Whimsical, bobbled sea urchin. Knit in the round. Felted into a sturdy and intriguing ovoid. Fits in the palm of your hand and makes a splendid pincushion, toy, or displayable curiosity...
Materials
Yarn: 15-20 yards of Cascade Ecological Wool ( $100\%$ wool, 250g/478yds), color 8010 (Note: pattern works beautifully in worsted wool, too!) Needles: US 10.5 $(6.5\ \mathsf{m m})$ double pointed needles Notions: tapestry needle stuffing (roving, fabric scraps, fill, etc.)
Size Gauge: Size:
14 stitches and $18~{\mathsf{r o w s}}=4"$ in stockinette stitch Finished sea urchin is approximately $3.5"$ across and 2.25" high (Note: finished size will depend on how small you felt it and how firmly you stuff it)
Abbreviations
B3 3-stitch bobble: K1,P1, K1 into next stitch; turn and K3; turn and Sl 1, K2tog, PSSO B4 4-stitch bobble: K1,P1,K1,P1 into next stitch; turn and K4; turn and Sl 2, K2tog, PSSO KKnit K2tog Knit two together Kfb Knit into the front and back of the next stitch PPurl PSSO Pass Slipped Stitch(es) over the knit stitch SI Slip knitwise
Pattern
Cast on 14 stitches. Divide stitches among 3 double-pointed needles and join in a circle. Round 1: Knit Round 2: [K1, Kfb] 7 times (21 stitches) Round 3: Knit Round 4: [K2, Kfb] 7 times (28 stitches) Round 5: Knit Round 6: [K3, Kfb] 7 times (35 stitches) Rounds 7, 9, 11: K3, [B4, K6] 4 times, B4, K3 Rounds 8, 10, 12: Knit Round 13: K3, [B3, K6] 4 times, B3, K3 Round 14: K2, [Sl1, K2tog, PSSO, K4] 4 times, Sl1, K2tog, PSSO, K2 (25 stitches) Round 15: K2, [B3, K4] 4 times, B3, K2 Round 16: Knit Round 17: K2, [B3, K4] 4 times, B3, K2 Round 18: K1, [Sl1, K2tog, PSSO, K2] 4 times, Sl1, K2tog, PSSO, K1 (15 stitches) Round 19: K1, [B3, K2] 4 times, B3, K1 Round 20: [Sl1, K2tog, PSSO] 5 times (5 stitches) Break yarn, leaving a 6" tail. Thread on tapestry needle and draw through last 5 stitches. Sew in ends. Felt either by machine (toss into a hot or warm wash) or by hand (soak in hot water with a dash of soap and gently rub with your hands). When it's felted to your desired dimensions, rinse and let dry. Stuff the sea urchin. To close the bottom opening, thread about 8" of yarn onto your tapestry needle and take small running stitches around the opening. Pull tightly to close the hole. Tie the ends of the yarn in a knot and hide them inside the sea urchin. Enjoy!
@ ZOl0 Hanna Breetz, All Rights Reserved
Pattern Version: June 2010 Contact: evergreenknits@gmail.com Blog: http://evergreenknits.blogspot.com
