Goats are one of the oldest domestic animals. They are extremely curious, intelligent and funloving, and they can climb trees. Goats explore things with their upper lip and tongue, so beware as they will nibble and sometimes eat anything they’re unacquainted with. Goats are very useful – we use their milk, hair and skin, and their meat is popular in West Indian cooking. The Rolling Stones made the legendary album Goats Head Soup in Jamaica in 1973.
Fragile and bony, the goat is one of our favourite animals.
Length: 22cm (8¾in)
Height to top of horns: 16cm (6¼in)
• Pair of 3¼mm (US 3) knitting needles
• Double-pointed 3¼mm (US 3) knitting needles (for holding stitches)
• Pair of 2¾mm (US 2) knitting needles
• 5g (⅛oz) of Rowan Cocoon in Polar 801 (po)
• 30g (1¼oz) of Rowan Cocoon in Tundra 808 (tu)
• 5g (⅛oz) of Rowan Pure Wool 4ply in Shale 402 (sh)
• Tiny amount of Rowan Pure Wool 4ply in Black 404 (bl) for eyes
• 2 pipecleaners for legs and horns
• 2 tiny black beads for eyes and sewing needle and black thread for sewing on
See here.
See for Scarf Fringe Method.
See for Wrap and Turn Method.
With 3¼mm (US 3) needles and po, cast on 4 sts.
Beg with a k row, work 8 rows st st.
Cont in tu.
Row 9: K1, [inc] twice, k1. (6 sts)
Row 10: Purl.
Row 11: K1, inc, k2, inc, k1. (8 sts)
Row 12: Purl.**
Row 13: K1, inc, k4, inc, k1. (10 sts)
Row 14: Purl.
Row 15: K1, inc, k6, inc, k1. (12 sts)
Row 16: Purl.*
Row 17: Cast (bind) off 6 sts, k to end (hold 6 sts on spare needle for Right Side of Body).
Legs
You can stuff the legs more firmly to give them shape.
Work as for Right Back Leg to *.
Row 17: K6, cast (bind) off 6 sts (hold 6 sts on spare needle for Left Side of Body).
Work as for Right Back Leg to **.
Row 13: K1, inc, k4, inc, k1. (10 sts)
Work 3 rows st st.***
Row 17: Cast (bind) off 5 sts, k to end (hold 5 sts on spare needle for Right Side of Body).
Work as for Right Front Leg to ***.
Row 17: K5, cast (bind) off 5 sts (hold 5 sts on spare needle for Left Side of Body).
With 3¼mm (US 3) needles and tu, cast on 14 sts.
Row 1: Knit.
Row 2: Inc, p12, inc. (16 sts)
Row 3: Inc, k15, with RS facing k6 from spare needle of Right Back Leg. (23 sts)
Row 4: P23, with WS facing p5 from spare needle of Right Front Leg. (28 sts)
Row 5: Inc, k5, inc, k6, inc, k6, inc, k7. (32 sts)
Row 6: Purl.
Row 7: Inc, k29, k2tog. (32 sts)
Row 8: Purl.
Row 9: Inc, k31. (33 sts)
Row 10: Purl.
Row 11: Inc, k30, k2tog. (33 sts)
Work 3 rows st st.
Row 15: Inc, k8, k2tog, k6, k2tog, k6, k2tog, k6. (31 sts)
Row 16: Inc, p30. (32 sts)
Row 17: Knit.
Row 18: P2tog, p30. (31 sts)
Row 19: K29, k2tog. (30 sts)
Row 20: P2tog, p20, turn (hold 8 sts on spare needle for Neck and Head).
Row 21: Cast (bind) off 9 sts, k to end.
Cast (bind) off 12 sts.
With 3¼mm (US 3) needles and tu, cast on 14 sts.
Row 1: Purl.
Row 2: Inc, k12, inc. (16 sts)
Row 3: Inc, p15, with WS facing p6 from spare needle of Left Back Leg. (23 sts)
Row 4: K23, with RS facing k5 from spare needle of Left Front Leg. (28 sts)
Row 5: Inc, p5, inc, p6, inc, p6, inc, p7. (32 sts)
Row 6: Knit.
Row 7: Inc, p29, p2tog. (32 sts)
Row 8: Knit.
Row 9: Inc, p31. (33 sts)
Row 10: Knit.
Row 11: Inc, p30, p2tog. (33 sts)
Work 3 rows st st.
Row 15: Inc, p8, p2tog, p6, p2tog, p6, p2tog, p6. (31 sts)
Row 16: Inc, k30. (32 sts)
Row 17: Purl.
