Torchick (Pokemon) choc orange cover / toy

Torchick Pokemon Chocolate Orange Cover or 15cm Toy

What is Being Made

This is a knitted toy or decorative cover featuring Torchick, a character from the Pokemon franchise. The finished piece measures approximately 15 centimeters and can be used as a small stuffed toy or as a chocolate orange cover. The design captures the character's distinctive features through colorwork and shaping techniques typical of amigurumi-style toy construction.

Craft and Primary Technique

This project is created using knitting as the primary craft method. The pattern employs fundamental knitting techniques suitable for beginners, making it an accessible introduction to toy knitting. The construction follows a classic toy-making approach, building the piece in sections that are then assembled.

Stitches and Techniques Used

The pattern utilizes several essential knitting stitches and techniques:

• Stocking stitch (abbreviated st st) – the foundation stitch created by alternating knit rows and purl rows, providing a smooth, finished appearance suitable for toy construction
• Garter stitch (abbreviated gs) – created by knitting every row, offering a textured alternative finish
• Knit and purl stitches – the basic building blocks used throughout the pattern
• Increases (abbreviated inc) – used to expand stitch counts, particularly for shaping the body and head sections
• Decreases (abbreviated dec and k2tog for knit two together) – employed to reduce stitches and create the toy's contoured shape, particularly at the shoulders and head
• Yarn round needle (abbreviated yrn) – a technique for creating decorative elements or texture
• Bind and tie (abbreviated B and T) – the finishing method where wool ends are threaded through remaining stitches using a tapestry needle, drawn up, and secured to close sections of the toy

Construction Method

The toy is constructed in distinct sections. The body begins with 25 cast-on stitches using 3.25mm needles, which are immediately increased in the first row to 50 stitches to create volume. Stocking stitch is worked for 21 rows to establish the body length. The shoulders are then shaped by knitting two stitches together across the row, reducing to 25 stitches. The head section begins with strategic increases distributed across a row to reach 37 stitches, followed by 17 rows of stocking stitch. The head is then shaped through a series of decreases that progressively reduce the stitch count, ultimately closing the top of the piece.

Materials Required

The pattern calls for specific materials to achieve the Torchick character design:

• Needles: 3.25mm knitting needles
• Yarn: Double knitting weight wool in four colors – burnt orange (primary color for the body), yellow, black, and white (for details and features). These are used as oddments, meaning small quantities of each color
• Stuffing: A small amount of toy stuffing or fiberfill to give the finished piece dimension and structure
• Additional tools: A tapestry needle for weaving in ends and executing the bind and tie finishing technique

Difficulty Level

This pattern is rated as beginner-friendly, making it suitable for knitters new to toy construction. The techniques employed – basic increases, decreases, and stocking stitch – are foundational skills that beginners can master. The straightforward shaping and assembly process make this an ideal project for developing confidence in garment and toy construction.

Designer and Format

This pattern was designed by Andrew Lucas and is available as a downloadable PDF, allowing crafters to access and print the instructions for convenient reference during the knitting process.