Play Pig in Cascade Yarns 220 Superwash Sport - DK700 - Downloadable PDF

Play Pig Knitting Pattern in Cascade Yarns 220 Superwash Sport – DK700 by Amy Bahrt

About This Pattern

The Play Pig (DK700) is a free, downloadable PDF knitting pattern designed by Amy Bahrt and published by Cascade Yarns®. It falls under the Home Décor/Toys category and produces an adorable, stuffed pig toy with finished measurements of approximately 4½" x 9". Rated as an Experienced/Advanced skill level project, this pattern is a rewarding challenge for knitters who are comfortable with shaping, colorwork, and three-dimensional construction. The finished pig makes a charming handmade gift or decorative accent for a child's room.

What Is Being Made

This pattern creates a stuffed knitted pig toy — a soft, three-dimensional animal figure worked in multiple pieces and then assembled. The pig features distinct body sections including two legs, a torso, and a shaped head, all carefully constructed through strategic increases and decreases. Color blocking is used to define different areas of the pig's anatomy, giving the finished toy a playful, polished appearance. The pig is stuffed with fiberfill to create a firm, huggable shape, and button eyes are sewn on to complete the character.

Techniques Used

• Three-dimensional toy construction: The pig body is worked in two mirrored pieces (front and back), each shaped identically, then seamed and stuffed — a classic approach to knitted amigurumi-style toys.
• Shaping with increases and decreases: The pattern makes extensive use of single increases and decreases at each end of rows to sculpt the legs, torso, and head into organic, rounded forms. This level of frequent shaping is what places the pattern in the Experienced category.
• Intarsia colorwork: Multiple colors are introduced simultaneously within a single row using separate balls of yarn — for example, working sections in color C (Denim), color D (Peach), and back to C within the same row. This intarsia technique creates the pig's face and snout coloring without stranding yarn across the back.
• Stripe pattern: A simple two-row alternating stripe sequence using Color A (White) and Color C (Denim) is worked across the upper body section, adding visual texture and rhythm to the knitting.
• Seaming and assembly: The two body pieces are joined after knitting, requiring neat seaming skills to produce a clean finished edge around the pig's silhouette.
• Embroidery finishing: An embroidery needle and blue thread are used to add detail work to the finished toy, likely for facial features or decorative accents.
• Crochet finishing: A crochet hook is included in the materials list, suggesting that a crochet hook is used for picking up stitches, working a finishing edge, or attaching yarn ends neatly during assembly.
• Button attachment: Two 3/8" white 4-holed buttons are sewn on as the pig's eyes, adding a charming, classic toy aesthetic.

Stitches Used

• Stockinette stitch (St st): The entire pig body is worked in stockinette stitch — knit on the right side, purl on the wrong side. This creates a smooth, even fabric that is ideal for toy construction as it holds its shape well when stuffed.
• Knit (K) and Purl (P): The foundational stitches that make up the stockinette fabric throughout the pattern.
• Increase (Inc): Used repeatedly at each end of designated rows to widen sections of the body and create the rounded, organic silhouette of the pig's legs, body, and head.
• Decrease (Dec): Applied symmetrically at each end of rows to taper and narrow sections, working in careful coordination with the stripe and colorwork sequences.

Colorwork Details

The pattern uses four colors of Cascade Yarns® 220 Superwash® Sport yarn to bring the pig to life:

• Color A – #871 White: Used for the legs and as part of the alternating stripe pattern on the body.