Knitted using a soft, washable, wool cotton yarn, it is both tough and cuddly. As with all toys, make sure the poly fill you select is also washable. There are a variety of poly fills available, so choose one you are comfortable with, depending on its fiber content and care requirements. You will need:

Size
Height approximately 10in (25cm)


Materials
Rowan Wool Cotton DK 100g in
A: Elf (946) x 1
B: Antique (100) x 1
1 pair of US3 (3.25mm/UK10) needles
Stitch markers
Poly fill
Black and white stranded embroidery thread
Small amount of white felt fabric
Blunt-ended needle
Sewing needle

Gauge
23sts and 32 rows to 4in (10cm) over st st on US3 (3.25mm/UK10) needles

Special abbreviations
yb: Yarn back
s1p: Slip one purlwise

Take a look at a larger image of this finished dinosaur toy

How to make
Please note: When casting off 1 stitch will be left on the RH needle that isn’t counted in the number of stitches in the instructions that follow.

Head and body
(Worked from nose, through head and down body to tail)
Using yarn A, cast on 7sts using the cable cast-on method, working between stitches.
Row 1: Inc in every st. (14sts)
P 1 row.
Next row: K1, M1, [k2, M1] 6 times, k1. (21sts)
P 1 row.
Next row: K1, M1, [k3, M1] 6 times, k2. (28sts)
Beg with a p row, work 3 rows in st st.
Next row: K7, M1, k14, M1, k7. (30sts)
Beg with a p row, work 5 rows in st st.
Next row: K8, M1, k1, M1, k12, M1, k1, M1, k8. (34sts)
P 1 row.
Next row: K11, M1, k1, M1, k10, M1, k1, M1, k11. (38sts)
P 1 row.
Next row: K14, M1, k10, M1, k14. (40sts)
P 1 row.

Shape the head
Begin short row knitting as follows:
Next row: K38, turn.
Next row: Yb, s1p, yo, p35, turn.
Next row: Yo, s1p, yb, k33, turn.
Next row: Yb, s1p, yo, p31, turn.
Next row: Yo, s1p, yb, k29, turn.
Next row: Yb, s1p, yo, p27, turn.
Next row: Yo, s1p, yb, k25, turn.
Next row: Yb, s1p, yo, p23, turn.
Next row: Yo, s1p, yb, k21, turn.
Next row: Yb, s1p, yo, p19, turn.
Next row: Yo, s1p, yb, k17, turn.
Next row: Yb, s1p, yo, p15, turn.
Next row: Yo, s1p, yb, k15, turn.

On the following rows, when a st that has been slipped on a previous row is about to be worked: with the RH needle, pick up the wrapped strand around the slipped st on the LH needle and place it on the LH needle in front of all the sts, k or p it tog with the slipped st tbl.

Next row: Yb, s1p, yo, p17, turn.
Next row: Yo, s1p, yb, k19, turn.
Next row: Yb, s1p, yo, p21, turn.
Next row: Yo, s1p, yb, k23, turn.
Next row: Yb, s1p, yo, p25, turn.
Next row: Yo, s1p, yb, k27, turn.
Next row: Yb, s1p, yo, p29, turn.
Next row: Yo, s1p, yb, k31, turn.
Next row: Yb, s1p, yo, p33, turn.
Next row: Yo, s1p, yb, k35, turn.
Next row: P to end.
Next row: K1, [skp, k2] 5 times, [k2tog, k2] 4 times, k2tog, k1. (30sts)
P 1 row.
Next row: K28, turn.
Next row: Yb, s1p, yo, p25, turn.
Next row: Yo, s1p, yb, k23, turn.
Next row: Yb, s1p, yo, p21, turn.
Next row: Yo, s1p, yb, k19, turn.
Next row: Yb, s1p, yo, p17, turn.
Next row: Yo, s1p, yb, k15, turn.
Next row: Yb, s1p, yo, p13, turn.
Next row: Yo, s1p, yb, k11, turn.
Next row: Yb, s1p, yo, p to end.
Place markers at each end of last row.

Body
Beg with a k row, work 8 rows in st st.
Next row: [K1, M1, k6, M1, k1, M1, k6, M1, k1] twice. (38sts)
Beg with a p row, work 7 rows in st st.
Next row: [K4, M1] 3 times, k7, M1, k7, [M1, k4] 3 times. (45sts)
Beg with a p row, work 17 rows in st st.

Shape the tail
Next row: K1, [skp, k2] 3 times, k8, [M1, k1] 4 times, k7, [k2, k2tog] 3 times, k1. (43sts)
P 1 row.
Next row: K1, [skp, k2] 3 times, k7, [M1, k1] 4 times, k6, [k2, k2tog] 3 times, k1. (41sts)
P 1 row.
Next row: K1, [skp, k2] 3 times, k6, [M1, k1] 4 times, k5, [k2, k2tog] 3 times, k1. (39sts)
P 1 row.

