Thursday, September 22, 2011

Hissy Snake



I'm not sure why I design slimy creatures that I'm not fond of in real life... but I had drawn a number of snake variations in my design notebook. This is a fast and simple knitting project, and with the addition of a pipe cleaner you will have a lot of fun playing with him after he's complete.

Materials

  • Knitting Needles: 4 dpn Size 1 (2.5 mm)
  • Yarn: Hand dyed KnitPicks Palette yarn: Yellow (CC) and Purple (MC)
  • Gauge: Not important for the completed project
  • Misc: yarn needle, polly fill stuffing, pipe cleaner (if you want the snake to be bendy)
  • Finished Size: 8.75 inches long


Wrapping stuffing around the pipe cleaner to stuff into the snake did not work (the stuffing all bunched up). I then inserted the pipe cleaner at the beginning, knit around it and stuffed the snake as a knit.



Stuffing as I knit the snake


Instructions
I wrote the instructions in terms of sections (that correspond to the striping) rather than rows. Each section has 4 MC and 1 CC row. The snake is so thin that it may be helpful to stuff as you go.
  • Section 0:
    • Cast On 3 sts in MC. Work as i-cord for 1 round. (The entire piece is knit in the round.)
    • Kfb across (6 sts) Divide the stitches onto 3 double pointed needles.
    • K across for 2 rounds
  • Section 1:
    • Switch to CC - K across
    • Switch to MC - K across
    • *K1, Kfb* across (9 sts)
    • Knit across for 1 round
  • Section 2: Switch to CC - K across
  • Switch to MC K across for 3 rounds
  • Section 3:
    • Switch to CC - K across
    • Switch to MC - K across
    • *K2, Kfb* across (12 sts)
    • K 2 rounds across
  • Sections 4-5:
    • Switch to CC - K across
    • Switch to MC - Knit 4 rounds across
  • Section 6:
    • Switch to CC - K across
    • Switch to MC - K across
    • *K3, Kfb* across (15 sts)
    • Knit 2 rounds across
  • Sections 7-20:
    • Switch to CC - K across
    • Switch to MC - K 4 rounds
  • Decreases for the head:
    • K1, K2tog, K3, K2tog, K3 K2tog, K2 (12 sts)
    • k across
    • SSk, K2, K2tog, SSK, K2, K2tog (8 sts)
    • SSK K2tog, SSK, K2tog (4 sts)
  • If you want no tongue - K2tog twice, cut yarn and pull through
  • If you want to make a tongue - with the final 4 stitches - Slip 1, k2tog, k2tog (the first and last stitch of the round are being knit together. This is so the tongue is horizontal on the face rather than vertical.) The tongue is knit flat. Work in stockinette for 3 rounds. Cut yarn, pull through remaining stitches.
  • Finishing - Weave in loose ends. Embroider on eyes.


The pipe cleaner will give you some bend and play to your knit snake!



Sometimes eyes make a big difference to the completion of a knit toy.



Have fun and play with the snake!

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Abbreviations Used in this pattern:
Kfb - increase by knitting into the front and back of a single stitch.
M1 (Make 1)- increase stitch by picking up yarn between two stitches, twisting and knitting.
K - knit
P - purl
S1 - slip one stitch
SSK - decrease by slipping two stitches then knitting them together. Alternatively, you could slip one stitch, knit one stitch and pass slipped stitch over.
K2tog - decrease by knitting two stitches together.

This knitting pattern was created by ChemKnits for your personal or charity use. You are not to distribute or reprint this pattern without the permission of ChemKnits. © 2011 ChemKnits