A distant relative of the elephant, the Mammoth was hunted by early man for its lovely woolly coat and delicious meat. Humans also frequently drew these creatures on the walls of their caves. The Mammoth’s tusks could grow to an enormous 15 feet, but its ears were smaller to conserve heat. Footage was released a few years ago that shows a Mammoth crossing a river in Siberia, so maybe they did not die out 4,000 years ago but are still roaming free in Russia.
The Mammoth is knitted in two mohair blend yarns used together to look woolly.
Length: 36cm (14in)
Height to top of head: 25cm (10in)
Pair of 4mm (US 6) knitting needles
Double-pointed 4mm (US 6) knitting needles (for holding stitches)
Pair of 3¾mm (US 5) knitting needles
80g (3oz) of Rowan Kid Classic in Bitter Sweet 866 (bi)
40g (1½oz) of Rowan Kidsilk Haze in Majestic 589 (ma)
NOTE: most of this animal uses 1 strand of bi and 1 strand of ma held together, and this is called bima
10g (¼oz) of Rowan Creative Focus Worsted in Natural 100 (na)
Tiny amount of Rowan Pure Wool 4ply in Black 404 (bl) for eyes
2 tiny black beads for eyes and sewing needle and black thread for sewing on
80cm (32in) of 3mm armature wire for legs
3 pipecleaners for trunk and tusks
See here.
See for Wrap and Turn Method.
With 4mm (US 6) needles and bima, cast on 16 sts.
Beg with a k row, work 26 rows st st.*
Row 27: Cast (bind) off 8 sts, k to end (hold 8 sts on spare needle for Right Side of Body).
Work as for Right Front Leg to *.
Row 27: K8, cast (bind) off 8 sts (hold 8 sts on spare needle for Left Side of Body).
With 4mm (US 6) needles and bima, cast on 16 sts.
Beg with a k row, work 20 rows st st.
Row 21: K1, inc, k12, inc, k1. (18 sts)
Row 22: Purl.
Row 23: K1, inc, k14, inc, k1. (20 sts)
Row 24: Purl.
Row 25: K1, inc, k16, inc, k1. (22 sts)
Row 26: Purl.
Row 27: K1, inc, k18, inc, k1. (24 sts)
Row 28: Purl.
Row 29: K1, inc, k20, inc, k1. (26 sts)
Row 30: Purl.**
Row 31: Cast (bind) off 13 sts, k to end (hold 13 sts on spare needle for Right Side of Body).
Toenails
The Mammoth’s toenails are embroidered on.
Work as Right Back Leg to **.
Row 31: K13, cast (bind) off 13 sts (hold 13 sts on spare needle for Left Side of Body).
With 4mm (US 6) needles and bima, cast on 12 sts.
Row 1: Inc, k10, inc. (14 sts)
Row 2: Inc, p12, inc. (16 sts)
Row 3: Inc, k14, inc. (18 sts)
Row 4: Purl.
Break off yarn.
Row 5: With RS facing, rejoin yarn and k8 from spare needle of Right Front Leg, k18 from row 4, then k13 from spare needle of Right Back Leg. (39 sts)
Row 6: P38, inc. (40 sts)
Work 10 rows st st.
Row 17: K38, k2tog. (39 sts)
Row 18: Purl.
Row 19: K37, k2tog. (38 sts)
Row 20: Purl.
Row 21: K36, k2tog. (37 sts)
Row 22: Purl.
Row 23: K35, k2tog. (36 sts)
Row 24: Cast (bind) off 4 sts, p to end. (32 sts)
Row 25: K30, k2tog. (31 sts)
Row 26: Cast (bind) off 4 sts, p to end. (27 sts)
Row 27: K25, k2tog. (26 sts)
Row 28: Cast (bind) off 4 sts, p to end. (22 sts)
Row 29: K20, k2tog. (21 sts)
Row 30: Cast (bind) off 4 sts, p to end. (17 sts)
Row 31: K15, k2tog. (16 sts)
Row 32: P2tog, p to end (hold 15 sts on spare needle for Neck and Head).
With 4mm (US 6) needles and bima, cast on 12 sts.
Row 1: Inc, p10, inc. (14 sts)
Row 2: Inc, k12, inc. (16 sts)
Row 3: Inc, p14, inc. (18 sts)
Row 4: Knit.
Break off yarn.
Row 5: With WS facing, rejoin yarn and p8 from spare needle of Left Front Leg, p18 from row 4, then p13 from spare needle of Left Back Leg. (39 sts)
Row 6: K38, inc. (40 sts)
Work 10 rows st st.
Row 17: P38, p2tog. (39 sts)
Row 18: Knit.
Row 19: P37, p2tog. (38 sts)
Row 20: Knit.
Row 21: P36, p2tog. (37 sts)
Row 22: Knit.
Row 23: P35, p2tog. (36 sts)
Row 24: Cast (bind) off 4 sts, k to end. (32 sts)
Row 25: P30, p2tog. (31 sts)
Row 26: Cast (bind) off 4 sts, k to end. (27 sts)
Row 27: P25, p2tog. (26 sts)
Row 28: Cast (bind) off 4 sts, k to end. (22 sts)
Row 29: P20, p2tog. (21 sts)
Row 30: Cast (bind) off 4 sts, k to end. (17 sts)
Row 31: P15, p2tog. (16 sts)
Row 32: K2tog, k to end (hold 15 sts on spare needle for Neck and Head).
Row 1: With 4mm (US 6) needles and bima, with RS facing k15 from spare needle of Right Side of Body, then k15 from spare needle of Left Side of Body. (30 sts)
Row 2: Purl.
Work 2 rows st st.
Row 5: K22, w&t (leave 8 sts on left-hand needle unworked).
