Harry Hedgehog

Free Hedgehog Toy Knitting Pattern

Hey all I'm back with another pattern.
Let me just start by saying this little guy actually started off as a bee but as I knit him up at looked at the finished toy and realised he looked way more like a teeny weeny hedgehog and so Harry was born. When I say teeny this guy is only 1.5" long, I mean honestly who doesn't need a mini hedgehog in their life? Oh yeah and since he is so tiny he takes lest than half an hour to make, seriously he took me about 20min and I'm not a fast knitter. I knit one up without the safety eyes for my one year old and its a great little Waldorf style toy for him to play.
So now your dying to make one (or a million) aren't you, and you're imagining all the people you can hand gift them to? Well let the yarn see the needles....

 Materials
• Set of 3.25mm needles (UK size 10, US size 3)
• Yarn needle
• Toy stuffing
• 5mm black safety eyes

Yarn colours
• Dark brown
• Light brown

Yarn weight: Double knitting/ worsted weight

Gauge: not important but make it tight so stuffing doesn’t show through

Finished measurements: approx 1.5" long and 1" wide

Click here for my abbreviation list

TOY SAFETY
Remember never use toy safety eyes on a toy intended for a child under 3 years old, they are a potential choking hazard, please embroider on any features so they cannot be easily removed by little fingers or gnashers!

Please click here for my copyright info

Hedgehog Pattern:
CO 6 in dark brown yarn
1. knit
2. *kfb* along (12 sts)
3. knit
4. *kfb, k1 * along (18 sts)
5. knit
6. *kfb, k2* along (24 sts)
7-11. Garter stitch for 5 rows
12.  *k2tog, k2* along (18 sts)
Change to light brown yarn
13. purl
14.  *k2tog, k1* along (12 sts)
15. purl
16.  *k2tog* along (6 sts)
17. purl
18. knit
19. purl

Cut yarn, leaving a long yarn tail. Use scrap yarn to embroider on a nose and eyes or insert safety eyes at this point. Use the long yarn tail to mattress stitch together the row ends, stopping 3/4 way to stuff and then continue close the remaining stitches. Weave in any loose yarn ends.

That's it you're done. How easy was that?

Suggestions

• If you want some feet or ears on your little guy you can use the light brown yarn to embroider them on using a french knot, awesome tutorial here.
• Knit these little guys up in loads of different colours to give as party favours at a kids party or as classmate gifts.
• Add a little ribbon bow on the head for a girl hedgehog or knit one using the bow section from my Mr & Mrs Tasche Pattern.

Happy Knitting
Raynor x

Sponsor Us

Hi all,
I hope you are well, I've decided to start accepting blog sponsors to the site as it would be great to give some lovely handmade/small businesses exposure and for you guys to discover some amazing toy knitting related products.

If you have a knitting/craft supply website or a shop you would like to promote (or know someone who this would suit, pass on the word) then I'd love to have you on board. Plus I'm offering 50% off for all first time advertisers so you can figure out wheter the blog is right for your business.

If you interested pop over to my new sponsor page for pricing info (it's good value).

Raynor x

Free Knitting Pattern Directory

** UPDATE** Just to let you guys know that all seems to be fixed at Knitting Pattern Central. The new owner Emily released a statement on their facebook page to say that the problems with lack of update was due to website techs restricting her access after the change of hands. I'm going to leave this list of knitting pattern directories available so that if things ever go awry again or your looking for a new site to frequent then you can have a look at those below.

When I first started teaching myself to knit I relied heavily on free patterns and tutorials to help me advance my skills. Like many knitters I took to the internet and typed in' free knitting patterns'. Up popped this awesome site which has been quite a holy grail to knitters  it was Knitting Pattern Central. Run by the very lovely Rachel who had created the site due to demand after the success of her sister site Crochet Pattern Central.
Once I started the Knitted Toy Box I would contact Rachel to let her know that I had added a new pattern and she would alway kindly add it to her directory. Last month when I released my new Elf pattern I popped over to KPC as usual only to find that it had completly changed. I was always aware that Rachel only ever monetised enough to cover her cost of running and the site was virtually ad free. So a bit of routing around Ravelry I discovered that Rachel has recently retired and her site now have new owners. This sounds great as it means the site had potential to be kept alive and kicking after Rachel has put in so much hard (and very much appreciated) work. Sadly it seems that the new owners only serve to make money from vast amount of ads now placed on site, yet the site has not been updated since November 10th which is very sad as many a knitter frequented the site bi-weekly.
I'm hoping that the new owners get their act together and revive the site but until that happens then it looks like us knitters will need to look elswhere for a new blood when it comes to knitting patterns. I'm starting a list for alternative sites you can use in the meantime and hopefully we'll get some news about KPC soon. If you know of an alternative site then leave a comment and I'll add it to the list.

