Knitsicles - Free Toy Knitting Pattern for Kids in Paintbox Yarns Simply DK

Knitsicles – Free Toy Knitting Pattern by Amanda Berry in Paintbox Yarns Simply DK

Knitsicles is a free downloadable toy knitting pattern designed by Amanda Berry, published for use with Paintbox Yarns Simply DK. The pattern invites knitters to create a charming collection of miniature ice cream and frozen treat toys, making it a delightful project for children and a wonderful handmade gift. The full set of Knitsicles includes five individual designs, each with its own distinct shape, size, and character, ranging from easy to advanced in difficulty so knitters of different experience levels can find a suitable starting point.

What Is Being Made

The pattern covers five separate ice cream–themed toy designs, each knitted in the round and stuffed to create a three-dimensional, soft sculptural result. The five designs are:

• Fruity Ice Lolly – a classic flat ice lolly shape, measuring approximately 6⅓in / 16cm tall.
• Chocolate Sprinkles Lolly – a chocolate-dipped lolly decorated with sprinkle detailing, also measuring approximately 6⅓in / 16cm tall.
• Ice Cream Wafer Cup – a soft-serve style ice cream served in a wafer cup, measuring approximately 9in / 23cm tall.
• Gelato Tub – a rounded tub of gelato complete with a wafer, measuring approximately 5½in / 14cm tall including the wafer.
• Ice Cream Cornet – a classic cone shape topped with a swirl of ice cream and a cherry, measuring approximately 10in / 25cm tall, not including the cherry.

Together, these five pieces form a complete set of knitted ice cream toys that are tactile, colourful, and highly appealing to young children. Each design is worked as a standalone project, meaning knitters can choose to make just one or build the entire collection over time.

Techniques Used

As an intermediate-level knitting pattern (with individual designs ranging from easy through to advanced), Knitsicles introduces and reinforces a variety of toy-making and shaping techniques. Knitters will work primarily in the round, which is the standard approach for creating seamless, stuffed toy shapes. Key techniques across the collection include:

• Knitting in the round – used throughout to create smooth, seamless tubes and shaped sections that are ideal for stuffed toys.
• Increasing and decreasing – shaping is achieved through strategic increases and decreases to form the rounded tops of lollies, the taper of the cornet, the curve of the gelato tub, and the dome of the wafer cup.
• Short-row shaping – likely used in more advanced designs to create the distinctive swirled or curved profiles of the ice cream tops.
• Colour work and stripes – multiple colours are introduced across the designs to replicate the look of different ice cream flavours, chocolate coatings, and wafer textures.
• Embroidery and surface decoration – sprinkle details on the Chocolate Sprinkles Lolly and other finishing touches are added using embroidery stitches worked on top of the knitted fabric after construction.
• Stuffing and assembly – each piece is stuffed with toy filling to give it a firm, three-dimensional shape, and individual components such as sticks, wafers, and cherries are knitted separately and sewn together.
• Picking up stitches – joining separately knitted sections, such as attaching the wafer to the gelato tub or the stick to a lolly, may require picking up stitches along an edge.

Stitches Used

The pattern is written using US terminology, with UK terminology provided in italics in round brackets throughout the instructions. The core stitches and stitch techniques used across the Knitsicles collection include:

• Knit stitch (k) – the foundational stitch used throughout all five designs.
• Purl stitch (p) – used for texture, ridges, and reverse stocking stitch sections that mimic the look of wafers and other surfaces.