Knitted Farm Friends: Pig

Learn to bring this cute farmyard character to life from an excerpt on knitted farm friends. The most adorable Pig that you have ever seen, either to gift or for your own collection!

What you need

Any DK (US: light worsted) yarn (amounts given are approximate)
Yarn A medium pink (25g per Pig)
Yarn B bright pink (10g)
Yarn C blue (15g)
Yarn D green (15g)
Oddment of black for embroidery and bright pink for making up

1 pair of 3.25mm (UK10:US3) needles and a spare needle of same size for dungarees

Knitters’ pins and a blunt-ended needle for sewing up

Acrylic toy stuffing

2 small buttons for each Pig

FINISHED SIZE

Pig stands 7½in (19cm) tall

TENSION

26 sts x 34 rows measure 4in (10cm) square over st-st using 3.25mm needles and DK yarn before stuffing.

Instructions

HOW TO MAKE PIG

BODY

Using the long tail method and yarn A, cast on 44 sts.

Row 1: Purl.

Row 2: K1, (k10, m1,

k1, m1, k10) twice, k1

(48 sts).

Rows 3 to 11: Beg with a p row, work 9 rows in st-st.

Rows 12 and 13: Work 2 rows in g-st to mark waist.

Rows 14 to 17: Beg with a

k row, work 4 rows in st-st.

Row 18: K1, (k10, k3tog, k10) twice, k1 (44 sts).

Rows 19 to 21: Work 3 rows in st-st.

Row 22: K1, (k9, k3tog,

k9) twice, k1 (40 sts).

Rows 23 to 25: Work 3 rows in st-st.

Row 26: K1, (k8, k3tog,

k8) twice, k1 (36 sts).

Row 27: Purl.

Cast off.

HEAD

Using the long tail method

and yarn A, cast on 36 sts.

Row 1 and foll

alt row: Purl.

Row 2: (K8, m1, k2, m1, k8) twice (40 sts).

Row 4: (K9, m1, k2, m1, k9) twice (44 sts).

Rows 5 to 12: Work 8

rows in st-st, ending

with a k row.

Row 13: *P5, (p2tog)

6 times, p5; rep from *

once (32 sts).

Row 14: *K3, (k1 tbl) 10 times, k3; rep from * once.

Rows 15 to 23: Work 9

rows in st-st.

Row 24: (K2tog, k2)

to end (24 sts).

Row 25 and foll

alt row: Purl.

Row 26: (K2tog, k1)

to end (16 sts).

Row 28: (K2tog) to end

(8 sts).

Break yarn and thread through sts on needle, pull tight and secure by threading yarn a second time through sts.

SNOUT

Using the long tail method and yarn A, cast on 27 sts.

Rows 1 to 3: Beg with a p row, work 3 rows in st-st.

Rows 4 and 5: Work 2 rows in g-st for fold line.

Rows 6 and 7: Beg with a k row, work 2 rows in st-st.

Row 8: (K2tog, k1) to end (18 sts).

Row 9: Purl.

Row 10: (K2tog) to end

(9 sts).

Break yarn and thread through sts on needle, pull tight and secure by threading yarn a second time through sts.

LEGS (make 2)

Using the long tail method and yarn A, cast on 9 sts.

Row 1: Purl.

Row 2: (Kfb) to end (18 sts).

Rows 3 to 15: Work 13 rows in st-st.

Cast off.

TROTTERS

FOR LEGS (make 2)

Using the long tail method and yarn B, cast on 14 sts.

Row 1: Purl.

Row 2: K3, (m1, k1) 3 times, k3, (m1, k1) 3 times,

k2 (20 sts).

Rows 3 to 5: Work 3 rows in st-st.

Row 6: K1, (k3, k3tog, k3) twice, k1 (16 sts).

Row 7: Purl.

Cast off.

FOREARMS (make 2)

Using the long tail method and yarn A, cast on 8 sts.

Row 1: Purl.

Row 2: (Kfb) to end (16 sts).

Rows 3 to 15: Work 13 rows in st-st.

Row 16: (K2tog) to end (8 sts).

Break yarn, thread through sts on needle and leave loose.

TROTTERS FOR FOREARMS (make 2)

Using the long tail method and yarn B, cast on 10 sts.

Row 1: Purl.

Row 2: K2, (m1, k1) 3 times, (k1, m1) 3 times, k2 (16 sts).

Rows 3 to 5: Work 3 rows in st-st.

Row 6: K4, (k2tog, k4) twice (14 sts).

Row 7: Purl.

Cast off.

DUNGAREES
(make 2 pieces)

Note: Foll individual instructions as given

for 1 front and 1
back of dungarees.

First leg

Using the long tail

method and yarn C, cast
on 14 sts and beg in g-st.

Rows 1 and 2: Work 2
rows in g-st.

Rows 3 and 4: K 1
row then p 1 row.

Break yarn

and set aside.

Second leg

Work as for first leg

but do not break yarn.

Join legs

Row 5: Beg with second

leg and k12, k2tog, turn, using the knitting-on method cast on 5 sts, turn, then with the same yarn continue across first leg

and k2tog, k to end (31 sts).

