FiBERSPACE
Felted Seahorse P-44
Knit from tail to snout, the Felted Seahorse is knitted in one piece. The body is worked in a main color wool with ridges in novelty yarn for texture. Fins are picked up and knit on to the body. Finished size worsted: 18" tall, sport: 13".
Materials
1 (31/2oz/245yd) Brown Sheep NatureSpun Worsted (100% wool) in Mango or 1 (13%4oz/184yds) Brown Sheep NatureSpun Sport in Sunburst Gold 25yd Lonesome Stone James Peak (92% mohair, 5% wool, 3% nylon) in #15 Shimmering Desert (worsted) or 1 (134oz/98yd) Swedish Yarn Imports Idéna Happy Multi (polyester) in #76 (CC) US Size 11 double pointed needles and straight or circular needle for worsted, US Size 8 dpn & straight or circular needle for sport Notions: tapestry needle, polyester stuffing, “eye" buttons (2), monofilament line Gauge: approx 3 sts/in worsted, 412 sts/in sport
Techniques
Techniques - Please Note: When working increases, m1 and inc are not interchangeable techniques. w&t - wrap and turn. Right side (RS) - bring yarn forward, slip next st as if to p, take yarn to back of work, slip slipped st back to left needle, turn work and p. Wrong side (ws) - take yarn to back of work, slip next st as if to p, bring yarn forward, slip slipped st back to left needle, turn work and k. m1 - make one. Insert left needle, from front to back under bar between st just worked and next st, pull up loop and k into the back of it. inc - increase. K in the front and the back of the next st. ssk - slip, slip, knit. Slip the next two sts knitwise, one at a time. Insert left needle from left to right through slipped sts, knit. 3NBO - Three Needle Bind Off. Holding two dpns parallel, \*k2tog (one st from front needle, one st from back needle)\*. Repeat \*\* once. Bind first st off over second st. Continue to k2tog, one front st and one back st, while binding off. pu - pick up. Insert needle under one “leg" of st. Tail & Body (worked flat on straight or circular needle) With MC and straight or circular needle, CO 13 sts loosely, leaving a 10" tail for seam.
Row 1: (RS) Knit across. Row 2: P to last 4 sts, w&t, k to last 4 sts, w&t, p to last 3 sts, w&t, k to last 3 sts, w&t, p to last 2 sts, w&t, k to last 2 sts, w&t, p to end. Row 3: K across. Row 4: With MC and CC, k across. (Ridge 1) Row 5: With MC, k1, (m1, k2) across. (19 sts) Row 6: P to last 5 sts, w&t, k to last 5 sts, w&t, p to last 4 sts, w&t, k to last 4 sts, w&t, p to last 3 sts, w&t, k to last 3 sts, w&t, p to last 2 sts, w&t, k to last 2 sts, w&t, p to end. Row 7: With MC and CC, p across. (Ridge 2) Row 8: With MC, p across. Row 9: K5, m1, k 4, m1, k1, m1, k4, m1, k5. (23 sts) Rows 10-12: Repeat Rows 6-8. (Ridge 3) Row 13: With MC, k across. Rows 14-16: Repeat Rows 6-8. (Ridge 4) Row 17: K1, (k2, m1) twice, (k3, m1) twice, k1, (m1, k3) twice, (m1, k2) twice, k1. (31 sts) Row 18: P27, w&t, k23, w&t, p22, w&t, k21, w&t, p