speckle the kitten

This kitten combines simple shaping with knitting in the round to create a truly lovable pet.

RATING

yarn

Lightweight (DK) yarn

1 × 1¾oz (50g) ball in grey/white tweed (MC)

Oddment in ecru (A)

Oddment in pink for nose

needles

4 × size 3 (3mm) double-pointed knitting needles

2 × size 3 (3mm) knitting needles (optional)

notions

2 × in- (8mm-) diameter toy safety eyes (or black yarn)

gauge

13 sts and 16 rows to 2in (5cm) of st st, using MC and size 3 (3mm) needles

Don't worry if the gauge is not exact – it doesn't matter if the kitten is a little bigger or smaller than shown.

finished size

Approx. 9½in (21cm) long (including the tail) × 6in (12cm) tall

Speckle is simply adorable with her little pink nose, bright attentive eyes and white socks. Her cat's curiosity makes her eager to leap about as she plays with her favourite toy – a yellow mouse on wheels!

Once you get used to knitting in the round, you will find Speckle easy to make.

KITTEN PATTERN

knitting notes

The main part of the body is worked in one piece from the nose to the tail.

The kitten is worked on double-pointed knitting needles, sometimes working in the round, and Kitchener stitch is used to make a ‘seamless’ join.

If you are knitting for a very young child, embroider the eyes with thread instead of using toy eyes. Even safety eyes can be a choking hazard.y If you want a tighter fabric, simply knit using needles that are one size smaller than specified.

HEAD, EARS, BODY, LEGS AND TAIL
Cast on 3 sts using A and size 3 (3mm) needles.
Row 1 (RS) *Kfb, rep from * to end. 6 sts.
Row 2 P.
Rows 3–6 Rep rows 1–2 twice more. 24 sts.
Row 7 (RS) Divide sts: k8 sts onto n1, 8 sts onto n2, 8 sts onto n3. 24 sts.
With RS facing, keeping gauge fairly tight on first rnd, work in the rnd as follows:
Rnd 8 (RS) [K8, M1] 3 times, sl last st back onto n3. 27 sts. Cut yarn. Join MC. Without turning work, cont as follows:
Rnd 9 (RS) K13, kfb, k13. 28 sts.
Rnd 10 (Kfb, k3) 7 times. 35 sts.
Rnd 11 K.
Rnd 12 (Kfb, k4) 7 times. 42 sts.
Rnd 13 K.
Shape top of head
Rnd 14 K18, [kfb] 6 times, k18. 48 sts.
Rnd 15 K.
Rnd 16 K20, [kfb, k1] 4 times, k20. 52 sts.
Place marker at beg of next rnd and k 4 rnds.
Divide for neck and back of head
Rnd 21 K5, bind off 13, place marker, k15, place marker, bind off 13 sts, K4.
K across next 5 sts so all 10 sts from under the chin are on one needle.
Cut yarn, leaving sts on needle.
With RS facing, rejoin MC to 16 sts from the back of the head (also on one needle).
Row 22 (RS) K, turn.
Row 23 P.
Row 24 Skpo, k to last 2 sts, k2tog. 14 sts.
Rep last 2 rows 3 times more. 8 sts.
Place marker at each end of next row for the back of the ear position.
Row 31 (WS) P.
Row 32 K1, M1, k to last st, M1, k1. 10 sts.
Row 33 P.
Row 34 K1, M1, k to last st, M1, k1. 12 sts.
Work 5 rows in st st, beg with p row.
Cut yarn, leaving sts on the needle.
Shape ears
*With RS facing, pick up and k 11 sts between markers on the right side of the head.
Work 3 rows in st st, beg with p row.
Row 44 (RS) K10, turn.
Row 45 Sl 1, p8, turn.
Row 46 Sl 1, k7, turn.
Row 47 Sl 1, p6, turn.
Row 48 Sl 1, k5, turn.
Row 49 Sl 1, p4, turn.
Row 50 Sl 1, k3, turn.
Row 51 Sl 1, p2, turn.
Row 52 Sl 1, k1, turn.
Row 53 Sl 1, p5 to end.
Row 54 (RS) K2tog, k to last 2 sts, k2tog. 9 sts.
Row 55 P2 tog, p to last 2 sts, p2tog. 7 sts.
Rep last 2 rows once more. 3 sts.
Row 58 (RS) ***K2tog, k1. 2 sts.
Row 59 P2tog. 1 st.
Fasten off.**
Rep from * to ** for other ear, reversing shaping at ***.
Weave in ends.
Shape neck
Row 60 (RS) MC Divide sts: K10 sts from the neck onto n1, k6 (joining neck to back of head) onto n2, k6 onto n3. 22 sts.
With RS facing, work in the rnd. K5 to centre of neck and place marker for beg of rnds from now on.
K 2 rnds.
Rnd 63 (K1, M1) 21 times, k1 43 sts.
K 3 rows.
Divide for front
Rnd 67 K5 sts, sl last 10 sts onto a safety pin, K4, sl 4 sts onto working needle, k 12 sts (18 sts on needle), K 17 sts onto n2. 33 sts.
Shape front legs
With WS facing, work st st over 2 needles (working all sts onto one needle if you prefer) as follows:
Cast on 15 sts at beg of next 2 rows. 63 sts.
Shape feet
Row 70 (WS) p5, turn.
Row 71 Sl 1, k3, turn.
Row 72 Sl 1, p2, turn.
Row 73 Sl 1, k1, turn.
Row 74 Sl 1, p to end.
Row 75 K5, turn.
Row 76 Sl 1, p3, turn.
Row 77 Sl 1, k2, turn.
Row 78 Sl 1, p1, turn.
Row 79 Sl 1, k to end.
Work 5 rows in st st.
Work inside front left leg
Row 85 (RS) K15, turn.
Work 5 rows in st st.
Shape inside left left
Row 91 (RS) K5, turn.
Row 92 Sl 1, p3, turn.
Row 93 Sl 1, k2, turn.
Row 94 Sl 1, p1, turn.
Row 95 Sl 1, k12 to end, turn.
Bind off 15 sts.
With RS facing, rejoin MC to rem 48 sts.
Row 96 K.
Work inside front right leg
Row 97 (WS) p15, turn.
Work 5 rows in st st.

