It all began with the need to make the most adorable mini baby surprise jacket: 32 rows of satisfying knitting bliss and a class idea blooming. When I had spent about 2 hours making up two adorable minis, I realized that I really needed a model to display their cuteness.
Some misleading geometric guesses and a couple more hours later, I had my first prototype completed...too big in every way for the sweater. And, he was too long in the torso and in the head (little bit bullet headed). Some very easy adjustments to the original idea and about an hour and half later, I had a much more successful incarnation of a mini BSJ model.
Here is the pattern:
Notes:
*Depending on the gauge that you work your mini BSJ, use the same gauge to knit your lil' peanut.
*You will be placing a marker after the first repeat on needle one mainly to help you recall which needle is Needle one and, thus the beginning of the round.
*When stuffing, it is a delicate balance to make sure that you have enough to form the body body but not too much so that the sts are over stretched and expose the stuffing insides. Take care to find this balance.
*If you would like Lil' P to be a good shelf sitter then you can fill a little baggy with pellets and place it in the bottom of the body on a bed of fluff. If it is for a child, then skip the pellets or sew a well constructed pouch that can be sealed shut securely.
Gauge: 4 sts/in
Needles: 4 US8 DPNs
Yarn: Encore Worsted (get back to you on the yardage, but it isn't much)
Other: a bit of stuffing
With 2 DPNs, CO3.
Torso:
Round 1: With needle 1, kfb. With Needle 2, kfb. With needle 3, kfb. Continue in the round from here. (6sts)
Round 2: kfb, place marker, *kfb, repeat from * 4more times. (12 sts)
Round 3: Knit.
Round 4: *k1, kfb, repeat from* 5 more times. (18 sts)
Round 5: Knit.
Round 6: *k2, kfb, repeat from* 5 more times. (24 sts)
Round 7: Knit.
Round 8: *k3, kfb, repeat from* 5 more times. (30 sts)
Rounds 9-23: knit.
Shoudler Shaping:
Round 24: *k3, k2tog, repeat fro * 5 more times. (24 sts)
Round 25: Knit.
Round 26: *k2, k2tog, repeat fro * 5 more times. (18 sts)
Round 27: Knit.
Round 28: *k1, k2tog, repeat fro * 5 more times. (12 sts)
Neck:
Round 29-34: Knit.
STOP - stuff the body now.
Head:
Round 35: *k1, kfb, repeat from * 5 more times. (18 sts)
Round 36: Knit.
Round 37: *k2, kfb, repeat from * 5 more times. (24 sts)
Round 38-44: Knit.
STOP - stuff the head now. Just very slightly over stuff the head so that the stuffing fills in these last rows for the crown of the head.
Round 45: *k2, k2tog, repeat from * 5 more times. (18 sts)
Round 46: Knit.
Round 47: *K1, k2tog, repeat from * 5 more times. (12 sts)
Round 48: *k2tog, repeat from * 5 more times. (6 sts)
Cut a tail and draw it through the remaining 6 sts.
Weave in ends.
Picking up for the arms:
Find desired arm position. I placed mine on either side just below the shoulder shaping.
Pick up and knit one arm of three v's stacked on top of each other.
V
V
V
When adding the new yarn, be sure to leave a tail that is about 6" long; this tail can be used to neaten this joint later when weaving it in. Work a three st i-cord for 20 rows. Bind off by k2tog, k1, pass k2tog over k1. Weave in the tail. Tie a not at the end ot the completed i-cord. Repeat for second arm.
The legs are worked in a similar manner. The difference being that you pick up and knit one arm of three V's sittingnext to each other in a row. VVV
Work these I cord for 26 rows.
Enjoy.
