Mankind, and particularly the knitting world, has every reason to be grateful to sheep as they provide us with wool. And where would we be without wool? Sheep have an undeserved reputation for being none-too-bright, but recent studies have proved them to be cleverer than rats. They have been described by one research scientist as being ‘as intelligent as a slow monkey’. Sheep in Yorkshire have been spotted rolling across a cattle grid, proving their ingenuity.
The sheep is a quick and satisfying knit, and requires firm stuffing.
Length: 17cm (6¾in)
Height to top of head: 12cm (4¾in)
• Pair of 2¾mm (US 2) knitting needles
• Double-pointed 2¾mm (US 2) knitting needles (for holding stitches)
• 10g (¼oz) of Rowan Creative Focus Worsted in Ebony 00500 (eb)
• 20g (¾oz) of Rowan Alpaca Cotton in Rice 400 (ri)
• 2 pipecleaners for legs
• 2 tiny black beads for eyes and sewing needle and black thread for sewing on
See here.
See for Wrap and Turn Method.
With eb, cast on 4 sts.
Beg with a k row, work 8 rows st st.
Row 9: K1, [inc] twice, k1.** (6 sts)
Work 3 rows st st.
Row 13: K1, inc, k2, inc, k1. (8 sts)
Row 14: Purl.
Row 15: K1, inc, k4, inc, k1. (10 sts)
Row 16: Purl.*
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 Back Leg to *.
Row 17: K5, cast (bind) off 5 sts (hold 5 sts on spare needle for Left Side of Body).
Work as for Right Back Leg to **.
Work 7 rows st st.***
Row 17: Cast (bind) off 3 sts, k to end (hold 3 sts on spare needle for Right Side of Body).
Work as for Right Front Leg to ***.
Row 17: K3, cast (bind) off 3 sts (hold 3 sts on spare needle for Left Side of Body).
With ri, cast on 16 sts.
Row 1: Inc, k14, inc. (18 sts)
Row 2: P18, with WS facing p3 from spare needle of Right Front Leg. (21 sts)
Row 3: Inc, k20, k5 from spare needle of Right Back Leg. (27 sts)
Row 4: Purl.
Row 5: Inc, k26. (28 sts)
Row 6: Purl.
Row 7: Inc, k26, inc. (30 sts)
Row 8: Purl.
Work 4 rows st st.
Row 13: Inc, k29. (31 sts)
Row 14: Purl.
Work 2 rows st st.
Row 17: Inc, k30. (32 sts)
Row 18: Purl.
Row 19: Knit.
Row 20: P2tog, p30. (31 sts)
Row 21: K29, k2tog. (30 sts)
Row 22: Cast (bind) off 23 sts, p to end (hold 7 sts on spare needle for Neck and Head).
Body
Stuff the body well. You can get the sheep to stand as you want by manipulating the pipecleaners in the legs.
With ri, cast on 16 sts.
Row 1: Inc, p14, inc. (18 sts)
Row 2: K18, with RS facing k3 from spare needle of Left Front Leg. (21 sts)
Row 3: Inc, p20, p5 from spare needle of Left Back Leg. (27 sts)
Row 4: Knit.
Row 5: Inc, p26. (28 sts)
Row 6: Knit.
Row 7: Inc, p26, inc. (30 sts)
Row 8: Knit.
Work 4 rows st st.
Row 13: Inc, p29. (31 sts)
Row 14: Knit.
Work 2 rows st st.
Row 17: Inc, p30. (32 sts)
Row 18: Knit.
Row 19: Purl.
Row 20: K2tog, k30. (31 sts)
Row 21: P29, p2tog. (30 sts)
Row 22: Cast (bind) off 23 sts, k to end (hold 7 sts on spare needle for Neck and Head).
With eb and RS facing, k7 from spare needle of Right Side of Body, then k7 from spare needle of Left Side of Body. (14 sts)
Row 1: P6, p2tog, p6. (13 sts)
Row 2: K2tog, k8, w&t (leave 3 sts on lefthand needle unworked).
Row 3: Working top of head on centre 7 sts only, p7, w&t.
Row 4: K7, w&t.
Row 5: P7, w&t.
Row 6: K8, k2tog. (11 sts in total)
Row 7: Purl.
Row 8: K8, w&t (leave 3 sts on left-hand needle unworked).
Row 9: Working top of head on centre 5 sts only, p5, w&t.
Row 10: K5, w&t.
Row 11: P5, w&t.
Row 12: K8. (11 sts in total)
Row 13: P2tog, p7, p2tog. (9 sts)
Work 4 rows st st.
Row 18: K2tog, k5, k2tog. (7 sts)
Row 19: P2tog, p3, p2tog. (5 sts)
Cast (bind) off 5 sts.
Eyes
The sheep has tiny black beads for eyes, which catch the light.
With ri, cast on 1 st.
Beg with a p row, cont in st st.
Row 1: Inc. (2 sts)
Row 2: [Inc] twice. (4 sts)
Row 3: Purl.
Row 4: Inc, k2, inc. (6 sts)
Row 5: Purl.
Row 6: Inc, k4, inc. (8 sts)
Work 41 rows st st.
Row 48: K2tog, k4, k2tog. (6 sts)
Work 21 rows st st.
Change to eb.
Work 8 rows st st.
Row 78: K2tog, k2, k2tog. (4 sts)
Row 79: Purl.
Cast (bind) off.
With ri, cast on 2 sts.
Beg with a k row, work 12 rows st st.
Cast (bind) off.
Tail
The sheep’s tail hangs down naturally inwards.
(make 2 the same)
With eb, cast on 3 sts.
Beg with a k row, work 4 rows st st.
Row 5: K2tog, k1. (2 sts)
Row 6: P2tog and fasten 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 sheep 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 sheep firmly, then sew up the gap. Mould body into shape.
TAIL Attach cast on row of tail to start of bottom.
EARS With purl side facing forwards, sew cast on row of each ear 3 rows from where black of head starts, with 5 sts between ears.
EYES Sew on black beads positioned as in photograph.
