W

ith their soft edges, these knitted geometric shapes

can be used for throw-and-catch games. You
could also add spots to the cube shapes to make dice.
Tn makc a ba!! nr cubc, ynu nccd:
! Needles: 3 mm (UK 10, US 3)
! For a large cube: 20g each in three colours of
yarn; a cube of furnishing foam, with sides 13cm
(5in) long.
! For a small cube: 10g each in three colours of
yarn; polyester toy stuffing.
! For a four-colour ball: 10g each in four colours of
yarn; polyester toy stuffing.
! Tapestry needle for sewing up
! Scissors
Hnw casy is it tn makc?
Easy! The cubes are each made from six squares of
knitting. Choose colours that go well together. You
can use the squares of a
cube as an opportunity
to practice textures
of knitting (as
shown on the
largest cube). Or
keep it simple and
work only in
stocking stitch for
a smooth finish (as
shown on the smaller cube
and the four-colour ball).
A dnnatinn Irnm sa!cs nI thc ba!! and cubcs knitting pattcrns is madc
tn thc charity 5ustain, which runs thc Chi!drcn's Fnnd Campaign tn
hc!p imprnvc chi!drcn's hca!th, and thcir knnw!cdgc, undcrstanding
and cn|nymcnt nI gnnd Innd, scc: www.chi!drcnsInndcampaign.nrg
Knittcd ba!! & cubcs
WHAT STITCHES ARE USED?
The knitted cubes and ball are patterns
designed to be as simple as possible, and
can be made using only stocking stitch.
Stocking stitch means alternating rows
of plain (k) and purl (p). If you prefer
working every row in plain (called
garter stitch), this makes quite a nice
finish for the toys the surface of your
toy will just be a bit more textured.
However, if you would like to make tex-
tured toys, the surfaces of these geomet-
ric shaps are a good place to practice.
for the Large Cube pattern (and as
shown in the picture), three different
basketweave stitches were used on the
six sides of the cube.
YARN AND TENSION
Tension and your choice of type of yarn
are not critical. If your work is tighter,
or your yarn a bit thinner, your toy will
be a bit smaller; if your work is looser,
or your yarn a bit thicker, your toy will
be a bit bigger. As a guide to tension, to
make a large cube with sides about
13cm or 5in in length: using double knit
yarn and working in stocking stitch,
using 3 mm (size 10, US 3) needles, work
26 stitches and 34 rows to 10cm (4 inches).
ABBREVIATIONS
k = knit or plain p = purl
st(s) = stitch(es)
tog = together (a decrease stitch)
inc = increase (an increase stitch)
numbers in (brackets) give the total stitches
you should have at the end of that row
Largc cubc
LARGE CUBE SIDE
You can work the large cube in simple
stocking stitch. Or for a textured cube,
choose from one or more of the options
below. The large cube in the picture was
made by working two sides in each of
the three different basketweave stitches
described below (A, B and C).
Simple stocking stitch
For a simple stocking stitch cube, make
six pieces as follows:
Cast on 24 sts. Working in stocking
stitch, and starting with a k row, work
30 rows. Cast off.
Option A: two-stitch bascketweave
Make a piece as follows:
Cast on 24 sts.
Rows 1 and 2: * k2, p2; repeat from *
to end of row.
Rows 3 and 4: * p2, k2; repeat from *
to end of row.
Repeat rows 1 to 4 until you have 30
rows in total. Cast off.
Option B: three-stitch bascketweave
Make a piece as follows:
Cast on 24 sts.
Rows 1, 2 and 3: * k3, p3; repeat from
* to end of row.
Rows 4, 5 and 6: * p3, k3; repeat from
* to end of row.
Repeat rows 1 to 6 until you have 30
rows in total. Cast off.
How to make a knitted cube or ball
Making up thc cubcs
MAKING UP THE LARGE CUBE WITH FOAMSTUFFING
Lay out the six pieces of your cube on a flat surface in the
arrangement shown in the diagram.
Join the squares together along the seams where they touch.
Place the 13cm (5in) cube of foam onto the
middle square of the cross (the blue square in
the diagram marked 3).
Roll the long arm of the cross over the top of
the foam, so that the edge of square 1 meets the
edge of square 4, and join these seams together.
Fold up square 5 to enclose the foam. Join the
seams where this square meets squares 1, 2 and 4. Repeat
for square 6.
MAKING UP THE SMALL CUBE WITH FOAMSTUFFING
Make up the small cube in the same way as above. Before
completing the final seam, fill the cube with stuffing then
sew shut. The large
cube can be stuffed
in the same way, but
will become bulgy
and will not keep its
cube shape.
