About

Cost: $ $ $ $ $

Difficulty: • • • • •

Time: 6h00

Robyn Octopus & Friends
Such small numbers of giant pandas remain on this planet. Some figures suggest there are as few as 1,600 left in the wild. I think we all have to do our part to raise awareness of these endangered species. I gave this toy my name because she is one of my favourite designs!

Pattern note
Claire Panda is knitted in garter stitch, with the nose in stocking stitch. The right side of garter stitch is where there is a solid break between the ridges in the contrast colour yarns. This panda is designed to be soft and floppy. To make a floppy panda, the body and arms and legs are understuffed.

Size: Approx. 67cm (261⁄2in) tall when standing, 44cm (17in) tall in a sitting position

Tools & Materials
400g of Cheeky Chunky merino yarn in black (A); and 250g in white (B); 200g/130m/142yd
7mm (UK 2, US 101⁄2) knitting needles 200g (7oz) polyester toy stuffing Tapestry needle
Pompom maker, 5cm (2in) diameter

Tension
11 sts and 20 rows to 10cm (4in) over g st on 7mm needles, or the size required to give correct tension.

Posted by Search Press • Published 26th March 2021 • See Search Press's 272 projects »

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Pandas

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Michael B. favorited Knit Claire Panda 24 Jun 12:48
Crafterella featured Knit Claire Panda 31 Mar 23:00
RareJewel favorited Knit Claire Panda 27 Mar 07:55
Search Press published her project Knit Claire Panda 26 Mar 09:00

