BARN OWL page 1

FINISHED SIZE 23cm/ 9in long (top of head to edge of tail)

The Winter White Owl
knitting pattern by Claire Garland
aka Dot Pebbles©
YARN DK weight yarn or use two strands 4 ply, fingering or sock yarn held
together as I did, in white (for front/ C) and gold and/ or pale creamy yellow (for
back/ MC) - I used Drops Alpaca in shades White 1101 & wheat 2110 for front;
wheat 2110 and Goldenrod for back - actual amount in total - 250 metres, also
you’ll need a length 4 ply yarn for the detail around owl’s face
NEEDLES Pair 3.50mm/ US 4 knitting needles
TENSION 11 stitches, 23 rows of garter stitch (g st) over 5cm
EXTRAS Toy filling for stuffing, 1 skein each stranded black 6 pale pink and
golden yellow embroidery thread, pair grey or solid black - 10mm diameter - toy
safety eyes (NOT suitable for a child under 3 years)

In gold/ pale creamy yellow (back colour/ MC), beginning at the front of
the head and to form the widow’s peak, cast on 1 st
Row 1 inc) Kfb - 2sts
Row 2 inc) K1, yo, k1 - 3sts
Row 3 inc) K1, kfb, k1 - 4sts
Row 4 inc) K2, m1, k2 - 5sts
Row 5 inc) Kfb, k1, kfb, k1, kfb - 8sts
Row 6 inc) Kfb, k3, m1, k3, kfb - 11sts
Row 7 inc) Kfb 11 times - 22sts
Row 8 Kfb, k to last st, kfb - 24sts
Rows 9-11 inc) Rep last row three times - 30sts
Rows 12-13 Work 2 rows g (garter) st, placing marker at
each end of last row
 BARN OWL page 2 BARN OWL page 3

... short rows to shape back of head Rows 18 dec)-35 Rep last 2 rows nine times
Short row 1 K29, bring yarn to front, slip next st purl-wise onto RH needle, Row 36 dec) Skpo, k2 tog - 2sts
take working yarn to back, slip slipped stitch back onto LH needle, turn knitting, Row 37 dec) Skpo, fasten off
= W+Tk (wrap and turn knit)
Short row 2 K28, W+Tk WINGS
Short row 3 K27, W+Tk ... left wing
Short row 4 K26, W+Tk *In yarn MC, start with the wing tip, cast on 3 sts
Short row 5 K25, W+Tk Row 1 inc) Kfb, k1, kfb - 5sts
Short rows 6-16 Cont making rows shorter and shorter until short row 16 reads Row 2 P
K14, W+Tk Row 3 inc) Kfb, k to last st, kfb - 7sts
Short row 17 K21 sts to end of row Row 4 P
Rows 5 inc)-14 Rep last 2 rows five times - 17sts
... add purl stitches within next row to detail head from back as foll: Rows 15-21 Work seven rows st st so ending on a k and RS row
Row 14 dec) Skpo, k3, p20, k3, k2 tog - 28sts Rows 22 WS) K (therefore cont. to work in rev. st st)
Row 15 dec) RS) Skpo, k to last 2 sts, k2 tog - 26sts Rows 23-31 Beg. with a p row work nine rows rev. st st so ending on a purl
... short rows to shape back and therefore RS row**
Short row 1 dec) Skpo, k17, W+Tk ... short rows to shape front of left wing
Short row 2 K11, W+Tk Short row 1 K16, W+Tk
Short row 3 K10, W+Tk Short row 2 P16
Short row 4 K9, W+Tk Short row 3 K15, W+Tk
Short row 5 dec) K to last 2 sts, k2 tog - 24sts Short row 4 P15
Short row 5 K14, W+Tk
Row 16 dec) Skpo, k to last 2 sts, k2 tog - 22sts Short row 6 P14
Row 17 K Short row 7 K13, W+Tk
 BARN OWL page 4 BARN OWL page 5

