Free Pattern: Knit Kid and Purl Girl

This is an intermediate-level pattern for everyone to enjoy. Check out the Mochimochi Shop for more patterns that you’ll love!

What’s that up in the air? Is it a bird? Is a drone?

Photo by Brandy Fortune

It’s a new pattern come to save us all!

Knit Kid and Purl Girl are faster than a speeding yarn swift, more powerful than a knitting machine, and able to untangle knots with a single tug!

When they’re not handling yarn emergencies, they lend their bold and creative problem solving to anyone who carries them in their pocket.
These guys knit up in an hour or two with no seams and very little yarn, so they make perfect “just-because” gifts and party favors.

Finished size:
Each superhero is about 1½ inches tall

You’ll need:
– Fingering-weight yarn in small amounts of the following colors:
Cyan (A for Knit Kid, B for Purl Girl)
Canary (B for Knit Kid, A for Purl Girl)
Blush (C for Knit Kid)
Almond (C for Purl Girl)
Bison (Knit Kid’s hair)
Black (eyes and Purl Girl’s hair)
– Set of size 1 US (2.25mm) double-pointed needles, plus 2 spare needles (size 1 or smaller)
– Small tapestry needle

Notes:
– The finished project is very small and is not a suitable toy for small children.
– You can scale this pattern up with thicker yarn and bigger needles.

A list of pattern abbreviations can be found here.

——– Pattern starts here! ——–

Body

Legs

With A, cast on 6 sts and distribute them onto 3 needles to work in a round.
Knit 3 rounds.
Break the yarn, and place the sts onto 2 spare needles with the first 3 sts on one needle and the last 3 sts on second needle.

Repeat for second leg without breaking the yarn. Place the first 3 sts on one needle and the last 3 sts on another needle.
Place the two legs side by side on their needles with the working yarn attached to the rightmost stitch on the back needle.

Transfer the stitches from the spare needles onto the adjacent working needles, so that the first 3 sts of each leg are on the needle in front, and the last 3 sts of each leg are on the needle in back.

Switch to B, without breaking A. Pick up a third needle, and beginning with the sts on the front needle, knit one round, flipping the needles around to work the back needle. This will join the legs together into one round.

Torso and head

Distribute the 12 sts onto 3 needles to continue working in rnds with B as follows:
Rnd 1: [Kfb, k2] 4 times: 16 sts.
Rnd 2: Knit.
Switch to A and break B.
Rnds 3-5: Knit.
Rnd 6: Yo, k2tog, k4, k2tog, yo, k8.
Rnds 7 and 8: Knit.
Switch to C, without breaking A.
Rnd 9: Knit.
Rnd 10: K1, kfb, k4, kfb, k2, kfb, k4, kfb, k1: 20 sts.
Rnd 11: Knit.
Switch to A, without breaking C.
Rnds 12 and 13: Knit.
Switch to C and break A.
Rnds 14-16: Knit.
Insert a small amount of stuffing into the Body.
Rnd 17: (K2tog, k3) 4 times: 16 sts.
Rnd 18: (K2tog) 8 times: 8 sts.
Break the yarn. Thread yarn needle with end and weave through remaining sts pulling tightly to close.

With black, embroider eyes onto the A stripe on the head with 2 small horizontal stitches for each eye, spaced 3 sts apart.

Arms

Cast on 3 sts.
Knit 20 rows of I-cord, then break the yarn, thread yarn needle with end and weave through remaining sts, pulling tightly to close.

With the tail still threaded on the tapestry needle, insert the I-cord in yarn-over hole on one side of body and out the yarnover hole on the opposite side. Pull the I-cord halfway through, so that arms project evenly on both side.

Cape

With B, cast on 12 sts.
Rows 1-5: Beginning with a purl row, work 5 rows in St st.
Row 6: K1, k2tog, k6, k2tog, k1 (10 sts).
Rows 7-12: Beginning with a purl row, work 6 rows in St st.
Bind off all sts purlwise.

Finishing

With B, embroider the K or P as shown.
Weave in loose ends on the body, adding a few small stitches between the legs to close up the gap.

For Knit Kid’s hair, embroider stitches radiating out from an off-center area on his head.

For Purl Girl’s hair, cut several long pieces of yarn, and weave them loosely side-to-side on her head, leaving big loops. Once the head is covered by a thick amount of hair, part the hair and tie each side with a strand of B, without pulling on the hair. Cut the ends of the loops, and trim the hair and hair ties.

Place the purl side of the cape up against the body, with the bound-off stitches at top. Use a few small stitches to attach the top of the cape to the top of the shirt at each corner. Weave in the loose ends on the cape.

© 2013 Anna Hrachovec / Mochimochi Land

Please do not copy or distribute any part of this pattern without permission.
Please do not sell items made from this pattern without permission.

This pattern originally appeared on Petite Purls.