Row 18: K2tog, k30. (31 sts)
Row 19: P29, p2tog. (30 sts)
Row 20: K2tog, k20, turn (hold 8 sts on spare needle for Neck and Head).
Row 21: Cast (bind) off 9 sts, p to end.
Cast (bind) off.
Body
Don’t overstuff the goat as he should have a slightly bony feel.
Row 1: With 3¼mm (US 3) needles and tu and with RS facing, k8 from spare needle of Right Side of Body, then k8 from spare needle of Left Side of Body. (16 sts)
Row 2: P7, p2tog, p7. (15 sts)
Row 3: K1, k2tog, k9, k2tog, k1. (13 sts)
Row 4: Purl.
Row 5: K1, k2tog, k7, k2tog, k1. (11 sts)
Row 6: Purl.
Row 7: Inc, k8, w&t (leave 2 sts on left-hand needle unworked).
Row 8: Working on top of head centre 7 sts only, p7, w&t.
Join in po.
Row 9: K2po, k3tu, k2po, w&t.
Row 10: P2po, p3tu, p2po, w&t.
Row 11: K2po, k3tu, k2po, k1tu, inctu. (13 sts in total)
Row 12: P3tu, p2po, p3tu, p2po, p3tu.
Row 13: K4tu, k1po, k3tu, k1po, k1tu, w&t (leave 3 sts on left-hand needle unworked).
Row 14: Working top of head on centre 7 sts only, p1tu, p1po, p3tu, p1po, p1tu, w&t.
Row 15: K1tu, k1po, k3tu, k1po, k1tu, w&t.
Row 16: P1tu, p1po, p3tu, p1po, p1tu, w&t.
Row 17: K1tu, k1po, k3tu, k1po, k4tu. (13 sts)
Row 18: P2togtu, p2tu, p1po, p3tu, p1po, p2tu, p2togtu. (11 sts)
Row 19: K2togtu, k1tu, k1po, k3tu, k1po, k1tu, k2togtu. (9 sts)
Row 20: P2togtu, p1tu, p1po, p1tu, p1po, p1tu, p2togtu, k3, k2tog. (7 sts)
Row 21: K2togtu, k1po, k1tu, k1po, k2togtu. (5 sts)
Cont in po.
Row 22: P2tog, p1, p2tog. (3 sts)
Row 23: Knit.
Cast (bind) off 3 sts.
With 3¼mm (US 3) needles and tu, cast on 1 st.
Beg with a k row, cont in st st.
Row 1: Inc. (2 sts)
Row 2: Purl.
Row 3: [Inc] twice. (4 sts)
Row 4: Purl.
Row 5: Inc, k2, inc. (6 sts)
Row 6: Purl.
Work 34 rows st st.
Row 41: K2tog, k2, k2tog. (4 sts)
Work 29 rows st st.
Row 71: [K2tog] twice. (2 sts)
Work 5 rows st st.
Join in po.
Work 4 rows st st.
Row 81: K2tog and fasten off.
With 3¼mm (US 3) needles and tu, cast on 4 sts.
Work 8 rows st st.
Row 9: [K2tog] twice.
Cast (bind) off.
(make 2 the same)
With 3¼mm (US 3) needles and tu, cast on 3 sts.
Beg with a k row, work 2 rows st st.
Row 3: K1, inc, k1. (4 sts)
Work 3 rows st st.
Row 7: [K2tog] twice. (2 sts)
Row 8: P2tog and fasten off.
(make 2 the same)
With 2¾mm (US 2) needles and sh, cast on 4 sts.
Beg with a k row, work 10 rows st st.
Row 11: K1, k2tog, k1. (3 sts)
Work 5 rows st st.
Cast (bind) off.
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.
BODY Sew along back of goat and 4cm (1½in) down bottom.
TUMMY Sew cast on row of tummy to where you have finished sewing down bottom, and sew cast (bound) off row to nose. 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 goat, but do not overstuff as it looks more goat-like if slightly loosely stuffed, then sew up the gap. Mould body into shape.
TAIL Attach cast (bound) off row of tail to start of bottom.
EARS With purl side facing forwards, sew cast on row of each ear to where stripe in po yarn starts at top of head, with 3 sts between ears.
EYES With bl, sew 2-loop French knots positioned as in photograph, approx 5 rows down from ears on stripe in po. Sew black beads on top of knots.
HORNS Cut a 10cm (4in) length of leftover pipecleaner and push through top of head between ears. Wrap horns around protruding ends of pipecleaner and sew up. Sew horns to head, then bend into shape.
BEARD Cut two 4cm (1½in) lengths of po yarn and use crochet hook and Scarf Fringe Method (see here) to attach to end of chin, then fray yarn.
