Knitted Raccoon Puppet (Free Knitting Pattern)

BODY
With A, cast on 48 sts and divide evenly over 4 dpn. Join, taking care not to twist sts, and pm for beg of rnd.
Work in garter st (k 1 rnd, p 1 rnd) for 6 rnds. Cont in St st (k every rnd) as foll:
With A, knit 4 rnds. With B, knit 10 rnds.
With MC, knit 13 rnds.
 
INCREASE FOR ARMS
Rnd 1 K12, pm, M1, pm, k24, pm, M1, pm, k12—50 sts.
Rnds 2 and 3 Knit.
Rnd 4 K12, sm, M1, k1, M1, sm, k24, sm, M1, k1, M1, sm, k12—54 sts.
Rnds 5–7 Knit.
Rnd 8 K12, sm, M1, k to next marker, M1, sm, k24, sm, M1, k to next marker, M1, sm, k12—58 sts.
Rnds 9 and 10 Knit.
Rnds 11–16 Rep rnds 8 –10 twice—66 sts.
Rnd 17 Knit.
Rnd 18 K12, sm, place next 9 sts on holder for arm, using backward loop, cast on 5 sts onto RH needle, sm, k24, sm, place next 9 sts on holder for arm, using backward loop, cast on 5 sts onto
RH needle, sm, k12—58 sts.
Rnd 19 K10, k2tog, sm, k5, sm, k2tog tbl, k20, k2tog, sm, k5, sm, k2tog tbl, k10—54 sts.
Rnd 20 K9, k2tog, sm, k2tog tbl, k1, k2tog, sm, k2tog tbl, k18, k2tog, sm, k2tog tbl, k1, k2tog, sm, k2tog tbl, k9—46 sts.
Rnd 20 K10, remove marker, k3tog, remove marker, k20, remove marker, k3tog, remove marker, k10—42 sts.

HEAD
With C, knit 8 rnds. With A, knit 1 rnd.
With B, knit 8 rnds. With A, knit 1 rnd.
 
Shape top of head
Change to MC.
Next rnd K11, pm, k20, pm, k11.
Dec rnd [K to 2 sts before marker, k2tog, sm, ssk] twice, k to end—38 sts.
Rep dec rnd every rnd until 18 sts rem.
Bind off.
 
Arms and Hands (Make 2)
With RS facing, MC and dpn, k 9 sts from holder, pick up and k 5 sts along cast-on edge —14 sts. Join, dividing sts over dpn as desired, pm for beg of rnd, and knit 9 rnds.
Change to A, knit 1 rnd, purl 1 rnd.
Next rnd [K2tog] 7 times —7 sts.
Purl 1 rnd; knit 1 rnd.
Cut yarn, thread tail through rem sts, and pull tightly to secure.
 
Ears (Make 2)
With RS facing and B, pick up and k 7 sts along angled edge at top of head.
Row 1 K6, sl 1 wyif.
Row 2 K1, ssk, k1, k2tog, sl 1 wyif—5 sts.
Rows 3–5 K4, sl 1 wyif.
Row 6 K1, SK2P, sl 1 wyif—3 sts.
Row 7 K2, sl 1 wyif.
Row 8 SK2P.
Cut yarn, thread tail through rem st, and pull tightly to secure.

TAIL
With B, cast on 16 sts and divide evenly over 4 dpn. Join, taking care not to twist sts, and pm for beg of rnd. Knit 8 rnds.
[Change to A and (knit 1 rnd, purl 1 rnd) 3 times. Change to B and knit 6 rnds] twice.
Change to A and [knit 1 rnd, purl 1 rnd] 4 times.
 
DECREASE FOR TIP
Next rnd [K2, k2tog] 4 times—12 sts.
Purl 1 rnd.
Next rnd [K1, k2tog] 4 times—8 sts.
Purl 1 rnd, knit 1 rnd.
Cut yarn, thread tail through rem sts, and pull tightly to secure.

FINISHING
Block lightly. Weave in all ends.
Attach tail to puppet.
With A, embroider 2 French knots for eyes, 1 French knot surrounded by 2 lazy daisy sts for nose, and back sts for mouth (see photo).
 
This knitted raccoon puppet was designed by Pat Olski and is excerpted with permission from 60 Quick Knitted Toys: Fun, Fabulous Knits in the 220 Superwash Collection from Cascade Yarns (60 Quick Knits Collection).