The Secret Lives of Letters: 26 Easy-to-knit Alphabet Plush Toy Knitting Patterns

80 Pages·2015·2.98 MB·English

by  Church

Is Dolly too demanding?
What’s Harry hiding from Monica?
Is Carl really all that creepy?
Peek into “The Secret Lives of Letters”
while creating your own unique plushies!
26 easy-to-knit
Alphabet Plush Toy
Knitting Patterns
26 easy-to-knit
Alphabet Plush Toy
Knitting Patterns
Dani Church

A special thanks to the wonderful people
who helped me put this book together:
my graphic designer,
Lee Mundy,
who turned a batch of photos
and patterns into lovely eye-candy;
my proofreaders,
Daneen Kemple and Jackie Werth,
who made sure it all made sense;
and my husband, David,
who provided encouragement and support
every step of the way.
Published in 2011 by Dani Church
The Knit Knoodler
www.KnitKnoodler.etsy.com
www.Ravelry.com/designers/dani-church
Text and patterns copyright © Dani Church 2011
Design and photography copyright © Dani Church 2011
The author’s moral rights have been asserted. All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, or otherwise, without the prior permission
of the publisher.
The knitting patterns in this book are copyright and must not be
knitted for resale without the permission of Dani Church.
Printed in USA
Writer & Photography: Dani Church
Graphic Design: Lee Mundy
Editors: Daneen Kemple & Jackie Werth
Contents
Introduction .................... 1 quintessa ....................... 40
rodney ......................... 43
andré ........................... 2
shemika ........................ 46
babette ......................... 4
trevor ........................... 50
carl ............................. 6
ursula .......................... 52
dolly ............................ 8
vincent ......................... 54
esteban ......................... 10
wendy .......................... 57
fran ............................ 12
xavier .......................... 60
gwendolyn ..................... 14
yolanda ......................... 64
harry ........................... 18
zenobia ......................... 66
ingrid .......................... 20
Abbreviations & Gauge ......... 68
jonathan ........................ 22
karianne ........................ 24 Adding Embroidered Features ... 68
lars ............................. 27
Stitches ......................... 69
monica ......................... 30
nicholas ........................ 32 How to Stuff Your Plush Toy ..... 70
(So it Looks Great)
ophelia ......................... 34
paco ............................ 37 Shaping & Attaching Arms ...... 71

