Kiss Me Under The Mistletoe

Kiss Me Under the Mistletoe Knitted Toy

What is Being Made

Kiss Me Under the Mistletoe is a beginner-friendly knitted doll designed by Andrew Lucas. This downloadable knitting pattern creates a small stuffed toy measuring approximately 17 centimeters in height. The project combines basic knitting techniques to construct a charming holiday-themed doll suitable for decorative display or as a handmade gift.

Techniques Used

This knitting pattern employs fundamental techniques appropriate for beginners learning to construct three-dimensional toys. The design uses increasing and decreasing to shape different sections of the doll, including the body, shoulders, and head. The pattern demonstrates how to transition between different colored yarns to create distinct sections, such as the red body transitioning to beige for the head and limbs. Stuffing and finishing techniques are incorporated to give the toy its finished form, with instructions for binding off and securing yarn ends using a tapestry needle.

Stitches Used

• Stocking stitch (st st) – The primary stitch throughout the pattern, created by alternating knit rows and purl rows to produce a smooth, finished fabric surface
• Garter stitch (gs) – Knit stitch used for textured sections
• Increases (inc) – Created by knitting into the back of the loop between two stitches (m1 method) to add stitches and shape the toy
• Decreases (dec) – Knit two stitches together (k2 tog) to reduce stitch count and create tapered sections
• Slip stitch and pass slip stitch over (psso) – Used for shaping details

Materials Required

This project requires 3.25mm knitting needles and double knitting weight yarn in multiple colors: red, white, green, lemon, beige, and black. The variety of yarn colors allows crafters to create distinct features including the body, head, facial details, and decorative elements. A small amount of polyester stuffing is needed to fill the completed toy and give it dimension. A tapestry needle is essential for finishing, used to thread yarn ends through stitches and secure them.

Pattern Structure

The pattern begins with the body section, casting on 25 stitches in red wool and immediately increasing in every stitch to create 50 stitches for width. The body is worked in stocking stitch, establishing the foundation of the toy. The pattern then transitions to the shoulders with decreasing rows that reduce the stitch count back to 25 stitches, creating a narrower section. The head section follows with strategic increases to expand the stitches again, allowing for the larger head proportion typical of toy designs. Color changes between red and beige mark the transition between body and head sections, creating visual definition without requiring complex colorwork techniques.