The Knitting Project
Pattern1 LOBSTER
Materials:
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One ball of pink, red or blue double knitting
4 x double end needles, size 3 1/4
a handful or two of poly-fil stuffing
tapestry needle
Gauge:
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not terribly important, but make sure it’s tight enough that the
stuffing won’t show through
Instructions:
The lobster is knit in several stages, with as little seaming
possible. The tail consists of five little “fin” pieces which
together and then sewn onto the mail body piece. Six legs are
with three icords that are simply poked through the lobster’s
claws are created separately and then stitched onto the sides
head.
Abbreviations:
M1: Make 1 stitch
BO: Bind Off
CO: Cast Off
DPN: Double Pointed Needles
as
are sewn
created
belly. The
of the
Tail fins:
The tail has five fins and is built from the middle. The two pieces on
either side of the middle piece are symmetrical, and the two outermost
pieces are identical. All pieces are knit straight on two DPNs (or
straight needles if you prefer).
middle (make 1)
CO 8 sts
Row 1: Knit
Row 2: Purl
Row 3: Knit
Row 4: P2tog, P4, P2tog
Row 5: Knit
Row 6: P2tog, P2, P2tog
Row 7: K2tog twice
Cut yarn and thread through last sts, pull tight.
inner right (make 1)
CO 6 sts
Row 1: Knit
Row 2: Purl
Row 3: k2tog, knit to end
Row 4: Purl
Row 5: k2tog, knit to end
Row 6: Purl
Row 7: k2tog twice
Cut yarn and thread through last sts, pull tight.
inner left (make 1)
CO 6 sts
Row 1: Knit
Row 2: Purl
Row 3: Knit to the last 2 sts, k2tog
Row 4: Purl
Row 5: Knit to the last 2 sts, k2tog
Row 6: Purl
Row 7: k2tog twice
Cut yarn and thread through last sts, pull tight.
outer piece (make 2)
CO 4 sts
Rows 1-6: Work stockinette stitch
Row 7: k2tog twice
Row 8: Purl
Cut yarn and thread through last sts, pull tight.
finishing tail fins
Weave in ends from BO edges. With ends from CO edges, connect the tail
pieces. The pieces will overlap. Flat end (CO edge) of inner pieces tilt
at about a 45º angle from the middle piece. CO edge of outer pieces tilt
at about a 45º angle from the inner pieces. Hopefully the picture helps!
Body/Tail:
CO 24 sts to one needle. Divide stitches between three needles, 8 on
each needle. If you leave a long tail (8″-12″), you will be able to use
this later for seaming.
To begin around make sure your RH needle has the working yarn at it’s
head. Using your forth needle knit the first stitch from your LH
needle(N1)the working yarn from needle three (N3) and pulling tight.
Rounds 1-6: knit
With each new needle push the stitches to the opposite end to begin –
this will help you not to twist.
Round 7: p first 16 sts, k to end of round.
Rounds 8-10: knit
Round 11: p first 16 sts, k to end of round
Rounds 12-15: knit
Round 16: p first 16 sts, k to end of round
Rounds 17-20:knit
Round 21: k2tog, k5, k2tog, k5, k2tog, k3, k2tog, k3 (20 sts)
Round 22: purl first 13 sts, k to end of round
Round 23: M1, knit to end of needle, M1, knit to end of needle, M1,
M1, k1, M1, k3 (25 sts)
Round 24: knit
Round 25: M1, knit to end of needle, M1, knit to end of needle, M1,
to end of needle (28 sts)
Round 26: knit
Repeat rounds 25 and 26 until you have 40 stitches.
Round 35: k2tog, k10, k2tog, k10, k2tog, k6, k2tog, k6 (36 sts)
Round 36: knit
Round 37: k2tog twice, k6, k2tog, k6, k2tog twice, k5, k2tog twice,
(29 sts)
Round 38: knit
Round 39: k2tog twice, k3, k2tog, k3, k2tog twice, k5, k2tog twice,
(22 sts)
Round 40: knit
Round 41: k2tog x6, k3, k2tog twice, k3 (14 sts)
Round 42: knit
Round 43: k2, k2tog, k2, k3, k2tog, k3 (12 sts)
Round 44: knit
Round 45: k2, k2tog, k3, k2tog, k3 (10 sts)
Round 46: k2tog all around (5 sts)
Cut yarn and thread through remaining sts. Pull tight and weave in.
k3,
knit
k5
k4
finishing
Stuff the body. Using the CO tail, sew the CO end shut flat while also
sewing on the tail piece.