Introduction
Knitting is just plain FUN!
Half the pleasure of knitting is the time spent wandering through your favorite
yarn shop, ogling gorgeous colors, feeling sumptuous textures, then taking
home armloads of joy. All you fellow yarn junkies out there know exactly what
I’m talking about!
The other half of the thrill is watching delightful items—some functional, some
just for fun—materialize out of the enchanted motions you’re making with two
little magic wands and one of those lovingly wound balls of colorful joy.
The alphabet plush toys in this book make the knitting experience even more
creative, more magical. It’s only after the knitting is completed that you really
begin to breathe life into your little creatures with facial expressions and hair
styles. It’s totally up to you how your plushies turn out: sweet, sad, ecstatic, or
with a bit of an attitude.
I call it “knit knoodling” and encourage everyone to experiment and come
up with their own creations! By the time I’ve finished a letter, I know exactly
who she is, what she likes to do in her spare time, and even…some of her
secrets…
Happy Knitting!
Dani Church
“ The Knit Knoodler”
P.S. – I’d love to see your creations, and hear some of their stories. Email me at
[email protected], convo me at KnitKnoodler.etsy.com, or message
me on Ravelry.com, username KnitKnoodler.
1
NAME: andré
ProFESSIoN: aspiring actor
INTErESTS: animé, archery, antiquing, astrology
FAvorITE FooDS: anchovies, asparagus, apricots,
apples, almonds, avocadoes (but not guacamolé)
PErSoNALITY: always anxiously awaiting approval
é
r
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a
Materials Needed
for Body
• Pair of US 2 (3.0mm)
knitting needles
• 2 stitch holders
• 1 ball medium-weight yarn –
(207 yd/188m should make
3 alphabet plushies)
• Tapestry needle
• Washable toy stuffing
• 2 yd (1.75m) medium-weight
yarn for hair
• Embroidery thread for facial
features
• Embroidery needle
2 the secret lives of letters
Materials Needed Shaping Upper Left Side as you go. For “How to Stuff Your
for Arms (optional) Plush Toy (So it Looks Great),” see
Rows 29 - 38: Work in st st (10)
page 70. You can add embroidered
• US 5 (3.75mm) double-pointed Row 39: *K1, M1R, K to last 3 sts,
needles or US 5 (3.75mm)circular features, hair and arms in any order
K2TOG, K1
needle after your plush toy is finished.
Row 40: P*
• 4 yd (3.75m) medium-weight yarn–
Rows 41 - 42: Repeat * through *
Adding Hair –
Color A
(10)
TopKnot Mop
• 4 yd (3.75m) medium-weight yarn–
Color B Place sts on holder #2. Cut yarn, Cut 12 lengths of yarn, 6” (15cm) in
leaving 6” (15cm) tail.
• Tapestry needle length. Using a sewing needle or
thin crochet hook, thread one strand
Shaping Upper right Side
through the very top crown of the
Abbreviations & Gauge Transfer sts (10) from holder #1 onto letter so that even tails hang out
See page 68 needle, or work off of holder. each side. Bring the tails together
Row 28: Join yarn; P to end of row and tie in a tight knot on the top of
FroNT & BACK Rows 29 - 38: Work in st st (10) the head. Next, bundle the rest of
(make 2 identical pieces) Row 39: *K1, SKPO, K to last st, the threads together and lay them
M1L, K1 across the top of the head, between
Shaping Left “Leg” Row 40: P* the attached strands. Bring the
Using US 2 (3.0mm) knitting Rows 41 - 42: Repeat * through* ends of the original attached strands
needles, cast on 10 sts. (10) together and tie a tight knot around
Rows 1-16: Work in st st Row 43: K1, SKPO, K to last st, your bundle of threads. Now take
Place sts on holder. Cut yarn, M1L, K1; K sts from holder #2 to each individual thread within that
leaving 6” (15cm) tail. last 3 sts, K2TOG, K1 (19) bundle and tie its ends together in a
Row 44: P tight knot to secure all of the hairs
Shaping right “Leg” Row 45: *K1, SKPO, K to last 3 into place. It will seem like a jumble
sts, K2TOG, K1 of threads, but that’s what will create
Using US 2 (3.0mm) knitting Row 46: P* your TopKnot Mop! Separate the
needles, cast on 10 sts. Rows 47 – 58: Repeat from * strands in each piece of yarn to make
Rows 1-16: Work in st st (10) through * the hair fuller and more curly-fun.
Bind off (5)
Joining “Legs”
Make a second side, identical to Adding Embroidered
Row 17: K10; cast on 5 sts; K sts what you have just completed. Features
from holder. (25) See page 68
Row 18: P Finishing
Use mattress stitch to join the two Directions for Shaping &
Shaping Main Body
pieces. Stitch around the outside Attaching Arms (optional)
Rows 19 – 26: Work in st st (25) edge of the letter, pausing to weave See page 71
Row 27: K10, bind off 5 sts, K loose yarn ends into your seams.
to end of row (2 sets of 10 sts) If the letter has an inside opening,
Row 28: P10 to break; place like “O” or “D”, sew that inner seam
remaining 10 sts on holder #1. last. Stuff with washable toy stuffing
andré 3
Materials Needed
• Pair of US 2 (3.0mm) knitting
NAME: babette needles
ProFESSIoN: baker of baguettes • 2 stitch holders
INTErESTS: baseball, bowling, bingo, • 1 ball medium-weight yarn (207
plays in a bagpipe band yd/188m should make 3 alphabet
FAvorITE FooDS: bean burritos, plushies)
brownies, bananas, blueberry buckle, • Tapestry needle
bagels • Washable toy stuffing
PErSoNALITY: bouncy & bright
• ¾ yd (0.7m) medium-weight yarn
for hair – Color A
• ¾ yd (0.7m) medium-weight yarn
for hair – Color B
• Embroidery thread for facial features
• Embroidery needle
Abbreviations & Gauge
See page 68
FroNT & BACK
(make 2 identical pieces)
Shaping Lower Section
Cast on 21 sts.
Row 1: K
Row 2: P
Row 3: *K1, M1R, K to end of row
Row 4: P*
Rows 5 - 10: Repeat * through *
(25)
Rows 11 - 14: Work in st st
babette
Row 15: K10, bind off 5, K to end
of row (2 sets of 10 sts)
Row 16: P10 (to break); place
remaining 10 sts on holder #1.
Shaping Bottom Left Side
Rows 17 - 24: Work in st st (10)
Place sts on holder #2. Cut yarn,
leaving 6” (15cm) tail.
4 the secret lives of letters