All Free Knitting
Ravelry
The Daily Knitter
 Free-KnitPatterns.com
KnittingOnTheNet.com
CoatsCrafts.co.uk
knitting at play

Christmas Elf Pattern

Free Christmas Elf Toy Knitting Pattern by Raynor Gellatly.

With Christmas right around the corner I've been wanting to try out some cool new traditions for the kids. I've been reading a lot about an American tradition called 'Elf on a Shelf' and thought it was fantastic - was until I looked for a set available in the UK. Sadly the cheapest one I could find was £30 (approx $50) which is way too expensive! So I decided to make my own alternative with some wooden peg dolls I've had lying around for over a year, and I've decided to pass on the pattern to you guys.
Obviously you will need to purchase some wooden peg dolls but these are inexpensive and easily available from local craft shops as well as online. I purchased a set of 9 dolls size from goosegreaseundone and they came in a little muslin bag to keep them altogether.
check out these other sellers:
iusedtobeatree
swellgoods
homecrafts

for those in the UK I found this site.

Please note this pattern is to fit a 3" boy and girl wood peg doll, not the larger 3.5" sizes.

If you know any good deals or places to buy these little wood people then leave a comment and to let others know.

These dolls are great for children and use in imaginative play as they outfits are removable as well as progressing their dexterity by allowing them to put the cloths on and off. They would also make super cute Christmas decor or perhaps even little holiday gift, so why don't you pin them and spread the Elf love ♡.

Materials
· Set of 3.25mm needles (UK size 10, US size 3),  preferably a set of dpns for i-cord arms
· Yarn needle
· Scissors
· Wool Felt scraps in yellow and white (optional)
· 3" Wood peg doll
· non-toxic craft paint (acrylics work best)

Yarn colours
·Dark green
·Light green
·Red
· Skin
· Hair colour (optional if making girl braids)

· Scraps of black/yellow embroidery thread(optional)
 

Yarn weight: Double knitting (DK)

Finished measurements: approx 3” tall and 1” wide

Click here for my abbreviation list

TOY SAFETY
Please don't give these as toys to children who still put things in their mouths, leave them unfinished and they will be safe to play with (waldorf style).

Please click here for my copyright info

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*


Boy Elf Costume
CO 20 in dark green
1-7. st-st 7 rows (begin with a purl row)
change to red yarn
8.knit
change to light green yarn
9-13. st-st 5 rows
14.  *k2tog, k3* along (16sts)
15. BO loosely

Leave a long yarn tail to draw through the last stitch. Use the long yarn tail to mattress stitch together the row ends until you read the cast on stitches, weave in any loose yarn ends.



Girl Elf Costume
CO 24 in dark green
1. purl

change to light green yarn

2. k1, k2tog, k21 (23sts)

3. purl

4. k1, k2tog, k20 (22sts)

5. purl

6. k1, k2tog, k19 (21sts)

7. purl

8. k1, k2tog, k18 (20sts)

9-11. st-st 3 rows (begin with purl row)

change to red yarn
10-11. st-st 2 rows
14.  *k2tog, k3* along (16sts)
15. BO loosely

Leave a long yarn tail to draw through the last stitch. Use the long yarn tail to mattress stitch together the row ends until you read the cast on stitches, weave in any loose yarn ends.
 
Arms (make 2)
The arms are knit by i-cord, if you are unfamiliar with this technique check out this video which teaches you how to i-cord, scroll down to just before the bottom, instructions for English and continental knitters.
CO 3 in skin
i-cord 2 rows in skin
change to light green yarn (boy) or red yarn (girl)
i-cord for 5 rows
BO

Pull the yarn tail though the last stitch and leave to attach to the body. Tie up and weave in any loose ends from yarn change and cast on.



Hat
CO 18 in  dark green
1. purl
change to red yarn
2-4. st-st 3 rows
5. *p2tog, p4* along (15sts)
6. *k2tog, k3* along (12sts)
7. purl
8. *k2tog, k2* along (9sts)
9. purl
10. *k2tog, k1* along (6sts)
11. purl
12. *k2tog* along (3sts)
13-17. st-st 5 rows


Cut yarn, leaving a long tail. Draw tail through remaining stitches and pull tightly and secure. Use tail to mattress stitch row ends closed until you  reach the cast on stitches. Tie oof and weave in any loose yarn ends.
**TIP** how about adding a little jingle bell to the end of the hat?

Optional Girl Braids (make 2)
Cut  3 x 3" strands of hair coloured yarn
thread the three stands through a stitch at the bottom of the hat, even up on each side and braid the stands. Tie a knot once you reach the desired length and trim any excess yarn.

