The most popular pet, cats are independent and yet excellent companions with strong opinions. Cats are good hunters, liable to bring you a present of a dead bird, but will also keep the mouse population in your house in check. Ours is a black and white cat, but you can use whatever colours you want to create your own puss.
An easy-to-knit sitting cat who is a good introduction to knitting our other cats.
Width: 13cm (5in)
Height to top of ears: 22cm (9in)
Pair of 3¼mm (US 3) knitting needles
40g (1½oz) of Rowan Pure Wool Aran in Noir 685 (nr)
5g (⅛oz) of Rowan Pure Wool Aran in Ivory 670 (iv)
Tiny amount of Rowan Pure Wool 4ply in Gerbera 454 (ga) for eyes
Rice or lentils with small plastic bag for stuffing (optional)
Crochet hook
See here.
See for Colour Knitting.
With nr, cast on 20 sts.
Beg with a k row, work 2 rows st st.
Row 3: Inc, k4, inc, k8, inc, k4, inc. (24 sts)
Work 3 rows st st.
Row 7: Inc, k5, inc, k10, inc, k5, inc. (28 sts)
Work 5 rows st st.
Row 13: Inc, k25, k2tog. (28 sts)
Work 3 rows st st.
Row 17: K2tog, k24, k2tog. (26 sts)
Row 18: Purl.
Row 19: K24, k2tog. (25 sts)
Row 20: Purl.
Row 21: K2tog, k21, k2tog. (23 sts)
Row 22: Purl.
Row 23: K21, k2tog. (22 sts)
Row 24: Purl.
Row 25: K20, k2tog. (21 sts)
Row 26: Purl.
Row 27: K2tog, k17, k2tog. (19 sts)
Row 28: P2tog, p17. (18 sts)
Row 29: K16, k2tog. (17 sts)
Row 30: P2tog, p15. (16 sts)
Row 31: K2tog, k12, k2tog. (14 sts)
Row 32: Cast (bind) off 2 sts, p to end. (12 sts)
Row 33: Knit.
Row 34: Cast (bind) off 2 sts, p to end. (10 sts)
Work 2 rows st st.
Row 37: K2tog, k6, k2tog. (8 sts)
Work 3 rows st st.
Row 41: Inc, k6, inc. (10 sts)
Row 42: Inc, p8, inc. (12 sts)
Row 43: Knit.
Row 44: Inc, p10, inc. (14 sts)
Work 5 rows st st.
Row 50: P2tog, p10, p2tog. (12 sts)
Row 51: K2tog, k8, k2tog. (10 sts) Cast (bind) off.
With nr, cast on 20 sts.
Row 1: K11, p1, k2, p1, k2, p1, k2.
Row 2: P2, k1, p2, k1, p2, k1, p11.
Row 3: Inc, k10, p1, k2, p1, k2, p1, k1, inc. (22 sts)
Row 4: P3, k1, p2, k1, p2, k1, p12.
Row 5: K12, p1, k2, p1, k2, p1, k3.
Row 6: P3, k1, p2, k1, p2, k1, p12.
Row 7: Inc, k11, p1, k2, p1, k2, p1, k2, inc. (24 sts)
Row 8: P4, k1, p2, k1, p2, k1, p13.
Row 9: K13, p1, k2, p1, k2, p1, k4.
Row 10: P4, k1, p2, k1, p2, k1, p13.
Row 11: K13, p1, k2, p1, k2, p1, k4.
Row 12: P4, k1, p2, k1, p2, k1, p13.
Row 13: K2tog, k11, p1, k2, p1, k2, p1, k3, inc. (24 sts)
Row 14: P5, k1, p2, k1, p2, k1, p12.
Row 15: K12, p1, k2, p1, k2, p1, k5.
Row 16: P5, k1, p2, k1, p2, k1, p12.
Row 17: K2tog, k10, p1, k2, p1, k2, p1, k3, k2tog. (22 sts)
Row 18: P4, k1, p2, k1, p2, k1, p11.
Row 19: K11, p1, k2, p1, k2, p1, k4.
