Hazel and pipkin

Hazel and Pipkin Knitted Toy Bunnies by Ella Austin

What is Being Made

Hazel and Pipkin is a downloadable knitting pattern for creating two adorable stuffed toy bunnies in different sizes. Hazel is the larger fair isle bunny, measuring 22cm from top of head to toes, while Pipkin

Knitting Techniques and Methods

This pattern employs several intermediate knitting techniques that create charming, dimensional toys:

• Knitting in the round: Both bunnies are constructed using circular knitting methods, allowing for seamless construction and a more polished finished product.
• Stranded colourwork: The pattern incorporates traditional stranded colourwork techniques, particularly featured in Hazel's fair isle design, where multiple yarn colors are carried across rows to create intricate patterned sections.
• Chart reading: Knitters must follow color charts to execute the fair isle and stripy patterns accurately, requiring comfort with visual pattern interpretation.
• Simple decreases: Shaping is achieved through basic decrease stitches, essential for forming the bunny's head, body, and limbs.

Stitches Used

The pattern utilizes fundamental knitting stitches suitable for toy construction:

• Knit stitch (K): The primary stitch forming the fabric base.
• Knit two stitches together (K2tog): A right-leaning decrease used for shaping.
• Slip 1, knit 1, pass slipped stitch over (Skp): A left-leaning decrease providing alternative shaping options.

Yarn and Materials

The pattern specifies high-quality materials for durability and appearance:

• Hazel: Constructed using Jamieson and Smith 2ply Jumper Weight yarn in FC17 as the main color (20g), with FC41 as contrast color 1 (6g), shade 125 as contrast color 2 (15g), and white shade 1 for the tail (3g).
• Pipkin: Created with 12g of shade 203 as the main color, 5g of FC22 as the contrast color, and 3g of white shade 1 for the tail.
• Needles: 2.5mm double pointed needles are required for working in the round with the specified yarn weight.
• Additional notions: 2 stitch markers for tracking pattern repeats, a yarn needle for finishing and weaving in ends, 2 buttons or equivalent per bunny for eyes, and toy stuffing to fill the completed bunnies.

Pattern Notes and Gauge

Gauge is measured over 5cm of fair isle knitting at 14 stitches and 18 rows, though the pattern notes that exact gauge is less critical than ensuring stitches are tight enough to securely hold the toy stuffing. Knitters should leave long tails (approximately 20cm) when casting on to facilitate seaming and finishing.