Finishing

• Slip the outfit over the peg doll to provide a structure. Use the long yarn tail to attach the arms each side of the body (use the photos as guidance).
• Embroider on a belt buckle and buttons for the boy and a little collar for the girl (I used wool felt and fabric glue, do not use this if for a child who will put the toy in its mouth.)
•  You can paint the dolls or leave them unfinished, they look super cute both ways.

These are how my dolls looked in a more simplistic style without arms (good for young kids) as well as unpainted.

As these are so quick to knit up I'm going to be releasing a whole series of Christmas characters so check back for more peg doll updates.
Happy knitting
♥ Raynor

Flickr Faves

I always love to see what people knit up from my patterns. I especially like it when they use different yarn, colours, needles sizes etc. because it just shows how one little change to requirements can completely change the whole look of a toy. If you haven't already joined the photo sharing group over at Flickr then feel free to pop over their and join us in the Knitted Toy Box group and upload  photos of your finished knitted toy box toys. Here are some of my personal favourites from the group.

source

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Mama Hen

Free Chicken Toy Knitting Pattern by Raynor Gellatly.

Hey all I hope you are well.
Today I bring you a pattern for a Mama Chicken and her little chick bambino. The inspiration for this pattern came from the love bird free sewing pattern  over at Molly Chicken. Isn't she adorable wearing a little apron to carry her baby. Make sure to keep an eye on that little removable cheeky chick because it likes to wander!

When I started knitting this up I was a bit sceptical at how it would turn out and was actually thinking about scrapping it. Come to think of it I should really write a post about the amount of patterns I start but then scrap due to them not turning out how they look in my head! I set the piece aside and came back to it and i'm so glad I did because I love love love the finished toy. For any baby wearers out there I think this toy would be fantastic if your babies have any siblings. I promised this Mrs Hen to my eldest daughter and I think i'm probably going to knit up a brown one as a friend or perhaps even a Daddy Chicken, since it's cool for daddies to wear their babies too!

There are a few little bits to this pattern (which are always fiddly) but it's a really quick knit and I hope you love the end toy.

Enjoy and as always I want to see your finished toys so please add to our Ravelry or Flickr pages.

Materials
· Set of 3.25mm needles (UK size 10, US size 3)
· Yarn needle
· Toy Stuffing
· Scissors
· 6mm Toy safety eyes

Yarn colours
·White
·Blue
·Yellow
·Red
· Scraps of yellow embroidery thread or yarn for beak
· Scraps of black yarn/thread if embroidering the eyes

Yarn weight: Double knitting (DK)

Gauge: not important but make it tight so stuffing doesn’t show through

Finished measurements: approx 3” tall and 2.5” wide

 Click here for my abbreviation list

TOY SAFETY
Remember never use toy safety eyes on a toy intended for a child under 3 years old, they are a potential choking hazard, please embroider on any features so they cannot be easily removed by little fingers or gnashers!

Please click here for my copyright info

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Hen Main Body
CO 30 in white
1-19. st-st 19 rows (begin with a purl row)
20.  *k2tog, k1* along (20sts)
21. purl
22. *k2tog* along (10sts)
23. purl
24. *k2tog, k3* along (8sts)

Cut yarn, leaving a long tail. Draw tail through remaining stitches and pull tightly and secure. At this stage you may want to add the safety eyes and embroider a nose. Use tail to mattress stitch row ends closed until you  reach the cast on stitches, leaving a circular gap to attach the bottom piece.

Hen Body Bottom
CO 30 in white
1. purl
2.  *k2tog, k3* along (24sts)
3. *p2tog, p2* along (18sts)
4. *k2tog, k1* along (12sts)
5. *p2tog* along (6sts)
6. knit

Cut yarn, leaving a long tail. Draw tail through remaining stitches and pull tightly and secure. Use tail to mattress stitch row ends closed until you  reach the cast on stitches and you have a flat circular piece.

Comb
CO4 in red
BO all stitches

Leave a long yarn tail to draw through the last stitch. Tie together the cast on tail with the bind off tail and use to attach comb to the head.

Apron
CO 12 in blue
1-8. garter sitch 8 rows
9. BO

Leave a long yarn tail to attach the apron to the body.

Wings (make 2)
CO 2 in white (leave a long cast on tail)
1. purl
2. *kfb* along (4sts)
3. purl
4. kfb, k2, kfb (6sts)
5-9. st-st 5 rows (start with purl)
10. BO

Leave a long yarn tail for attaching to body.

Chick

CO 6

1. purl

2. *kfb* along (12sts)

3-7. st-st 5 rows (start with purl)

8. BO

Leave a long  yarn tail to whipstitch together the bind off edges and the mattress stich together the row end until you read the cast on stitches. Gather the thread as a running stitch, pull titch and secure to form a rounded end. Weave in any loose yarn ends.