1 2 3 4
5
6
Diagram Inr
!aying nut thc
squarcs tn
makc up a
knittcd cubc in
thrcc cn!nurs
Option C: four-stitch bascketweave
Make a piece as follows:
Cast on 24 sts.
Rows 1, 2, 3 and 4: * k4, p4; repeat
from * to end of row.
Rows 5, 6, 7 and 8: * p4, k4p repeat
from * to end of row.
Repeat rows 1 to 8 until you have 30
rows in total. Cast off.
5ma!! cubc
SMALL CUBE SIDE
The small cube in the picture was made
by working all sides in simple stocking
stitch. However, you could make sides
using different basketweave stitches, as
described above (A, B and C).
Simple stocking stitch
For a simple stocking stitch cube, make
six pieces as follows:
Cast on 12 sts. Working in stocking
stitch, and starting with a k row, work
16 rows. Cast off.
Make up the small cube as for the large
cube, following the diagram and
instructions shown in the panel opposite.
Making up thc Inur-cn!nur ba!!
Lay out the six octagons on a flat surface in the arrange-
ment shown in the diagram, with triangles at the corners of
octagons 1 and 3.
Join the pieces together along the seams
where they touch.
Fold up octagon 4 and join the diagonal edges to
the adjacent triangles. Fold up octagon 5 and join
the diagonal edges to the adjacent triangles, and
then to the straight edge of octagon 4. Repeat for
octagons 6 and 2.
When you have a bowl shape, fill it with stuffing, then fold
over octagon 1 with its triangles, like a lid, and join the
remaining seams. Before you have completed all of the
seams, push more stuffing into the shape fort a firm finish.
Diagram Inr
!aying nut thc
squarcs tn
makc up a
knittcd ba!! in
Inur cn!nurs
1 2 3 4
5
6
Variatinns nn a thcmc
You can make attractive variations to
your simple geometric shapes through
changes in colour and stitch.
The large cube is worked in three
colours,two sides in each. It is filled
with a pre-cut cube of foam, giving it
a firm cube shape. You could sew on
felt spots to turn it into a dice.
The small cube is worked in three
colours, two sides in each. It is filled
with polyester toy stuffing, giving it a
soft, fat, rounded shape.
The ball on the right of the picture has
four colours six octagons joined in a
cube-like shape with eight triangles.
one at each corner.
Fnur-cn!nur ba!!
The four-colour ball in the picture was
made by working all sides in simple
stocking stitch. For a four-colour ball,
work two octagons in each of three
different colours (six octagons in total),
and eight triangles in an additional
colour. You can also add a bell or rattle
to your toy. Put the bell or some buttons
in a small plastic container such as a
pill jar, When the toy is half stuffed,
and place the plastic container in the
middle of your toy and then finish the
stuffing and sewing up.
OCTAGON SIDE
Make six, in three different colours
Cast on 6 sts. First row: p.
Row 2: inc 1 st into first st, k to last st,
inc 1 st into last st.
Row 3: inc 1 st into first st, p to last st,
inc 1 st into last st.
Repeat rows 2 and 3 twice more (18 sts
and 7 rows total).
Working in stocking stitch, starting with
a k row, work 8 rows (15 rows total).
Row 16: k2 tog, k to last 2 sts, k2 tog.
Row 17: p2 tog, p to last 2 sts, p2 tog.
Repeat rows 16 and 17 twice more (6
sts remain). Cast off.
TRIANGLE SIDE
Make eight, in an additional colour
Cast on 6 sts. First row: p.
Next row: k2 tog, k4 (5 sts remain).
Next row: p2 tog, p3 (4 sts remain).
Next row: k2 tog, k2 (3 sts remain).
Next row: p2 tog, p1 (2 sts remain).
Next row: k 2 tog.
Break off yarn, slip end through
remaining stitch and pull tight. Make up
the ball using the instructions in the
panel on the previous page.
Coyrighl Kalh DaImeny, 2012. More allerns for loys are in lhe book 'Kalh DaImeny's WorId of Knilled
Toys'. Lols of knilling and crochel allerns are aIso avaiIabIe via lhe vonderfuI: vvv.raveIry.com
TIP: If making your toy for a small child, you
could add an animal face to one or more of
the sides. Sew securely to survive hard play.
Lnts mnrc knitting pattcrns arc
avai!ab!c Irnm thc samc dcsigncr...