to end. Row 19: K across. Row 20: Repeat Row 18. Row 21: With MC and CC, p across. (Ridge 5) Row 22: With MC, p across. Rows 23-25: Repeat Rows 1-3. Row 26: With MC and CC, k across. (Ridge 6) Row 27: With MC, k1, m1, k2, m1, k3, m1, k4, m1, k5, m1, k1, m1, k5, m1, k4, m1, k3, m1, k2, m1, k1. (41 sts) Row 28: P across. Row 29: K8, w&t, p to end, turn, k to end, turn, p8, w&t, k to end. Row 30: P across. Rows 31-32: Repeat Rows 29 & 30. Row 33: (K2, m1) five times, k21, (m1, k2) five times. (51 sts) Row 34: With MC and CC, k across. (Ridge 7) Row 35-40: With MC, repeat Rows 29 & 30 three times. row. Row 49: (K2, ssk) twice, k35, (k2tog, k2) twice. (47 sts) Row 50-52: Work 3 rows st st beg with a p row. Row 53: With MC and CC, p across. (Ridge 9) Row 54: With MC, p across. Row 55: K1, ssk, k2, ssk, k3, ssk, k4, ssk, k3, ssk, k1, k2tog, k3, k2tog, k4, k2tog, k3, k2tog, k2, k2tog, k1. (37 sts) Row 56: P across. Neck & Head Rows 1-4: Work 4 rows st st, beginning with a k row. Row 5: K2, (ssk, k2) four times, k1, (k2, k2tog) four times, k2. Row 6: With MC and CC, k across. (Ridge 10) Rows 7-10: With MC, work 4 rows st st, beg with a k row. Row 11: K24, w&t, p19, w&t, k20, w&t, p21, w&t, k22, w&t, p23, w&t, k24, w&t, p25, w&t, kto end. Row 12: P across. Row 13: K24, w&t, p19, w&t, k20, w&t, p21, w&t, k to end. Row 14: P across. Row 15: K13, m1, k3, m1, kto end. (31 sts) Row 16: P25, w&t, k19, w&t, p to end. Row 17: (K3, m1) five times, k1, (m1, k3) 5 times, picking up the back of the wrap from Row 16 to work the 4"n m1. (41 sts) Row 18: P across. Row 19: K2, m1, (k7, m1) twice, (k3, m1) three times, (k7, m1) twice, k2. (49 sts) Row 20: P30, w&t, k11, w&t, p16, w&t, k21, w&t, p to end. Rows 21-22: Work 2 rows st st beg with a k row. Row 23: K10, ssk, k4, (ssk, k2) twice, k1, (k2, k2tog) twice, k4, k2tog, k10. (43 sts) Row 24: P31, w&t, k19, w&t, p17, w&t, k15, w&t, p23, w&t, k31, w&t, p to end. Row 25-26: Work 2 rows st st beg with a k row. Row 27: K10, (ssk, k1) four times, (k2tog, k1) four times, k9. Row 28: P24, w&t, k13, w&t, p20, w&t, k27, w&t, p22, w&t, k17, w&t, p to end. Row 29: (K2, ssk) four times, k3, (k2tog, k2) four times. Row 30: P19, w&t, k11, w&t, p9, w&t, k7, w&t, p to end. Row 31: (K2, ssk) three times, k3, (k2tog, k2) three times. Row 32: P15, w&t, k9, w&t, p11, w&t, k13, w&t, p to end. Row 33: (K3, ssk) twice, k1, (k2tog, k3) twice. (17 sts) Rows 34-38: Work 5 rows st st beg with a p row. Row 39: K14, w&t, p11, w&t, k2, inc in next 5 sts, kto end. Row 40: K across (rev st st). (22 sts) Row 41: P6, (p2tog) five times, p to end (rev st st). (17 sts) Row 42: P across. Row 43: K1, ssk, k2, ssk, k3, k2tog, k2, k2tog, k1. (13 sts) Row 44: P1, (p2tog, p1) across. (9 sts) Row 45: K2, ssk, k1, k2tog, k2. (7 sts)) Break yarn, leaving a 10" tail. Bring tail through rem 7 sts and tighten into circle. Knot on WS. Leave tail for seam.
