Long-legged and wobbly, calves are respectful and dependent on their mothers. An orphaned calf is called a poddy, and a young female calf is called a heifer until she has her own calf. The golden calf is a popular religious idol, mentioned in both the Qur’an and the Bible.
The calf is easier to knit than the cow. Don’t overstuff him as he needs to look vulnerable.
Length: 18cm (7in)
Height to top of head: 12cm (4¾in)
• Pair of 3¼mm (US 3) knitting needles
• Double-pointed 3¼mm (US 3) knitting needles (for tail and for holding stitches)
• 5g (⅛oz) of Rowan Pure Wool DK in Black 004 (bl)
• 15g (½oz) of Rowan Pure Wool DK in Snow 012 (sn)
• 2 pipecleaners for legs
See here.
See for Colour Knitting.
See for I-cord Technique.
With bl, cast on 9 sts.
Beg with a k row, work 2 rows st st.
Cont in sn.
Row 3: Inc, k1, k2tog, k1, k2tog, k1, inc. (9 sts)
Row 4: Purl.
Row 5: K2, k2tog, k1, k2tog, k2. (7 sts)
Work 9 rows st st.**
Row 15: K2tog, inc, k1, inc, k2tog. (7 sts)
Row 16: Purl.
Row 17: K2tog, inc, k1, inc, k2tog. (7 sts)
Row 19: K2, inc, k1, inc, k2. (9 sts)
Row 20: Purl.
Row 21: K3, inc, k1, inc, k3. (11 sts)
Row 22: Purl.
Row 23: K4, inc, k1, inc, k4. (13 sts)
Row 24: Purl.*
Row 25: Cast (bind) off 6 sts, k to end (hold 7 sts on spare needle for Right Side of Body and Head).
Legs
After sewing up, lightly pull the legs to give the calf that gangly, youthful feel.
Work as Right Back Leg to *.
Row 25: K7, cast (bind) off 6 sts (hold 7 sts on spare needle for Left Side of Body and Head).
Work as for Right Back Leg to **.
Row 15: K2, inc, k1, inc, k2. (9 sts)
Work 3 rows st st.
Row 19: Inc, k7, inc. (11 sts)
Row 20: Purl.***
Row 21: Cast (bind) off 5 sts, k to end (hold 6 sts on spare needle for Right Side of Body and Head).
Work as for Right Front Leg to ***.
Row 21: K6, cast (bind) off 5 sts (hold 6 sts on spare needle for Left Side of Body and Head).
Row 1: With sn, cast on 1 st, with RS facing k6 from spare needle of Right Front Leg, cast on 9 sts. (16 sts)
Row 2: P15, inc. (17 sts)
Row 3: Inc, k16, cast on 3 sts. (21 sts)
Row 4: Purl.
Join in bl.
Row 5: Incsn, k20sn, cast on 2 sts sn, with RS facing k3sn, k3bl, k1sn from spare needle of Right Back Leg, cast on 1 st sn. (32 sts)
Row 6: P1sn, p5bl, p26sn.
Row 7: Incsn, k2sn, k2bl, k21sn, k5bl, k1sn. (33 sts)
Row 8: P1sn, p6bl, p2sn, p3bl, p12sn, p1bl, p2sn, p3bl, p3sn.
Row 9: Incsn, k1sn, k8bl, k10sn, k5bl, k1sn, k7bl. (34 sts)
Row 10: P13bl, p5sn, p1bl, p4sn, p9bl, p2sn, cast on 7 sts sn. (41 sts)
Row 11: Incsn, k8sn, k8bl, k4sn, k2bl, k6sn, k12bl. (42 sts)
Row 12: P11bl, p7sn, p3bl, p4sn, p7bl, p10sn.
Row 13: K11sn, k6bl, k4sn, k3bl, k8sn, k10bl.
Row 14: P11bl, p8sn, p1bl, p4sn, p6bl, p12sn.
Row 15: K2togsn, k10sn, k6bl, k9sn, k13bl, k2togbl. (40 sts)
Row 16: Cast (bind) off 14 sts bl, 9 sts sn, 4 sts bl, p3bl icos, p8sn, p2togsn. (12 sts)
Row 17: K2togsn, k6sn, k2bl, k2togbl. (10 sts)
Row 18: P2togbl, p2bl, p6sn. (9 sts)
Row 19: K2togsn, k2sn, k3bl, k2togbl. (7 sts)
Row 20: P2togbl, p3bl, p2sn. (6 sts)
Row 21: K2togsn, k2bl, k2togbl. (4 sts)
Row 22: [P2togbl] twice. (2 sts)
Cast (bind) off.