Row 6 and foll 2 alt rows: Purl.

Row 7: (K2, m1) twice,

k23, (m1, k2) twice (35 sts).

Row 9: K15, k2tog, k1, k2tog, k15 (33 sts).

Row 11: K13, k2tog, k3, k2tog, k13 (31 sts).

Rows 12 to 18: Work 7 rows in st-st.

Rows 19 to 21: Work 3 rows in g-st, ending with a RS row.

Cast off in g-st for back of dungarees or cont with bib for front of dungarees:

Divide for bib

Row 22: Cast off 8 sts kwise, k14 (15 sts now on RH needle), cast off rem 8 sts and fasten off.

Rejoin yarn to rem sts and patt:

**Row 23: K2, (k1 tbl)

11 times, k2 (15 sts).

Row 24: K2, p11, k2.

Row 25: Knit.

Rows 26 to 31:

Rep rows 24 and 25, 3 times more, ending with a k row.

Rows 32 and 33: Work 2 rows in g-st, ending with a RS row.

Cast off in g-st.

STRAPS FOR DUNGAREES (make 2)

Using the long tail method and yarn C, cast on 30 sts.

Row 1: Knit.

Cast off kwise.

PINAFORE

Using the long tail method

and yarn D, cast on 81 sts and beg in g-st.

Rows 1 and 2: Work 2 rows in g-st.

Rows 3 to 12: Beg with a k row, work 10 rows in st-st.

Row 13: K1, (k2tog, k2) to end (61 sts).

Rows 14 and 15: Work 2 rows in g-st, ending with a RS row.

Divide for bib

Row 16: Cast off 23 sts kwise, k14 (15 sts now on RH needle) cast off rem 23 sts and fasten off.

Rejoin yarn to rem sts and work bib from **, as for dungarees.

STRAPS FOR PINAFORE (make 2)

Using yarn D make straps, as for dungarees.

EARS (make 2)

Using the long tail method and yarn B, cast on 14 sts.

Row 1: Purl.

Row 2: K4, (m1, k1) 3 times, (k1, m1) 3 times, k4 (20 sts).

Rows 3 to 7: Work 5 rows in st-st.

Row 8: (K2tog) twice, k to last 4 sts, (k2tog) twice (16 sts).

Row 9: Purl.

Rows 10 to 13: Rep rows 8 and 9 twice more (8 sts).

Row 14: (K2tog) to end

(4 sts).

Row 15: Purl.

Break yarn and thread through sts on needle, pull tight and secure by threading yarn a second time through sts.

TAIL

Using the long tail method and yarn A, cast on 20 sts.

Cast off kwise.

MAKING UP

Note: Sew up all row-end seams on right side using mattress stitch one stitch in from the edge, unless otherwise stated; a one-stitch seam allowance has been allowed for this.

BODY

Sew up side edges of body and with this seam at centre back, oversew cast-on stitches.

Stuff body and leave neck open.

HEAD AND SNOUT

Sew up side edges of head and stuff. Sew lower edge of head to body, making a horizontal stitch from head over one stitch, then a horizontal stitch from body over one stitch, and do this alternately all the way round. Sew up side edges of snout and stuff. Pin and sew snout to Pig.

LEGS AND TROTTERS

Gather round cast-on stitches of legs, pull tight and secure. Sew up side edges of legs and stuff.

Pin legs to body leaving a ¾in (2cm) gap at crotch and sew in place. Sew up side edge of trotters and with this seam at centre of underneath, sew across cast-off stitches. Stuff trotters. Shape trotters using bright pink and embroider a loop around centre of trotters, pull tight, then go a second time around and secure. Sew trotters to front of legs.

FOREARMS AND TROTTERS

Gather round cast-on stitches of forearms, pull tight and secure. Sew up side edges, stuff, and pull stitches on a thread tight and secure. Sew forearms to Pig at both sides. Make up trotters as for legs and sew trotters to ends of forearms.

DUNGAREES, STRAPS AND BUTTONS

Place two pieces of dungarees together matching all edges and sew up inside leg seams and across crotch. Sew up side seams and place dungarees on Pig.

Sew cast-off stitches of waist of dungarees to row above waist of Pig using backstitch. Sew ends of straps to top edge of front of bib, take straps over shoulders, cross over and sew to back of dungarees.

Add two buttons to bib.

PINAFORE, STRAPS AND BUTTONS

Sew up side edges of skirt of pinafore and place pinafore on Pig.

Sew cast-off stitches of waist of pinafore to row above waist of Pig using backstitch. Sew ends of straps to top edge of front of bib, take straps over shoulders, cross over and sew to back of pinafore. Add two buttons to bib.

EARS

Sew up side edges of ears. With this seam at centre of inside edge sew cast-off stitches to back of head. Curl tips of ears forward and sew in place.

FEATURES

Mark position of eyes with two pins above snout and embroider eyes in black making a vertical chain-stitch for each eye, then a second chain-stitch on top of first. Embroider eyebrows and nostrils in black, using straight stitches for eyebrows and long chain-stitches for nostrils.

TAIL

Curl tail and stitch in place, position tail at rear of Pig below waistband and sew in place.