My knitted hobby horse pattern

chunky yarn
4mm double pointed needles
glue  (I used a gluegun)
broom handle
small amounts of other yarn

This pattern was inspired by one I saw on the internet but cant read the instructions.  To make this pattern I used a knitting designer book I have ( Teach yourself visually, knitting design, working from a master pattern to fashion your own knits) that gives you a basic pattern for a sock. Basically you are making a sock :)  The decreasing at the nose was not taken from basic sock pattern because it would have made the horse face  the wrong shape. The nose decreasing was  just trial and error until I found something I liked.




with double pointed needles cast on 48 stitches evenly over 3 needles.
knit every round until piece measures 25cm.

knit 12 then turn and purl across 12 plus 12 from the 3rd needle.
work on these stitches for 24 rows.

(1) knit 12 stitches, k2, sl1 purlwise wyib, k1, psso, k1, turn work

(2) sl1 purlwise wyif, p5, p2tog, p1, turn work

(3) sl purlwise wyib, knit across to first stitch before gap caused by turning sl1 purlwise wyib k1 psso, k1 turn

(4) sl1 purlwise wyif, purl to last stitch before turning gap, p2tog, p1, turn

repeat rows (3) and (4) s more times.   ( the last 3 and 4 rows you do you will not have enough stitches for the end k1 or p1)

with right side facing you use an empty needle to knit halfway across stitches you were just working on, place a marker on last stitch so you know where  the round starts.

With another empty needle (i stole the needle that one of the 4 stitches were on, I placed them on a stitch holder) knit across remaining heel stitches then using the same needle pick up and knit 12 stitches down side of heel flap.

using another needle work across the instep stitches  ( this set of stitches will be needle 2)

with a new needle pick up and knit 12 stitches along other side of heel and knit across remaining heel  stitches.


at this point you should have 62 stitches

SHAPE GUSSET


RND 1:   knit to last 3 stitches of needle 1 and k2tog, k1
               needle 2 knit all stitches
               needle 3  k1, ssk, knit to end of round

RND 2:   knit
Repeat rounds 1 and 2 until 48 stitches remain.

work piece until it measures 18cm from heel.

k2tog, knit 6 repeat for whole round
knit 6 rounds
k2tog, knit 5 repeat for whole round
knit 3 rounds
k2tog, knit 4 repeat for whole round
knit 2 rounds
k2tog, knit 3 repeat for whole round
knit 1 round
k2tog, knit 2 repeat for whole round
knit1 round
k2tog, knit 1 repeat for whole round
knit 1 row
k2tog for whole round

cut yarn and pull through remaining stitches and fasten off

EARS:(make two the same) with 2 of the double pointed needles cast on 24 stitches and stocking stitch 6 rows.
s1 k9 k2tog k9 k2tog k1
s1 purl row
s1 k8 k2tog k8 k2tog k1
s1 purl row
s1 k7 k2tog k7 k2tog k1

continue dec in this fashion until 6 stitches remain
purl to end
s1. k2tog twice.  k1
s1 purlto end
k2tog twice
cast off in purl

fold ears in half and sew together 

my version of the horse has a covered pole which was made by knitting on double pointed needles. 

 I cast  9 stitches with 2 strands of double knitting and made a long tube to slide over the pole.

for this horse I used an old curtain pole 

 for next one I make I may use a broom handle so might need more than 9 stitches for the pole cover so will have to wait and see.

I covered the end of the pole that goes up into horses head with toy stuffing and stuck it on with some duct tape, very technical stuff lol.

I pushed the pole right inside of stuffed head to top because I wanted it to feel secure and not flop about. Then I tied head to pole but left a bit of the neck fabric to glue to pole. 

Head was then secured with glue gun.

The pole cover reached the bottom of neck and was sewed on.

Then I made a long cord with crochet and twisted it round top of neck to pole cover and sewed it on to make it look a bit neater.

I made the harness by crochet, although I cant follow a pattern or know any of the crochet terms its made of a crochet strap 3 stitches wide. I just made it long enough to go round nose. Then one to go round neck and  then one to join up. 

I used hard plastic washers and crochet over them to  make rings on the harness.

The bit for the child to hold on to was made with double pointed needles  and two strands for double knitting and is a tube for added sturdy ness.

The tube that covers the pole was just sewed at bottom of pole. sort of dragged it  round to cover bottom if you know what I mean.

The hair on the horse is dishcloth cotton that is attached and then I pulled the different strands apart to make it look a bit scruffy.

The eyes are made of a strip of crochet rolled into a circle and sewed together.

This pattern was inspired by this gorgeous one http://www.yhteishyva.fi/vapaa-aika_perhe/neuleohjeet/keppihevonen_villasukasta/fi_FI/keppihevonen_neuloen_villasukan_ohjeella/    unfortunately it is in finnish and when I put it into the translator I still don't understand it.