Treat your kitty to three new knitted toys using Amanda Berry's easy-to-follow patterns.
You will need:
Pair of 4mm straight knitting needles
Darning or tapestry needle to sew together
Handful of toy filling per toy
DK (double knitting) yarns, less than 25g per colour per toy: green, pink, yellow, red, black and blue.
Bird toy
Bird body (Make 1)
Cast on 37 sts in green on straight 4mm needles.
Row 1: p (37 sts, WS)
Row 2: k (37 sts)
Rows 3 to 24: rep rows 1 and 2 eleven times (37 sts)
Row 25: p (37 sts)
Row 26: k1, (k2tog, k4) six times (31 sts)
Row 27: p (31 sts)
Row 28: k1, (k2tog, k3) six times (25 sts)
Row 29: p (25 sts)
Row 30: k1, (k2tog, k2) six times (19 sts)
Row 31: p (19 sts)
Row 32: k1, (k2tog, k1) six times (13 sts)
Row 33: p (13 sts)
Row 34: k1, (k2tog) six times (7 sts)
Pull through to cast off.
Bird tummy (Make 1)
Cast on 33 sts in pink on straight 4mm needles.
Row 1: k (33 sts, WS)
Row 2: k1, (k2tog, k2) eight times (25 sts)
Row 3: k (25 sts)
Row 4: k1, (k2tog, k1) eight times (17 sts)
Row 5: k (17 sts) Row 6: k1, (k2tog) eight times (9 sts)
Pull through to cast off. Then sew the side edges together to make a circular shape.
Bird legs (Make 2)
Cast on 14 sts in yellow on straight 4mm needles, then cast off all sts to make a small strip.
Making up
Note that the body cast off sts are the top of the head. Sew the side edges together, leaving the cast on edge open. This seam runs down the side of the body. Sew the pink tummy piece onto the front of the body. Embroider a triangle-shaped beak in yellow yarn over the top of the tummy.
Cut two circles (1cm diameter) of white felt fabric, place on the body above the beak and embroider a French knot in black yarn on top of the felt pieces. Then stuff the body and sew the cast on edge closed at the bottom. Sew the middle of each foot piece to the bottom of the bird to finish.
Ladybird toy
Ladybird body (Make 1)
Follow the bird body pattern, but cast on and work rows 1 to 20 in red, and rows 21 to 34 in black.
Ladybird spot (Make 2)
Cast on 14 sts in black on straight 4mm needles.
Row 1: k (14 sts, WS)
Row 2: (k2tog) seven times (7 sts)
Pull through to cast off. Then sew the side edges together to make a circular shape.
Making up
Make up the body in the same way as the bird, sewing the black spots on either side of the body and sewing on the eyes before stuffing. When stuffed, sew the cast on edge closed and embroider a line in black yarn using running back stitch down the centre of the red body to finish.
Fish toy
Fish body (Make 1)
Cast on 37 sts in blue on straight 4mm needles.
Row 1: (k2, p2) nine times, k1 (37 sts, WS)
Row 2: p1, (k2, p2) nine times (37 sts)
Rows 3 to 10: rep rows 1 and 2 four times (37 sts)
Rows 11 to 42: follow the bird body pattern rows 3 to 34 (7 sts)
Pull through to cast off.
Fish cheek (Make 1)
Follow the ladybird spot pattern in yellow.
Making up
Make up the body in the same way as the bird, sewing the yellow cheek on the side of the body and sewing on the eyes before stuffing. After stuffing, sew the cast on edge closed. Then tie a length of blue yarn firmly around the top of the ribbed tail section, knot securely and hide the ends of the yarn inside the body.
