Product Description
Arctic Hare the second of my arctic Christmas decorations. The first one was Polar Bear, and there should be a third one coming out soon, if all goes to plan.
Arctic Hare is tiny. I tried to weigh the wool I had used, and at first it did not register on my scales. So I would say he takes 1-2g. So this is a pattern for people who like quick projects and working small.
This is a small, but quite straightforward knit. The only technique that you might not have come across is a little bit of icord knitting for the legs. You can find a photo tutorial on my blog if you need it.
Christmas Arctic Hare by Ginny Sturdy
What Is Being Made
The Christmas Arctic Hare is a knitted decorative ornament or small stuffed animal designed for holiday decoration. This project creates a festive three-dimensional figure suitable for displaying during the Christmas season, with careful attention to realistic animal proportions and charming details.
Craft and Primary Technique
This is a knitting project worked primarily with small needles to create a tightly-knit, durable fabric suitable for stuffed decorations. The design uses fundamental knitting techniques combined with specialized methods to achieve a polished, professional finish on a small scale.
Stitches and Techniques Used
The pattern employs a variety of essential knitting stitches and techniques:
- Kfb (knit in front and back) — an increase method that creates additional stitches by working into the same stitch twice
- Pfb (purl in front and back) — the purl equivalent increase technique
- K2tog (knit two stitches together) — a decrease that reduces stitch count by combining two stitches into one
- P2tog (purl two stitches together) — the purl version of this decrease
- Slip 1 — slipping a stitch from the left needle to the right without knitting it, used for shaping and edge control
- Psso (pass slip stitch over) — a decrease technique where a slipped stitch is passed over another stitch for refined shaping
- M1 (make one) — an increase created by knitting into the strand between stitches, producing a nearly invisible new stitch
- I-cord knitting — a specialized technique worked on double-pointed needles that creates a small, hollow cord. This involves knitting a row, then repositioning the needle with live stitches to the left hand, pushing stitches to the opposite end, and pulling yarn tightly across the back before continuing. I-cord is ideal for creating limbs, tails, and other cylindrical details on small decorative projects
Materials Required
This project uses minimal yardage, making it economical and quick to complete:
- Yarn: Small amounts of 4ply white wool (DK weight) — appropriate for creating fine detail and a smooth surface finish
- Needles: A pair of 2.25mm double-pointed needles, essential for both the main body and the i-cord technique
- Stuffing: Wadding for filling the completed knitted form
- Finishing Tools: A wool needle for sewing seams and closing the ornament; an embroidery needle for attaching facial features
- Embellishment: Black embroidery thread or very fine wool for embroidering eyes and other facial details
Difficulty Level
This pattern is rated as intermediate, suitable for knitters with foundational skills who are ready to tackle shaping techniques, three-dimensional construction, and finishing details. The combination of increases, decreases, and i-cord work requires comfort with basic stitches and the ability to follow directional shaping instructions.
```Specifications
| Brand: | Independent Designer |
| Yarn Weight: | DK |
| Pages: | 0 |
| Designer: | Ginny Sturdy |
| Craft: | Knitting |
| Format: | Downloadable PDF |
| Languages: | English |
| Number of Patterns: | 1 |
| Skill Level: | Intermediate |
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