Ralph Raccoon

Ralph Raccoon Knitted Toy by Angela Turner

What is Being Made

Ralph Raccoon is a knitted stuffed toy designed by independent designer Angela Turner. This intermediate-level knitting project creates a finished raccoon approximately 28cm tall to the tip of the ears. The pattern is formatted as a downloadable PDF for personal use only and is suitable for crafters with some knitting experience.

Techniques Used

This knitting project employs several intermediate techniques to bring the raccoon to life. Stocking stitch forms the foundation fabric for the body and head sections. The pattern uses intarsia knitting or color work methods, requiring crafters to wrap multiple yarn colors around yarn bobbins before beginning—specifically silver grey, charcoal, and oatmeal yarns for the body and head details. Stitch holders are used to manage stitches during construction. Wire is incorporated into the design for structural elements, including 20cm of garden wire or florist wire for the monocle feature and a pipe cleaner for the tail, adding poseable elements to the finished toy.

Stitches and Construction Details

The pattern begins with a tension swatch using 2.25mm needles, casting on 34 stitches and working 44 rows of stocking stitch to create a 4-inch square for gauge checking. The main construction uses stocking stitch as the primary stitch throughout the body and head pieces. The pattern notes that all instructions use 2.25mm needles unless otherwise specified, with 2.5mm double-pointed needles also required for certain sections. Multiple yarn bobbins are prepared before starting: 2 bobbins of silver grey, 2 bobbins of charcoal, and 1 bobbin of oatmeal, plus an additional charcoal bobbin for the hat brim.

Materials and Yarn Specifications

Ralph Raccoon is designed using DK weight yarn from the Stylecraft Life collection. The yarn palette includes five specific colors:

• Stylecraft Life in Silver Grey (2341) – 1 x 100g skein for the monocle
• Stylecraft Life in Oatmeal (2303) – 1 x 100g skein for the tail
• Stylecraft Life in Pebble Nepp (2327) – 1 x 100g skein
• Stylecraft Life in Charcoal (2323) – 1 x 100g skein
• Stylecraft Life in Bark (2448) – 1 x 100g skein

Needles required include 2.25mm straight needles for the main construction and 2.5mm double-pointed needles (dpns) for smaller sections. Additional materials include 20cm of garden wire or florist wire, one pipe cleaner, 2 stitch holders, and a tapestry needle for finishing. The pattern notes that the monocle element should be omitted if making the raccoon for children.