Knitting ideas: Curious cat toy

Arts and crafts: Knitting ideas and knitting patterns - Knit this little pink cat as a charming and quirky knitted gift.

Look - it's Little Tig, a cat from Donna Wilson's book The Knitted Odd-bod Bunch: 35 Unique and Quirky Knitted Creatures. Knit this quirky gift for the one you love! Then make them try to balance it on its two funny little odd feet.

This pink knitted cat has a printable knitting pattern that new knitters should be able to handle. Just click, print and knit.

Knitting pattern

Knitting skill level: Intermediate. Would suit a new knitter.

Knitting measurements

Size - Approximately 19cm or 7 1/2in tall and 20cm or 8in long.

Knitting materials

2 x 50g balls of Rowan Pure Wool DK in Mid Pink (Tea Rose 025)
1 ball in Dark Pink (Hyacinth 026)
1 x 25g ball of Rowan Kidsilk Haze in Dark Pink (Candy Girl 606)
Oddments of tapestry wool in Black, Pale Green and White for embroidery.
Pair of 314mm (No.9) knitting needles.
Small amount of washable toy stuffing. Yarn costs about £3.50 per 50g ball of Pure Wool DK and about £7.50 per 25g ball of Kidsilk Haze.
For stockists, phone Rowan Yarns (01484 681881).

Of course, these materials, though precise, are only guidelines. You want a zombie green cat not a pink one? Please go ahead. You have stuff and fluff of your own for toy stuffing? Then you certainly don't need to source any extra washable toy stuffing. The world is your oyster, and this cat is your creation.

Getting the tension right

24 stitches and 36 rows, to 10 x 1Oem, over stocking stitch, using 3/4mm needles and Pure Wool DK.

Knitting abbreviations used in this knitting pattern

K, knit; p, purl; st, stitch; tog, together; k2togb or p2togb, k2tog or p2tog through back of sts; ss, stocking st (k on right side and p on wrong side); up1, pick up loop lying between needles and work into the back of it; skpo, slip 1, k1, pass slip st over; mpi, Mid Pink DK; hdk, continue using Mid Pink DK but add Kidsilk Haze, so both yarns are used together at the same time; dpi, Dark Pink DK.

Yarn amounts are based on average requirements and are therefore approximate. Instructions in square brackets are worked as stated after 2nd bracket.