Short row 8 P13 Short row 10 K12

Short row 9 K12, W+Tk Short row 11 P11, W+Tp
Short row 10 P12 Short row 12 K11
Short row 11 K11, W+Tk Short rows 13-24 Cont making rows shorter and shorter until last 2 short
Short row 12 P11 rows read short row 25 P5, W+Tp, then short row 26 - K5
Short rows 13-24 Cont making rows shorter and shorter until last 2 short rows Cast off p-wise. Weave in the tail end at the cast on edge.
read short row 23 K5, W+Tk, then short row 24 - P5 Very gently press the wing flat if necessary.
Cast off.
With wing and body RS facing ease in together then backstitch cast off edge
... right wing to the decrease row edge of each corresponding side of the triangle created at
Work as Left Wing from * to ** the back (see pics p.11) from marker at neck to beginning of rev. st st. at wing.
Row 32 WS) K
... short rows to shape front of right wing FRONT
Short row 1 P16, take yarn to back, slip next st purl-wise onto RH needle, Stitches are now picked up along the row ends at each edge of each wing in
bring working yarn to front, slip slipped stitch back onto LH needle, turn turn to shape the owl’s front and breast.
knitting = W+T (wrap and turn purl) Side #1
Short row 2 K16 Using yarn C (front and breast colour/ off-white and cream) RS facing and
Short row 3 P15, W+Tp beginning just to the right of the where the top of the left wing joins with the
Short row 4K15 edge of the neck at neck marker, pick up and knit 20 sts down to where the
Short row 5 P14, W+Tp rev. st st begins on the left wing
Short row 6 K14 Row 1 inc) From tail end - Kfb, k to end - 21sts
Short row 7 P13, W+Tp Row 2 K
Short row 8 K13 Rows 3 inc)-8 Rep last 2 rows three times 24sts
Short row 9 P12, W+Tp Rows 9-11 Work g st for three rows
 BARN OWL page 6 BARN OWL page 7

... short rows for breast Short row 4 K11

Short row 1 K12, W+T Short row 5 K10, W+T
Short row 2 K12 Short row 6 K10
Short row 3 K11, W+T Short row 7 K9, W+T
Short row 4 K11 Short row 8 K9
Short row 5 K10, W+T Cast off all sts
Short row 6 K10
Short row 7 K9, W+T With cast off edges matching, work mattress stitch to join seam that runs along the
Short row 8 K9 breast and front. Fold each row end at tail end in half as if to make little legs and
Cast off all sts oversew to join.

