Finally! Bunny Bath Puppet

Hi everyone. Sorry I was completely MIA for the month of August. I sort of over-booked myself, and decided the time I had for knitting was going to be devoted entirely to new types of projects. I knit my first pair of socks (I could do nothing else from now to the moment I die- I loved making socks!), and I'm now working on a shawl that I have been wanting to make as a gift for quite some time. You can read all about that stuff on Briley's Blog if you are interested.

So, I had mis-placed my knitting journals for quite some time, and they finally re-surfaced tonight! I have had requests for this guy, so I decided that I'd better get him posted right away. This is my bunny bath puppet. Some people have told me that he looks like a pig, and I got a few others that I don't recall right now. So, if you want him to be a pig, or ferret or what have you change the colour, and omit the bobble tail.

My bath puppet is definitely a bunny. I designed him to look like the white New Zealand rabbit I kept as a pet for many years. He was a wonderful friend to me, and I still miss him! He was much cuter than the puppet, but knitting does have it's limitations.

I've not gotten around to designing anything new since July, but plan to get to work on that soon. I have some Halloween stuff in mind, so hopefully there will be some fresh patterns to post soon. Bath puppets will be on hold for a bit, though.

So, here's the last bath puppet for a while:

Bunny Bath Puppet

materials:

Crystal Palace Cotton Chenille- white or colour of your choice- about 1/2 skein

US size 6 DPN's- set of 5

Black embroidery floss-small amount

waste yarn in contrast colour (mercerized cotton is best) small amount

yarn needle

Gauge: (not very important) approx 4 sts to the inch
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Stitches/abbreviations used:

K- knit

STst- stockinette stitch (knit all stitches when in the round)

K2Tog- knit two stitches together

SSK- slip, slip, knit- individually slip two stitches knitwise, insert left needle into the front of these two slipped stitches and knit together
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st(s)- stitch(es)

WY- waste yarn

rnd- round
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MB- make bobble- [K into front and back of stitch] 2x, [turn work and knit these four sts, turn and purl the 4 sts]2x, turn and knit the four stitches, pass the first 3 sts over the last stitch knitted.
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Special Instructions:
When WY is used in pattern, instructions will read (for example) WY K3. The 3 sts should be knit in the WY, leaving a tail of a few inches at both ends, and then those stitches should be slid back onto the left needle and knit again with the main yarn. If the WY sts cross over 2 needles be careful to return them to the correct needle after knitting them with the main yarn. These instructions will not be repeated in the pattern directions.
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Cotton Chenille is not an elastic yarn! Cast on VERY loosely. I cast on so loosely I thought my bottom edge would be a mess, and it was still too tight.
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Directions:
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with green Cast On 28 sts-remember to cast on LOOSELY-
divide the sts between 4 needles, 7 sts to each.
Being careful not to twist the sts, join in a ring .
Place a marker after the first stitch knit to signify the beginning of the round. This will be needle 1 , followed by needle 2, and so on.

Knit in STst for 1"

next rnd: K21, MB, k6

Knit in STst for 1.5"

next rnd: K1, WYK4, k4, WYK4, K to end

Knit in STst for 1.5"

Begin Decrease:

rnd 1) needles 1 & 3-SSK, K to end. needles 2 & 4) K to last 2sts, K2tog
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rnds 2 & 3) K all
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Repeat these 3 rnds until 2sts remain on each needle.

Cut yarn leaving a tail several inches long. Thread the tail through the 8 remaining sts and cinch the sts together. weave in tail.

Arms:

Work the following for each hole created by the waste yarn.

Remove WY and, using three needles (and a fourth to knit with) pick up 12 sts.

Knit in Stst for 1.5"

next rnd: K2tog around

cut yarn, leaving a tail of several inches. Thread tail through remaining sts, cinch closed, and weave in end

Ears:

MAKE 2

cast on 4 sts-leave a tail long enough to sew ears to puppet

Knitting back and fourth in rows knit in garter stitch (knit all sts) for 2"

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next row: K1, K2tog, K1

next row:K all

next row: K2tog, cut yarn, pull through final st, and weave in end

Finishing:

sew ears to head, and embroider on eyes