Knit a giant panda :: Free knitting pattern :: toys to make

Knit a giant panda: free pattern - toys to make - Free knitting patterns - Craft - allaboutyou.com

Giant pandas are native to China where they are called ‘large bear-cats'. They spend at least 12 hours a day eating bamboo and will consume as much as 84lbs (38kg) of it. Although giant pandas seem pretty quiet, they bleat, roar, growl, honk, croak and squeal.

Measurement
Giant panda measures 91⁄2in (24cm) in height

Materials
● Any DK yarn:
● 100g white (A)
● 100g black (B)
● 25g biscuit (C)
● 25g green (D)
Note: amounts are generous but approximate
● A pair of 3.25mm (US3:UK10) needles
● Acrylic toy stuffing
● Plastic-headed marker pins
● Plastic drinking straw

Tension
26 sts x 34 rows measure 4in (10cm) square over stocking-st using 3.25mm needles before stuffing

How to make Giant Panda (make 2 pieces)

Beg at lower edge using the thumb method and A, cast on 35 sts.
First and next 4 foll alt rows: P.
Inc row: K10, m1, k15, m1, k10 (37 sts).
Inc row: K11, m1, k15, m1, k11 (39 sts).
Inc row: K12, m1, k15, m1, k12 (41 sts).
Inc row: K13, m1, k15, m1, k13 (43 sts).
Inc row: K14, m1, k15, m1, k14 (45 sts).
Beg with a p row, stocking-st 17 rows.
Dec row: K2tog, k to last 2 sts, k2tog tbl.
P 1 row.
Change to B.
Dec row: K2tog, k to last 2 sts, k2tog tbl.
Next row: P.
Rep last 2 rows 8 more times (25 sts).
Cast off.

Base

Using the thumb method and A, cast on 20 sts.

First row: P.
Inc row: K1, m1, k to last st, m1, k1.
Rep first 2 rows 5 more times (32 sts).
Beg with a p row, stocking-st 5 rows.
Dec row: K2tog, k to last 2 sts, k2tog tbl.
Next row: P.
Rep last 2 rows 5 more times (20 sts).
Cast off.

Head

Beg at lower edge using the thumb method and A, cast on 10 sts.
First and next 6 foll alt rows: P.
Inc row: (Inc) to end (20 sts).
Inc row: (K1, inc) to end (30 sts).
Inc row: (K2, inc) to end (40 sts).
Inc row: (K3, inc) to end (50 sts).
Inc row: (K4, inc) to end (60 sts).
Inc row: (K5, inc) to end (70 sts).
Inc row: (K6, inc) to end (80 sts).
Beg with a p row, stocking-st 15 rows.

Shape head

Dec row: (K8, k2tog) to end (72 sts).
Beg with a p row, stocking-st 3 rows.
Dec row: (K7, k2tog) to end (64 sts).
Beg with a p row, stocking-st 3 rows.
Dec row: (K6, k2tog) to end (56 sts).
Next and next 5 foll alt rows: P.
Dec row: (K5, k2tog) to end (48 sts).
Dec row: (K4, k2tog) to end (40 sts).
Dec row: (K3, k2tog) to end (32 sts).
Dec row: (K2, k2tog) to end (24 sts).
Dec row: (K1, k2tog) to end (16 sts).
Dec row: (K2tog) to end (8 sts).
Thread yarn through rem sts, pull tight and secure.

Hind legs (make 2)

Note: follow individual instructions for right and left legs.
Beg at sole using the thumb method and B, cast on 22 sts.
Place a marker at centre of cast-on sts.
P 1 row.
Inc row: K1, (m1, k1) to end (43 sts).
Beg with a p row, stocking-st 15 rows.
Dec for right leg: K4, (k2tog) 10 times, k19 (33 sts).
Dec for left leg: K19, (k2tog) 10 times, k4 (33 sts).
Beg with a p row, stocking-st 5 rows.
Cast off 9 sts at beg of next 2 rows (15 sts).
Dec row: (K2tog) twice, k to last 4 sts, k2tog, k2tog tbl (11 sts).
Dec row: P2tog tbl, p to last 2 sts, p2tog (9 sts). Cast off.

Arms (make 2)

Beg at shoulder using the thumb method and B, cast on 8 sts.
First and next foll alt row: P.
Inc row: (Inc) to end (16 sts).
Inc row: (K1, inc) to end (24 sts).
Beg with a p row, stocking-st 15 rows.

Shape elbow
Row 1: K4, turn.
Row 2: S1p, p to end.
Row 3: K6, turn.
Row 4: S1p, p to end.
Row 5: K8, turn.
Row 6: S1p, p to end.
Row 7: K10, turn.
Row 8: S1p, p to end.
Next row: K across all sts.

Shape second half of elbow
Row 1: P4, turn.
Row 2: S1k, k to end.
Row 3: P6, turn.
Row 4: S1k, k to end.
Row 5: P8, turn.
Row 6: S1k, k to end.
Row 7: P10, turn.
Row 8: S1k, k to end.
Next row: P across all sts.
Stocking-st 10 rows.
Dec row: (K1, k2tog) to end (16 sts).
P 1 row.
Dec row: (k2tog) to end (8 sts).
Thread yarn through rem sts, pull tight and secure.
Using the thumb method and A, cast on 30 sts.
Beg with a p row, stocking-st 3 rows.
Dec row: K2tog, k6, (k2tog) twice, k6, (k2tog) twice, k6, k2tog tbl (24 sts).
Next and next foll alt row: P.
Dec row: K2tog, k4, (k2tog) twice, k4 (k2tog) twice, k4, k2tog tbl (18 sts).
Dec row: K2tog, k2, (k2tog) twice, k2, (k2tog) twice, k2, k2tog tbl (12 sts).
P 1 row.
Thread yarn through sts, pull tight and secure.