Side #2 FACE
Using yarn C (front and breast colour/ off-white and or cream) RS facing Using off white yarn, cast on 9 sts
and beginning just to the right of where the reversed st st begins on the Row 1 inc) [K2, kfb] three times - 12sts
right wing pick up and knit 20 sts up to where the top of the right wing Row 2 P
joins with the edge of the neck (see pics p.11) Row 3 inc) [K3, kfb] three times - 15sts
Row 1 inc) from head end - K to last st, kfb - 21sts Row 4 P
Row 2 K Row 5 inc) [K4, kfb] three times - 18sts
Rows 3 inc)-8 Rep last 2 rows three times 24sts Row 6 P
Rows 9-10 Work g st for two rows Row 7 inc) [K5, kfb] three times - 21sts
... short rows for breast Row 8 P
Short row 1 K12, W+T Rows 9-10 Work st st for two rows
Short row 2 K12 ... create the chin
Short row 3 K11, W+T Row 11 dec) Skpo, k to end - 20sts
 BARN OWL page 8
Row 12 dec) P to last 2 sts, p2 tog - 19sts
Row 13 inc) Kfb, k to end - 20sts
Row 14 inc) P to last st, pfb - 21sts
Rows 15-16 Work st st for two rows
Row 17 dec) [K5, k2 tog] three times - 18sts
Row 18 P
Row 19 dec) [K4, k2 tog] three times - 15sts
Row 20 P
Row 21 dec) [K3, k2 tog] three times - 12sts
Row 22 P
Row 23 dec) [K2, k2 tog] three times - 9sts
Cast off p-wise.
Knit-side facing, fold cast on edge in half and join both halves together
with backstitch. Then fold cast off edge in half and join both halves
together with backstitch.
With knit-side facing and the seams on either side pinch the centre to
form the owl’s facial disks. Make a stitch about 1cm in from the fold to
hold the shape.
Position the eyes into the facial disks - around where the seams begin
- then fasten on the eye backs when you are happy with the placement -
remember the decreases and increases from rows 11-14 form the chin/
bottom of the face (see pics p.12)
BARN OWL page 9
To fit the face into the head first oversew the centre of the chin to the seam
at the top of the breast and work outwards, on each side, up to where the
breast joins the wing (see pics p.12)
Allow the top edges of the face to naturally curl backwards as you fit the top
of the face under the ‘hood’ that is the back of the head - the centre of the
face to match with the centre of the ‘widow’s peak’, and oversew in place -
I found it easiest to stuff the owl first before doing this part.
TAIL
In MC) cast on 9 sts
Rows 1-4 Work 4 rows g st
Row 5 inc) K1, kfb, k to last 2 sts, kfb, k1 - 11sts
Rows 6-7 K 2 rows
Rows 8-13 inc) Rep last three rows twice - 15sts
Row 14 inc) K1, kfb, k to last 2 sts, kfb, k1 - 17sts
Rows 15-18 K 4 rows
... picot edge
Row 19 [K1, Yo, k2 tog] 5 times, k2
Rows 20-23 K 4 rows
Row 24 dec) K1, Skpo, k to last 3 sts, k2 tog, k1 - 15sts
Rows 25-26 K 2 rows
Rows 27-32 dec) Rep last three rows twice - 11sts
Row 33 dec) K1, Skpo, k to last 3 sts, k2 tog, k1 - 9sts
 BARN OWL page 10 BARN OWL page 11

Rows 34-37 K 4 rows. HEAD END

Cast off.
MARKER MARKER

Fold tail in half at the picot row. Ease in then oversew the cast on edge to
knitting beneath the little legs. Join the cast off edge to cast on edge then sew
around edges of the tail. Finally join the tail to the wings with just enough
sitches to hold the filling in (see pics p.13)

To complete your owl work an i-cord (or you could also make a crochet chain)
that’s long enough to fit around the circumference of the owl’s face as follows:
Use 4 PLY YARN here, or if you’ve doubled up as I did just use one strand.
I-cord - Cast on 2 sts, *k2 but do not turn the work instead slip stitches on
RH needle back onto the LH needle*, rep from * to * until the you’ve reached
the length you need.
Cast off then join the ends together to form a ring,
With wing and body RS facing ease in together
then backstitch cast off edge to the decrease
row edge of each corresponding side of the
triangle created at the back from marker at neck
to beginning of rev. st st. at wing.

Whip stitch in place around the owl’s face.

Thread up some pink embroidery thread - all six strands - and embroider a
simple sating stitch beak.
Optional - using three strands of golden yellow embroidery thread at a time,
work straight stitches inside th facial disk to add detail. - Also - if you like add
a few grey specks over the wings as feather detail.
 BARN OWL page 12 BARN OWL page 13
FIG 1 Using yarn C (front and breast colour/ off-white and
or cream) RS facing and beginning just to the right of
where the reversed st st begins on the right wing pick
up and knit 20 sts (FIG 1 & 2) up to where the top of
the right wing joins with the edge of the neck