Shape inside right foot
Row 103 (WS) p5, turn.
Row 104 Sl 1, k3, turn.
Row 105 Sl 1, p2, turn.
Row 106 Sl 1, k1, turn.
Row 107 Sl 1, p12 to end, turn.
Bind off 15 sts.
Shape back
With WS facing, rejoin MC to rem 33 sts.
Row 108 (WS) P.
Work 2 rows in st st.
Row 111 (RS) K16, M1, k1, M1, k to end. 35 sts.
Row 112 P.
Row 113 K17, M1, k1, M1, k to end. 37 sts.
Row 114 P.
Row 115 K18, M1, k1, M1, k to end. 39 sts.
Row 116 P.
Shape back legs
Row 117 (RS) Cast on 7 sts, k26, M1, k1, M1, k to end. 48 sts.
Row 118 Cast on 7 sts, p to end. 55 sts.
Work st st for 2 rows.
Row 121 (RS) K26, k3tog, k to end. 53 sts.
Row 122 P.
Row 123 K25, k3tog, k to end. 51 sts.
Row 124 P.
Row 125 K24, k3tog, k to end. 49 sts.
Row 126 P.
Divide for tail
Row 127 (RS) K19, sl next 11 sts onto a safety pin, k19 under the tail to end of row. 38 sts. (Keep gauge tight as you knit under the sts held on safety pin.)
Row 128 P18, p2tog, p to end. 37 sts.
Shape inside back left leg
Row 129 (RS) K7, turn.
With WS facing, work 9 rows in st st.
Bind off 7 sts.
With RS facing, rejoin MC to rem 30 sts.
Row 139 K2tog 5 times, k3tog, k2tog 5 times, k7. 18 sts.
Shape inside back right leg
Row 140 (WS) P7, turn.
With RS facing, work 9 rows in st st.
Bind off.
Work underbody
With WS facing, rejoin MC to rem 11 sts.
Row 150 P.
Work 8 rows in st st.
Cut yarn, leave sts on needle.
Work neck
With RS facing, sl 10 sts at neck off the safety pin, p-wise, onto size 2 (2.5mm) needle.
Row 159 (WS) MC P.
Work 22 rows in st st.
Cut yarn, leaving sts on needle.
Weave in ends.
Join seam under back legs
With WS tog, hold needles parallel. Work Kitchener st to close the seam, taking off last st k-wise. Weave in end.
Work tail
Sl 11 sts at the tail off the safety pin onto size 2 (2.5mm) needle.
Divide sts over two more needles.
Join for working in the rnd and place marker at beg of rnd.
Rnd 182 K.
Rep last rnd 4 times more.
Rnd 187 (K3, kfb) twice, k3. 13 sts.
Place marker at beg of rnd. Work 5 rnds.
Fasten off.
Weave in loose end at the tip of the tail.
Use loose end at the body end of the tail to close any opening under the tail.

