Corey

Corey Knitted Toy by Stana D. Sortor

What is Being Made

Corey is a knitted toy designed by Stana D. Sortor, finished at approximately 14 inches (35.5 cm) long from beak to tail. This intermediate-level knitting project creates a three-dimensional stuffed animal suitable for display or play.

Craft and Technique

This project uses knitting in the round as its primary construction method, a technique that creates seamless, tubular fabric ideal for stuffed toys. Working in the round eliminates the need for seaming most pieces together and allows for continuous shaping as the toy is built. The design incorporates strategic increases and decreases to form the toy's dimensional shape, from the beak through the body to the tail.

Stitches Used

The pattern employs fundamental knitting stitches appropriate for intermediate crafters:

• Stockinette stitch — the primary stitch used throughout, creating a smooth, classic knit fabric
• Knit Front and Back (KFB) — an increase technique that creates two stitches from one, used to expand the fabric where shaping is needed
• Knit Two Together (K2tog) — a decrease that reduces two stitches to one
• Knit Three Together (K3tog) — a decrease that reduces three stitches to one
• Knit Four Together (K4tog) — a decrease that reduces four stitches to one, used for more dramatic shaping

Materials and Yarn Requirements

Corey is worked in worsted weight yarn, a medium-weight yarn that creates a sturdy, durable finished toy. The pattern requires 120 to 140 yards (109 to 129 meters) of main color (MC), 10 yards (9 meters) of contrast color 1 (C1), and 20 yards (18 meters) of contrast color 2 (C2), allowing crafters flexibility in yarn choice while maintaining consistent results.

The recommended needle size is US #5 (3.75 mm) double-pointed needles (DPN) in a set of 5, or preferred needles for knitting in the round. This needle size paired with worsted weight yarn produces a gauge of 20 stitches and 26 rows over 4 inches in stockinette stitch, ensuring the finished toy reaches the intended dimensions.

Additional Notions and Supplies

Beyond yarn and needles, the project requires a yarn needle for weaving in ends and seaming any necessary pieces, scissors, a stitch marker to track rounds when knitting in the round, and a small bag of polyester fiberfill for stuffing the toy to create its three-dimensional form. Two pipe cleaners are optional, offering crafters the choice to add poseable elements to the finished toy.