FIG 2

FIG 4 FIG 6

FIG 3 * Fold tail in half at the picot row (FIG 6) Ease in then oversew the cast
on edge to knitting beneath the little legs. Join the cast off edge to cast on
edge then sew around edges of the tail. Finally join the tail to the wings
SEAM The wings cross one over the other then are stitched
SEAM along the short rows of the top wing to join top
with just enough sitches to hold the filling in

wing to bottom (FIG 3)

FIG 5
*
With knit-side facing and the seams on To fit the face into
either side pinch the centre to form the owl’s the head (FIG 5) first
facial disks. Make a stitch about 1cm in from oversew the centre
the fold to hold the shape (FIG 4) of the chin (see *) to
Position the eyes into the facial disks - the seam at the top of
then fasten on the eye backs when you are the breast and work ** WING MARKER
happy with the placement - remember the outwards, on each side,
**Fold row ends (see *) and join to
decreases and increases from rows 11-14
form the chin/ bottom of the face (see *)
up to where the breast
joins the wing (see **)
* make little legs (see **)
 FIR CONE page 1 FIR CONE page 2

FINISHED SIZES small 8cm long; medium 19cm long; large 35cm long Row 14 K2, *rev. yo, k2, pass yo over 2 sts and off needle* rep from * to *
YARN small - DK weight yarn, I used Drops Lima; medium - chunky; to last st, k1
large -Ultra Super Chunky - I used Sirdar Gorgeous Row 15 inc) [P3, pfb] 6 times - 30sts
NEEDLES Pair 3.50mm; 15mm; 25mm
Row 16 K1, *rev. yo, k2, pass yo over 2 sts and off needle* rep from * to *
EXTRAS Toy filling for stuffing
to last st, k1
Row 17 dec) [K1, skpo] 10 times - 20sts
PINE CONE Row 18 K2, *rev. yo, k2, pass yo over 2 sts and off needle* rep from * to *
Cast on 4sts Row 19 dec) Skpo across - 10sts - therefore ending with a garter stitch row.
Row 1 inc) Pfb into each stitch - 8sts
Row 2 RS) K2, *rev. yo, k2, pass yo over 2 sts and off needle* rep from * to * Cut yarn leaving enough end to sew the seam with and thread end through
Row 3 inc) [P1, pfb] 4 times - 12sts all rem. sts, pull up to close.
Row 4 K1, *rev. yo, k2, pass yo over 2 sts and off needle* rep from * to * to
last st, k1 Join row ends together with mattress seam at the same time stuffing the
Row 5 inc) [P2, pfb] 4 times - 16sts cone.
Row 6 K2, *rev. yo, k2, pass yo over 2 sts and off needle* rep from * to *
Row 7 inc) [P3, pfb] 4 times - 20sts
Row 8 K1, *rev. yo, k2, pass yo over 2 sts and off needle* rep from * to * to
last st, k1
Row 9 inc) [P4, pfb] 4 times - 24sts
Row 10 K2, *rev. yo, k2, pass yo over 2 sts and off needle* rep from * to *
Row 11 P
Row 12 K1, *rev. yo, k2, pass yo over 2 sts and off needle* rep from * to *
Row 13 P
Abbreviations
K = knit P = purl
inc = increase dec = decrease

K2 tog = knit two together Rep = repeat

RS/WS = right side/ wrong side st/ sts =stitch/ stitches

Skpo = slip one stitch, knit next stitch , pass slipped stitch over knit stitch

Kfb = knit into front then into back of stitch to increase by one stitch

Pfb = purl into front then knit into back of stitch to increase by one stitch

Rev. yo = reversed yarn over, bring working yarn from back of work and

over to the front

G st = garter stitch - knit all stitches on both wrong side and right side

St St = stocking/ stockinette stitch - knit all stitches on right side, purl all

stitches on wrong side

Rev. st st = Reversed stocking stitch; working stocking stitch but instead

the purl-side becomes the right side, therefore - purl all stitches on right

side, knit all stitches on wrong side

If there is any part of this pattern that you don’t understand then please

feel free to email me:

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