Alpaca Finger Puppets

Hello:
Aren't these the cutest!  I have 3 girls in my Fiber Club who wanted to learn how to knit so they could make alpaca finger puppets.  I kid you not.  That was their whole reason for joining.  I thought I had better come up with some type of finger puppet pattern that they could use.

Alpaca Finger Puppets

Yarn: worsted or aran weight

Abbreviations:

k - knit

k2tog - knit two stitches together

kw - knitwise

rs - right side

sl1 - slip one stitch

ssk - slip, slip, knit

ws - wrong side

Cast on 21 Leave a long tail, about 12 in. for sewing later.

knit 9 rows flat

row 10 k1, ssk, knit to 3 stitches before end, k2tog, k1 (19 st)

row 11:  bind off 3 stitches, knit (16 st)

row 12: bind off 3 stitches, knit (13 st)

Join to knit in the round.

row 13: knit

row 14: k1, ssk, k7, k2tog, k1 (11 st)

row 15: knit

row 16: k1, ssk, k5, k2tog, k1 (9 st)

rows 17 - 26 knit

Head:

set up: k3,

divide stitches so the 6 stitches at the back of the neck are on one cable (or 2 double point needles), and the 3 stitches at the front of the neck are on the other cable (or on waste yarn).

Knitting back and forth on the 6 stitches that are at the back of the head:

row 1 (ws) knit 5 turn

row 2 (rs)  sl1 kw k3 turn

row 3 (ws)  sl1 kw k2 turn

row 4 (rs) sl1 kw k1 turn

row 5 (ws) sl1 kw K2, turn

row 6 (rs) sl1 kw, K3, turn

row 7 (ws) sl1 kw,  K4, turn

row 8 (rs) sl1 kw, k5

Face:  (Knit in the round)

row 1: pick up one stitch between 2 needles knit 3 front stitches, pick up one more stitch, then knit 6 back stitches (If desired, purl the 6 back stitches) (11 st)

row 2: k2tog, k1, ssk, knit

row 3: knit

row 4: k3, ssk, k2, k2tog (7 stitches)

row 5: knit (7 stitches)

row 6: k3, ssk, k2tog (5 stitches)

cut yarn, with tapestry needle, thread through remaining 5 stitches, pull tight and hide through the end of the nose. 

Finishing

Using tail from cast on, stitch together body to the beginning of neck.

Ears:

with crochet hook, attach yarn on one side of the head with a single crochet, sc once more into head (I use the garter ridge bumps), ch 1, turn sc in first sc, cut thread pull through.

Repeat on other side of head for second ear.

Hair:

The tails from the ears can be used to make the fluffy hair, if desired. Or, tie on short pieces of yarn all over the top of the head, especially between the ears, and open up the plies to fluff.

Eyes and nose:

Using waste yarn, stitch eyes and nose if desired.

Let me know if make one.  I don't want to bother getting test knitters, but if the pattern is ok, I'll post it on Ravelry, too.

Peace,

f1bercat

shaping the planet with alpaca.