Sheep Easter Egg Holder

Sheep Medium Egg Pot by Andrew Lucas

What is Being Made

This is a charming knitted egg holder designed in the shape of a sheep, perfect for Easter celebrations or everyday kitchen décor. The project creates a functional vessel with a whimsical animal form, combining practical utility with decorative appeal. The egg pot features a rounded body that expands progressively to create the sheep's body shape, with stuffing added for structure and dimension.

Craft and Primary Technique

This is a knitting project suitable for beginners. The design uses fundamental knitting techniques that build confidence while creating a three-dimensional finished object. The construction method involves strategic increases worked into knit rows to shape the expanding body of the pot, followed by additional shaping to achieve the characteristic rounded form of a sheep.

Stitches and Techniques Used

• Stocking stitch (st st) – The primary fabric structure, created by alternating knit rows and purl rows to produce a smooth, classic knitted surface
• Garter stitch (gs) – An alternative textured stitch created by knitting every row
• Make one increase (m1) – A method for increasing stitches by knitting into the back of the loop between two stitches, creating new stitches without visible holes
• Increases in every stitch – A rapid expansion technique used in early rows to quickly double the stitch count
• Decreases (dec) – Used to shape and reduce stitches as needed for the pot's form
• Break off and thread (B & T) – A finishing technique where yarn is broken off leaving a long end, threaded through remaining stitches on the needle, and pulled tight to gather and close the opening

Materials Required

This project requires 3.25mm knitting needles and double knitting wool in white and black. The designer specifies using oddments (small leftover amounts) of yarn, making this an economical project perfect for stash busting. A small amount of stuffing is needed to fill the egg pot and give it proper shape and dimension.

Project Structure

The pot construction begins with a small cast-on of 6 stitches and progresses through a series of carefully planned increase rows. The pattern uses a systematic approach where increases are spaced at regular intervals (every 3rd, 4th, 5th stitch and beyond) across alternating knit rows, with purl rows worked between to maintain stocking stitch. This graduated increase method creates a smooth, evenly expanding circular base that forms the foundation of the sheep's body.