Hedgie

Hedgehogs have been around for millions of years.  These small mammals have sharp quills that they use to defend themselves from predators.  They typically are not affectionate and avoid human interaction.  Because of this, they are not usually ideal pets.  But shake away your disappointment because you can now create a darling little Hedgie of your very own.  Bring on the snuggles – hold the prickles. 

Materials

Knitting Loom:  Kb Sock Loom 2

Yarn:  MC = Red Heart Stellar in Celestial

CC = Lion Brand Vanna’s Choice in desired color.  Beige and Taupe were used for the samples.

Notions:  Knitting tool, scissors, yarn needle, fiberfill for stuffing, 1 cm pom-pom, 6mm buttons for eyes, needle and thread.

Finished Size:  Approximately 4.5” in height.

Gauge:  Not essential for this project.

Abbreviations:

MC = main color

CC = contrast color

Sl = Slip

K = Knit

K2tog = Knit 2 together

P = Purl

Techniques:

Drawstring Cast-On:  Step 1: Pass the working yarn in front of peg 1.  Pass the working yarn behind peg 2.  Pass the working yarn in front of peg 3.  Pass the working yarn behind peg 4.  Continue weaving the working yarn in front of and behind the pegs until the working yarn reaches peg 1 again.

Step 2:  Lay the working yarn against peg 1, above the wrap from step 1.  Knit the lower wrap over the top wrap.  Pass the working yarn in front of peg 2.  Lay the working yarn against peg 3, above the wrap from step 1.  Knit the lower wrap over the top wrap.  Pass the working yarn in front of peg 4.  Continue working in this manner until the working yarn reaches peg 1 again.  Cast on is now complete.  Continue on as directed in the pattern.

Double E-wrap Cast-On:  Wrap the first peg twice.  With the knitting tool, pull the lower wrap past the upper wrap and over the top of the peg.  Repeat this process for each of the remaining pegs.  Cast on is now complete.  Continue on as directed in the pattern.

E-wrap Knit Stitch:  Bring the working yarn behind the peg to be worked, above the existing stitch on the peg.  Bend the working yarn around the peg, creating an e shaped wrap. Knit the lower stitch over the e wrap.

U-wrap Knit Stitch:  Bring the working yarn in front of the peg to be worked, above the existing stitch on the peg.  Bend the working yarn around the peg, creating a u shaped wrap. Knit the lower stitch over the u wrap.

Slip:  For the purposes of this project, slip simply means to skip the peg.

K2tog:  Decrease- worked over two pegs.  Move the stitch from the first peg over to the second peg.  Knit both stitches on the second peg together as one.

Basic Bind Off:  Knit the first two pegs.  Move the stitch from the second peg over to the first peg.  Knit the lower stitch over the upper stitch.  One stitch has now been bound off. Move the stitch from peg 1 to the empty peg.  This is now peg 1.  Knit the next stitch.  Move the stitch that was just knit over to the first peg.  Knit the lower stitch over the upper stitch.  Continue working in this manner until there is one stitch left. Cut the working yarn, leaving a yarn tail that is at least 4” long.  Wrap the yarn tail around the last peg.  Knit the last stitch over the yarn tail and pull the yarn tail out through the stitch.  Bind off is now complete.

Gathered Bind Off:  Loosely wrap the working yarn in a circle around all of the pegs that have stitches – two times.  This will ensure that the yarn tail is long enough to complete the bind off.  Cut the working yarn, then unwrap the long yarn tail from around the pegs.  Lay the yarn tail below the stitch on peg 1.  Using the knitting tool, pull the yarn tail up through the stitch.  *Lay the yarn tail below the next stitch.  Using the knitting tool, pull the yarn tail up through the stitch.  Repeat from * for all stitches on the loom.  Once all stitches have been bound, remove the knitting from the loom.  Pull on the yarn tail to cinch the opening closed (unless otherwise directed by the pattern being worked).  Bind off is now complete.

