Reindeer Charts Allison Clayton
Recommended yarn:
Knitpicks Swish, 1 skein each of: Moss (wrist), Storm (main color), Cinnamon (reinder) Nutmeg (antlers/sleigh), Coal (eyes/trim) These two reindeer portraits are 26 stitches wide, meant to fit on the top side of a mittie. Stitch the cinnamon color of the reindeer, and you can either double stitch the antlers or knit them right in with the background. Then double-stitch the eyes and nose. The whites of the eyes (eye bg) are optional, not displayed
Nine litte reindeer, with Rudolph as the lead, guide Santa's little sleigh. In this version, Santa is absent, but you can easily double stitch him sitting on the sleigh. At forty-two stitches wide, this design is meant to wrap easily around a 42-stitch mitte, so that the reindeer spiral up the hand. Once you've stitched these reindeer, you can connect them with yarn harnesses, stitch little t-shaped antlers, and double-stitch their noses in black (Rudolph's is red!) Color A is the background color. Color B is the reindeer color, optionally different from the sleigh color. Colors C and D are presents in the sleigh.
Mitties
To make mitties as shown, cast on 42 stitches in wrist color. Join to work in the round, knitting 4x2 rib for 24 rows,cabling every $4^{\mathrm{th}}$ row. Change to main color (mc), and knit 16 rounds in stockinette. Start “\*Reindeer Flying" chart at beginning of next round, and on round 18, add a 9 stitch selvage thumb-hole. (If you are making the Rudolph" or “Blitzen” charts, start on round 23, thumb-hole still on round 18). In the round, watch out for the yarn tension in back of the pattern; weaving in the main color as you go will help. Once you've finished the chart, knit two more rounds (five more for “Rudolph" or “Blitzen"), and then begin uniformly decreasing four stitches every other round (two stitches per side) until 22 stitches remain. Kitchner stitch the 22 stitches together and weave in ends. Find and pick up two stitches on either side of thumb hole, and knit 23 rounds. Kitchner the thumb closed and weave in ends. These charts can also be transferred to other patterns such as dishcloths, sweaters, or socks. This is left to the reader's imagination!