Snout

Using the thumb method and A, cast on 30 sts.
Beg with a P row, stocking-st 3 rows.
Dec row: K2tog, k6, (k2tog) twice, k6, (k2tog) twice, k6, k2tog tbl (24 sts).
Next and foll alt row: P.
Dec row: K2tog, k4, (k2tog) twice, k4, (k2tog) twice, k4, k2tog tbl (18 sts).
Dec row: K2tog, k2, (k2tog) twice, k2, (k2tog) twice, k2, k2tog tbl (12 sts).
P 1 row.
Thread yarn through sts, pull tight and secure.

Nose

Using the thumb method and B, cast on 6 sts.
P 1 row.
Dec row: K1, (k2tog) twice, k1 (4 sts).
Dec row: P1, p2tog, p1 (3 sts).
Thread yarn through rem sts, pull tight and secure.

Eye patches (make 2)

Note: eye patches are worked in garter-st.
Using the thumb method and B, cast on 6 sts.
Garter-st 12 rows.
Dec row: K2tog, k to last 2 sts, k2tog tbl (4 sts).
Dec row: K1, k2tog, k1 (3 sts).
Thread yarn through rem sts, pull tight and secure.

Ears (make 2)

Using the thumb method and B, cast on 16 sts.
P 1 row.
Inc row: K1, (m1, k2) to last st, m1, k1 (24 sts).
Beg with a p row, stocking-st 7 rows.
Dec row: (K2, k2tog) to end (18 sts).
P 1 row.
Dec row: (K1, k2tog) to end (12 sts).
Dec row: (P2tog) to end (6 sts).
Thread yarn through rem sts, pull tight and secure.

Tail

Using the thumb method and A, cast on 10 sts.
P 1 row.
Inc row: K2, (m1, k2) to end (14 sts).
Next row: P.
Inc row: K1, m1, k to last st, m1, k1.
Rep last 2 rows once (18 sts).
P 1 row.
Cast on 3 sts at beg of next 2 rows, working the 4th st of each row tbl (24 sts).
Stocking-st 6 rows.
Dec row: (K1, k2tog) to end (16 sts).
P 1 row.
Dec row: (K2tog) to end (8 sts).
Thread yarn through rem sts, pull tight and secure.

Bamboo

Beg at lower edge using the thumb method and C, cast on 4 sts.
Inc row: Inc k-wise into each st (8 sts).
K 1 row.
Beg with a k row, work in stocking-st for 2in (5cm), ending on a p row.
Garter-st 4 rows.
Beg with a k row, work in stocking-st for 3¼in (8cm), ending on a p row.
Garter-st 2 rows.
Dec row: (K2tog) to end (4 sts).
Thread yarn through rem sts, pull tight and secure.

Leaves (make 6 pieces)

Using the thumb method and D, cast on 1 st.
Inc row: (K1, p1, k1) into first st (3 sts).
P 1 row.
Inc row: K1, m1, k1, m1, k1 (5 sts).
Beg with a p row, stocking-st 9 rows.
Dec row: K2tog, k1, k2tog tbl (3 sts).
Beg with a p row, stocking-st 3 rows.
Dec row: K3tog tbl (1 st).
Fasten off.

Making up

Body
Place the two halves of body together matching all edges and join row-ends. Stuff body leaving neck and lower edge open.

Base
Pin base to lower edge of body and sew base to body all the way round, adding more stuffing to base if needed.

Head
Gather round cast-on sts of head, pull tight and secure. Join row-ends of head leaving gap, stuff and close gap. Pin head to body adding more stuffing to neck if needed. Sew in place using black yarn by taking a small horizontal st from head and then a small horizontal st from body and doing this alternately all the way round.

Hind legs
Join row-ends of hind legs and bring marker and seam together, over-sew cast-on sts. Stuff legs, pushing stuffing into toes. Stand body on flat surface and pin legs to body. Sew legs to body all the way round.

Arms
Gather round cast-on sts at shoulder, pull tight and secure. Join row-ends of arms leaving gap, stuff and close gap. Sew arms to body at each side.

Snout
Join row-ends of snout and stuff. Pin and sew snout to face.

Nose
Place nose onto the snout and then sew all edges down.

Ears
Join row-ends of ears and with seam at centre back, sew ears to head.

Tail
Join row-ends of tail from sts on a thread to cast-off sts. Stuff and sew to back of panda.

Eye patches
Sew eye patches to face around snout.

Embroidering the features
Embroider a circle of white for each eye using chain-stitch. Embroider mouth in black as in picture. To begin and fasten off invisibly for the embroidery, tie a knot in end of yarn and take a large st through work, coming up to start the embroidery. Allow knot to disappear through knitting and be caught in stuffing. To fasten off, take a few sts back and forth through work, inserting needle where yarn comes out.

Bamboo
Gather round cast-on sts of bamboo, pull tight and secure. Cut an extra wide drinking straw to 61⁄4in (16cm) and enclose straw in knitting by joining row-ends of bamboo around it.

Leaves
Make 3 leaves by placing wrong sides of 2 pieces together, matching all edges and sew around edge. Sew leaves to bamboo as in picture.

Did you know?

Pandas are pink when they are born. The black markings develop after about a month.

This pattern is taken from 'Knitted Wild Animals' by Sarah Keen (GMC Publications, £14.99). Click here to buy 'Knitted Wild Animals' .