Instructions

Body:

Prepare the loom to work over 24 pegs, in the round.  With MC, cast on 24 stitches using the drawstring cast-on method.  Work 20 rounds using the e-wrap knit stitch.  Bind off using the gathered bind off method.  Turn knitted tube inside out.

Locate the yarn tail from the gathered bind off and gently pull until the opening is cinched closed.  Stuff body firmly, but not so firmly that the stuffing shows through the knitting.  Locate the yarn tail from the drawstring cast on and gently pull until the opening is cinched closed.  Weave in both yarn ends.  Set body aside for now.

Face/Snout:

Prepare the loom to work over 18 pegs, in the round.  With CC, leave a 22” yarn tail and cast on 18 stitches using the double e-wrap cast on method.  Work 5 rounds using the u-wrap knit stitch.

Decrease 2 stitches:  Move the stitch on peg 1 to peg 2.  Move the stitch on peg 13 to peg 12.  Move the slider in to line up with peg 2 and peg 12.  Peg 2 is now peg 1 and has 2 stitches on it.  Peg 12 is now peg 11 and has 2 stitches on it.  Knit both stitches on these pegs as if they are one when working the next round.

Work 4 rounds using the u-wrap knit stitch.

Decrease 2 stitches:   Move the stitch on peg 1 to peg 2.  Move the stitch on peg 11 to peg 10.  Move the slider in to line up with peg 2 and peg 10.  Peg 2 is now peg 1 and has 2 stitches on it.  Peg 10 is now peg 9 and has 2 stitches on it.  Knit both stitches on these pegs as if they are one when working the next round.

Work 4 rounds using the u-wrap knit stitch.  Bind off using the gathered bind off method.

Pull the yarn tail from the gathered bind off until the opening is cinched closed.  Weave the yarn tail in.  Turn knitted piece inside out.  Stuff snout firmly, but not so firmly that the stuffing shows through the knitting.  Using the 22” long yarn tail, sew the snout to the body, slightly lower than the top.

Weave in the yarn end.  Set aside for now.

Belly:

With CC, leave a 12” yarn tail and cast on 10 stitches using the double e-wrap cast on method.

Rows 1-12:  Sl 1, K9.

Bind off using the basic bind off method.  Place the belly piece on the body, right below the snout, with

purl side facing up.  Using the yarn tails, sew the belly piece in place. Weave in the yarn ends.  Set aside for now.

Limbs (Make 4):

Prepare the loom to work over 10 pegs, in the round.  With CC, leave a 12” yarn tail and cast on 10 stitches using the double e-wrap cast on method.

Work 8 rounds using the u-wrap knit stitch.  Bind off using the gathered bind off method.

Pull the yarn tail from the gathered bind off until the opening is cinched closed.  Weave the yarn tail in.  Turn knitted piece inside out.

Lightly stuff all 4 of the knitted pieces.  Using the long yarn tail, sew the limbs to the body, as shown below.

Weave in all yarn tails.  Set aside for now.

Ears (Make 2):

With CC, leave a 6” yarn tail and cast on 5 stitches using the double e-wrap cast on method.

Row 1:  Sl 1, K4.

Row 2: Sl 1, P3, K1.

Row 3:  Sl 1, K2, K2tog.

Row 4:  Sl 1, P1, K2tog.

Bind off using the basic bind off method.  Weave in the yarn tail at the tip of the ear (bind off tail).  Using the yarn tail from the cast on, sew the ears in place, curving the ear a bit as it is stitched in place. Weave in the yarn ends.

Finishing:

With the needle and thread, sew the buttons to the top of the snout, placing them about halfway between the ears and the end of the snout.  (If making this item for a young child, embroider the eyes on with black yarn, instead of using buttons.)

With the needle and thread, sew the mini pom-pom to the end of the snout.  (If preferred, the pom-pom could be glued in place.)

Weave in any remaining yarn tails and threads.