Legs: make 4 icords using 2 DPNs – cast on three stitches. Knit the
first row. Slide the stitches to the opposite end of the needle. Now the
working yarn is at the bottom of the row. Knit again, pulling the
working yarn up the back of the piece so you can work with it. On
completion of each row slide the stitches to the opposite end of the
needle. As you pull the yarn, the back will close up on itself, forming
the cord shape. Continue knitting the icord until the leg measures about
5 – 6½ inches long, you’ll have to judge the scale dependent on how
large your lobster has knitted up.
next row… k2tog, k1
next row… k2tog
Cut yarn and pull tight through last stitch. Do not weave in.
finishing
Legs are attached immediately after the tail portion of the main body
ends (the last purl line). All three are fit in before the halfway mark
of the upper body, if not a little less. I suggest that you wait to
bring the legs through until after you make the claws, to make sure
everything is lined up right. If not, it is easy enough to pull them out
and adjust them when all is said and done.
Make sure you leave both ends of each leg free. With one end threaded
through a tapestry needle, poke the tapestry needle through the belly of
the lobster. Make sure that the two holes are on the same row of
stitches, and then pull the leg through so that there are equal portions
on either side of the body. (You may need to put a knitting needle
through the hole to make it big enough.)
It should be noted that the legs do not go straight out through the
sides of the body, but are actually more underneath… the picture should
help with this.
To make the legs crook forward, weave in an end to about the halfway
point of the leg, then jump a few stitches before bringing your needle
back in, and pull. Continue weaving the end in. If you weave the end in
through to the body, the legs will be secured so that no one can
accidentally pull them out. The legs will remain straight if you then
straighten them, but they have fairly good memory and will now stay bent
if you point them that way.
Arms and claws:
arm and claw (make two)
CO 6 sts (2 on each needle). Join in the round, being careful not to
twist.
Rounds 1-3: knit
Round 4: k1, m1, k1 for each needle (9 sts)
Knit 10 rounds
Round 15:
Needle one: k1, m1, k1, m1, k1
Needle two: k1, m1, k1, m1, k1
Needle three: k3 (13 sts total)
Round 16: knit
Round 17:
Needle one: k1, m1, k1, m1, k1, m1, k1, m1, k1
Needle two: k1, m1, k3, m1, k1
Needle three: k3 (19 sts total)
Rounds 18-19: knit.
Round 20: knit the first two needles, but instead of knitting the 3rd
needle (with 3 sts on it), use a 5th needle and knit 5 sts from needle
one. This new needle, with 5 sts, is your new “needle one.” That means
that the old “needle one” is now needle two, and needle two is needle
three. Make sure to pull tight. The needle with 3 sts will not be used
until later. If you only have 4 DPNs, a stitch holder for the 3 sts will
work fine.
Rounds 21-22: knit
Round 23:
Needle one: k2tog, k3
Needle two: k1, k2tog, k1
Needle three: k3, k2tog twice (12 sts total)
Round 24: knit
(note: around this point you’ll probably want to stuff the arm and what
you have of the claw. You can then continue to add bits of stuffing as
you go, though the top of the claw doesn’t really need much.)
Round 25:
Needle one: k2tog, k2
Needle two: k1, k2tog
Needle three: k2tog, k1, k2tog (8 sts total)
Round 26: knit
Round 27:
Needle one: knit
Needle two: k2tog
Needle three: knit (7 sts total)
Round 28: knit
Round 29:
Needle one: k2tog, k1
Needle two: k1
Needle three: k1, k2tog (5 sts total)
Round 30:
Needle one: k2tog
Needle two: k1
Needle three: k2tog
Cut yarn and thread through remaining stitches. Pull tight and leave the
tail.
Now
Row
Row
Cut
work an icord for 6 rows using the 3 live sts remaining.
7: k2tog, k1
8: k2tog
yarn and pull tight through remaining st. Leave tail.
Sew a claw to each side of the lobster’s head with the i-cord part of
the claw facing inward. You may want to use a needle (poked through the
body) to make sure they line up correctly.
Using the same method as crooking the legs, you can work with your
tapestry needle and the ends of the two claw parts to make them bend
toward each other. Weave in all remaining ends.
Cut four short lengths of yarn (two for each arm). Tie one tightly at
the base of each claw and weave in ends. Tie the other tightly about a
half inch lower than the first and weave in ends. Voila – knuckles!
finishing touches.
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Draw a length of yarn through the front of the lobster, near his
“nose,” for antennae. Another option is to chain stitch a length of
yarn with a crochet hook and draw it through.
Use a contrasting colour yarn to create eyes, also near his “nose.”
After you’ve embroidered them, poke the needle under the stitches
and push them outwards so they kind of pop out a little.
Adapted from an original online knitting pattern devised by Molly
Lincoln http://dirigo.wordpress.com/2007/12/17/free-pattern-toy-lobster/