Elvis Doll Knitting Pattern

 Elvis Doll Knitting Pattern

This pattern is suitable for beginners & above 

You Will Need

 • White double knitting (dk) yarn, Approx. 50g 

• Black (dk) yarn, approx. 50 g 

• Flesh (dk) yarn, approx. 25 g 

• A small amount of grey (dk) yarn 

• A small amount of pink (dk) yarn 

• Twilley’s Gold fingering or similar, in silver Approx. 25g 

• A darning needle for sewing up 

• A pair of 3 mm & a pair of 3.25 mm knitting needles 

• A 4 mm crochet hook Finished size approx. 18 cm

Finished size approx. 18 cm

 

Useful information to read before you begin

 

Leave long yarn tails on your cast on/off pieces as they are the best/strongest way to sew up

Practice the facial features by placing pins e.g. for the eyes, until you are satisfied with the look. When sewing in the eyes, tie a single knot into the end of the yarn leaving approx. a 2 cm tail.

Starting at the back of the head, push the needle through to the front at the point where you want to place the features, pull until the knot & tail disappear & sew as required. If a little of the tail still shows, then pull it gently & carefully snip with scissors close to the body. Once you are happy with the facial features you secure the yarn in the same way – tie a double knot in the excess yarn about 3 cm from your toy -take the yarn through to the back of the head, pull the yarn slightly and snip close to the body. The knot will help secure the yarn inside the body and prevent unraveling.

 

Frequently check your picture of Elvis to check for placement tips

 

There is an excellent visual teaching website for knitting and many other crafts called https://www.dummies.com/crafts/knitting/. Just type in the search box the name of the stitch you are looking for e.g. knit stitch or I-Cord stitch and it will take you to the visual/written tutorial

 

Use 3 mm knitting needles unless otherwise stated

Special abbreviations

 

• KFB – Knit into the front & back of a stitch

 

• PFB – Purl into the front & back of a stitch

 

• Ssk = Slip, slip, knit

Slip the first stitch from the left-hand needle (as if to knit it) to the right-hand needle without knitting it

Do the same with the next stitch

Insert the left-hand needle into the front loops of these two stitches – left to right

Wrap the yarn in the usual way around the right-hand needle & knit the 2 slipped stitches together.

You have completed 1 ssk. 

I have inserted a link below to my YouTube video showing you how to A SSK.

Body

Wind off a small ball of white from the main ball, approx. 10 g. You will be using this from row 19.

Using 3 mm knitting needles white yarn, cast on 40 stitches (Sts).

Starting with a knit row, stocking stitch (ss) 17 rows.

Row 18. Purl 19 sts, Purl front back (fb), Purl 20 sts – 41 sts.

You will be joining in the flesh colour in the next row. 

You will need 2 strands of your main colour – white and 1 strand of flesh. The beginning of the rows will be worked in white, the middle in flesh and the end section in white again. So rather than stranding your white yarn across the flesh yarn you will use your main ball of white yarn for the first part of the rows, the flesh colour yarn for the middle and your wound off ball of white yarn for the end part of the rows. Your work will look much neater this way. Twist the two strands together every time you change colour to avoid gaps. If you still find your knitting has gaps where the white and flesh colour meet you can neatly sew them closed using one of the white tails on the wrong side (purl side) of your toy.

Row 19. Knit 20 sts white, knit 1 st flesh, knit 20 sts white.

Row 20. Purl 19 sts white, Purl 3 sts flesh, Purl 19 sts white.

Row 21. Knit 18 sts white, knit 5 sts flesh, knit 18 sts white.

Row 22. Purl 18 sts white, Purl 5 sts flesh, Purl 18 sts white.

Row 23. Knit 17 sts white, knit 7 sts flesh, knit 17 sts white.

Row 24. Purl 17 sts white, Purl 7 sts flesh, Purl 17 sts white.

Row 25. Same as row 23.

Row 26. Same as row 24.

Row 27. Knit 16 sts white, knit 9 sts flesh, knit 16 sts white.

Row 28. Purl 16 sts white, Purl 9 sts flesh, Purl 16 sts white.

Row 29. Same as row 27.

Row 30. Same as row 28.

