Lion Brand^® Vanna's Choice^®

GAUGE:

11 stitches and 15.5 rows = 2" (5cm) in stockinette stitch (knit on RS, purl on WS)

BE SURE TO CHECK YOUR GAUGE. When you match the gauge in a pattern, your project will be the size specified in the pattern and the materials specified in the pattern will be sufficient. If it takes you fewer stitches and rows to make a 4 in. [10 cm] square, try using a smaller size hook or needles; if more stitches and rows, try a larger size hook or needles.

STITCH EXPLANATION:

Kitchener stitch: The Kitchener stitch is used to join two pieces of knitting together by using a large-eyed blunt needle and sewing in a manner that imitates knitting. 1. Cut the yarn, leaving a tail equal to the amount you would normally need to finish the row. 2. You'll have two pieces to join, one side on each of two needles. Hold the needles parallel, wrong sides together. 3. Thread the end of the yarn through a large-eyed blunt needle (often called a 'tapestry needle') 4. Working from right to left, insert the large-eyed, blunt needle in first stitch on lower piece as if to purl and draw the thread all the way through. The working thread should be under the needles each time. 5. Insert needle in first stitch on top piece from front to back and second stitch from back to front 6. Pull yarn through and take the stitch off the needles. 7. Insert needle in first stitch on lower piece from front to back and second stitch from back to front. 8. Pull yarn through and take the stitch off the needle. 9. Repeat until no stitches remain. Bring the tail to the inside of the work and fasten off.

NOTES:

When wrapped with yarn, Sarcophacat is more appropriate for display; just leave the wrappings off for a rough-and-tumble feline friend!

Body

With A, cast on 6 stitches onto 3 DPNs and join to work in a round.
Rnd 1: [Kfb] 6 times (12 sts).
Rnd 2: [Kfb, k1] 6 times (18 sts).
Rnd 3 and all odd-numbered rnds through Rnd 27: Knit.
Rnd 4: [Kfb, k2] 6 times (24 sts).
Rnd 6: [Kfb, k3] 6 times (30 sts).
Rnd 8: [Kfb, k4] 6 times (36 sts).
Rnd 10: [Kfb, k5] 6 times (42 sts).
Rnd 12: [Kfb, k6] 6 times (48 sts).
Rnd 14: Knit.
Rnd 16: [Kfb, k7] 6 times (54 sts).
Rnd 18: Knit.
Rnd 20: [Kfb, k8] 6 times (60 sts).
Rnd 22: Knit.
Rnd 24: [Kfb, k9] 6 times (66 sts).
Rnd 26: Knit.
Rnd 28: [Kfb, k10] 6 times (72 sts).
Rnds 29–58: Knit (30 rnds).
Rnd 59: K14, BO 8 (begin binding off with 15th and 16th sts), k27, BO 8, k13.

You will now have a group of 28 stitches at the middle of the round separated from the other stitches by two sections of bound-off stitches. Place these stitches on a spare needle to work later. Distribute the first 14 and the last 14 stitches of the round onto 3 DPNs—you will continue to work them in a round, joining them together at the gap that separates them, to form the left ear.

Left Ear

Rnd 60: K2tog, k10, [k2tog] twice, k10, k2tog (24 sts).
Rnds 61 and 62: Knit.
Rnd 63: K2tog, k8, [k2tog] twice, k8, k2tog (20 sts).
Rnds 64 and 65: Knit.
Rnd 66: K2tog, k6, [k2tog] twice, k6, k2tog (16 sts).
Rnds 67 and 68: Knit.
Rnd 69: K2tog, k4, [k2tog] twice, k4, k2tog (12 sts).
Rnds 70 and 71: Knit.
Rnd 72: [K2tog] 6 times (6 sts).  Break yarn and draw tightly through the stitches with large-eye blunt needle.

Right Ear

Rejoin yarn with the last of the held stitches (the rightmost stitch on the purl side). Distribute stitches onto 3 DPNs, and continue to work these stitches in a round, beginning by closing the gap that separates the last and the first stitch.
Rnd 73: K2tog, k10, [k2tog] twice, k10, k2tog (24 sts).
Rnds 74 and 75: Knit.
Rnd 76: K2tog, k8, [k2tog] twice, k8, k2tog (20 sts).
Rnds 77 and 78: Knit.
Rnd 79: K2tog, k6, [k2tog] twice, k6, k2tog (16 sts).
Rnds 80 and 81: Knit.
Rnd 82: K2tog, k4, [k2tog] twice, k4, k2tog (12 sts).
Rnds 83 and 84: Knit.
Rnd 85: [K2tog] 6 times (6 sts). Break yarn and draw tightly through the stitches with a large-eye blunt needle.

Arms (make 2)

With A, cast on 12 stitches onto 3 DPNs, leaving a tail for seaming, and join to work in a round.

Rnds 1–12: Knit.
Rnd 13: [Kfb] twice, k2, [kfb] 4 times, k2, [kfb] twice (20 sts).
Rnds 14–19: Knit (6 rnds).
Rnd 20: [K2tog] twice, k2, [k2tog] 4 times, k2, [k2tog] twice (12 sts).
Rnd 21: Knit. Divide stitches onto 2 DPNs and bind off using Kitchener stitch.

Tail

With A, cast on 14 stitches onto 3 needles, leaving a tail for seaming, and join to work in a round.
Rnds 1–38: Knit.
Rnd 39: [K2tog] 7 times (7 sts). Break yarn and draw tightly through the stitches with a large-eye blunt needle.

Finishing

Attach eyes to the body, placed 10 stitches down from bound-off stitches and spaced 9 stitches apart. Stuff the body fully, making sure to fill out the ears, and seam the bound-off stitches using mattress stitch.

Stuff the arms, and with the tails left for seaming, attach the cast-on edges to the body, 10 stitches below the eyes and spaced a little wider than the eyes.

Stuff the tail, and with the yarn tail that you left for seaming, attach the cast-on edge to the back of the body, at the place where the increase rounds begin to be spaced 4 rounds apart.

With C, embroider the nose with 5 horizontal stitches (3 longer on top and 2 shorter on bottom), placed between and 3 rounds below the eyes.

Weave in loose ends.

With B, wrap the body in a random way, however you like, avoiding covering the eyes and nose. (I started with the tail and worked my way up, but the more random the wrap, the more mummylike your Sarcophacat will look.)

After you finish wrapping your cat, weave in the loose end of B in the wrappings.

With D, embroider 2 whiskers on each side of the nose, stitching through the body and on top of the wrapping.

  Learn to Knit instructions:  http://learnToKnit.LionBrand.com