This pattern is especially suitable for left-over Red Heart varigated baby yarn. It takes me about an hour and a half to whip one of these out and it only has two ends to darn in. I recommend it for holiday charity bazaars, for those of us who still have time before this Christmas. I also gratefully acknowledge the other designers whose ideas I have adapted here, especially Martha Haynes, Mary K. Dominski and Anne Bosch. Especially suitable for bears
Materials:
#3 double point needles, set of five
1 oz. sport weight yarn
yarn needle for finishing
Gauge:
5 stitches/inch (gauge is not critical, toys are not fussy about
fit)
Pattern:
Cast on 22 stitches (suggestion: cable cast on)
Join and knit 1 round of k1, p1 rib
Yoke: divide stitches on four needles: 3, 8, 3, 8
Row 1: increase 1 stitch at each end of each needle (suggestion: yarn
overs one stitch in from each end)
Row 2: knit even
Repeat these two rows for a total of six times (70 stitches) (15, 20,
15, 20); on last even round, k1, p1 rib only on the two sets of 15 sleeve
stitches
Waist: On next round, bind off the two sets of 15 sleeve
stitches in knit
Join body stitches and knit one round even (40 stitches) (10, 10, 10,
10) (suggestion: switch the order of each pair of underarm stitches to
tighten gap)
K1 p1 rib for three rounds
Increase 1 in every stitch of next round (80 stitches) (20, 20, 20,
20) (suggestion: knit in front and back of each stitch)
Skirt: Knit 12 rounds even
Seed stitch for next 4 rounds
Bind off in pattern
Darn in two ends