Free Pattern: Carnie Zebra

This is an intermediate-level BONUS pattern from Adventures in Mochimochi Land, now available from book sellers everywhere. (Signed copies are available from the Mochimochi Shop!)

Carnivalville couldn’t keep running without the help of its hard-working animal carnies. Carnie monkeys take the tickets, carnie elephants sell balloons, and carnie zebras climb way up high to check the soundness of all the tents. (They’re also known to sneak naps while they’re up there.)

A few people have asked me for the zebra’s pattern since his debut in Adventures in Mochimochi Land, so I’m happy to share it here.

You’ll need:
—Fingering-weight yarn in black, white, and a contrasting color.
—Set of size 1 US (2.25mm) double-pointed needles
—Tapestry needle
—Small amount of stuffing

Notes:
—The finished project is very small and is not suitable for children aged three and under.
—A list of pattern abbreviations can be found here.

Pattern

Body

Work legs
With black, cast on 3 stitches onto one DPN.
Rnd 1 (work as I-cord): [Kfb] 3 times (6 sts).
Divide the stitches onto 2 DPNs to continue working in a round.
Break black, and switch to white.
Rnds 2 and 3: Knit.
Break the yarn and set the piece aside on the needle.

Make another leg without breaking the white.

Join legs
Hold the legs parallel on the 2 DPNs, with the purl stitches facing each other and the working yarn attached to the rightmost stitch on the back needle.

You will join the 12 stitches together in the following round. (You can let the loose ends stay on the outside of the piece to weave in later.)

Rnd 4: With white, [kfb, k1] 6 times (18 sts).

Work torso and head
Distribute the stitches onto 3 DPNs to continue working in a round.
Rnd 5: Knit with black.
Rnd 6: Knit with white.
Rnd 7: Knit with black.
Rnd 8: Knit with white.
Switch to the contrasting color. (You can break the other yarns or leave them attached.)
Rnds 9-12: Knit (4 rnds).
Rnd 13: Yo, k8, yo, k2tog, k6, k2tog.
Break the contrasting color (making sure that the last yo loop stays on the needle), and continue working with white and black.
Rnd 14: Knit with white.
Rnd 15: Knit with black.
Rnd 16: Knit with white.
Rnd 17: Knit with black.
Break black and continue working with white only.
Rnds 18-21: Knit (4 rnds).
Stuff the piece.
Rnd 22: [K2tog, k1] 6 times (12 sts).
Rnd 23: Knit.
Rnd 24: [K2tog] 6 times (6 sts).
Break the yarn and draw it tightly through the stitches with a tapestry needle.

Face

With black, embroider eyes with two small horizontal stitches for each, placed 3 stitches up from the top black stripe and spaced 3 stitches apart.

Also with black, embroider a snout with 8-10 long, horizontal stitches covering an area from the first black stripe above the contrasting-color shirt to just below the eyes, and spanning the middle 3 stitches.

Arms

With white, cast on 3 stitches onto one DPN.
Knit 18 rows of I-cord, then break the yarn and draw it tightly through the stitches with a tapestry needle.

With the tail still threaded on the tapestry needle, insert the I-cord through the yarn-over holes on the sides of the body. Pull the I-cord halfway through, so that an equal length sticks out from each side.

Weave the loose ends back through the I-cord and body.

Ears

With black, cast on 2 stitches onto one DPN.

Knit 9 rows of I-cord, then break the yarn and draw it tightly through the stitches with a tapestry needle.

With the tail still on the tapestry needle, insert the I-cord through the head, placed 2 stitches down from the top. Weave in the loose ends.

Tail

With white, pick up and knit 2 stitches at the center of the back, just under the shirt.

Knit 2 rows of I-cord, then break the yarn and draw it tightly through the stitches with a tapestry needle. Thread a couple of short pieces of black through the tip of the tail, trim them, and fray them with a tapestry needle or a scissors blade.

Finishing

Cut a long piece of black, and embroider a mane with vertical row of loose, loopy stitches going from just above the eyes to the top back of the shirt. Make another row of loopy stitches in the same area for added thickness.

Weave in the remaining loose ends.

What did the carnie zebra say to the carnie elephant?

Um, your stripes are on the wrong way, dude.