Korkmann

KNIT FASTER.

If you came to this page looking for a pattern called Pawpet, you’ve found it: I just changed the name to go with Korkfisshe and Korkmauser. Lynn (cattiekit) suggested “korkmanner” with an umlaut over the A, but I don’t know how to make umlauts.

Like the Korkfisshe and the Korkmauser, this is a toy stuffed with a cork instead of fiberfill, so when the toy meets its inevitable end it won’t scatter fluff across the carpet. This pattern is free to knit for charity or for kitties you love.

See the Korkmann (or Pawpet) in action.

Korkmann

Needles: US4 and US5 dpns
Kitchen cotton, approx. 30 yards (a finished Korkmann weighs about 1 ounce/13 grams)
Scrap yarn
Wine bottle cork
Yarn needle
Locking stitch markers or safety pins

Start with the US5 needles.

Head:

Cast four stitches onto one needle. Firmly pull the working yarn back to the first stitch like you’re making I-cord, then knit-front-and-back (KFB) into each stitch, putting two stitches on each needle as you work the round (8 stitches).

KFB into all stitches (16 stitches, 4 on each needle).

*Knit 4 stitches, KFB* on each needle (20 stitches, 5 on each needle).

With the top of the head of the Korkmann facing you, Needle 1 will be the side of the body with the first arm, Needle 2 will be the back of the body, Needle 3 with be the side of the body with the second arm, and Needle 4 will be the front of the body–at this point, the working yarn is on the last stitch of Needle 4.

Knit seven rounds.

Place arms:

Needle 1: Knit 1 stitch, knit 2 stitches onto scrap yarn. Return the 2 stitches to the left needle and knit them with working yarn. Knit the 3 stitches to the end of needle. (This is the Thumb Trick on a small scale.)

Needle 2: Knit all 5 stitches.

Needle 3: Knit 2 stitches, then knit 2 sts onto scrap yarn, return the sts to the left needle and knit them with the working yarn, knit 1 st.

Needle 4: Knit all 5 stitches.

Cue PacMan music.

Knit five rounds (this is only a convenient place to stop, work the arms, and sew in the ends–there’s nothing magic about the number).

Knit the arms:

Leave all the body stitches on the US5 needles and use the US4 needles to knit the arms: on Needle 1, unpick the scrap yarn for the first arm and, with the head pointed toward you, put the stitches onto a single dpn in the following order: the right stitch from the lower row, the right and left stitches from the upper row, then the left stitch from the lower row.

Join yarn, using the end of your yarn ball as your new working yarn if necessary, leaving a generous tail. Knit I-cord for 7 rounds. Break yarn leaving a long tail. Thread tail on needle and pass the needle through the live stitches and pull tight to close off the I-cord. Sew in the end. Where the yarn was joined to the body to start the I-cord, sew in the end, taking care to stitch up any loose stitches in the armpit. Repeat on Needle 3 for the second arm.

Turn the Korkmann inside out and weave the end from the cast on inside the top of the head.

Knit nine more rounds (there should be 14 rounds total from where the arms are placed on the body). Stuff the body with the cork.

ARRRR!!! ARRRRR!!!

Legs:

Needle 1: Knit all 5 stitches.

Needle 2: Knit the first stitch on the needle.

Needle 4: Knit the last stitch on the needle.

Join the seven stitches to knit in the round, working in additional dpns as necessary (using the US4s will be fine).

Arrange the rest of the stitches (it may be easier if you knit a couple rounds of the leg first):

Needle 2: Put the next three stitches on a locking stitch marker.

Needles 2-4: Put the next seven stitches on a single dpn.

Needle 4: Put the last three stitches on a locking stitch marker.

Knit 10 rounds total on the first leg. Break yarn, leaving a long tail, and sew together the stitches of the foot. Weave in the end of the yarn.

Arrange the seven stitches on the dpn to knit in the round, join the yarn leaving a generous tail, and knit 10 rounds. Break yarn, sew up the foot, and weave in the end. Using the tail, sew up the middle (crotch) stitches. Hair or faces or other decorations would probably be a fine thing to add.

SOON.

Admire briefly, then give to impatient cat.