Baby Bok Choy

Baby Bok Choy Knitted Toy by Sara Elizabeth Kellner

Project Overview

Baby Bok Choy is a charming knitted toy design created by independent designer Sara Elizabeth Kellner. This intermediate-level knitting project produces a miniature vegetable plushie featuring the distinctive appearance of a baby bok choy plant, complete with a white bulb base and green leaves.

What Is Being Made

This pattern creates a small stuffed toy replica of a baby bok choy vegetable. The finished piece features a rounded white bulb section representing the plant's base, topped with bi-colored green and white leaves that capture the characteristic appearance of this Asian leafy vegetable. The toy is designed to be soft and cuddly, making it suitable as a decorative item or plaything.

Knitting Techniques Used

The Baby Bok Choy pattern employs several intermediate knitting techniques to achieve its realistic vegetable form:

• Intarsia method: The bi-colored leaves are created using the intarsia technique, which allows for color changes within rows to produce the two-tone leaf pattern without carrying yarn across the back of the work.
• Increases and decreases: The pattern uses make one (M1) stitches for increases, along with K2tog (knit two together) and SSK (slip, slip, knit) decreases to shape the bulb and leaf sections.
• Circular knitting: Double-pointed needles are used to work in the round, creating seamless cylindrical sections for the bulb and leaves.
• Stitch pickup: The pattern incorporates picking up and knitting stitches from existing work (PU) to construct the leaves from the bulb base.

Stitches Used

The pattern relies on fundamental knitting stitches executed with precision:

• Knit (K) and purl (P) stitches form the basic fabric
• Make one (M1) stitches create increases for shaping
• K2tog (knit two together) and SSK (slip, slip, knit) stitches create decreases
• Pick up and knit (PU) stitches establish new stitch lines from existing fabric
• Cast on (CO) begins the project

Materials and Tools

This intermediate project requires minimal materials, making it an economical choice for toy knitting:

• Yarn weight: DK weight yarn in two colors
• Color A (white): 50 yards for the bulb section
• Color B (green): 30 yards for the leaves
• Needles: Set of size US 2 (2.75 mm) double-pointed needles (dpns) for working in the round
• Notions: Darning needle for finishing and weaving in ends
• Stuffing: Polyester fiberfill or similar toy stuffing material

Construction Notes

The pattern includes helpful guidance for successful completion. The bulb section is knitted first and left unstuffed while the leaves are being worked, as this makes the leaf construction significantly easier. Stitch counts change throughout the pattern and are clearly noted on the right side of corresponding instruction lines, allowing knitters to track their progress and verify accuracy. The use of DK weight yarn on size US 2 needles creates a tight, durable fabric suitable for a toy that may receive frequent handling or play.