My Totoro is 5.5 inches tall. Knitting starts back and forth. It proceeds in the round until the tummy. The intarsia portion is knit back and forth, leaving an opening in the back for stuffing. He is finished in the round. Tail and arms are knit separately and sewn on.
Materials: Cascade 220 in gray and white. Size 4 DPNs. Stuffing material of choice. Optional beads to weight bottom.
Techniques:
Knit in round
Intarsia
duplicate stitch
M1R : Pick up strand between stitches with left needle from back to front. Knit stitch through front.
M1L: Pick up strand between stitches with left needle from front to back. Knit stitch through back.
SSK: Slip next two stitches as if to knit. Slide the left-hand needle into the front part of both stitches and knit them together.
Row
1 Slip knot
2 (K, purl, k) into slip knot. Turn. (3 st)
3 Kfb, into every stitch. (Don’t turn) (6 st)
Slide stitches to other end of needle and bring yarn around back to knit first stitch of last row. (like knitting an I-cord)
Knit in the round from here
4 K2 on to needle 1. K2 on to needle 2. K2 on to needle 3. (Add needles so stitches are divided on 3 needles)
5 Kfb, into every stitch around (12 st)
6 Knit
7 Kfb, into every stitch around (24 st)
8 Knit
9 Kfb, k1 across. (36 st)
10 K
11 Kfb, k across to last stitch, kfb. (38 st)
Begin intarsia, knit back and fourth.
12 Kfb, k11 on to needle 1. Change to CC. K14 onto needle 2. Join second ball of MC. K to last stitch. Kfb. Turn. (40 st)
13 Purl, following color as established. Turn
14 With MC, Kfb, k10, M1R, K1. K16 with CC. K1 with MC, M1L, K to last stitch. Kfb. Turn (44 st.)
15 Purl
16 With MC, Kfb, k11. M1R, k1. K 18 with CC. Change to MC. K1, M1, k to last stitch. Kfb. Turn(48 st.)
17-24 Stockinette. Continue color changes as established.
25 K16 in MC, k16 in CC, k 16 in MC
26 Purl
27 K17 in MC, k14 in CC, k 17 in MC.
28 Purl
29 K18 in MC, k12 in CC, k 18 in MC.
30 Purl
31 K19 in MC. K10 in CC. K 19 in MC.
32 P19 in MC. Cut yarn. P10 in CC, cut yarn. P 19 in MC. Turn.
33 Knit across with MC. Don’t turn.
Resume knitting in the round.
34-36 Knit around.
37 K14. SSK. K16. K2tog. K14. (46 st.)
38-47 (even rows)K2tog, knit to last two stitches. SSK.
38-47 (odd rows) Knit. (36 st.)
48 K10. SSK. K12. K2tog. K10. (34 st.)
49 K7. SSK. K1. SSK. K10. K2tog. K1. K2tog. K7.(30 st.)
50 K6. SSK. K1. SSK. K8. K2tog. K1. K2tog. K6. (26 st.)
51 K5. SSK. K1. SSK. K6. K2tog. K1. K2tog. K5. (22 st.)
52 K5. SSK. K8. K2tog. K5. (20 st.)
53 Knit around. Knit first two stitches from needle one on the needle 3.
Ears
Right ear
Next 6 stitches on needle one form the ear. Knit onto two needles, 3 stitches on each. The rest of the stitches can remain on the needles if you have enough needles, or you can place them on a holder or piece of spare yarn. Join 6 ear stitches to knit in round. Knit one row.
*(K1, M1, K2) twice. (8 stitches).
Knit one row.
(SSK, K2) twice. (6 st)
Knit one row.
(SSK, K2) twice. (4 st).
Knit one row.
(SSK twice (2 st).
SlK1PSSO). Finish off.
Left ear
Place 4 stitches in center front and center back on holders. These 8 stitches will be grafted to together at the end to form the top of his head.
Place remaining 6 stitches on two needles. Join yarn with Totoro facing you at top of head, leaving 18 inch tail. Knit two rows in the round.
Finish ear following directions from right ear, from *.
Top of head.
Kitchener the top of the head using the 18 inch tail.
Use tails to close up holes around ears and around the tummy. The tails can be knotted or woven in on the wrong side. Use scrap yarn or stuffing to stuff the ears. Add chest markings in MC with duplicate stitch.
Cut 6 inch circle of cloth and fill with plastic pellets for weight if desired. Close the little bag with a running stitch of doubled thread. Place inside through back and stuff around. Close up back.
Tail. With MC, CO 12 stitches. Knit in round for 10 rows. Knit two together around the next two rows. 3 stitches remain. Thread tail through and draw up. Stuff and sew on. It helps to set Totoro on a surface and place tail to help him balance.
Arms. Knit back and fourth. With MC, CO 12 stitches. Purl one row, knit one row, purl one row. Row 4: K2tog, k to last two stitches, SSK. (10 st.) Purl one row, knit one row, purl 1 row. Row 8: K2tog, k to last two stitches, SSK. (8 st.) Purl one row. Thread tail through and sew up back seam. Fold arm so seam is centered on one side. Sew down with seam toward body.
Add facial features of choice. I usually needle felt them on.
Admire your work.
5 comments:
he's going to be so adorable when he's finished. :)
So cute!
I see it's been a while since you posted this...but could you elaborate on how you needle felted the eyes? I've watched videos (though never tried it) but I was wondering what you used as a mold to get the eyes so perfectly rounded and that very small size...? There are a lot of patterns online for Totoro, but yours is the best I think. Anything you could add about the eyes would be very appreciated.
I use a single needle to needle felt the eyes on. Flatten out a very small amount of wool a little bigger then the desired eye and needle in a circle the size of the eye. Once that is tacked down, I go around the edge with the tip of the needle to tuck the edges under. Then needle the eye adding more wool if needed. I use as little as possible so his eyes are bulding. I make a small ball with black for the pupil and needle that down . If the eye is not to your liking, it can be pulled off for another attempt. Hope that helps.
I love your pattern, I am a great Totoro fan myself and I have already kinttted a couple of them with other patterns but I rally like yours!
http://buddybirdies.blogspot.fr/
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