Knitted Clown Hand Puppet
Pattern
You will need: Oddments of double kitting wool, including white & colour suitable for hair, and 1 pair size 8 (4mm) needles.
Cast on 44 stitches; work 6 rows in rib.
Change colour & work 24 rows in stocking stitch in various striped wool.
Next row: Change colour wool & cast on 10 stitches. Knit back 32 altogether, turn leaving remaining 22 stitches on a spare needle, cast on 10 stitches. K4 P34 K4.
Continue for a further 6 rows remembering to knit the first & last 4 stitches on purl rows.
Cast off 12 sts. Knit to end of row.
Cast off 12 stitches. Purl to end of row.
Slip these stitches onto a spare needle, & break off wool.
Rejoin wool to 22 sts on first spare needle, & work to match.
On last row, purl across the stitches left on the second needle, giving total of 36.
Join on white wool for face & K 18sts. Join on colour for hair & K further 18 sts. (Taking care to twist two yarns together at join.)
Work 10 more rows in stocking stitch, twisting yarns each time to avoid a hole.
Join on first colour for hat.
Work 2 rows garter stitch.
Next row: S1, K1, p.s.s.o. K14, K2 tog, S1, K1, p.s.s.o. K14, K2 tog. Knit to end.
Next row purl.
Repeat these last two rows until 2 sts remain. (The middle number of K’s will decrease each time.)
Cast off.
Embroider facial details on white piece of knitting using small stitches.
Sew up. (Your imagination could come up with many variations…)
Teddy Bear Hand Puppet
Pattern
You will need: double knitting wool, No. 8 or 4mm needles, garter stitch throughout.
Cast on 18 stitches & knit for 4 inches.
Next row: cast n 10 stitches & knit to the end (28 stitches).
Next row: cast on 10 stitches & knit to the end (38 stitches).
Continue knitting for 1 inch.
Next row: cast off (loosely) 10 stitches & knit (28 sts) to the end of the row.
Next row: cast off (loosely) 10 stitches & knit (18 sts) to the end of the row.
Continue knitting 18 stitches for two & a half inches.
Cast off loosely leaving about 18 inches of wool for sewing up.
Knit 2 pieces the same & sew together, leaving the bottom open.
Turn right side out.
Face:
- Stitch 2 ears, by ‘pinching in’ the 2 top corners.
- With contrasting wool, stitch a nose, ‘smile’ & eyes, using small stitches.
- Make a scarf from a crocheted chain or plaited wool. Secure centre back to keep in place.
Elephant Hand Puppet
Pattern
You will need: Oddments of double knitting wool & 1 size 8 (4mm) circular needle or 1 pair No.8 (4mm) needles.
Cast on 44 sts & work 6 rows in rib.
Change colour & work 24 rows in stocking stitch in various striped wool.
*Next row: Change colour wool & cast on 10 sts. Knit back 32 altogether; turn leaving remaining 22 sts on a spare needle (or slip them onto a length of wool & knot it loosely into a loop).
Cast on 10 sts. K4, P34, K4.
Continue for a further 6 rows, remembering to knit the first & last 4 sts on purl rows.
Cast off 12 sts. Knit to end of row.
Cast off 12 sts. Purl to end of row.*
Change colour & work 4 rows in stocking stitch (18 sts).
Next row: K7, turn leaving remaining 11 sts on a wool loop.
Work 4 more rows in stocking stitch, ending with a knit row.
Slip sts onto a wool loop.
Trunk: Cast on 10 sts. Work 4 rows in garter stitch. Work 2 rows in stocking stitch.
7th row: Increase 1 st at each end of row. Work 3 further rows in stocking stitch.
11th row: Increase 1 st at each end of row. Work 5 further rows in stocking stitch.
17th row: Increase 1 st at each end of row. Work 3 further rows in stocking stitch.
Cast off 5 sts. Knit to end of row.
Cast off 5 sts. Purl to end of row.
Slip remaining 6 sts onto a wool loop.
Sew up sides to form trunk.
Rejoin wool to the 11 sts. Cast off 4 sts. Knit to end of row. Work 5 more rows in stocking stitch (last row purl).
Turn trunk right way out. Sew into gap with the seam in the middle of the cast off sts & the 6 sts at the top.
Purl across the 6 trunk sts & the 7 saved sts of the face.
Next row: K7, slip 1, K1, pass slip st over, K2, K2 tog, K7. Next row: P18.
**Next row: Slip 1, K1, pass slip st over, K14, K2 tog. Next row: P16.
Next row: Slip 1, K1, pass slip st over, K12, K2 tog. Next row: P14.
Next row: Slip 1, K1, pass slip st over, K10, K2tog. Next row: P12
Next row: Slip 1, K1, pass slip st over, K8, K2 tog.
Next row: Slip 1, K1, pass slip st over, K6, K2 tog.
Next row: Slip 1, P1, pass slip st over, K4 K2 tog.
Cast off remaining 6sts**
Rejoin wool to 22 sts of body, work from * to *.
Change colour wool; work 12 rows in stocking stitch; work from ** to **.
Left ear: With knit side of the back of the head facing you, pick up & knit into 10 sts along the left side of the head, from row 5 to 14. Work 2 rows in garter stitch (ending at the top). (If preferred, the ears can be worked as separate pieces – cast on 10 sts. Work 2 rows in garter stitch, ending at the top.)
Next row: (Knit) increase 1 st at each end of row. Next row: K12.
Next row: (Knit) increase 1 st at each end of row. Next row: K14.
Next row: Slip 1. K1, pass slip st over, knit to end, increase 1. Next row: K14.
Next row: Slip 1, K1, pass slip st over, knit to end, increase 1. Next row: K14.
Next row: Slip 1, K1, pass slip st over, K10, K2 tog. Next row: K12.
Next row: Slip 1, K1, pass slip st over, K8, K2 tog. Next row: K10.
Cast off.
Right Ear: With the knit side of the back of the head facing you, pick up & knit into 10 sts along the right side of the head from row 14 to 4. Work 2 rows in garter stitch (ending at the bottom).
Next row: (Knit)increase 1 st at each end of row. Next row: K12.
Next row: (Knit) increase 1 st at each end of row. Next row: K14.
Next row: Increase 1, knit, K2 tog at end. Next row: K14.
Next row: Increase 1, knit, K2 tog at end. Next row: K14.
Next row: Slip 1, K1, pass slip st over, K10, K2tog. Next row: K12.
Next row: Slip 1, K1, pass slip st over, K8, K2 tog. Next row: K10.
Cast off.
