Dala Horse Ornament in Caron Simply Soft - Downloadable PDF

Dala Horse Ornament Knitting Pattern – Free Downloadable PDF by Caron

This free knitting pattern from Caron guides crafters through creating a charming Dala Horse Ornament, a decorative piece inspired by the iconic Swedish folk art horse. Finished at approximately 4½ inches long by 4 inches tall, this miniature knitted horse is perfectly sized for hanging on a Christmas tree, adorning a holiday wreath, or adding a handmade Scandinavian touch to seasonal home décor. The pattern is rated Easy, making it an ideal project for beginner knitters looking to build confidence while producing a delightful, giftable result.

What Is Being Made

The finished project is a small, flat knitted Dala Horse ornament complete with an embroidered harness detail, decorative rick-rack trim, and a looped hanger so it can be displayed as a tree ornament or hanging decoration. The classic Dala Horse silhouette is achieved through a series of shaped knitted sections that are finished and embellished to create the recognizable folk-art look. It makes a wonderful handmade holiday gift or a festive addition to any winter decoration collection.

Materials Used

• Yarn: Caron Simply Soft in Red (shade 39729) – one 6 oz / 170.1 g ball (315 yards / 288 m). This is an aran-weight yarn, and the pattern calls for two strands held together throughout the main body sections, giving the ornament a pleasingly firm, structured fabric.
• Needles: Two sizes of straight knitting needles are required – US size 8 (5 mm) and US size 10 (6 mm). The larger needles are used for the main horse body worked with double-stranded yarn, while the smaller needles are used with a single strand to knit the hanging loop.
• Additional materials: A small amount of white yarn for embroidering the harness detail, and white rick-rack trim which is glued onto the finished horse to replicate the decorative painted designs traditional to Dala Horse folk art. Craft glue suitable for fabric is also needed for attaching the trim.

Techniques and Construction

The Dala Horse is knitted in separate shaped sections that together form the body and head of the horse. The construction is straightforward and relies on a small number of shaping techniques worked within a simple garter stitch fabric. Because garter stitch is produced by knitting every row, there is no need to purl, which makes this pattern particularly approachable for beginners. The gauge for this pattern is 16 stitches and 24 rows to 4 inches in garter stitch using two strands held together on the larger needles.

The main body section begins with a cast-on of 12 stitches and is worked in garter stitch before shaping begins. A second section is cast on separately with 5 stitches and shaped to form the head and neck area of the horse. The hanging loop is a simple knitted cord: 30 stitches are cast on with a single strand of yarn on the smaller needles and then immediately cast off, creating a neat looped strip that is folded in half and attached to the top of the ornament.

Stitches and Shaping Methods

• Garter stitch (K every row): The entire body of the horse is worked in garter stitch, creating a ridged, reversible fabric with good body and texture. This is the foundational stitch of the pattern.
• M1 (Make 1): An increase stitch used to add width during the shaping of the horse's body sections. It is worked by picking up the horizontal loop lying before the next stitch and knitting into the back of it to avoid a hole.
• K2tog (Knit 2 Together): A right-leaning decrease used to reduce stitch counts during shaping, particularly around the head area.
• Ssk (Slip, Slip, Knit): A left-leaning decrease that mirrors K2tog, used to create balanced shaping on the opposite side of the knitted sections.
• Cast off mid-row: Several shaping rows involve casting off stitches partway through a row, a technique used to create the stepped angles that define the horse's distinctive silhouette.

Finishing and Embellishment