Row 20: Purl.
Row 21: K2tog, k20. (21 sts)
Row 22: Purl.
Row 23: Knit.
Row 24: P2tog, p17, p2tog. (19 sts)
Row 25: Knit.
Row 26: Purl.
Row 27: K2tog, k17. (18 sts)
Row 28: Purl.
Row 29: K2tog, k16. (17 sts)
Row 30: P15, p2tog. (16 sts)
Row 31: K2tog, k12, k2tog. (14 sts)
Row 32: Purl.
Row 33: Cast (bind) off 2 sts, k to end. (12 sts)
Row 34: Purl.
Row 35: Cast (bind) off 2 sts, k to end. (10 sts)
Join in iv.
Row 36: P4nr, p2iv, p4nr.
Row 37: K2tognr, k2nr, k2iv, k2nr, k2tognr. (8 sts)
Row 38: P2nr, p4iv, p2nr.
Row 39: K2nr, k4iv, k2nr.
Row 40: P1nr, p6iv, p1nr.
Row 41: Inciv, k6iv, inciv. (10 sts)
Row 42: Inciv, p8iv, inciv. (12 sts)
Row 43: K1nr, k4iv, k2nr, k4iv, k1nr.
Row 44: Incnr, p3iv, p4nr, p3iv, incnr. (14 sts)
Row 45: K3nr, k2iv, k4nr, k2iv, k3nr.
Row 46: P3nr, p1iv, p6nr, p1iv, p3nr. Cont in nr.
Work 3 rows st st.
Row 50: P2tog, p10, p2tog. (12 sts)
Row 51: K2tog, k8, k2tog. (10 sts) Cast (bind) off.
With nr, cast on 8 sts.
Beg with a k row, work 2 rows st st.
Row 3: Inc, k6, inc. (10 sts)
Row 4: Purl.
Row 5: Inc, k8, inc. (12 sts)
Row 6: Purl.
Row 7: Inc, k10, inc. (14 sts)
Work 7 rows st st.
Row 15: K2tog, k10, k2tog. (12 sts)
Row 16: Purl
Row 17: K2tog, k8, k2tog. (10 sts)
Row 18: Purl.
Row 19: K2tog, k6, k2tog. (8 sts)
Row 20: Purl.
Cast (bind) off.
With nr, cast on 6 sts.
Beg with a k row, work 22 rows st st.
Row 23: K2tog, k2, k2tog. (4 sts)
Work 7 rows st st.
Cont in iv.
Work 4 rows st st.
Row 35: [K2tog] twice. (2 sts)
Row 36: P2tog and fasten off.
TAIL
The tail can be any length, just add more rows.
(make 4 the same, 2 in nr and 2 in iv)
With nr/iv, cast on 5 sts.
Beg with a k row, work 4 rows st st.
Row 5: K2tog, k1, k2tog. (3 sts)
Row 6: Purl.
Row 7: K3tog and fasten off.
The ears can also be single thickness and all black.
SEWING IN ENDS Sew in ends, leaving ends from cast on row and cast (bound) off rows for sewing up.
HEAD AND BODY With WS together, sew around the body and head.
BOTTOM With WS together, attach the bottom to the base of the cat, leaving a 2.5cm (1in) gap.
STUFFING Starting at the head, stuff the cat firmly. To help the cat sit properly, fill a small plastic bag with rice or lentils and stuff into the bottom of the cat. Sew up the gap. Mould into shape.
TAIL Fold over tail and sew together on RS side. Attach to right side at base of cat. With a small stitch attach the tip of the tail to centre of body.
EARS With WS together in bl, sew the front and back of the ears together. Sew cast on row of ear to head, with 2cm (¾in) between ears.
EYES With ga, sew 2 chain stitch eyes, positioned as in photograph.
MOUTH With bl, embroider one vertical and two horizontal lines in satin stitch.
WHISKERS: With bl, cut 8cm (3in) lengths and with a crochet hook slip through the face, either side of the vertical line for mouth, leaving two stitches in the centre.
