Korkmauser

Korkmauser
(The name comes from here.)

The morning after I put up the Korkfisshe pattern I woke up and said “I could do it as a mouse!” The cats were sleeping with me so it might have been their idea.

The truth about this pattern: I have made many Korkfisshe but only one Korkmauser, which Sukey was so pleased with it has already vanished under the couch, so this was written mostly from memory. I will happily make corrections, so let me know what errors you find.

See the Korkfisshe pattern for more construction photos.

Materials:
Wine bottle cork: used is fine. A cork gives the mouse a good body for thwacking and skittering, but won’t leave fluff all over when it’s finally disemboweled.

About 30-50 yards (12-15 grams) of kitchen cotton, or other worsted weight yarn

US4 double pointed needles (use a smaller than usual needle to make a tight fabric)

An exact gauge is not necessary. Adjust needles and stitches to fit your cork.

Cast on:
With Judy’s Magic Cast On, co 6 stitches over two dpns (3 on each needle). (Nothing bad would happen if you used a long-tail or other cast on; arrange stitches on dpns as in instructions below and if necessary stitch up the mouse’s nose before adding the cork.)

Set up round (the fiddly bit):
Knit 2 stitches onto a third dpn. This will be needle 1. Knit 1 stitch onto needle 2. Knit 2 stitches onto needle 3. Knit last stitch onto needle 4.

Throughout the pattern, needle 1 and needle 3 will have the same stitch pattern and stitch count. After rounds A and B below, needle 2 and needle 4 will have three stitches, until they are decreased to make an I-cord for the tail.

Begin increase rounds:
A: Needle 1: Knit into the front and back of each stitch (kfb, kfb) (4 st). Needle 2: Kfb (2 st). Needle 3: Kfb, kfb. Needle 4: Kfb.

B: Needle 1: K all st. Needle 2: Kfb, k1 (3 st). Repeat for needle 3 and 4.

C. K all st for two rounds.

D: Needle 1: Kfb, k to last st, kfb. Needle 2: k all st. Repeat for needle 3 and 4.

E: K all st for three rounds.

Repeat rounds D and E until there are 10 st on needle 1 and 3.

Weave in and clip the tail from the cast-on. Add whiskers; the whiskers will most likely be pulled off or chewed off, so knot them as securely as possible and keep them short.

K 8 rounds plain, until the mouse body is as long as the cork that’s going to go into it.

By this time you should have a little knitted pouch on your needles. Stick the cork into the pouch.

Begin decrease rounds:
F: Needle 1: Do a left-leaning decrease (SSK), k to last two stitches, knit 2 stitches together (k2tog). Needle 2: k all st. Repeat for needle 3 and 4.

G: K all st.

Continue rounds F and G until there are 4 st on needle 1 and 3.

Decrease for the tail:
H: Needle 1: K2tog, k2tog. Needle 2: K2tog, k. Repeat for needle 3 and 4.

J: Needle 1: K2tog (1 st). Needle 2: K2tog (1 st). Repeat for needle 3 and 4.

Arrange all 4 st on one needle and decrease 1 st to make 3 st total. Begin knitting I-cord for the tail. When the tail is long enough (consult your cat for length preference) tie off I-cord and weave in end. Give to cat.

...and that's the last I saw of it.

This pattern is free to knit for charity or for the personal use of your personal cat.