FA-LA-LA FRED
By Annie Algier
A sweet little ornament to brighten your holidays - with options to make a Fanny or a Fritz. Hang them on your tree or a door or anywhere you please. A quick and cute project to knit as gifts, and small enough to use up some leftovers, that's my idea of a perfect holiday project. Enjoy!
MATERIALS:
Yarn of your choosing - less than 1o grams of MC. Samples were knit in DK and fingering weight yarn. Great for leftovers or mini skeins. I recommend using 2-3 colors, but whatever you like. Needles: DPN's or circs in a size needed to get a firm fabric so the stuffing doesn't show, I am a tight knitter and used 2.25 mm for the fingering samples and 3.25 mm for the DK sample. Fiberfil or your favorite stuffing material Safety eyes, jingle bells, pom-poms if you choose
ABBREVIATIONS ANDSPECIAL STITCHES:
Kknit ppurl kfb Knit front and back k2tog Knit 2 stitches together mBob (k, yo, k, yo, K, yo, k) in next stitch (7 sts increase), turn. Purl through all 7 sts. The key is to work the increase stitches loosely so that you can get through all 7 loops.
NOTES:
Your Fa-La-La is knit from the top down. You begin at the crown of the head, and knit down through the body, knit the right leg, stuff the body, then knit the left leg - seamlessly. The arms and accessories can be knit at any point, just attach after the body is stuffed. With skin tone yarn, CO 6 st, arrange to knit in the round R1: \*kfb\* around (12 st) R2 (and all even rounds): K R3: \*kfb\* around (24 st) R5: \*kfb, K1\* around (36 st) R7: \*kfb, k2\* around (48 st) R8-11: k 4 rndsR13-14: k 2 rnds Switch to clothing color R15-22: k 8 rnds R23: \*k2tog, k4\* around (4o st) R25: \*k2tog, k3\* around (32 st) R27: \*k2tog, k2\* around (24 st) R29: \*k2tog, k1\* around (16 st)
R3o: k8, place next 8 st on waste yarn (this should split your fa-la-la down the middle, with the wee nose at the center) Re-distribute the 8 sts on your needles to knit in the round R31-35: K 5 rnds (8 st) R36: \*kfb\* around (16 st) R37-39: K 3 rnds R4o: \*k2tog\* around (8 st) R41: \*k2tog\* around (4 st) Cut yarn and pull through stitches. Weave in end. Stuff the body and the foot of the finished leg. Place the 8 sts on waste yarn back on your needles. Start of round should be on the inside of the leg. K8, then knit rnds 31-41 as for the first leg. Stuff the foot after rnd 4o. Weave in any remaining ends, closing any gaps or holes as you go.
ARMS:
With MC, CO 8 st, distribute evenly on needles to knit in the round. Leave a long tail for sewing onto the body. \*K 5 rnds P1 rnd\* Repeat between the \*'s a total of 8 times, K 5 rnds Switch to skin tone K 8 rnds Switch to MC (I lightly stuffed the hands after a few rnds of MC was knit) Repeat between the \*'s a total of 8 times, k 5 rnds BO, leaving a long tail to use for sewing onto the body later.
Double Bell Hat:
CO 42 st, distributing stitches evenly and join to work in the round in your preferred method. I like to leave a long tail to sew the hat on later. Work 4 rounds of K1, p1 ribbing. K 15 rounds (or to desired length) Turn knitting inside out, divide stitches over 2 needles and use the 3 needle bind off to bind off all stitches. Weave in ends. Attach bells or pom poms to each point, or leave as is.
FINISHING;
Attach arms to the body and weave in the ends. Attach the hat if you like, I have kiddos around who enjoy losing small knitted things, so I sew the hats on. Embellish as you like, and enjoy!
Mods for a Fa-La-La Fanny:
Rnd 2o should be purled instead of knit. When the body has been finished and stuffed, PU the 48 P sts on rnd 2o. Divide the sts evenly to knit in the round. R1: \*kfb\* around (96 st) R2-4: K 3 rnds BO loosely and weave in the ends. This should give you a sweet little ruffled skirt.
Mods for Fingering Weight version:
In the directions for the arms, repeat between the \*'s a total of io times on both sides, and K lo rnds of the skin tone for the hands.
Mods for Fa-La-La Fritz:
in brown, work the bobble with either red or black, and weave in the end
Arms: (Make 2)
With brown, CO 8 sts, join in the round. Leave a long tail for sewing. K 1o rnds, switch to white R11: \*kfb\* around (16 st) Switch to black R12-14: K 3 rnds R15: \*k2tog\* around (8 st) R16: \*k2tog\* around (4 st) Cut yarn and pull through remaining stitches, stuff hoof lightly. Attach to the body.
Antlers: (Make 2)
With beige, leaving a long tail, CO 4 sts. K 6 rows I-cord kfb in first 2 sts (leave 2 unworked sts on spare needle) K 4 rows I-cord over these 4 sts, cut yarn and pull through 4 sts Go back to the 2 sts that were off to the side. \*kfb\* twice (4 sts) K 4 rows I-cord, cut yarn and pull through all sts Weave in ends, tack the different "points" to each other if needed. Attach to head
