Pony KAL #1: Intro and Materials
That's right, folks! This is the start of the poseable pony walkthrough/KAL (knit-along) I've been promising for so long!
***NOTE: This is not your pattern. It is also not fully my pattern. The original comes from a French blog and was translated by the original designer, and can be found here. I just added some numbers and dimensions based on my own attempts to follow the sparse notes provided. If you want to follow my directions or point other people to them, fine, but at least provide them a link back here or to the original blog post, ok? Don't go traipsing around claiming this stuff as your own. Thanks! <3 ***
So you want to make your own horse, huh? Great! First, let's talk about what you'll need.
~Yarn and needles. Size is largely irrelevant, but you want to end up with a relatively thick, dense fabric that won't let any stuffing show through. However, your gauge will also determine the final size of your horse, so keep that in mind. Here are some suggestions and the approximate size of the horse:
-US 2 needles and fingering weight yarn: 7-8" horse. (This is what I used.)
-US 4 needles and sport/DK weight yarn: ~10" horse.
-US 6-7 needles and worsted weight yarn: 12"+ horse.
Obviously you should test out your combination to make sure you're getting a fabric you want. You'll need at least 200 yds of yarn, in your desired colors. Pick any color yarn you would like, or multiple colors if you want a painted horse or zebra pattern. I'm just using white, because that's what the customer requested and it makes everything easier to see. You will also need small amounts for the hooves and horn (if you're making a unicorn). If you want to make a bridle, you'll need a little yarn for that as well.
~Wire, if you want to make your horse poseable. You want a wire that is thick and stiff enough to hold a pose and support the weight of your horse. I used a spool of jewelry wire from Hobby Lobby. Again, some suggestions:
-20-18 gauge for fingering weight
-16-14 gauge for DK weight
-14-12 gauge for worsted weight
~Stuffing material. I used polyfill and yarn/fabric scraps for softness, as well as some small pouches of polystyrene pellets in the torso for some heft (and so the horse can hold some poses better).
~Scissors, sewing needles, and a crochet hook of appropriate size. I used an E hook. This will be for starting the horse (adjustable loop), attaching the wire, and eventually making the bridle. Depending on your preference, you may also want a latch hook for when we do the mane and tail, though the same thing can be accomplished with a crochet hook.
~Embroidery floss or fabric paint for the eyes and nostrils.
Gauge: again, this is not terribly important, but you might be able to use it to estimate the finished size of your horse. My fingering/size 2 combo gave me a gauge of 8 sts and 10 rows per inch. The easiest way to make your horse larger or smaller is to alter your gauge rather than the numbers in the pattern. Trust me on this one.
Skills you need to know: knitting in the round, knitting/purling flat, increasing/decreasing (both ITR and flat), three-needle bindoff, knitting up/ purling up stitches, short rows (directions will be given, but having done them before is a plus). EDIT: you also need to be able to graft/seam, or follow the instructions for doing so. Sorry for forgetting that!
Next time, we'll do the bulk of the actual knitting and wire the horse's spine. Ready your needles!
LINKS TO OTHER KAL SECTIONS
1: Intro and Materials - You are here!
2: Head, neck and body
3: Chest/pelvis, legs, and details
4. Mane and tail
Index of all Pony KAL posts
***NOTE: This is not your pattern. It is also not fully my pattern. The original comes from a French blog and was translated by the original designer, and can be found here. I just added some numbers and dimensions based on my own attempts to follow the sparse notes provided. If you want to follow my directions or point other people to them, fine, but at least provide them a link back here or to the original blog post, ok? Don't go traipsing around claiming this stuff as your own. Thanks! <3 ***
So you want to make your own horse, huh? Great! First, let's talk about what you'll need.
~Yarn and needles. Size is largely irrelevant, but you want to end up with a relatively thick, dense fabric that won't let any stuffing show through. However, your gauge will also determine the final size of your horse, so keep that in mind. Here are some suggestions and the approximate size of the horse:
-US 2 needles and fingering weight yarn: 7-8" horse. (This is what I used.)
-US 4 needles and sport/DK weight yarn: ~10" horse.
-US 6-7 needles and worsted weight yarn: 12"+ horse.
Obviously you should test out your combination to make sure you're getting a fabric you want. You'll need at least 200 yds of yarn, in your desired colors. Pick any color yarn you would like, or multiple colors if you want a painted horse or zebra pattern. I'm just using white, because that's what the customer requested and it makes everything easier to see. You will also need small amounts for the hooves and horn (if you're making a unicorn). If you want to make a bridle, you'll need a little yarn for that as well.
~Wire, if you want to make your horse poseable. You want a wire that is thick and stiff enough to hold a pose and support the weight of your horse. I used a spool of jewelry wire from Hobby Lobby. Again, some suggestions:
-20-18 gauge for fingering weight
-16-14 gauge for DK weight
-14-12 gauge for worsted weight
~Stuffing material. I used polyfill and yarn/fabric scraps for softness, as well as some small pouches of polystyrene pellets in the torso for some heft (and so the horse can hold some poses better).
~Scissors, sewing needles, and a crochet hook of appropriate size. I used an E hook. This will be for starting the horse (adjustable loop), attaching the wire, and eventually making the bridle. Depending on your preference, you may also want a latch hook for when we do the mane and tail, though the same thing can be accomplished with a crochet hook.
~Embroidery floss or fabric paint for the eyes and nostrils.
Gauge: again, this is not terribly important, but you might be able to use it to estimate the finished size of your horse. My fingering/size 2 combo gave me a gauge of 8 sts and 10 rows per inch. The easiest way to make your horse larger or smaller is to alter your gauge rather than the numbers in the pattern. Trust me on this one.
Skills you need to know: knitting in the round, knitting/purling flat, increasing/decreasing (both ITR and flat), three-needle bindoff, knitting up/ purling up stitches, short rows (directions will be given, but having done them before is a plus). EDIT: you also need to be able to graft/seam, or follow the instructions for doing so. Sorry for forgetting that!
Next time, we'll do the bulk of the actual knitting and wire the horse's spine. Ready your needles!
LINKS TO OTHER KAL SECTIONS
1: Intro and Materials - You are here!
2: Head, neck and body
3: Chest/pelvis, legs, and details
4. Mane and tail
Index of all Pony KAL posts