Row 6: Working top of head on centre 14 sts only, p14, w&t.
Row 7: K14, w&t.
Row 8: P14, w&t.
Row 9: K13, w&t.
Row 10: P12, w&t.
Row 11: K11, w&t.
Row 12: P10, w&t.
Row 13: K9, w&t.
Row 14: P8, w&t.
Row 15: K8, w&t.
Row 16: P8, w&t.
Row 17: K8, w&t.
Row 18: P8, w&t.
Row 19: K9, w&t.
Row 20: P10, w&t.
Row 21: K11, w&t.
Row 22: P12, w&t.
Row 23: K13, w&t.
Row 24: P14, w&t.
Row 25: K22. (30 sts in total)
Row 26: [P1, p2tog] twice, p18, [p2tog, p1] twice. (26 sts)
Work 2 rows st st.
Row 29: [K1, k2tog] twice, k14, [k2tog, k1] twice. (22 sts)
Work 7 rows st st.
Row 37: [K1, k2tog] twice, k10, [k2tog, k1] twice. (18 sts)
Work 7 rows st st.
Row 45: K1, k2tog, k12, k2tog, k1. (16 sts)
Work 5 rows st st.
Row 51: K1, k2tog, k10, k2tog, k1. (14 sts)
Work 5 rows st st.
Row 57: K1, k2tog, k8, k2tog, k1. (12 sts)
Work 5 rows st st.
Row 63: K1, k2tog, k6, k2tog, k1. (10 sts)
Work 5 rows st st.
Row 69: K1, k2tog, k4, k2tog, k1. (8 sts)
Work 5 rows st st.
Row 75: K1, k2tog, k2, k2tog, k1. (6 sts)
Work 5 rows st st.
Row 81: K1, [k2tog] twice, k1. (4 sts)
Work 5 rows st st.
Cast (bind) off.
With 4mm (US 6) needles and bima, cast on 6 sts.
Beg with a k row, work 98 rows st st.
Row 99: K2tog, k2, k2tog. (4 sts)
Work 41 rows st st.
Row 141: [K2tog] twice. (2 sts)
Row 142: Purl.
Row 143: K2tog and fasten off.
(make 2 the same)
With 3¾mm (US 5) needles and bima, cast on 7 sts.
Beg with a k row, work 6 rows reverse st st.
Change to na and st st.
Row 7: P3, p2tog, p2. (6 sts)
Work 14 rows st st.
Row 22: K2, k2tog, k2. (5 sts)
Work 13 rows st st.
Row 36: K1, k2tog, k2. (4 sts)
Work 15 rows st st.
Row 52: K1, k2tog, k1. (3 sts)
Work 5 rows st st.
Row 58: K2tog, k1. (2 sts)
Row 59: Purl.
Row 60: K2tog and fasten off.
(make 2 the same)
With 4mm (US 6) needles and bima, cast on 6 sts.
Work 2 rows moss (seed) st.
Row 3: Inc, moss (seed) st to end. (7 sts)
Row 4: Moss (seed) st.
Row 5: Inc, moss (seed) st to end. (8 sts)
Row 6: Moss (seed) st.
Row 7: Inc, moss (seed) st to end. (9 sts)
Row 8: Inc, moss (seed) st 7, inc. (11 sts)
Row 9: Moss (seed) st.
Row 10: K2tog, moss (seed) st to last 2 sts, k2tog. (9 sts)
Row 11: K2tog, moss (seed) st to last 2 sts, k2tog. (7 sts)
Cast (bind) off.
With 4mm (US 6) needles and bima, cast on 5 sts.
Beg with a k row, work 3 rows st st.
Row 4: P2tog, p1, p2tog. (3 sts)
Work 10 rows st st.
Row 15: K2tog, k1. (2 sts)
Work 9 rows st st.
Row 25: K2tog 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, fold each leg in half and sew up on RS, starting at feet.
HEAD AND BODY With WS together, sew around back and down bottom.
TUMMY AND UNDERSIDE OF TRUNK Sew cast on row of tummy to base of Mammoth’s bottom (where legs begin), and sew cast (bound) off row to end of trunk. A pipecleaner is used to bend the trunk into shape. Measure the pipecleaner against the trunk and cut to approximately fit, leaving an extra 2.5cm (1in) at one end. Fold the end over to stop the pipecleaner poking out of the end of the trunk. Roll a little stuffing around pipecleaner and sew up trunk around it. Ease and sew tummy to fit body, leaving an 8cm (3in) gap on one side.
STUFFING Bend the armature wire into a ‘U’ shape and cut to fit down both front legs, with extra to form a loop for the feet. Use pliers to shape the feet. Roll a little stuffing around wire and slip wire into body, one end down each front leg. Stuff legs firmly. Repeat for back legs. Starting at trunk, stuff body firmly, then sew up gap. Mould body into shape.
TAIL It is not necessary to sew up the tail, as it curls in naturally. Sew tail to back at top of bottom so that tail curls outwards. If necessary, catch it down approx 2cm (¾in) below where you attached it.
EARS Starting at the top, sew cast on row of each ear to side of head, approx 2cm (¾in) down from top of head, with 8 sts between ears and angled slightly towards trunk following w&t line.
TUSKS Cut 14cm (5½in) of pipecleaner and sew up tusk around it, starting at thicker end. Sew tusk to side of head, diagonally just below ear, and sewing bima section with bima and sewing down approx 2cm (¾in) of na. Curl the tusks upwards as in photograph.
EYES With bl, sew 3-loop French knots positioned as in photograph. Sew black beads on top of knots.
TOENAILS With na, sew four 5mm (¼in) vertical lines on front of feet, spaced approx 1.5 sts apart.