Rows 31 to 45. Starting with a knit row and using flesh colour only- Stocking Stitch.

Cast off.

Making Up

With right sides together, sew row ends together using back stitch. You can use an alternative method of sewing up if you wish e.g. mattress stitch.

With back of work facing & row end seam at centre back over sew bottom end together. Turn right side out and fill with toy filling.

Over sew top end together – keeping the seam at centre back. You now have a small pillow shape ready to add the character.

Arms make 2

 Using white yarn cast on 8 Sts

 Rows 1-3. Knit

 Row 4. Purl

 Row 5. Knit

 Row 6. Purl

Join flesh. Do not cut the white yarn here, just carry it up the side of the flesh rows by twisting the two strands together at the beginning of the knit rows.

Rows 7 to 12. Starting with a knit row, stocking stitch.  Break of flesh yarn leaving a tail for sewing up later.

Rows 13 to 20. Using white and starting with a knit row, stocking stitch.

Row 21-23. Knit every row.

Cast off knit wise.

Making up arms

With wrong side facing (purl side), fold the cast on edge up to just below the start of the 3 knit rows on the cast-off edge. Over sew neatly along side seams, changing colour as required. Stuff lightly.

Using your picture as a visual guide for placement, sew the back (longest side) of the arms to the body using a back stitch along the gap between the knit rows at the top of the arm Then bring your yarn to the front of the arm (shortest side) and over sew the front arm to the body.

Shoes make 2

Using black yarn, cast on 8 Sts

Rows 1-3. Knit

Rows 4. Purl

Row 5. Knit

Row 6. Purl

Row 7. SSK, k to last 2 Sts, k2tog – 6 Sts

Row 8. Purl

Row 9. SSK, k to last 2 Sts, k2tog – 4 Sts

Row 10. Purl

Row 11. SSK, k2tog – 2 Sts

Row 12. Purl

Row 13. K2tog

Row 14. Purl

Row 15. KFB – 2 Sts

Row 16. Purl

Row 17. KFB twice – 4 Sts

Row 18. Purl

Row 19. KFB, K2, KFB – 6 Sts

Row 20. Purl

Row 21. KFB, k4, KFB – 8 Sts

Row 22. Purl

Rows 23 – 29. Starting & ending with a knit row, stocking stitch

Row 30. Knit

Row 31. Knit

Rows 32 – 41. Starting with a purl row, stocking stitch

Cast off.

 

Making up shoes

With the purl side uppermost, start to fold the cast on edge of the shoe towards the cast-off edge until a point is made.

Over sew the sides together neatly with a whip stitch.

Now turn the shoe over so that the bottom is facing you. The point of the shoe should be closest to you.

Hold the cast-off edge of the shoe and roll tightly towards you until you reach the line of garter stitch made in row 30.

Sew in place. This forms a little heel which not only looks cute but helps your Elvis to stand.

Stuff the front of the shoe very lightly.

Place the flat edge (above the heel) of the shoe on one side of the base of Elvis’ body so that the front of the shoe sits snugly up against the bottom front of the body. Sew in place.

Over sew the cast on edge of the shoe to the front of the base of the body making sure any stray bits of toy filling are tucked in as you go.

Repeat with second shoe.

With silver Twilley’s Goldfingering threaded in your darning needle and using your picture as a guide- stitch small, evenly spaced cross stitches around the outside edge of Elvis’ shoes.

V Edging

Using your 4 mm crochet hook and holding white yarn double, chain 16.

Bind off.

Sew in place around the V shape where Elvis’ jumpsuit and flesh meet.

 

Collar

Using white yarn, cast on 38 Sts

Starting with a knit row, stocking stitch 5 rows

Row 6. Knit

Row 7. Starting with a knit row, stocking stitch 5 rows

Cast off.

Making Up Collar

Fold the collar in half along the garter stitch row in the middle. Sew the cast off edge in place from one side of the top of the V, around the back of your Elvis finishing at the top of the opposite side of the V. Push wings of the collar out slightly for the full effect.

Microphone Handle

Using grey yarn, cast on 18 sts

Garter stitch 16 rows

Cast off.

