stitches and then skp. Turn and same on other needle. Knit next row *

Repeat from * until 4 stitches (each needle) remain. Graft graft them together.

Sew the arms to the body. Shape the ears a bit and sew them to the head. Embroider a cats face on the head, using black or dark coloured yarn. Work thread ends away.


More about the mouse: I found this book in our local charity shop...



Fifty lovable toys, the instructions are clear written. I used a pattern from this book to do the mouse, I only converted it to knit on a circular needle. I used the same yarn as for the cat.