Sheep Toys and Hat in Stylecraft Special DK & Batik DK - 9356 - Downloadable PDF

Stylecraft Sleepy Sheep Toy and Hat Set – Knitting Pattern 9356 in Special DK and Batik DK

This charming Stylecraft pattern 9356 is a downloadable PDF knitting pattern that guides you through creating an adorable Sleepy Sheep toy set, including both a knitted sheep toy and a matching child's hat. The pattern offers two distinct sheep characters — a Girl Sheep and a Boy Sheep — each knitted in a slightly different colourway to give them their own personality. This is a wonderfully rewarding project rated as advanced beginner level, making it ideal for knitters who are comfortable with basic techniques and ready to explore simple shaping and toy construction.

What Is Being Made

The Sleepy Sheep Toys

The pattern produces a soft, stuffed sheep toy measuring approximately 33 cm (13 inches) from the top of the head to the feet. The toy is knitted in pieces and assembled, with polyester toy stuffing used to give it its three-dimensional, huggable form. Small amounts of dark yarn are used to embroider the eyes and nose, adding expressive character to each finished sheep.

The Girl Sheep is knitted using Cream (shade 1005) as the main colour and Parchment (shade 1218) as the contrast, while the Boy Sheep reverses this arrangement, using Parchment as the main colour and Cream as the contrast. Each sheep also features a small outfit knitted in Stylecraft Batik DK — Coral (shade 1903) for the girl sheep and Cherry (shade 1904) for the boy sheep — adding a delightful splash of colour.

The Child's Hat

Alongside the toy, the pattern includes a matching child's sheep-themed hat, knitted as a one-size design with an actual length measurement of 16 cm (6¼ inches) and a width of 18 cm (7 inches). The hat is worked in Cream (shade 1005) as the main colour and Parchment (shade 1218) as the contrast, echoing the colouring of the Girl Sheep toy and creating a perfectly coordinated gift set.

Yarn and Materials Used

Stylecraft Special DK

Stylecraft Special DK is the primary yarn used throughout this pattern, both for the sheep toys and the child's hat. It is a DK (double knitting) weight yarn available in 100g balls. You will need one ball each of Cream (1005) and Parchment (1218) for the sheep toys, and an additional one ball each of Cream and Parchment for the child's hat. Special DK is a widely loved acrylic yarn known for its softness, durability, and excellent stitch definition — qualities that make it particularly well suited to toy knitting where clear shaping is important.

Stylecraft Batik DK

Stylecraft Batik DK is used for the sheep's clothing details. This yarn comes in 50g balls, and you will need one ball in either Coral (1903) for the girl sheep's outfit or Cherry (1904) for the boy sheep's outfit. Batik DK offers a subtly variegated, hand-dyed aesthetic that adds visual interest to the small garment pieces on each toy.

Alternative Yarns

The pattern also suggests Life DK and Alpaca Tweed DK as alternative yarns for the toys, and notes that any Stylecraft baby DK yarn can be used for the hat. Knitters are advised to check the meterage carefully when substituting, as ball quantities may vary.

Needles and Additional Materials

• 3.75mm (UK 9 / USA 5) knitting needles — used for knitting the sheep toy pieces
• 4mm (UK 8 / USA 6) knitting needles — used for the sheep's clothes and the child's hat