1:12th scale hobby horse

1:12th Scale Hobby Horse Toy for Dolls House

What is Being Made

This is a miniature hobby horse toy designed for 1:12th scale dolls house settings, created by designer Frances Powell. The finished toy stands approximately 3 inches (7.5 cm) tall with a horse head measuring roughly ¾-inch (2 cm) in length. The hobby horse is a charming accessory piece that brings playful detail to dolls house interiors and miniature scenes.

Knitting Techniques Used

The pattern employs fundamental knitting techniques suitable for intermediate crafters working at an extremely fine scale. The construction involves basic increases and decreases to shape the horse's form, slip stitches for seamless transitions, and stockinette stitch as the primary fabric base. The miniature scale requires precision and careful attention to stitch tension, though the pattern notes that exact gauge is not critical since toys can be adjusted to various sizes.

Stitches and Abbreviations

The pattern utilizes the following stitches and abbreviations:

• Stockinette stitch (sst): The foundation fabric created by alternating knit and purl rows
• Knit (k): Basic knit stitch
• Purl (p): Basic purl stitch
• Slip stitch (sl): Transferring stitches between needles without working them
• Decreases (dec./k2tog): Reducing stitch count by working two stitches together to form one stitch
• Increases (inc.): Expanding stitch count by working twice into a single stitch to form two stitches
• Stitch (st): Individual loop of yarn on the needle

Materials and Specifications

This project requires Size 19 (1.00 mm/US size 5/0) knitting needles, representing extremely fine gauge needles essential for working at 1:12th scale. The yarn requirement is minimal at 13 yards (12.5 metres) of 1-ply wool in cobweb weight, making this an economical project using delicate, fine-weight yarn.

Beyond the knitted components, the hobby horse assembly requires tacky glue or wool and wood-compatible adhesive, scissors, a needle for finishing, small amounts of wool for creating the mane and facial features (eyes and mouth), a small quantity of stuffing for structure, a cocktail stick for the horse stick handle, a small felt scrap, two small beads, and string for the bridle detail.

Design Origin

This pattern is credited as Hobby horse toy pattern from Buttercup Miniatures and is presented as FP 51 from designer Frances Powell's collection, with copyright dating to 2010.