Free Pattern: The Gloves Are Off

This pattern is free, and for its use I’m requesting a minimum $5 contribution to an abortion fund, such as the National Network of Abortion Funds, Midwest Access Project, or the Chicago Abortion Fund. You are also welcome to sell knitted uteri (either this version or the Knitty version) to raise funds for abortion services.

Click or scroll down to view the full pattern. You can also download a PDF version of this pattern via Ravelry.

You’ll need:
– Fingering-weight yarn in dark or medium pink (about 12 yards), a smaller amount of lighter pink, and black for features
Sample yarn: Hand Dyed Diva Homegrown Sock Yarn in Pink Petunia; Knit Picks Palette in Blush and Black
– Set of size 1 US (2.25mm) double-pointed needles
– Tapestry needle
– Stuffing (yarn scraps work fine)
– Paperclip for “coat hanger” (optional)

Techniques: Knitting in the round on double-pointed needles, grafting (Kitchener stitch), picking up stitches, I-cord, knitted cast-on (for picot bind off)

Finished size: About 2.75” (7cm) wide and 1.5” (4cm) tall

Notes:
– Gauge isn’t important—just make stitches tight enough so that stuffing won’t show through.
– The “sister pattern” to this project, Fumin’ Womb, can be found in the Fall 2022 issue of Knitty!

A list of pattern abbreviations can be found on my How-to page.

——– Pattern starts here! ——–

Cervix and uterus
With the main color, cast on 8 stitches and distribute them onto 3 DPNs to work in a round.
Rnds 1-3: Knit.
Rnd 4: [M1, k2] 4 times (12 sts).
Rnds 5-7: Knit (3 rnds).
Rnd 8: [K2tog, k1] 4 times (8 sts).
Rnd 9: [M1, k1] 8 times (16 sts).
Rnd 10: Knit.
Rnd 11: [K1, m1, k6, m1, k1] twice (20 sts).
Rnd 12: Knit.
Rnd 13: [K1, m1, k8, m1, k1] twice (24 sts).
Rnd 14: Knit.
Rnd 15: [K1, m1, k10, m1, k1] twice (28 sts).
Rnds 16-19: Knit (4 rnds).
Rnd 20: [K2tog, k10, ssk] twice (24 sts).
Rnd 21: Knit.
Rnd 22: [K2tog] twice, k4, [ssk] twice, [k2tog] twice, k4, [ssk] twice (16 sts).
Stuff the piece, leaving the narrow opening un-stuffed.
Break the yarn, leaving a tail of about 6” (15cm). Divide the stitches onto 2 DPNs, and graft them together using Kitchener stitch.

Knitty’s grafting tutorial

Weave in the loose ends.

Fallopian tube
With the main color, and using one needle, pick up and knit 2 stitches at a diagonal at the top right corner of the uterus, placing them slightly to the front of the corner.

Turn the piece around, and pick up and knit two more stitches parallel to the first two at the back of the same corner. The purl sides of the stitches should be facing each other.

Place all four stitches onto one needle, with the working yarn attached to the leftmost stitch on the right side.

Knit 16 rows of I-cord.
Rnd 17: [Kfb] 4 times (8 sts).
Distribute the stitches onto 3 DPNs to continue working in a round.
Rnd 18: Purl.

Bind off the stitches using this picot bind off:
**Cast on 2 stitches using knitted cast on, bind off 3 stitches, slip the remaining stitch from the right to the left needle**
Repeat the instructions between the double asterisks (**) until all stitches are bound off. Leave a tail of several inches or centimeters for attaching.

Picot bind-off video

Turn the piece around so that the tube is on the left, and repeat this section for the second tube.

Ovary
With the contrasting color, cast on 4 stitches onto one DPN.
You will work the first round as an I-cord.
Rnd 1: [Kfb] 4 times (8 sts).
Distribute the stitches onto 3 DPNs to continue working in a round.
Rnd 2: [Kfb] 8 times (16 sts).
Rnds 3-10: Knit (8 rnds).
Stuff the piece.
Rnd 11: [K2tog] 8 times (8 sts).
Break the yarn and draw it tightly through the stitches with a tapestry needle to close up.
Weave in the loose ends.
Repeat for the second ovary.

Finishing
With black, embroider eyes onto the uterus with 2 small horizontal stitches for each, spaced about 4 stitches apart.
Embroider a frown with three stitches as shown.
For the finer eyebrows, split a piece of black yarn, and use the thinner piece to embroider two small angled stitches above each eye.

Place the cast-on end of the ovary into the middle of the bound-off fallopian tube, and use the tail left on the fallopian tubes to attach each point of the picot bind off to the ovary. Repeat with the other ovary and tube.

Weave in any remaining loose ends.

To add a “coat hanger,” twist a paperclip into the shape of a twisted coat hanger (two corners and a hook should get this across). Locate the inside bottom corner of an ovary, and feed an end of the paperclip through from back to front. Repeat with the other ovary and the other open end of the paperclip.

© 2022 Mochimochi Land. All Rights Reserved.

Please do not copy or distribute any part of this pattern without permission.
Please do not sell items made from this pattern without permission. << I’m making an exception for selling uteri to raise funds for abortion funds—GO FOR IT!