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Knitted Penguin

A Penguin for AnnabelleMy two-year-old niece sent me a valentine card she made, so I wanted to send her something back. She loves Happy Feet, and all penguins by extension, so I knitted her one - and I put the heart on the front so it would be a valentine's penguin.

I just made this pattern up as I went along, and I'm sure there are ways it could be improved. What is written here is slightly different than what is shown in the picture, as I changed a few things after my first attempt. Also available as printer-friendly pdf [31kb].

Materials
Needles: 4 double-pointed #4 needles

Yarn: Since this was a spur-of-the-moment project, I just used what I had. It is all worsted weight, and I used Black, White, Yellow (beak and feet), Blue (eyes) and Red (heart). This doesn't take much yarn at all - the finished penguin stands about five inches tall.

Pattern
For most of the body, I used only two needles, working it as stockinette. Where the white and the black join, you'll have to twist the black and white together (I'll explain below). I worked the entire body and head this way, except for the final decrease of the head, which I worked in the round. Afterwards, I sewed up the seam where the black and white met. The beak, wings, feet, tail and bottom are also all worked in the round.

Body: On one needle, cast on 10 white and 30 black stitches, ending with the black. Knit the 30 black stitches, and then join with the white. To do this, drop the black yarn and pick up the white yarn end around the right side and then over the top of the black yarn before continuing to knit. When purling back, drop the white and carry the black around and over the white. Work as stockinette until it is about 3-1/2" tall, and finish after having worked a knit row.

Shoulder: The shoulder area decreases from the body to the head:

  • p8, p2together, repeat to end of row (36 stitches remaining)
  • k7, k2together, repeat to end of row (32 stitches remaining)
  • p6, p2together, repeat to end of row (28 stitches remaining)
  • k5, k2together, repeat to end of row (24 stitches remaining)

Head: Work as stockinette for 7 rows, finishing after having worked a purl row.

Crown: The crown forms the rounded top of the head. And from here out, only use the black yarn. Also, at this point I switched to knitting in the round on three double pointed needles (but if you prefer, continue with the stockinette in the same decreasing pattern from above):

  • k4, k2together, repeat to end of row (20 stitches remaining)
  • k3, k2together, repeat to end of row (16 stitches remaining)
  • k2, k2together, repeat to end of row (12 stitches remaining)
  • k1, k2together, repeat to end of row (8 stitches remaining)
  • Using a tapestry needle, thread yard through all remaining stitches, pull tightly, and tie off, but leave a long end

To finish the body, join the white and black by sewing the seam with the long loose end you left from the crown, and then tie off at the bottom.

Eyes: Using a tapestry needle, sew in two blue eyes, spaced to whatever looks right on the face.

Wings: When placing the wings, I tried to put them just under the shoulder, and centered on the body from front to back. I don't know if this is what a real penguin looks like, so just do whatever you think looks best.

Using a double-pointed needle, pick up six stitches horizontally from the body. With a second needle, pick up six more stitches parallel to and just below the first six. With a third needle, work black yarn in the round for nine rows. Then to decrease the wings:

  • k2together, k2, k2together, k2together, k2, k2together (8 stitches remaining)
  • k2together, k2together, k2together, k2together (4 stitches remaining)
  • Using a tapestry needle, thread yard through all remaining stitches and tie off
  • Repeat these steps for the second wing

Beak: I tried to place the beak centered but low on the face, but do whatever looks right.

Using a double-pointed needle, pick up 3 stitches horizontally from the face. With a second needle, pick up 3 more stitches parallel to and just below the first 3. With a third needle, work yellow yarn in the round for 3 rows. Then to decrease the beak:

  • k2together, k, k2together, k1 (4 stitches remaining)
  • k2together, k2together (2 stitches remaining)
  • Using a tapestry needle, thread yard through all remaining stitches and tie off

Heart: This is optional, but now's a good time to do it, before the body is sewn shut. I didn't do anything fancy, here - just used a tapestry needle and red yarn to sew on a roughly heart-shaped blob of yarn onto the left breast of the penguin.

Bottom: At this point, I stuffed the penguin with batting (as firmly as you like, and put a little extra in) and then closed up the bottom. I'm sure there's a better way to do this, but here's what I did. With 3 double-pointed needles, pick up 40 stitches around the bottom. With a fourth needle, work black yarn as follows:

  • k4, k2together, repeat to end of row (34 stitches remaining)
  • k3, k2together, repeat to end of row (28 stitches remaining)
  • k2, k2together, repeat to end of row (22 stitches remaining)
  • k1, k2together, repeat to end of row (16 stitches remaining)
  • Using a tapestry needle, thread yard through all remaining stitches and tie off

Feet: To place the feet, I centered them on the white/black seams. I don't know if this is what a real penguin looks like, so just do whatever you think looks best.

Using a double-pointed needle, pick up 4 stitches horizontally from the lowest row of the body. With a second needle, pick up 4 more stitches parallel to these, on the first row of the bottom. With a third needle, work yellow yarn in the round for four rows. Then to decrease the feet:

  • k2together, k2together, k2together, k2together (4 stitches remaining)
  • k2together, k2together (2 stitches remaining)
  • Using a tapestry needle, thread yard through all remaining stitches and tie off
  • Repeat these steps for the second foot

Tail: I put the tail centered on the back of the body. I guess his is optional, but I found the penguin stood better with the tail added. Work this just like the feet, except with black yarn.

That's it. Also available as printer-friendly pdf [31kb].

See more patterns and projects on my Knitting page.