How to Knit a Fantastic Faux Taxidermy Fox Stole

Body
 
Using US 6 (4mm) straight needles
and colour A, CO 60 sts.
 

Work 348 rows in st st.
Row 349 (dec) K2tog, k56, k2tog.
(58 sts)
 

Row 350 P all sts.
 

Repeat the last 2 rows 14 times.
 

(30 sts)
 

Work 8 rows in st st.
 

Row 387 (inc) Kfb, k to the last st,
 

kfb. (32 sts)
Work 3 rows in st st.
Row 391 (inc) Kfb, k to the last st, kfb.
 

(34 sts)
Work 5 rows in st st.
Row 397 (dec) K2tog, k30, k2tog.
 

(32 sts)
Work 3 rows in st st.
Row 401 (dec) K2tog, k to last st,
 

k2tog. (30 sts)
Work 5 rows st st.
Row 407 (dec) K2tog, k to last 2 sts,
 

k2tog. (28 sts)
 

Row 408 P all sts.
Repeat the last 2 rows 2 times. (24 sts)
Row 413 (dec) K3tog, k18, k3tog.
 

(20 sts)
Row 414 P all sts.
Repeat the last 2 rows 2 times. (12 sts)
Row 419 (dec) K2tog, k8, k2tog.
 

(10 sts)
Row 420 P all sts.
Work 10 rows in st st.
Change to colour B and work 10 more rows in st st.
 

Row 441 (inc) Kfb, k to last st, kfb.
(12 sts)
Row 442 P all sts.
Row 443 (inc) Kfbf, k to last st, kfbf.
 

(16 sts)
Row 444 P all sts.
Repeat the last 2 rows 2 times.
Row 449 (inc) Kfb, k to last st, kfb.
 

(26 sts)
Row 450 P all sts.
 

Repeat the last 2 rows 2 times.
Work 4 rows in st st.
Row 459 (inc) Kfb, k28, kfb. (32 sts)
Work 3 rows in st st.
Row 463 (inc) Kfb, k30, kfb. (34 sts)
Work 5 rows in st st.
Row 469 (dec) K2tog, k30, k2tog.
 

(32 sts)
Work 3 rows in st st.
Row 473 (dec) K2tog, k28, k2tog.
 

(30 sts)
Work 9 rows in st st.
Row 483 (dec) K2tog, k to last st,
 

k2tog. (28 sts)
Row 484 P all sts.
Repeat the last 2 rows until you have
 

4 sts.
Row 509 (dec) K2tog twice. (2 sts)
Row 510 P all sts.
Row 511 (dec) K2tog. (1 st)
Row 512 P all sts.
BO
 

TO MAKE YOUR FOX LONGER OR
SHORTER, ADD OR SUBTRACT
ROWS IN THE BODY SECTION

Legs
 
Make 4
 
Using US 6 (4mm) straight needles
and colour A, CO 15 sts.
 

Work 64 rows in st st.
Change to colour C and continue
working in st st to row 90.
 

Row 91 (dec) [K2tog] x7, k1.
Row 92 Cut the yarn and thread
through the last 8 sts, pulling the yarn
tight to shape the bottom of the foot.

Ears
 
Make 4
 
Using US 6 (4mm) straight needles
 

and colour A, CO 16 sts.
Starting with a k row, work 10 rows
in st st.
 

Row 11 (dec) K2tog, k to the last 2 sts,
k2tog. (14 sts)
 

Row 12 P all sts.
Repeat the last 2 rows until you have
4 sts.
 

Row 23 (dec) [K2tog] x2. (2 sts)
BO purlwise.

Tail
 
Using US 6 (4mm) straight needles
and colour A, CO 15 sts.
Row 1 K all sts.
Row 2 P all sts.
Row 3 (inc) Kfb, k13, kfb. (17 sts)
Work 3 rows in st st.
Row 7 (inc) Kfb, k15, kfb. (19 sts)
Work 3 rows in st st.
Row 11 (inc) Kfb, k17, kfb. (21 sts)
Work 3 rows in st st.
Row 15 (inc) Kfb, k19, kfb. (23 sts)
Work 5 rows in st st.
Row 21 (inc) Kfb, k21, kfb. (25 sts)
Work 5 rows in st st.
Row 27 (inc) Kfb, k23, kfb. (27 sts)
Work 5 rows in st st.
Row 33 (inc) Kfb, k25, kfb. (29 sts)
Work 7 rows in st st.
 

