ISSUEdf23 ** Inside Cat : Knitty.

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by Anna Hrachovec

photos: Anna Hrachovec

MATERIALS

Yarn
Sample 1 (orange)
[MC] Tosh Vintage [100% Superwash Merino Wool; 200 yd/182m per 115g skein]; color:
GG Loves Speckles; 30 yards/27 meters

Cascade 220 [100% Peruvian Highland Wool; 220 yd/200m per 100g skein];
[CC1] Black; 1 yard/1 meter
[CC2] Cabernet; 1 yard/1 meter
[CC3] Cascade Heritage [75% Superwash Merino Wool/25% Nylon; 437 yd/400m per
100g skein]; Real Black; 1 yard/1 meter

Sample 2 (gray)
[MC] Cascade Eco Highland Duo [70% Baby Alpaca / 30% Merino Wool; 197 yd/180m
per 100g skein]; color: Silver; 30 yards/27 meters

Cascade 220 [100% Peruvian Highland Wool; 220 yd/200m per 100g skein];
[CC1] Black; 1 yard/1 meter
[CC2] Cotton Candy; 1 yard/1 meter
[CC3] Cascade Heritage [75% Superwash Merino Wool/25% Nylon; 437 yd/400m per
100g skein]; Real Black; 1 yard/1 meter

Yarn Characteristics
One sample shown uses a speckled superwash wool yarn, accompanied by solid
worsted and fingering-weight yarns. Superwash is a good choice if you will be knitting for a
child. Otherwise, yarn scraps of any material will also work great for this project!

Recommended needle size

US #5/3.75mm double-pointed needles for working flat and small circumference in the
round
(You could also use 2 circular needles or one longer circular needle and the magic loop
method, but because of the small stitch counts, traditional DPNs are recommended.)

Notions
stuffing (polyester fiberfill)
sharp yarn needle

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GAUGE

Note: Gauge isn't important for this project — instead, aim to make stitches tight enough so
that stuffing won't show between them. This usually means choosing a needle that's 2-3
sizes smaller than normally recommended for the yarn you're using.

DIRECTIONS

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Body

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Tail
With MC, cast on 3 stitches onto one DPN.
Knit 16 rows of I-cord, as follows
I-Cord: K3; return sts to start of needle without turning.

Torso
Next row, increase: K1, kfb, k1. 4 sts.
From here, you will work flat for the garter stitch body, turning after every row. Turn before
Row 18.

Row 18: K1, (kfb) twice, k1. 6 sts.

Row 19: K1, (kfb) 4 times, k1. 10 sts.
Row 20: K1, kfb, k6, kfb, k1. 12 sts.
Rows 21-66: Knit 46 (or so) rows.
Row 67: K1, (k2tog) twice, k2, (k2tog) twice, k1. 8 sts.
Row 68: (Kfb) 8 times. 16 sts.

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Head
Pick up two more DPNs, and slip the stitches purlwise onto them, alternating needles with
each stitch, as follows: slip the first stitch onto the DPN in back, the second stitch on the
DPN in front, etc.

Once you have slipped all of the stitches onto the two parallel needles, you will use a third
DPN to work the stitches in a round. The first stitch in the round is directly across from the
stitch with the working yarn attached; once you have worked across the first needle, turn
both needles around to work the stitches on the needle in back. Once you've worked the first
round, distribute the stitches across 3 DPNs.

Rnd 1: K1, (kfb) twice, k2, (kfb) twice, k2, kfb, k4, kfb, k1. 22 sts.
Rnd 2: Knit.
Rnd 3: K1, (kfb, k2) 4 times, kfb, k6, kfb, k1. 28 sts.
Rnds 4-11: Knit. (8 rounds)

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Rnd 12: K1, k2tog, k10, k2tog, k2, k2tog, k6, k2tog, k1. 24 sts.
Rnd 13: Knit.
Rnd 14: (K2tog, k1) 8 times. 16 sts.

Stuff the piece, filling out the shape without over-stuffing. (You shouldn't be able to see
stuffing between the stitches.)
Rnd 15: Knit.
Rnd 16: (K2tog) 8 times. 8 sts.
Cut the yarn, leaving a 6 inch/15 cm tail and draw it tightly through the stitches with a
tapestry needle.

Weave in the loose ends.

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Ear (make 2)
With MC, and leaving a tail of a few inches or centimeters for attaching, cast 5 stitches onto
one needle to work flat.

Row 1: Purl.
Row 2: K2tog, k1, k2tog. 3 sts.
Row 3: Purl.
Row 4: K2tog, k1. 2 sts

Cut the yarn, leaving a 6 inch/15 cm tail and draw it through the stitches, from right to left,
with a tapestry needle. Draw the yarn through the stitches again the same way (this will help
make the point of the triangle more defined), then slip the stitches off the needle and pull the
yarn tight. Weave in this end only.

Leg (make 4)
With MC, and leaving a tail of a few inches or centimeters for attaching, cast 3 stitches onto
one DPN.
Knit 9 rows of I-cord as before.

Cut the yarn, leaving a 6 inch/15 cm tail and draw it through the stitches with a tapestry
needle. Draw the yarn through the stitches again the same way four times more (this will bulk
up the end of the I-cord for a paw-like shape), then slip the stitches off the needle and pull
the yarn tight. Weave in this end only.

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FINISHING

Embroidered features
Use the photos as a guide.
Locate the front of the face — this is the side of the head that is slightly more three-
dimensional.
With CC1, embroider the eyes with two small horizontal stitches for each, placed about
halfway down the face and spaced 4 stitches apart.

With CC2, embroider a nose with 2-3 wider stitches between and just below the eyes.

With CC3, embroider whiskers with one long diagonal stitch for each, placed as shown.

Use the tails you left on the ears to stitch their cast-on edges to the head, with the purl sides
facing forward, placed as shown. Make your first and last stitches slightly forward from the
rest, so that the ear will have a slight concave shape.

Use the cast-on tails you left on the legs to attach each to the body, placed as shown.

Weave in the remaining loose ends.

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