Row 1: With sn, cast on 1 st, with WS facing p6 from spare needle of Left Front Leg, cast on 9 sts. (16 sts)
Row 2: K15, inc. (17 sts)
Row 3: Inc, p16, cast on 3 sts. (21 sts)
Row 4: Knit.
Join in bl.
Row 5: Incsn, p20sn, cast on 2 sts sn, with WS facing p3sn, p3bl, p1sn from spare needle of Left Back Leg, cast on 1 st sn. (32 sts)
Row 6: K1sn, k5bl, k26sn.
Row 7: Incsn, p2sn, p2bl, p21sn, p5bl, p1sn. (33 sts)
Row 8: K1sn, k6bl, k2sn, k3bl, k12sn, k1bl, k2sn, k3bl, k3sn.
Row 9: Incsn, p1sn, p8bl, p10sn, p5bl, p1sn, p7bl. (34 sts)
Row 10: K13bl, k5sn, k1bl, k4sn, k9bl, k2sn, cast on 7 sts sn. (41 sts)
Row 11: Incsn, p8sn, p8bl, p4sn, p2bl, p6sn, p12bl. (42 sts)
Row 12: K11bl, k7sn, k3bl, k4sn, k7bl, k10sn.
Row 13: P11sn, p6bl, p4sn, p3bl, p8sn, p10bl.
Row 14: K11bl, k8sn, k1bl, k4sn, k6bl, k12sn.
Row 15: P2togsn, p10sn, p6bl, p9sn, p13bl, p2togbl. (40 sts)
Row 16: Cast (bind) off 14 sts bl, 9 sts sn, 4 sts bl, k3bl icos, k8sn, k2togsn. (12 sts)
Row 17: P2togsn, p6sn, p2bl, p2togbl. (10 sts)
Row 18: K2togbl, k2bl, k6sn. (9 sts)
Row 19: P2togsn, p2sn, p3bl, p2togbl. (7 sts)
Row 20: K2togbl, k3bl, k2sn. (6 sts)
Row 21: P2togsn, p2bl, p2togbl. (4 sts)
Row 22: [K2togbl] twice. (2 sts)
Cast (bind) off.
With sn, cast on 4 sts.
Beg with a k row, work 12 rows st st.
Row 13: K1, [inc] twice, k1. (6 sts)
Work 13 rows st st.
Row 27: K2tog, k2, k2tog. (4 sts)
Work 9 rows st st.
Cast (bind) off.
With double-pointed needles and bl, cast on 4 sts.
Work i-cord as folls:
Knit 10 rows.
Cont in sn.
Knit 4 rows.
Cast (bind) off.
(make 2 the same)
With bl, cast on 4 sts.
Knit 4 rows.
Row 5: [K2tog] twice. (2 sts)
Row 6: Knit.
Row 7: K2tog and fasten off.
Body
Don’t overstuff the calf’s body as he needs to look small and young.
SEWING IN ENDS Sew in ends, leaving ends from cast on and cast (bound) off rows for sewing up.
LEGS With WS together and whip stitch, fold each leg in half and sew up legs on RS, starting at hooves.
HEAD AND BODY Sew from front of front legs, around head, along back and around bottom.
TUMMY Sew cast on row of tummy to base of calf’s bottom (where legs begin), and sew cast (bound) off row to front of front legs. Ease and sew tummy to fit body. Leave a 2.5cm (1in) gap between front and back legs on one side.
STUFFING Pipecleaners are used to stiffen the legs and help bend them into shape. Fold a pipecleaner into a U-shape and measure against front two legs. Cut to fit approximately, leaving an extra 2.5cm (1in) at both ends. Fold these ends over to stop the pipecleaner poking out of the hooves. Roll a little stuffing around pipecleaner and slip into body, one end down each front leg. Repeat with second pipecleaner and back legs. Starting at the head, stuff the calf firmly, then sew up the gap. Mould body into shape.
TAIL Attach cast on row of tail to start of bottom.
EARS Sew cast on row of each ear to top of head, with 4 rows between ears.
EYES With bl, sew 3-loop French knots positioned as in photograph.
NOSE With bl, sew 5 long satin stitches horizontally across tip of nose.