Divide for tail
Next row: Cast off 12sts, k14, cast off 12sts to end.
Break yarn.
With WS facing, rejoin yarn to rem 15sts and cont as follows:
Next row: Cast on 3sts, p to end. (18sts)
Next row: Cast on 3sts, k to end. (21sts)
Beg with a p row, work 13 rows in st st.
Next row: K1, skp, k to last 3sts, k2tog, k1.
Beg with a p row, work 3 rows in st st.
Rep the last 4 rows 3 times. (13sts)
Next row: K1, *k2tog, rep from * to end. (7sts)
P 1 row.
Next row: K1, *k2tog, rep from * to end. (4sts)
Break off yarn leaving a long tail and draw this through rem sts twice, pull up tightly.

Tummy panel
Using yarn B, cast on 7sts using the cable cast-on method, working between stitches.
Beg with a k row, work 4 rows in st st.
Inc 1st at each end of next row. (9sts)
Beg with a p row, work 11 rows in st st.
Place markers at each end of last row.
Beg with a k row, work 2 rows in st st.
Inc 1st at each end of next row.
Beg with a p row, work 3 rows in st st.
Rep the last 4 rows twice. (15sts)
Beg with a k row, work 12 rows in st st.
Dec 1st at each end of next row.
Beg with a p row, work 5 rows in st st.
Rep the last 6 rows x 1. (11sts)
Dec 1st at each end of next and every foll alt row until 3sts rem.
P 1 row.
Next row: Skp, slip st just made back onto the LH needle and k2tog.
Break yarn, thread through rem st, pull up tightly and fasten off.

Legs (Make 2)
Using yarn A cast on 32sts using the cable cast-on method.
Beg with a k row, work 2 rows in st st.
Next row: K1, [inc in next st, k13, inc in next st] twice, k1. (36sts)
P 1 row.
Next row: [K1, inc in next st, k14, inc in next st, k1] twice. (40sts)
Beg with a p row, work 5 rows in st st.
Next row: [K1, skp, k14, k2tog, k1] twice. (36sts)
P 1 row.
Next row: K1, [skp, k13, k2tog] twice, k1. (32sts)
P 1 row.
Next row: K8, cast off 16sts, k7.
Next row: P across all 16sts.
Beg with a k row, work 2 rows in st st. Next row: [K1, inc in next st, k4, inc in next st, k1] twice. (20sts)
P 1 row.
Next row: [K1, inc in next st, k6, inc in next st, k1] twice. (24sts)
P 1 row.
Next row: [K1, inc in next st, k8, inc in next st, k1] twice. (28sts)
P 1 row.
Next row: [K1, inc in next st, k10, inc in next st, k1] twice. (32sts)
Beg with a p row, work 3 rows in st st.
Next row: [K1, skp, k10, k2tog, k1] twice. (28sts)
P 1 row.
Next row: [K1, skp, k8, k2tog, k1] twice. (24sts)
P 1 row.
Next row: (K1, skp, k6, k2tog, k1) twice. (20sts)
P 1 row.
Cast off.

Arms (Make 2)
Using yarn A cast on 9sts using the cable cast-on method.
Beg with a k row, work 10 rows in st st.
Next row: K1, [M1, k1] to end. (17sts)
P 1 row.
Next row: Inc in first st, k1, turn.
P 1 row on these 3sts only.
Next row: Skp, slip st just made back onto the LH needle and k2tog.
Break yarn, thread through rem st, pull up tightly and fasten off.
**With RS facing, rejoin yarn to rem sts and cont as follows:
Next row: K3, turn.
P 1 row on these 3sts only.
Next row: Skp, slip st just made back onto the LH needle and k2tog.
Break yarn, thread through rem st, pull up tightly and fasten off. **
Rep from ** to ** 4 times (6 claws worked altogether).

Finishing

Head and body
Sew seam from cast-on edge at nose, under chin and down neck to markers. Then sew cast-on edge nose seam. Stuff head firmly. Place tummy panel between side edges of body with point at neck markers. Pin in place with markers on tummy panel level with cast-off edge of body. Sew to body down each side of tummy panel. Stuff the body firmly, molding and shaping as you go. Next sew tail seam and stuff tail. Sew remainder of tummy panel to cast-off edges of body and edges of tail at underside of body.

Legs
Sew cast-off edges along top of foot together. Then sew seam from underside of toe, along foot and upheel and back leg to cast-off edge. Stuff firmly then close the top edges. Place legs on each side of body in positions as shown and sew on securely.

Arms
Fold each arm in half with WS together and whipstitch around each of the three claws and along the side edges to join. Stuff arms firmly then sew cast-on edge to body in positions as shown.

Features and teeth
Using two strands of black embroidery thread work nostrils in satin stitch on nose. Then embroider eyes in the same way, sewing a small highlight in each eye with white embroidery thread. Cut a strip of white felt measuring 31⁄2in (9cm) long and 1⁄4in (0.5cm) wide. Cut triangles for teeth along one edge, being careful not to cut right through the strip. Place the strip of teeth on the toy and curve up ends until you are happy with the position and expression. Using white thread, sew through the felt fabric to the toy, working one small stitch on each tooth, to hold in place.

Excerpted from Baby Knits Made Easy , copyright 2013 by Dorling Kindersley Limited. Used by permission of DK Publishing. All Rights Reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced except with permission in writing from the publisher.