Row 41 (inc) Kfb, k27, kfb. (31 sts)
Work 7 rows in st st.
Row 49 (inc) Kfb, k29, kfb. (33 sts)
Work 7 rows in st st.
Row 57 (inc) Kfb, k31, kfb. (35 sts)
Work 9 rows in st st.
Row 67 Change to colour B and work
 

in st st to row 98.
 

Row 99 (dec) K3tog, k to the last 3
sts, k3tog. (31 sts)
Row 100 P all sts.
Repeat the last 2 rows until you have 7
 

sts, ending in a p row.
Row 113 (dec) [K2tog] x3, k1. (4 sts)
Row 114 Cut the yarn and thread
 

through the last 4 sts, pulling the yarn
tight to shape the bottom of the tail.

Sewing Up
 
BODY
 
Block your fox. Weave in the ends. Fold the body in half, with the right side (RS) facing inwards, and pin along the seam to the start of the decrease. Then lay flat with the pinned seam in the middle of the stole facing up.
 
When sewing up the fox, the end of the nose needs to be folded with the RS facing in. The fold needs be placed where the earlier colour change was made. Pin both sides. The cream decrease will match the triangular shape on the decrease of the copper.
 
Then, using backstitch (see Techniques), sew up the middle seam and the two seams from the decrease to the end of the nose. Leave the tail end open and turn the piece inside out.
 
LEGS
 
Fold the legs in half, with the RS facing inwards, and pin along the seam. Starting with the black yarn that was pulled tight, sew along the leg. Change to copper yarn once the black section is sewn up. Leave the cast-on (CO) edge open and then turn inside out. The seam will form at the back.
 
TAIL
 
Fold the tail in half, with the RS facing inward, and pin along the seam. Starting with the cream yarn that was pulled tight, sew along the tail. Change to copper yarn once the cream yarn is sewn up. Leave the CO edge open and then turn inside out. The seam will form at the back.
 
EARS
 
Place the two panels against each other, RS facing inward, pin the two side seams, leaving the CO edge open. Sew up and turn inside out. Repeat for the second ear.

Making Up
 
FACE
 
Find the middle of the nose. Use pins to vertically mark 41/2in (12cm) along the face. Measure 3in (7.5cm) from the nose and four stitches left of the centre pin markers, place and secure the left eye here. Repeat for the right eye (measuring four stitches right of the centre pin marker). Place the nose in the centre of the bottom of the face, two stitches up from the start of the copper. Then measure 41/2 in (11cm) from the nose and two stitches left of the centre pin marker, mark this with a new pin. Place the left ear between the edge of the face and
the new marker, and pin the ear down. Repeat for the right ear (marking two stitches right of the centre pin marker). Carefully sew the ears in place, then remove the pin markers. Add a couple of stitches at the back of the ears, in the centre, these will push the ears back slightly so they do not droop forwards.
 
FRONT LEGS
 

Turn the fox and lay flat, with the body seam facing up and in the centre. Place the left leg so that the start of the black meets with the end of the nose. Pin the leg 9in (21cm) up from this point, on the edge of the body. It will sit on the copper decrease. Repeat for the other leg on the right side of the body. Then sew the legs in place, adding an extra three stitches down the leg at small intervals. This will hold the legs straight.
 
BACK LEGS AND TAIL
 
Lay the piece flat, again, ensure the body seam is dead centre. Start by pinning the centre seam side of the left leg onto the left edge of the back of the fox. Do the same to the right leg. Match the back of the tail seam to the centre body seam and pin. Pin the front of the pieces together. Then sew up all three using the copper yarn. There will be two small gaps between the tail and either leg. Sew these up.

This pattern is excerpted with permission from "Faux Taxidermy Knits" by Louise Walker and published by David and Charles.