Ribbit in Spud & Chloe - Downloadable PDF

Ribbit: A Free Knitted Frog Toy Pattern by Susan B. Anderson for Spud & Chloë

Ribbit is a free, beginner-friendly knitting pattern designed by Susan B. Anderson and published by Spud & Chloë. This charming pattern produces a small, stuffed knitted frog toy — a delightful handmade gift or plaything for children. The finished frog measures approximately 3 inches wide by 5 inches tall, making it a compact and satisfying project that knitters of all experience levels can complete with ease.

What Is Being Made

The finished object is a three-dimensional, stuffed frog toy knitted entirely in the round. The frog's rounded body is shaped through a series of increases and decreases, giving it a plump, lifelike silhouette. Details such as eyes are added using black embroidery floss, bringing the little amphibian to life. An optional tennis ball can be inserted inside the stuffing to give the toy extra weight and a satisfying squeezable feel, making it especially appealing as a baby or toddler toy.

Yarn and Materials

The pattern calls for Spud & Chloë Sweater yarn, a worsted-to-aran weight yarn with a fiber composition of 55% superwash wool and 45% organic cotton, coming in at 160 yards per 100-gram skein. Only one skein is required, in the color Grass #7502 — a vibrant green perfectly suited to a frog. The superwash wool content makes the yarn easy to care for, while the organic cotton lends it a soft, sturdy texture that holds up well in a children's toy. Additional materials include polyester fiber-fill for stuffing, black embroidery floss for the eyes, a stitch marker, a stitch holder or waste yarn, a yarn needle, scissors, and a tape measure or ruler.

Needles

The frog is worked on a set of four US size 5 double-pointed needles, or the size needed to obtain the correct gauge. Double-pointed needles are essential for this project because the entire body is constructed in the round from the bottom up, requiring the ability to work seamlessly across a small circumference.

Gauge

The recommended gauge is 6 stitches per inch in stockinette stitch. Because this is a toy rather than a fitted garment, gauge is primarily important for achieving the correct finished size and ensuring the fabric is tight enough to hold the stuffing securely inside.

Techniques Used

• Worked in the round on double-pointed needles — the entire body is constructed as a seamless tube, beginning at the base and working upward
• Cast-on in the round — stitches are distributed evenly across three double-pointed needles from the very start
• Increasing — the body is shaped using the m1 (make one) increase, where the bar between stitches is lifted onto the left needle and knitted through the back loop to avoid a hole, as well as kfb (knit front and back) increases
• Decreasing — the top of the body is closed using k2tog (knit two together) decreases worked in a series of rounds to taper the shape neatly
• Stuffing and finishing — polyester fiber-fill (and optionally a tennis ball) is inserted before the toy is fully closed, and embroidery floss is used to add facial details

Stitches Used

• Knit (k) — the primary stitch throughout; the body fabric is worked entirely in stockinette stitch in the round, which appears as smooth knit stitches on the outside
• Purl (p) — listed in the abbreviations, indicating it may be referenced in finishing or detail sections
• k2tog — a right-leaning decrease used during the shaping rounds to reduce the stitch count and close the top of the body
• m1 — a lifted increase used during the expansion rounds to build the rounded body shape
• kfb