Materials
1 skein of "Flax" Soy Natural Blends by Bernat (Worsted / 10 ply Acrylic, Soy) - It took me % of the $70\mathbf{g}$ skein 1 skein of "Tundra" Alpaca Natural Blends by Bernat (Bulky / 12 ply Acrylic, Alpaca) - It took me % of the $100\mathrm{g}$ skein A few inches of black yarn for the eyes 4 $2\,\%$ $\left(3\,\mathsf{m m}\right)$ 2 Size 8 $(5\mathsf{\,m m})$ Ineedles 1 Yarn needle Stuffing (polyester stuffing, and some plastic beads for the belly)
Gauge
With the soy yarn: 6.5 stitches and 8.5 rows in stockinette $=1$ inch With the alpaca yarn: 5 stitches and 6.5 rows in stockinette $=1$ inch
Abbreviations
knit kfb knit front and back of the same stitch k2tog knit 2 stitches together p purl sl. st. slip stitch (slip 1 stich knit-wise) ssk slip 2 stitches knit-wise separately, then knit together through the back loop [] repeat what is inside the brackets until the end of the row
Armadillo (a.k.a. Don the Dillo)
@ Gabrielle Theriault 2009 This pattern and products made from it may NOT be used for commercial profit. Please do share this pattern and/or toy with charities, friends, family, and knitting groups, retaining designer's credit.
Ears (make 2)
Cast on 4 stitches with the soy yarn, on 2 dpn 1. kfb, k3 for each needle (8 st.) 2. kfb, k4 for each needle (10 st.) 3. kfb, k5 for each needle (12 st.) 4 to 10. Knit all 11. k2tog, k2, k2tog for each needle (8 st.) 12. Knit all 13. [k2tog] (4 st.) Cut yarn and cast off.
Head
We start from the nose, and the top of the head is opposite from the starting needle Cast on 6 stitches with the soy yarn, on 3 dpn 1. kfb, k4, kfb, (8 st.) 2. And all even: knit all 3. k1, kfb, k4, kfb, k1 (10 st.) 5. k2, kfb, k4, kfb, k2 (12 st.) 7. k3, kfb, k4, kfb, k3 (14 st.) 9. k1, kfb, k2, kfb, k4, kfb, k2, kfb, k1 (18 st.) 11. k6, kfb, k4, kfb, k6 (20 st.) 13. k2, kfb, k4, kfb, k4, kfb, k4,kfb, k2 (24 st.) 15. k9, kfb, k4, kfb, k9 (26 st.) 17. k3, kfb, k6, kfb, k4, kfb, k6, kfb, k3 (30 st.) 19. k12, kfb, k4, kfb, k12 (32 st.) 21. k12, k2tog, k4, ssk, k12 (30 st.) 23. k3, ssk, k6,k2tog k4, ssk, k6, k2tog,k3 (26 st.) 25. k2, ssk, k5,k2tog k4, ssk, k5, k2tog,k2 (22 st.) 27. k1, ssk, k4,k2tog k4, ssk, k4, k2tog,k1 (18 st.) 29. [k2tog] (9 st.) Sew on the ears and eyes. I made the eyes as explained in this tutorial: http://www.esunbeams.com/knittycat/patterns/knittycatsYarnKnotEyesforPeepsTutorial.pdf
Fill tightly with polyester stuffing Cut yarn and cast off
Body
Cast on 12 stitches with the soy yarn, on 4 dpn (3 st. per needle) 1. [kfb] (24 st.) 2. [k5, kfb] (28 st.) 3. [k6, kfb] (32 st.) 4. [k7, kfb] (36 st.) 5. [k8, kfb] (40 st.) 6. And all next even rows: Knit all 7. [k9, kfb] (44 st.) 9. [k10, kfb] (48 st.) 11. Knit all 13. [k11, kfb] (52 st.) 15. Knit all 17. [k12, kfb] (56 st.)
Knit all until about $4.5\;\mathsf{c m}$ $\,1\,\%$ inches) after the marker (16 rows),then begin decreases: 1. [k12, k2tog] (52 st.) 2. And all even unless otherwise specified; Knit all 3. Knit all 5. [k11, k2tog] (48 st.) 7. Knit all 9. [k10, k2tog] (44 st.) 11. [k9, k2tog] (40 st.) 13. [k8, k2tog] (36 st.) 14. [k7, k2tog] (32 st.) 15. [k6, k2tog] (28 st.) 16. [k5, k2tog] (24 st.) 17. [k2tog] (12 st.)
Tail
Cast on 10 st. with the soy yarn on 3 dpn. Every 3 rows, knit the first 2 stitches together, until only 4 st. left. Knit 3 rows in I-cord and cast off. Fill tightly with polyester stuffing, using a pencil or chopsticks to push the filling into the tip.
Legs (make 4)
Cast on 15 st. with the soy yarn on 3 dpn. Knit 9 rows, then k2tog all for the next 2 rows. Cut the yarn and sew it through the last stitches. Pull tight and tuck the yarn in. Fill with polyester stuffing.
Back
This will create a ribbed back that can be stretched to form a ball. Here, you could use the short rows wrap & turn (w&t) instead of sl. st. Cast on 24 stitches with the alpaca yarn, on a size 8 $(5\,\mathsf{m m})$ needle 1. k24, turn 2. k16, sl.st., turn 3. k8, sl.st., turn 4. k10, sl.st., turn 5. k12, sl.st., turn 6. k14, sl.st., turn 7. k16, sl.st., turn 8. k18, sl.st., turn 9. k20, sl.st., turn 10. k22, turn 11. k24, turn 12. p16, sl.st., turn 13. k8, sl.st., turn 14. p12, sl.st., turn 15. k16, sl.st., turn 16. p20,turn Repeat rows 1 to 16, 4 more times. Cast off and tuck the yarn ends in.
Final assembling
Once all the pieces are done, pin them to the body until you are satisfied with the placement. Sew the head, legs and tail first, with the soy yarn. For the back, pin it on the body while the armadillo is rolled up in a ball. Sew the back with the alpaca yarn, only between the legs and along the middle ridges, so the armadillo can be rolled up or stretched out.
