This cleverly constructed plush whale is full of techniques to help you build your knitting skills! Inspired by a cartoon whale seen on a poster in Japan, Wally the Whale is sure to be your child’s new favorite toy. Confused by what Judy’s Magic Cast On is? Scroll down to watch a quick tutorial!
Skill Level: Intermediate
Size: 15” x 9”
Gauge: 16 sts and 20 rows = 4” in St st
Materials
Yarn: Shepherd’s Wool Worsted (100% wool; 250 yards [228 meters]/100 grams): Blue (1 skein)
Needles: US size 9 (5.5 mm) 16” circular and double pointed needles
Notions: 1 yard black yarn, tapestry needle, stitch markers, stuffing
Abbreviations
W&T: Wrap and Turn
Pattern Notes
The yarn is held double throughout. To make this easier you can first wind the skein into a cake and pull from both the inside and the outside together, or re-wind the ball so that the yarn is held double.
Pattern
CO 6 sts on two needles using Judy’s Magic CO.
Row 1: K3, turn.
Row 2: P3, turn.
Rep last 2 rows 2 more times.
At this point you will begin working in the round.
Next Row: K3, pick up and knit 5 sts along edge of work, k3, pick up and knit 5 sts along the other edge, pm for beginning of rnd. (16 sts)
Rnd 1: K3, M1L, k13, M1R. (18 sts)
Note: M1R is done before the beginning of rnd marker.
Rnd 2: Knit.
Rnd 3: *K3, M1L, k6, M1R; rep from * once more. (22 sts)
Rnd 4: K3, M1R, knit to end of rnd, M1R. (24 sts)
Rnd 5: K3, M1L, k9, M1R; rep from * once more. (28 sts)
Rnd 6: K3, M1L, knit to end, M1R. (30 sts)
Rep Rnd 6 15 more times. (60 st)
Rnd 22: Knit.
Rnd 23: *K3, M1R, k27, M1L; rep from * once more. (64 sts)
Rnd 24: Knit.
Rnd 25: K3, M1R, knit to end or rnd, M1R. (66 sts)
Short Row 1: K31, W&T.
Short Row 2: P59, W&T.
Short Row 3: K28, M1R, k3, M1L, knit to 3 before last wrapped st, W&T. (68 sts)
Short Row 4: Purl to 3 before last wrapped st, W&T.
Repeat Rows 3-4 once more. (70 sts)
Short Row 5: Knit to 3 sts before last wrapped st, W&T.
Short Row 6: Purl to 3 sts before last wrapped st, W&T.
Knit 9 rnds.
Short Row 7: K5, W&T.
Short Row 8: P7, W&T.
Short Row 9: Knit to 3 past last wrapped st, picking up wrap and working it together with the wrapped stitch as you come to it, W&T.
Short Row 10: Purl to 3 sts past last wrapped st, picking up wrap and working it together with the wrapped stitch as you come to it, W&T.
Repeat Rows 9-10 3 more times.
Knit one round, picking up wraps as you come to them and working them together with the wrapped stitches.
At this point move the beginning of rnd marker 1 st to the left.
Rnd 11: K2, ssk, knit to 1 before end, k2tog. (68 sts)
Rnd 12: Knit.
Repeat Rnds 11-12 5 more times. (58 sts)
Rep Rnd 11 7 more times. (44 sts)
Rnd 13: K1, ssk, k17, k2tog, k1, ssk, k17, k2tog. (40 sts)
Rnd 14: K1, ssk, knit to 1 before end, k2tog. (38 sts)
Rnd 15: K1, ssk, k14, k2tog, k1, ssk, k14, k2tog. (34 sts)
Rnd 16: K1, ssk, k12, k2tog, k1, ssk, k12, k2tog. (30 sts)
Rnd 17: Knit.
Rnd 18: K1, ssk, k10, k2tog, k1, ssk, k10, k2tog. (26 sts)
Rnd 19: Knit.
At this point stop and put some stuffing into the head of the whale, and continue to stuff periodically as you progress through the rest of the whale.
Short Row 1: K11, k2tog, k1, ssk, k8, W&T. (24 sts)
Short Row 2: P19, W&T.
Short Row 3: K19, W&T.
Short Row 4: P19, W&T.
Knit 1 round, picking up wraps and working them together with wrapped stitches.
Short Row 5: K10, k2tog, k1, ssk, k8, W&T. (22 sts)
Short Row 6: P19, W&T.
Short Row 7: K19, W&T.
Short Row 8: P19, W&T.
Short Row 9: K18, W&T.
Short Row 10: P17, W&T.
Short Row 11: K17, W&T.
Short Row 12: P17, W&T.
Short Row 13: K21, W&T.
Short Row 14: P19, W&T.
Short Row 15: Knit to 1 st before last wrapped st, W&T.
Short Row 16: Purl to 1 st before last wrapped st, W&T.
Repeat Rows 15-16 twice more.
Knit 1 round.
Rnd 20: K2, M1L, k7, M1R, k3, M1L, k7, M1R, k1. (26 sts)
Rnd 21: Knit.
Repeat Rnds 20-21 2 more times. (34 sts)
Tail
K9, CO 3, place next 17 sts on holder, 20 sts on working needle. Knit to end of rnd.
Rnd 1: K8, k2tog, k1, ssk, k7. (18 sts)
Rnd 2: Knit.
Rnd 3: K7, k2tog, k1, ssk, k6. (16 sts)
Rnd 4: K6, k2tog, k1, ssk, k5. (14 sts)
Rnd 5: K5, k2tog, k1, ssk, k4. (12 sts)
Rnd 6: K4, k2tog, k1, ssk, k3. (10 sts)
Rnd 7: K3, k2tog, k1, ssk, k2. (8 sts)
Rnd 8: K2, k2tog, k1, ssk, k1. (6 sts)
Rnd 9: K1, k2tog, k1, ssk, k1. (4 sts)
Break yarn and graft the remaining 4 sts together.
Place 17 sts on needle, beginning at the center of the tail CO 3 and k8, pm for beginning of rnd. (20 sts)
Work as for the first side of the tail, working through Rnds 1-9.
Finishing
Finish stuffing the whale, making sure to adjust the filling and stuff densely—this is why we knit with the yarn doubled, so that stuffing won’t peek through! Use yarn and tapestry needle to sew up holes in the tail. Use a few yards of black yarn and a tapestry needle to embroider eyes onto the whale. Weave in ends and trim.