Finishing

• Attach comb to the  head by whip stitching the row ends of cast on stitches along the head length-wise.
• Sew the apron to the front of the body attaching the bottom and side, leaving the top open to form a pocket.
•  Use the BO yarn tail from the wing to attach the wing to the body and then to yarn tail from the cast on stitchs to secure to tip onto the side of the apron.
• Weave in any loose yarn ends 

Now place your little chicky in its pouch and play.

♥ Raynor

Toy Stuffing

There are many options for stuffing a knitted toy, this post will explore the variety of stuffing available and some of the advantages or disadvantages of each.

Polyester Toy Filling

Also known as fiberfill, this is probably the most common used toy filling and the type that most craft stores will stock. This type of filling is extremely safe for knitted toys as it is unlikely to come loose if the toy has been knit to a tight gauge.  Look out for bags which state they are Non Toxic, Non Allergenic, Washable and Flame Retardant. Often these fillings will be required to fulfil toy safety regulations such as British safety standard, European standards, CPSC depending on which country you are in. This type of stuffing is fairly inexpensive and can come in bags of a few 100g up to kgs.

Natural & Eco Friendly Fibres

These days children are presented with so many man made toys that it's nice to have a nice natural alternative. A great natural toy filling is some wool roving, however please remember that children and in particular small babies may have allergies to wool and therefore an alternative such as kapok (firmer feel) or cotton (softer feel) may be more suitable. Bamboo is another natural and eco friendly alternative which is apparently lovely to work with.

Beads/Pellets

I  would not recommend that you stuff knitted toys with any sort of small loose filling, especially if giving the toy to a small child. Toy safety is of utmost importance as small pieces can present as choking hazard especially to babies who still place things in their mouths. If you would like to add weight to a knitted toy to give it a 'beanie' type feel then i suggest you create a small securely sealed (preferably sewn) fabric pouch (old hosiery is great for this) to place the beads in before inserting into your finished toy. If you choose this method then please do not give to a baby under three or an animal, purely for safety reasons.

Magnets

You may choose to add magnets to the hands or feet of your stuffed toy to make them 'cling'. Once again this method should never be used if the toy is intended for a baby under 3 or a pet. A light surface wipe is the only suitable method of cleaning a toy with magnets inside, if exposed to water the metal may start to erode inside the toy. If you want to put magnets inside your toy then i suggest you purchase a size large enough that it cannot  easily slip through the knit fabric.

Food Stuffs

Some vintage patterns have called for food stuff such as rice or beans to stuff knitted toys and add some weight to them. I would suggest never using any type of food to fill any knitted toy. Not only will it results in one huge mess or germinating plants if exposed to water  but it may also attract bugs and has even been know to attract mice!

Noise Makers

Adding a bell or a squeakers to the toy can add interest to the toy. You can often find these specially made for toys in craft stores or on-line particularly on stuffed bear making websites. If giving to a baby under 3 then make sure your gauge is extra tight and that the piece is large enough not to be able to slip through the knit. You can make extra sure that the piece is secure by wrapping it securely in a wad of stuffing before inserting into the middle of the toy.
Another interesting method may be to add a plastic packet sheet (something like a pasta packet) to the middle of the toy before surrounding with stuffing. I have also seen people use plastic shopping bags for the same purpose, however please note that most bags these days are bio-degradable and within a few months of being stuffed will disintegrate into tiny little plastic flakes.

Scrap Yarn

To be frugal you can stockpile those little cut off ends from all your knitting projects and use to stuff your toy with. Not only does this help to save to money buying less stuffing but it comes in handy when you don't want the tell-tale white of a toy stuffing  on you finished toy. It also means you get more bang for your buck since you will be using up all the yarn you've paid for.

Fabric Scraps

If you have some fabric on hand, perhaps from sewing projects with scraps too small to use for other projects or even old clothes which are too messed up to reuse or upcycle, then these can all be used as toy filling. Cut up your fabric into little strips and use it to bulk out the majority of your toy. I suggest you use a filling such as polyfill on the outside edges to give the toy a squishy feel and so the finished toy can be shaped easily and not so lumpy.

Foam

Similar to the fabric scrap idea, this method will add bulk to your toy. It can be shredded into smaller chunks and wrapped in poly fill for the outer stuffing then this will prevent your toy from being lumpy. It will also provide more support for your toy, for example this type of stuffing would be perfect for the milk and cookie pattern to add some rigidity to the milk toy.

This is a list of the most common methods and is by no means exhaustive, if you have a preferred stuffing for your toy which is not listed here, than leave a comment and let us know.

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