Piggie Blanket

Piggie Blanket by Stana D. Sortor

What Is Being Made

The Piggie Blanket is a knitted toy designed by Stana D. Sortor. Despite its name, this project creates a finished stuffed toy pig approximately 11.5 inches (29 centimeters) in diameter. The toy is constructed as a single three-dimensional piece that is knitted in the round and then stuffed with polyester fiberfill to create a soft, cuddly plush toy.

Craft and Primary Technique

This project uses knitting as the primary craft technique. The toy is knitted in the round, which means stitches are worked continuously in a circular fashion rather than in flat rows. This technique creates seamless cylindrical or spherical sections, reducing the amount of finishing and seaming required. Knitting in the round is accomplished using either double-pointed needles (DPNs) or circular needles, both of which allow the knitter to work stitches continuously without turning the work.

Stitches and Abbreviations Used

The Piggie Blanket pattern employs several fundamental knitting stitches and techniques:

• KFB (Knit in Front and Back) – This increase stitch creates 2 stitches from 1 stitch, allowing the knitter to expand the number of stitches on the needle to shape the toy.
• SSK (Slip, Slip, Knit) – This left-leaning decrease stitch reduces 2 stitches to 1 stitch, used to shape and contour the toy's form.
• K2tog (Knit 2 Together) – This right-leaning decrease stitch reduces 2 stitches to 1 stitch, another shaping technique employed throughout the pattern.
• P2tog (Purl 2 Together) – This purl decrease reduces 2 stitches to 1 stitch and may be used in sections requiring purl stitches.
• Stockinette Stitch – The gauge is measured in stockinette stitch (knit stitches on the right side, purl stitches on the wrong side), which is likely the primary stitch used for the toy's body and head.

Materials and Yarn Specifications

The Piggie Blanket requires approximately 3 ounces (85 grams) of medium weight yarn, which translates to roughly 165 to 180 yards (150 to 165 meters) of yarn. The primary yarn should be pink in color to create the pig's body. A small amount of black yarn is needed for embellishing the eyes and nose details.

Needles and Tools

The recommended needle size is US #5 / 3.75mm. The pattern specifies using a set of 5 double-pointed needles (DPNs) for knitting the toy in the round, along with circular needles in the same size for sections that may benefit from the longer needle option. Knitters may also substitute their preferred needles for knitting in the round if they have alternative preferences.

Additional notions required include a yarn needle (also called a tapestry needle) for weaving in yarn ends and sewing seams, scissors for cutting yarn, a stitch marker to denote the beginning of each round, and one small bag of polyester fiberfill for stuffing the completed toy to give it dimension and shape.

Gauge and Construction Details

The pattern specifies a gauge of 19 stitches and 26 rows equal 4 inches (10 centimeters) when worked in stockinette stitch. Achieving the correct gauge is important for the toy to reach its intended finished size of approximately 11.5 inches in diameter.

The body and head of the Piggie Blanket are knitted as one continuous piece, which streamlines construction and minimizes the number of seams that must be sewn together during finishing. When casting on, the pattern instructs knitters to allow extra yarn length to be reserved for sewing, ensuring adequate yarn is available for seaming and assembly after the main knitting is complete.