I have good news and bad news about week one.

The bad news? You’re going to do the most difficult part of the pattern first.

The good news? It’s smooth sailing from here on out.

During week one, we will be making the head, horns, ears, and arms (this post)- and we will put together the head (second post arriving on Tuesday 4/21/20). As I said in the introduction, I’ll be following the pattern as written as far as technique is concerned, but we will skip around a bit to even the pattern distribution up over the three weeks.

I will link to several videos through the head portion of the pattern. They are somewhat lengthy, because I wanted you to be able to see as much as possible if you’re a visual person like me. And… be gentle with me on the videos, because I’m a newbie video maker.

For those of you who are more advanced knitters, you can probably skip the videos altogether- but they’re there if you need them.

Finally, if you want to practice or get to know stitches used in this pattern, visit this post for more information.

Key- 

CO (cast on), K (knit), P (purl), Kf/b (knit front and back), M1L/M1 (make one left of make one), M1R (make one right), K2tog (knit 2 together), SSK (slip slip knit), P2tog (purl 2 together), SM (slip marker), PM (place marker)

This video (video 1) covers rounds 1-13

Head- 

–With white yarn, CO 6, join to knit in the round

1– Kf/b 6 times =12 sts

2– Knit

3– (K2, M1), repeat 6 times =18 sts *see Hacks below for options on this round

4-7– Knit

8– begin face shaping- K3, M1R, PM, K3, PM, M1L, K12 =20 sts

9– Knit (slip markers where necessary)

10– K4, M1R, SM, K3, SM, M1L, K13 =22 sts

11– Knit (slip markers where necessary)

12– K5, M1R, SM, K3, SM, M1L, K14 =24sts

13– Knit (slip markers where necessary)

Click here for video 2

14– begin head shaping- P2, K4, M1R, SM, K3, SM, M1L, K4, P11 =26 sts

15– **switch to grey yarn** – P3, K3, P1, remove marker, P3, remove marker, P1, K3, P12 =26 sts

16– P3, K2, P7, K2, P12 =26 sts

17-24– Purl

**Begin stuffing firmly, but give yourself enough room to decrease stitches**

Click here for video 3

25– (P2, P2tog) 3 times, P1, (P2, P2tog) 3 times, P1 =20 sts

26– Purl

27– (P2, P2tog) 5 times =15 sts

28– Purl

29– P2tog 7 times, P1 = 8 sts

Finish stuffing. Cut long end, thread through remaining stitches and pull tight. Set aside.

You’ve just finished the most difficult part of this pattern. Tea anyone?

Horns: (Make 2)

-With white yarn, CO 12, join to knit in the round

*See Hacks below for options on this part of the pattern

1– Knit

2– Purl

3-12– repeat the above two rows

13– K2, K2tog (repeat 6 times) = 9sts

14– Purl

15– Knit

16– Purl

17– (K1, K2tog) repeat 3 times = 6 sts

18– Purl

19– Knit

20– Purl

21– (K1, K2tog) repeat twice = 4 sts

22– Purl

23– Knit

24– Purl

25– K2tog twice, tie off

Stuff lightly and set aside

 

Ears: (Make 2)

-With grey yarn, CO 6 (ears are worked flat)

1– Purl

2– Knit

3– Purl

4- SSK, K2, K2tog = 4 sts

5– Purl

6– SSK, K2tog = 2 sts

7– Tie off

Arms: (Make 2)

-With grey yarn, CO 10 and join to knit in the round

*See Hacks below for options on this part of the pattern

1-7– Knit

8– K3, M1, K5, M1, K2 = 12 sts

9-22– Knit

23-26–  switch to white yarn and knit

27– K2tog 6 times = 6 sts

28– Cut a tail long enough to thread through remaining stitches, and pull tight, weave in end.

-Stuff arms lightly, with most of the bulk toward the hand end- you need almost no stuffing at the open end.

Hacks:

For round 3 on the head, feel free to substitute the M1s for K1f/b, particularly for those M1s that fall at the end of a row. K1f/b leaves a purl bump, so this is really the only area you can get away with this in the pattern.

This week, hacks are going to consist mainly of turning the arms and horns from “in the round” to flat if you just need a break. I’ll be honest, I love working in the round, but sometimes it can get a bit fiddly, and I need a break. If that’s you- here you go- 

Horns- The horns are originally worked in the round and in garter stitch, which, in the round is working two rows, knit, then purl, then knit. When flat, however, garter stitch is just knit stitches. Zero purling required. You will, however, have to sew the piece together. Keep this in mind.

Horns worked flat (make 2)- 

-With white yarn, CO 12

1-10 Knit

11– (K2, K2tog) repeat 3 times = 9 sts

12-14– Knit

15– (K1, K2tog) repeat 3 times = 6 sts

16-18– Knit

19– (K1, K2tog) twice = 4 sts

20-22– Knit

23– K2tog twice, tie off

Fold side to side, and seam together, then stuff lightly

The arms are, alas, exactly opposite in stitch requirement because they are worked in stockinette stitch. In the round, stockinette is only knit stitches. Worked flat, it is alternating rows of knit (right side) and purl (wrong side).

Arms worked flat (make 2)- 

With grey yarn, CO 10

1-7– Work 7 rows in stockinette stitch, beginning with a purl row.

8– Increase row on right side of fabric- K3, M1, K5, M1, K2 = 12 sts

9-22 Work 14 rows in stockinette beginning with a purl row

23-27– **switch to white yarn** and work 5 rows in stockinette

28– Decrease row on right side of fabric- K2tog, repeat 6 times = 6 sts

-Cut a tail long enough to thread through remaining stitches and fasten off, weave in end.

-Seam down long sides of arms, keeping colors even. Stuff arms lightly, but with bulk toward hand- you need almost no stuffing at the opening.