Lion Knitting Patterns

Knitting a lion, mane included

The whole design problem of a knitted lion is the mane, and the patterns here solve it in three different ways. Loop stitch produces a dense ring of yarn loops worked directly into the fabric, which looks marvellous and slows your knitting to a crawl. Cut fringing, knotted through the finished head like a rug, is quicker and gives a shaggier result that can be trimmed to shape. A separate knitted or crocheted ruff, sewn on afterwards, is the most controllable option and the easiest to redo if it looks wrong first time.

What is in the collection

• Knitted lion toys, from palm-sized to cushion-sized, worked flat or in the round and stuffed.
• Children's jumpers and cardigans with intarsia or duplicate stitch lion motifs.
• Hats with ears and a mane, the fastest way to make a small child roar.
• Blankets with lion panels or animal squares.
• Nursery pieces, comforters and small safari-themed accessories.

Yarn and safety for toys

Use a smooth DK or aran in gold, tan or honey and knit at a firmer tension than the ball band suggests, so stuffing does not push through the fabric. Acrylic and wool blends both work; washability is the deciding factor for anything a child will carry about. If the toy is for a baby or a child under three, embroider the eyes and nose rather than using safety eyes, stuff with a certified toy filling, and check every seam is closed with a firm backstitch. Mane fringing should be short enough not to be pulled out and swallowed.

Techniques you will use

Beyond the mane, lion patterns are a compact tour of toy knitting: increases and decreases to shape a head, short rows for a muzzle, i-cord for a tail with a tassel on the end, and mattress stitch to close the body invisibly. For motif garments, intarsia is worked with separate small balls for each colour block, twisting the yarns at every change to avoid holes. Duplicate stitch is the beginner's shortcut: knit the garment plain, then embroider the lion over the finished stocking stitch.

Stuffing and shaping well

Under-stuffed toys look sad and over-stuffed ones split at the seams. Add filling in small pieces rather than large handfuls, working it into the nose and paws first with the blunt end of a knitting needle, and stop when the fabric is firm but the stitches are not stretched open. Sculpt the face with a few pulled stitches through the head before finishing the eyes, and pin the mane in place and look at it from a distance before you sew anything down; a lion's expression is decided by millimetres.

Colour, character and gifting

Lions are more forgiving of colour experiments than most animals, since nobody insists a knitted one be biologically accurate. A rust-and-cream mane, a grey lion for a monochrome nursery or a rainbow mane made from oddments all work, and children rarely object. As gifts they suit a wide age range: a small stuffed lion for a new baby, a mane hat for a toddler, a motif jumper for a school-age child, a lion blanket that outlasts all of them. Knit one at DK gauge in an evening or two, or size it up in chunky yarn for a floor cushion with a face.

Lion knitting questions

How do I knit a lion's mane? Loop stitch, knotted fringing or a separate sewn-on ruff. Fringing is quickest and can be trimmed to shape.

What yarn should I use? A smooth DK or aran in gold or tan, knitted at a firm tension so stuffing stays hidden.

Is this suitable for a beginner? A simple flat-knitted lion with embroidered features is very manageable; loop stitch manes take practice.

Are safety eyes suitable for babies? No. Embroider the features for any toy given to a child under three.

How much yarn will I need? Small amounts, which makes lions an excellent use of leftovers. Try hat knitting patterns for a matching mane hat.