‘Ferret-legging’ is the ancient sport of keeping a ferret down one’s trousers. The world record is five hours and thirty minutes. Draco Malfoy was turned into an albino ferret in the fourth Harry Potter book. Ferrets are alleged to make loving and friendly pets, but as they have four different sets of teeth it’s perhaps a good idea to stick to the knitted version.
The ferret is knitted with doubled yarn, which makes him quick to make.
Length including tail: 33cm (13in)
Height to top of head: 12cm (4¾in)
Pair of 3¼mm (US 3) knitting needles
Double-pointed 3¼mm (US 3) knitting needles (for holding stitches)
15g (½oz) of Rowan Kid Classic in Peat 832 (pe) used DOUBLE throughout
40g (1½oz) of Rowan Kid Classic in Feather 828 (fe) used DOUBLE throughout
2 pipecleaners for legs and tail
Fishing line for whiskers
See here.
See for Intarsia Technique.
See for Wrap and Turn Method.
HEAD
The ferret has a stripe across his eyes like a bandit.
With pe, cast on 10 sts.
Beg with a k row, work 2 rows st st.
Row 3: K2, k2tog, k2, k2tog, k2. (8 sts)
Row 4: Purl.
Work 4 rows st st.
Row 9: K2, inc, k2, inc, k2. (10 sts)
Row 10: Purl.
Row 11: K2, inc, k4, inc, k2. (12 sts)
Row 12: Purl.*
Row 13: Cast (bind) off 6 sts, k to end (hold 6 sts on spare needle for Right Side of Body).
Work as for Right Back Leg to *.
Row 13: K6, cast (bind) off 6 sts (hold 6 sts on spare needle for Left Side of Body).
With pe, cast on 10 sts.
Beg with a k row, work 2 rows st st.
Row 3: K2, k2tog, k2, k2tog, k2. (8 sts)
Row 4: Purl.
Work 8 rows st st.
Row 13: K2, inc, k2, inc, k2. (10 sts)
Row 14: Purl.
Row 15: K2, inc, k4, inc, k2. (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).
Work as for Right Front Leg to *.
Row 17: K6, cast (bind) off 6 sts (hold 6 sts on spare needle for Left Side of Body).
With fe, cast on l st, with RS facing k6 from spare needle of Right Front Leg, cast on 28 sts, k6 from spare needle of Right Back Leg. (41 sts)
Row 2: Purl.
Work 10 rows st st.
Row 13: K8 (hold 8 sts on spare needle for right neck), cast (bind) off 14 sts, k17 icos, k2tog. (18 sts)
Row 14: P2tog, p14, p2tog. (16 sts)
Cast (bind) off 16 sts.
With fe, cast on l st, with WS facing p6 from spare needle of Left Front Leg, cast on 28 sts, p6 from spare needle of Left Back Leg. (41 sts)
Row 2: Knit.
Work 10 rows st st.
Row 13: P8 (hold 8 sts on spare needle for left neck), cast (bind) off 14 sts, p17 icos, p2tog. (18 sts)
Row 14: K2tog, k14, k2tog. (16 sts) Cast (bind) off 16 sts.
With RS facing and fe, k8 held for neck from spare needle of Right Side of Body, then k8 held for neck from spare needle of Left Side of Body. (16 sts)
Row 2: P7, p2tog, p7. (15 sts)
Work 6 rows st st.
Row 9: K5, k2tog, k1, k2tog, k5. (13 sts) Work 5 rows st st.
Row 15: K10, wrap and turn (leave 3 sts on left-hand needle un worked).
Row 16: Working on centre 7 sts only, p7, w&t.
Row 17: K7, w&t.
Rep rows 16–17 once more.
Row 20: P7, w&t.
Row 21: Knit across all sts. (13 sts in total) Join in pe.
Row 22: P2togfe, p1fe, p7pe, p1fe, p2togfe. (11 sts)
Row 23: K3fe, 5pe, 3fe.
Cont in fe only.
Row 24: P2, p2tog, p3, p2tog, p2. (9 sts)
Row 25: K2, k2tog, k1, k2tog, k2. (7 sts)
Row 26: P1, p2tog, p1, p2tog, p1. (5 sts)
Row 27: Knit.
Row 28: P2tog, p1, p2tog. (3 sts)
Row 29: K3tog and fasten off.
MARKINGS
The ferret has dark brown legs and tip to his tail.
With fe, cast on 4 sts.
Beg with a k row, work 4 rows st st.
Row 5: K1, [inc] twice, k1. (6 sts) Work 77 rows st st.
Row 83: K2tog, k2, k2tog. (4 sts) Row 84: Purl.
Row 85: [K2tog] twice. (2 sts)
Row 86: P2.
Row 87: K2tog and fasten off.
(make 2 the same)
With fe, cast on 5 sts.
Row 1: Knit
Row 2: P2tog, p1, p2tog. (3 sts) Cast (bind) off.
With pe, cast on 5 sts.
Beg with a k row, work 6 rows st st.
Join in fe.
Work 10 rows st st.
Row 17: K1, inc, k1, inc, k1. (7 sts)
Row 18: Purl.
Work 6 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 sew up seam on outside. Cut a pipecleaner to approximately the length of both front legs, leaving an extra 2.5cm (1in) at both ends, fold over 2.5cm (1in) each end. With a little stuffing wrapped around, push the folded end of pipecleaner into each leg,
BODY Sew along back of ferret and down its bottom.
TAIL Cut a pipecleaner 2.5cm (1in) longer than tail. Roll a little stuffing around pipecleaner, wrap tail around pipecleaner and sew up tail on RS, attach tail to top of bottom, with approx 3cm (1¼in) of pipecleaner sticking into the body. TUMMY Sew cast on row of tummy to bottom of ferret’s bottom and cast (bound) off row to ferret’s nose. Ease and sew tummy to fit – the tummy is slightly shorter than the body so will pull the head down. Leave a 2.5cm (1in) gap between front and back legs on one side.
STUFFING Stuff the ferret firmly starting with head, and sew up the gap. Mould the body into shape.
EARS Sew cast on row of each ear to side of ferret’s head, 6 rows back from mask, with 4 sts between the ears.
WHISKERS Cut 3 x 8cm (3in) lengths of fishing line and thread through cheeks. Trim.