Making up Microphone Handle

Starting at cast on edge, roll up quite firmly and secure by sewing the cast-off edge to the roll. You can also put a couple of stitches in both ends to prevent unraveling.

Leave the 2^nd tail in place as this will be the microphone wire, just trim to length.

 

Microphone Head

Using black yarn, cast on 7 sts

Garter stitch 15 rows

Cast off.

Run 1 of the tail ends along a row end and pull up tightly.

Turn the microphone head to the other side and stuff very lightly.

Insert the microphone handle into the microphone head and secure by sewing the head to the handle.

Belt

Using Twilley’s Goldfingering in silver and 3.25 mm needles, cast on 55 sts.

Starting with a knit row, stocking stitch 6 rows.

Cast off.

Sew the row ends together and place belt (purl side will be the right side) around Elvis’ body in a slouchy style. See picture for guidance.

 

Belt Buckle

Using Twilley’s Goldfingering in silver and 3.25 mm needles, cast on 10 sts.

Stocking stitch 6 rows.

Cast off.

Wrap the buckle (knit side out) around centre of Elvis’ belt and secure by sewing to the back of the belt. Now secure the belt in place with small, neat stitches.

Hair Pieces

I wanted an exaggerated look to Elvis’ hair, so I knitted a hair piece to place on the top of his head and then long stitched over the top of this. The quiff is made separately.

Using black yarn, cast on 20 stitches.

Garter stitch 6 rows.

Cast off.

Pin the hair piece length-ways to one side on the top of Elvis’ head.  You should have part of the hair piece showing on the front and the other half showing on the back of his head.

Thread a long length of black yarn into your darning needle and starting at the centre front of the top of his head, make a long stitch ending approximately 4 rows down. Continue doing this all the way along, slightly varying the length of the long stitch by a stitch or two, to the other end of the hair piece, curving the end of it round and down the head slightly. See your picture for guidance. Repeat for the other side.

Once you have completed the front of Elvis’ hair turn him round and do the same to the back. The only difference is that the long stitches will be slightly longer but still varied in length. Have fun playing with the hair style.

Hair Quiff

Leave nice long tails both ends of this piece.

Using black yarn, cast on 8 stitches.

Stocking stitch 35 rows.

Cast off.

Starting at the cast on edge, curl into a cone shape by rolling the quiff up quite firmly. Then gently pull the tail in the middle of the roll until a cone/cream puff shape is formed. Bend the quiff slightly at one end.  Sew through all layers to secure. Secure the tail end you pulled to form the cone shape through the centre of the cone and out the other end, then attach quiff to the centre of Elvis’ hair. You can leave the quiff altogether if you want. Your doll will still be instantly recognizable as Elvis.

Sunglass Lenses make 2

Using black yarn, cast on 2 sts

Row 1. Knit fb twice – 4 sts

Row 2. Purl fb, purl 2, Purl fb – 6 sts

Row 3. Knit

Row 4. Purl

Row 5. SSK, Knit 2, K2tog – 4 sts

Row 6. Purl 2 together twice

Cast off

Pin the sun-glass lenses to Elvis’ face using your picture as a guide. Once you are happy with the positioning sew in place.

To make the bridge bar and the arms for the sunglasses I threaded a double length of black yarn in to my darning needle and secured it the same way I do for the eyes, nose & mouth as explained on the first page.

I then ran the double length of yarn from under the lowest part of the hair on the side of Elvis’ head, along the side of his face, under the first lens, out the opposite side of the first lens, across to the second lens (to make the bridge), under the second lens, out the opposite side of the second lens, along the second side of the face and secured under the lowest point of the hair opposite to where you started.

Using a small amount of medium pink yarn and securing in the way I have explained on page one; sew the mouth in place using your picture as a guide.

Using a small amount of flesh yarn and securing in the way I have explained on page one; sew the nose in place using your picture as a guide.

To complete Elvis – Thread silver Twilley’s Goldfingering into your darning needle and using your picture as a guide, stitch a series of French knots around the collar and the edge of the V of Elvis’ costume. Then a series of back stitches around the cuffs of his sleeves.

How to Slip Slip Knit or SSK

Enjoy your Elvis.