Setup For Fins
Lay seahorse flat, WS together, RS facing. Match edges. Find the center back stitch of the row where the fin is to be placed. Stitches are picked up on either side of the center stitch, using one dpn on the right and another parallel to it on the left. Use a smaller spare dpn to make picking up stitches easier. Fins are then worked in the round on parallel dpns. The first few rounds can be awkward. Gaps in the work disappear in the felting process. Back Fin \*Pick up 7 sts between Ridges 6 & 7, 1 st from Ridge 7 and 7 sts after Ridge 7\*. Repeat \*\* for second needle. Attach MC at tail end of fin. (30 sts) Rnd 1: K around. Rnd 2: \*(K2, inc) twice, k3, (inc, k2) twice\*, repeat \*\*. (38 sts) Rnd 3: With MC and CC, p around. Rnd 4: With MC, k around. Rnd 5: \*(K2, inc) twice, k7, (inc, k2) twice\*, repeat \*\*. (46 sts) Rnd 6: Repeat Rnd 3. Cut CC and work in tail. Rnd 7: Work 3NBO over4 sts, k rem 18 sts on front dpn, on second dpn work 3NBO over 4 sts, k rem 13 sts. (28 sts) Rnds 8 & 10: K around. Rnd 9: Work 3NBO over4 sts, k rem 9 sts on front dpn, on second dpn work 3NBO over 4 sts, k rem 4 sts. (10 sts) Rnd 11: \*K2tog, k1, k2tog\*, repeat \*\*. (6 sts) Rnd 12: \*Slip 1, k2tog, PSSO\*, repeat. 2 sts remain. Break yarn and sew through rem sts. Tie off and use tail to close any gaps in the work. Work tail inside of fin. Neck Fin With dpn, \*pick up 20 sts beginning 2 sts above Ridge 10 and working to base of head\*. Repeat \*\* for second dpn. Attach MC at tail end of fin. Rnd 1: K around. (40 sts) Rnd 2: \*(K2, inc) twice, k8, (inc, k2) twice\*, repeat \*\*. (48 sts) Rnd 3: With MC and CC, p around. Cut CC and work in tail. Rnd 4: Work 3NBO over 6 sts, k rem 17 sts on front dpn, on second dpn work 3NBO over 6 sts, k rem 10 sts. (22 sts) Rnd 5: K around. Rnd 6: Work 3NBO over 8 sts, k2tog, on second dpn work 3NBO over rem sts. Break yarn and finish as for Back Fin. Top Fin With dpn,\*pick up 12 sts at top of head\*. Repeat \*\* for second dpn. Attach MC at tail end of fin. Rnd 1: K around. (24 sts) Rnd 2: K1, inc, k8, (k2tog) twice, k8, inc, k1. Rnd 3 Inc, k7, (k2tog) four times, k7, inc. Rnd 4: With MC and CC, p9,(p2tog) twice, p to end of rnd. Cut CC and work in tail. (20 sts) Rnd 5: K2tog, k4, (k2tog) four times, k4, k2tog. Rnd 6: K2tog, k1, (k2tog) four times, k1, k2tog. (8 sts) Rnd 7: Work 3NBO over rem sts and finish as for Back Fin.
Finishing
With RS facing, sew body together from tail to Ridge 5, from snout to center of head and from Ridge 7 to 10, matching ridges. Keep seam sts at same tension as knitted sts. Work tails to inside.
Felting
Set washer for heavy-duty cycle, low water level and hot water. Add about one tbl liquid laundry soap to water. Place seahorse in zippered pillowcase or lingerie bag, drop into washer. Agitate. Check progress after 10 minutes, then, every 3-5 minutes until felted as desired. Let rinse for 5-10 seconds and advance cycle to spin. When tub is empty, position seahorse flat against tub side and spin out water. Shape and let dry. Form mouth by poking center of mouth back in on itself.
Finishing
Stuff lightly. With matching yarn, seam body together, matching ridges. Sew on "eye" buttons, beads or "google eyes". Eyes can also be embroidered or needle felted directly onto the head. Hang with monofilament line. P-44 2006. FiberSpace. All rights reserved. Linda Taylor P O Box 765, Sterling CO 80751 www.fiberspacepatterns.com 10/07
