Rocky Mountain Knitted Horse

Skill Level: Intermediate

Size: 9” tall x 7” long

Gauge: 28 sts and 36 rows = 4” [10 cm] in St in MC

Materials

Yarn: Cascade Yarns 220 Superwash Sport (100% Superwash Merino Wool; 136.5 yards [125 meters]/50 grams): 873 Extra Creme Cafe (MC, 1 ball), 817 Aran (CC1, 1 ball)

Knit Picks Billow (100% Cotton; 120 yards [110 meters]/100 grams): Natural (CC2, 1 ball)

Needles: US size 3 (3.25 mm) DPNs

Notions: Polyester fiberfill, tapestry needle, stitch marker, black acrylic safety eyes (6 mm), crochet hook.

Pattern

Head

With MC, CO 3 sts.

Rnd 1: Kfb 3 times, distribute evenly over DPNs and join to work in the rnd. (6 sts)
Rnd 2: Kfb 6 times. (12 sts)

Rnd 3: (K1, kfb) 6 times. (18 sts)

Rnd 4: (K2, kfb) 6 times. (24 sts)

Rnd 5: Knit.

Rnd 6: (K3, kfb) 6 times. (30 sts)

Rnds 7-13: Knit.

Rnd 14: K10, (kfb, k1) 5 times, k10. (35 sts)

Rnd 15: Knit.

Rnd 16: K12, (kfb, k1) 5 times, kfb, k12. (41 sts)

Rnds 17-28: Knit.

Rnd 29: K8, (k1, k2tog) 8 times, k9. (33 sts)

Rnd 30: K8, k2tog 8 times, k9. (25 sts)

Add Eyes in Rnd 13. Stuff Head.

Rnd 31: K2tog 12 times, k1. (13 sts)

Cut yarn, thread through remaining sts. Pull tight and tie off.

Ears (make 2)

With MC, CO 16 sts. PM and join for working in the rnd.

Rnd 1: Knit.

Rnd 2: (K3, k2tog, k3) 2 times. (14 sts)

Rnd 3: K2tog, k10, k2tog. (12 sts)

Rnd 4: (K2, k2tog, k2) 2 times. (10 sts)

Rnd 5: Knit.

Rnd 6: K2tog, k6, k2tog. (8 sts)

Rnd 7: Knit.

Rnd 8: (K1, k2tog, k1) 2 times. (6 sts)

Rnd 9: Knit.

Cut yarn, thread through remaining sts. Pull tight and tie off.

Neck

With MC, CO 20 sts. PM and join for working in the rnd.

Rnds 1-4: Knit.

Rnd 5: (K4, kfb) 4 times. (24 sts)

Rnds 6-9: Knit.

Rnd 10: (K5, kfb) 4 times. (28 sts)

Rnds 11-14: Knit.

Rnd 15: (K6, kfb) 4 times. (32 sts)

Rnd 16: Knit.

Body

With MC, CO 3 sts.

Rnd 1: Kfb 3 times, distribute evenly over DPNs and join to work in the rnd. (6 sts)
Rnd 2: Kfb 6 times. (12 sts)

Rnd 3: (K1, kfb) 6 times. (18 sts)

Rnd 4: (K2, kfb) 6 times. (24 sts)

Rnd 5: (K3, kfb) 6 times. (30 sts)

Rnd 6: (K4, kfb) 6 times. (36 sts)

Rnds 7-15: Knit.

Rnd 16: (K10, k2tog) 3 times. (33 sts)

Rnd 17: (K9, k2tog) 3 times. (30 sts)

Rnds 18-26: Knit.

Rnd 27: (K8, k2tog) 3 times. (27 sts)

Rnds 28-29: Knit.

Rnd 30: (K8, kfb) 3 times. (30 sts)

Rnd 31: Knit.

Rnd 32: (K9, kfb) 3 times. (33 sts)

Rnds 33-39: Knit.

Rnd 40: (K9, k2tog) 3 times. (30 sts)

Stuff Body.

Rnd 41: K2tog 15 times. (15 sts)

Cut yarn, thread through remaining sts. Pull tight and tie off.

Front Legs

With CC, CO 3 sts.

Rnd 1: Kfb 3 times, distribute evenly over DPNs and join to work in the rnd. (6 sts)
Rnd 2: Kfb 6 times. (12 sts)

Rnd 3: (K1, kfb) 6 times. (18 sts)

Rnds 4-8: Knit.

Cut yarn and change to MC.

Rnds 9-33: Knit.

Back Legs

With CC, CO 3 sts.

Rnd 1: Kfb 3 times, distribute evenly over DPNs and join to work in the rnd. (6 sts)
Rnd 2: Kfb 6 times. (12 sts)

Rnd 3: (K1, kfb) 6 times. (18 sts)

Rnds 4-8: Knit.

Cut yarn and change to MC.

Rnds 9-20: Knit.

Rnd 21: K6, (k1, kfb) 3 times, k6. (21 sts)

Rnds 22-25: Knit.

Rnd 26: K1, k2tog, k15, k2tog, k1. (19 sts)

Rnds 27-28: Knit.

Rnd 29: (K1, k2tog) 2 times, k1, kfb 5 times, k1, (k1, k2tog) 2 times. (20 sts)

Rnds 30-39: Knit.

Rnd 40: K2tog 10 times. (10 sts)

BO.

Finishing

Fold CO edge of Ear in half and sew to Head with about 6 sts between them.

Sew the CO edge of Neck to the bottom of Head. Lightly stuff.

Sew the BO edge of Neck to the top of Body.

Stuff Front Legs and sew CO edge to front of Body with about 6 sts spaced between them on the chest.

Stuff Back Legs and sew to back of Body with about 6 sts between them on the underside of the horse.

Cut 40 10” lengths of CC2. Use crochet hook to pull one strand at a time into place for the mane, starting between the ears, and continuing down the back of its head and neck. Pull each strand halfway through a st, then knot each strand to hold in place.

Repeat this process on the rump of the horse to form the tail.