MOUSE
Size: 10 cm (4 ins).
MATERIALS
1 50-gram ball each of Double Knitting Yarn in main shade and contrast shade (note each mouse requires approx. 15 g of two yarns or 30 g of one for solid colour); small amount of Pink and Black; 3.75 mm (No. 9) knitting needles, large-eyed darning needle; toy stuffing, small squeaker (optional) and catnip (optional). Note: Cats Protection colours are blue or black and yellow, but any combination is fine.
TENSION
22 sts and 28 rows to 10 cm measured over st-st using 4 mm needles.
ABBREVIATIONS
Alt – alternate;
foll – following;
K – knit;
M1 – make one stitch by picking up the horizontal loop lying before the next stitch and knitting into the back of it;
P – purl;
st(s) – stitch(es);
st-st – stocking-stitch (knit one row, purl one row);
BOdy
With 4 mm needles and main shade, cast on 2 sts.
1st row – Knit.
2nd and every foll alt row– Purl.
3rd row – K1, M1, K1 – 3 sts.
5th row – K1, M1, K1, M1, K1 – 5 sts.
7th row – K1, M1, K3, M1, K1 – 7 sts.
9th row – K1, M1, K5, M1, K1 – 9 sts.
11th row – K1, M1, K7, M1, K1 – 11 sts.
13th row – K1, M1, K9, M1, K1 – 13 sts.
15th row – K1, M1, K11, M1, K1 – 15 sts.
17th row – K1, M1, K13, M1, K1 – 17 sts.
18th row – Purl.
Change to contrast shade.
19th row – K1, M1, K15, M1, K1 – 19 sts.
20th row – Purl.
Change to main shade.
21st row – K1, M1, K17, M1,
K1 – 21 sts.
22nd row – Purl.
Change to contrast shade.
23rd row – K1, M1, K19, M1, K1 – 23 sts.
24th row – Purl.
Change to main shade.
25th row – K1, M1, K21, M1, K1 – 25 sts.
26th row – Purl.
Change to contrast shade.
27th row – Knit.
28th row – Purl.
Change to main shade.
Keeping stripe sequence correct, repeat last 2 rows 4 times more.
Break off yarn leaving a tail of about 15 cm. Thread yarn through remaining sts and draw tight to form round tail end of mouse. Fasten off.
EARS
With 4 mm needles and contrast, cast on 5 sts. Beginning with a knit row, work 5 rows in st-st.
Break off yarn leaving a tail of about 10 cm. Thread yarn through stitches and draw tight to make round part of ear.
Darn in yarn end. Sew cast-on yarn through bottom sts and draw tight to make lower part of ear
TO COMPLETE
Sew two sides of mouse body together from tail end to nose end, making sure the stripes match up. Leave a hole for stuffing.
Insert stuffing and, if using, squeaker and catnip into the mouse body. Wrap squeaker and catnip in stuffing before inserting to make sure they are squidgy and don’t make the mouse lumpy.
Finish sewing body right up to the tip of the nose.
Sew on ears using cast-on yarn ends.
Embroider nose and eyes with pink or black yarn, making sure ends are very tightly secured in the body of the mouse.
Secure a length of yarn through body and out the tail end to form a tail.
Tie a knot at the end of the tail. Make sure all ends are very tightly secured.
Launch towards nearest cat.
Georgia Wood Georgia works as part of the magazine marketing team. She loves that her job is very varied, every day is different working across all of DCT Media's magazines. She likes trying new things, from cooking to crafting, she's currently learning to knit!