BACK FEET (MAKE 2)
Cast on 12 sts, using A and size 3 (3mm) needles.
Row 1 (WS) P.
Row 2 K1, *M1, k1, rep from * to end. 23 sts.
Row 3 P.
Row 4 K1, M1, k8, (M1, k1) 6 times, k7, M1, k1. 31 sts.
Rows 5–7 St st.
Row 8 K13, k2tog, k1, skpo, k13. 29 sts.
Row 9 P.
Row 10 K12, k2tog, k1, skpo, k12. 27 sts.
Row 11 P.
Row 12 K8, bind off next 11 sts, k7. 16 sts.
Row 13 P.
Rows 14–16 St st.
Bind off.

INNER EAR (MAKE 2)
Cast on 11 sts using A and size 3 (3mm) needles.
Row 1 (RS) P.
Row 2 K10, turn.
Row 3 Sl1, p8, turn.
Row 4 Sl1, k7, turn.
Row 5 Sl1, p6, turn.
Row 6 Sl1, k5, turn.
Row 7 Sl1, p4, turn.
Row 8 Sl1, k3, turn.
Row 9 Sl1, p2, turn.
Row 10 Sl1, k1, turn.
Row 11 Sl1, p5 to end.
Row 12 K2tog, k to last 2 sts, k2tog. 9 sts.
Row 13 P2tog, p to last 2 sts, p2tog. 7 sts.
Rep last 2 rows once more. 3 sts.
Row 16 (RS) K3tog.
Fasten off.
Weave all ends into WS.

MAKING UP
EARS
Using yarn MC, oversew the inner ear to the inside of the outer ear, matching shaping and closing the opening. Use your thumbs to push in a ‘hollow’ shaping at the inside ear against the outer ear. Join the seams at each side of the head.

EYES AND NOSE
Following the manufacturer's instructions, snap the eyes in place on each side of the nose. Alternatively, embroider the eyes with yarn. Embroider a nose using yarn B and straight stitches.

FRONT LEGS
With wrong side facing, fold the front leg in half, joining the row ends and matching the foot shaping. Leaving the tops (bind-off edges) of the legs unsewn, mattress stitch the row ends to join the inside leg to the outer leg. Work a running stitch around the bind-off edge at the foot, pull the yarn up tight to gather, and secure. Stuff the leg fairly firmly, shaping the foot as you do so. Weave the yarn end through the stuffing back inside the foot. Repeat for the other leg.

BACK LEGS
Join the back seam on the back leg. Join the instep, sole and back feet seams. Stuff the foot. Attach the feet to the back leg using mattress seam. Stuff fairly firmly, shaping the foot as you do so. Weave the yarn end back through the stuffing inside the foot. With yarn B, sew four straight stitches at the tips of the feet to create toe pads. Repeat for the other leg.

BODY
Join the row ends at the back of the kitten. Beginning at the tail end, join the seam along the sides of the body and around the tops of the legs, leaving an opening for stuffing. Stuff the kitten fairly firmly into the head, but less so into the body to allow it to be a bit floppy. Sew the opening closed. Manipulate the stuffing at the legs and feet, and along the neck and body, to really give a kitten shape, while keeping it soft and cuddly.