with Halloween fast approaching I thought you might like some free knitting patterns to get you in the mood.
Frankie is the first of many that will be coming your way between now and early October 2023.
My patterns are based on the simplest form of the craft with very little shaping or sewing up and the emphasis is on the character. I hope you enjoy.
Level - Intermediate
You Will Need
·
25g Black
double knitting yarn (Yarn A)
·
25g
Green double knitting yarn (Yarn B)
·
Small
amount of white double knitting yarn
·
Small
amount of medium blue double knitting yarn
·
Small
amount of red double knitting yarn
·
One pair
of 3 mm knitting needles
·
Toy
Filling
· A darning needle
Useful information to
read before you begin
When
sewing the nose & mouth, tie a single knot into the end of the yarn leaving
about 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 - until the knot disappears and snip close to
the body. The knot will help secure the yarn inside the body and prevent
The nose is 3 stitches in the same spot, laying the stitches side-by- side as you stitch
The mouth is just 3 single, straight stitches laying horizontally & then 5, evenly placed vertical stitches across the top & bottom of the mouth for the scar effect
Frequently check your picture of Frankie to check for placement tips
Body make 1
Using colour black,
cast on 40 sts
Stocking stitch 15
rows
Change to colour
green and stocking stitch 30 rows.
Cast off
With right sides
together, sew side seam together using back stitch & alternating yarn
colours as needed. You can use an
alternative method of sewing up if you wish e.g. mattress stitch
With wrong side
facing & seam at centre back, over sew bottom end together. Turn right side
out and fill with toy filling
Over sew top seam
together – still keeping the seam at centre back
You now have a small
pillow shape ready to add the character
Arms make 2
With colour green,
cast on 8 stitches
Garter stitch 2 rows
Starting with a knit
row stocking stitch 22 rows
Garter stitch 3 rows
Cast off
With wrong side
facing (purl side) – fold the cast on edge towards the cast off edge, stopping
2 rows under the final 3 garter stitch rows. So one side of the arm will be a
bit longer than the other
Using your tail ends
- Over sew neatly along both side seams
Lightly fill with toy filling. Using the picture on the front of your pattern as a guide, position arms and sew in place. The shorter side of the arm should face forwards. The longer side of the arm should sit to the back as the longer tab helps the arms to sit more snug to the body. I use the garter stitch rows on the front and back of the arms to sew along as your stitches will be barely noticeable
Shoes make 2
With colour black
cast on 7 stitches
Garter stitch 3 rows
Row 4 purl
Rows 5 knit
Row 6-11 starting
with a purl row-continue stocking stitch
Rows 12 knit
(this defines the top front of boot edge)
Row 13-17
starting with a knit row – continue in stocking stitch
Row18 knit
(this defines the lower front edge of the boot)
Row 19-32
starting with a knit row-stocking stitch
Row 33-35
garter stitch
Cast off knit wise
Shoe side panels
Starting at one side
of the row ends between rows 1 to 11-pick up and knit 11 Sts
Row 1 knit
Row 2 purl
Row 3 knit
Cast off knit wise
Repeat on the
opposite side
To make up shoes
Sew the short side of
the shoe side panels between the top front and bottom front edge garter stitch
rows
Sew the long edge of
the shoe side panels (bottom) to the bottom of the boot
Note: the bottom of
the shoe will be longer than the top
Stuff with toy
filling shaping in to an oblong with your fingers
Using your picture as
a visual guide for placement, sew shoe (longest side is the bottom of the shoe)
to one side of the bottom of Frankie’s body using a back stitch along the gap
between the knit rows at the back of the shoes.
Then bring your yarn to the front (top) of the shoe and over sew,
attaching the front of the shoe to the bottom front of the body
Black eye hole make 1
With colour black
cast on 3 sts
Row 1 Kfb, k1,
kfb = 5 sts
Row 2-4
starting with a purl row continue in stocking stitch
Row 5 ssk, k1,
k2tog = 3 sts
Cast off purl wise
Placing eye hole
sideways and using your picture as a guide – sew in place
Loose eye make 1
Using a small amount
of red yarn – cast on 1 st
Knit 3 rows
Row 4 knit
into the front & back of your stitch alternately until you have 8 stitches,
so knit, purl, knit, purl, knit, purl, knit, and purl all into same stitch
Row 5 knit.
Change to white yarn
Row 6 knit
Row 7 purl.
Change to medium blue yarn
Row 8 knit
To make up loose eye
Cut yarns used leaving
tails. Thread medium blue tail onto a darning needle, push through all 8 Sts
& pull up tight
Sew blue side together
Sew white sides
together using white yarn tail.
Fill lightly with toy
filling
Sew red sides
together using red yarn tail
Sew eye using red cast on tail to the centre of the black eye hole. Using a small amount of black – back stitch a couple of stitches in the centre of the blue part of the eye for the iris
2nd eye make 1
Using colour white
cast on 8 Sts
Starting with a knit
row – stocking stitch 2 rows.
Cut yarn leaving a
tail. Change to medium blue yarn
Knit 1 row
Cut yarn leaving a
tail
To make up 2nd eye
Thread medium blue
tail onto a darning needle, push through all 8 Sts & pull up tight
Sew medium blue eye
sides together
Sew white sides
together using one of the white yarn tails
Fill lightly with toy
filling
Thread 2nd
white yarn tail and using a running stitch sew around the start of the eye.
Pull up tightly and
still with the same yarn tail and using your picture as a guide sew to
Frankie’s face
Belt make 1
Using colour black
cast on 42 sts
Starting with a knit
row, stocking stitch 4 rows
Cast off purl wise
Sew row ends together
Place between the top
of Frankie’s trousers and his body and sew in place. I used a back stitch
Belt Buckle make 1
Using your small
amount of white yarn cast on 7 Sts
Starting with a knit
row stocking stitch 8 rows at the same time slip the first stitches on the knit
row purl wise and slip the first stitches on the purl rows knit wise
Cast of knit wise
If you want to you
can add a swiss darned (also called duplicate stitch) motif as I have, to
Frankie’s belt buckle. Check out https://www.dummies.com/crafts/knitting/knitting-stitches/how-to-add-duplicate-stitch-to-knitting/
for a how-to guide. Just enter swiss
darning or duplicate stitch in the search box
Sew the belt buckle
to the centre front of Frankie’s belt. Use your picture as a guide
Hair
I did the hair by
using a pencil, slightly dampened, and faintly drawing the outline of the hair
style I wanted around the top of Frankie’s head. I then threaded my darning
needle with a long length of black yarn & long stitched the hair from front
to back following the faint pencil lines.
You can even split
the hair stage in two if you find it easier by long stitching from your pencil
line up to and including the seam on the top of the head – all the way along
the front then turn Frankie round so that the back is facing you and do the
same for the back of the hair.
There is no right
hair style to long stitch. Frankie can have any hair style you wish. Use your
picture as a guide if you want a similar hairstyle to the one I have created
Black scar lines
Thread a long piece of black yarn and using your picture as a guide – long stitch scar lines on Frankie’s mouth and arms