Step 1
Body
Using 7mm needles and yarn B, cast on 4 sts. Row 1 (RS): (kfb) four times (8 sts).
Row 2 and foll alt rows: k to end.
Row 3: k1, (kfb) six times, k1 (14 sts).
Row 5: k1, (k1, kfb) six times, k1 (20 sts). Row 7: k1, (k2, kfb) six times, k1 (26 sts). Row 9: k1, (k3, kfb) six times, k1 (32 sts). Row 11: k1, (k4, kfb) six times, k1 (38 sts). Row 13: k1, (k5, kfb) six times, k1 (44 sts). Row 15: k1, (k6, kfb) six times, k1 (50 sts). Row 17: k1, (k7, kfb) six times, k1 (56 sts). Row 19: k1, (k8, kfb) six times, k1 (62 sts). Rows 20–30: k to end.
Change to yarn A.
Rows 31–34: k to end.
Row 35: k1, (k8, k2togtbl) six times, k1 (56 sts).
Rows 36–40: k to end.
Row 41: k1, (k7, k2togtbl) six times, k1 (50 sts). Rows 42–46: k to end.
Row 47: k1, (k6, k2togtbl) six times, k1 (44 sts). Rows 48–52: k to end.
Row 53: k1, (k5, k2togtbl) six times, k1 (38 sts). Rows 54–56: k to end.
Row 57: k1, (k4, k2togtbl) six times, k1 (32 sts). Row 58: k to end.
Row 59: k1, (k3, k2togtbl) six times, k1 (26 sts). Row 60: k to end.
Row 61: (k2togtbl) thirteen times (13 sts).
Cast off.
Sew seam with mattress stitch using corresponding colours. Stuff the body as you go.
Leave a tail for sewing on to head.
Step 2
Head
Using 7mm needles and yarn B, cast on 3 sts. Row 1: (kfb) three times (6 sts).
Row 2 and foll alt rows: k to end.
Row 3: (kfb) six times (12 sts).
Row 5: (kfb, k1) six times (18 sts).
Row 7: (kfb, k2) six times (24 sts).
Row 9: kfb, k to last st, kfb (26 sts).
Row 11: k1, (k3, kfb) six times, k1 (32 sts). Row 13: k1, (k4, kfb) six times, k1 (38 sts). Row 15: k1, (k5, kfb) six times, k1 (44 sts). Row 17: k1, (k6, kfb) six times, k1 (50 sts). Row 19: k1, (k7, kfb) six times, k1 (56 sts). Rows 20–28: k to end.
Row 29: k1, (k7, k2togtbl) six times, k1 (50 sts). Rows 30–32: k to end.
Row 33: k1, (k6, k2togtbl) six times, k1 (44 sts). Rows 34–36: k to end.
Row 37: k1, (k5, k2togtbl) six times, k1 (38 sts). Row 39: k1, (k4, k2togtbl) six times, k1 (32 sts). Row 41: k1, (k3, k2togtbl) six times, k1 (26 sts). Row 43: k1, (k2, k2togtbl) six times, k1 (20 sts). Row 45: k1, (k1, k2togtbl) six times, k1 (14 sts). Row 46: (k2togtbl) seven times (7 sts).
Break off yarn, thread through rem sts and fasten
off securely.
Seam the head with mattress stitch, stuffing as you go.
Step 3
Ears (make two)
Using 7mm needles and yarn A, cast on 18 sts. Rows 1–6: k to end.
Row 7: k4, sk2po, k4, sk2po, k4 (14 sts).
Row 8 and foll alt rows: k to end.
Row 9: k3, sk2po, k2, sk2po, k3 (10 sts). Row 11: k2, (sk2po) twice, k2 (6 sts). Row 13: k1, sk2po, k2 (4 sts).
Cast off.
Seam side edges and cast-off edge (with seam to centre back). Lightly stuff and run a thread around the cast-on sts, drawing up to slightly puff up the ears. Sew in place at top of head as described in making up instructions.
Step 4
Nose
Using 7mm needles and yarn B, cast on 20 sts. Row 1: k to end.
Row 2: p to end.
Row 3: (k3, k2tog) twice, (ssk, k3) twice (16 sts). Row 4: p to end.
Row 5: (k2, k2tog) twice, (ssk, k2) twice (12 sts).
Row 6: p to end.
Row 7: (k1, k2tog) twice, (ssk, k1) twice (8 sts).
Break off yarn, thread through rem sts and fasten off. Seam side edges with mattress stitch. Place a small amount of toy stuffing inside the nose and run a thread around the cast-on sts, draw up to make a puff for the nose. Fasten off.
Embroider a black triangular-shaped nose in the middle of the white nose at the point where the sts have been pulled up. Embroider a thread underneath the triangle of the black nose.
Step 5
Legs (make two)
Using 7mm needles and yarn A, cast on 4 sts. Row 1: (kfb) four times (8 sts).
Row 2: k to end.
Row 3: k1, (kfb) six times, k1 (14 sts).
Row 4: k to end.
Row 5: k1, (k1, kfb) six times, k1 (20 sts).
Row 6: k to end.
Row 7: k1, (k2, kfb) six times, k1 (26 sts).
Row 8: k to end.
Row 9: k1, (k3, kfb) six times, k1 (32 sts). **
Row 10: k to end.
Row 11: k1, (k4, kfb) six times, k1 (38 sts).
Rows 12–20: k to end.
Row 21: k11, (k2togtbl) eight times, k11 (30 sts). Row 22: k to end.
Row 23: k9, (k2togtbl) six times, k9 (24 sts).
Row 24: k to end.
Row 25: k6, (k2togtbl) six times, k6 (18 sts).
Rows 26–65: k to end.
Cast off.
Join the seam using mattress stitch, stuffing the feet only. Join the top of the legs with mattress stitch, with the seam to the centre back of the legs.
Step 6
Arms (make two)
Work as given for ‘Legs’ to **
Rows 10–18: k to end.
Row 19: k10, (k2togtbl) six times, k10 (26 sts).
Row 20: k to end.
Row 21: k7, (k2togtbl) six times, k7 (20 sts).
Row 22: k to end.
Row 23: k6, (k2togtbl) four times, k6 (16 sts).
Rows 24–59: k to end.
Cast off.
Join the seam using mattress stitch, stuffing the hands only. Join the top of the arms with mattress stitch.
Step 7
Making up
Sew the ears centrally twelve stitches apart, starting four ridges down from the top of the head.
Sew the nose centrally three ridges down from the bottom of the ears.
Embroider the eyes using yarn A, ten stitches apart centrally and two ridges up from the top of the nose.
Sew the head to the top opening of the body, ensuring you top up the body stuffing to support the head. Sew the arms onto each side of the body, approximately three ridges down from the neck. Sew the legs
at the centre of the bottom of the body to face the front.
Step 8
Tail
Using yarn A, create a pompom.
We used a pompom maker approximately 5cm (2in) in diameter. When the pompom is finished, steam it over a kettle to fluff it up. Sew the pompom centrally to the bottom rear of the panda where the black and white sections meet.