Max the Cat Free Knitting Pattern

Body: knitted from the rear to the neck.
 
Makes 1
 
Using size U.S. 2/3 (3 mm) needles, cast on 12 sts in flecked gray.
 
First row: Inc1, K to last 2 sts, inc1, K1. (14 sts)
Work 3 rows in st st, beg with a P row.
Next row: K2, M1, K to last 2 sts, M1, K2. (16 sts)
Work 3 rows in st st, beg with a P row.
Rep last 4 rows 1 more time. (18 sts)
Work 2 rows in st st, beg with a K row.
Next row: K2, k2tog, K to last 4 sts, ssk, K2. (16 sts)
Next row: P.
Rep last 2 rows 3 more times. (10 sts)
Next row: K2, k2tog, K to last 4 sts, ssk, K2. (8 sts)
Bind off kwise.

Head: knitted from the top of the head to the chin.
 
Make 1
 
Using size U.S. 2/3 (3 mm) needles, cast on 20 sts in flecked gray.
 
Work 8 rows in st st, beg with a K row.
Next row: K2, k2tog, K2, k2tog, K4, ssk, K2, ssk, K2. (16 sts)
Next row: P2tog, P12, p2tog. (14 sts)
Next row: [K2tog] 3 times, K2, [ssk] 3 times. (8 sts)
Next row: P2tog, P4, p2tog. (6 sts)
Bind off pwise.

Back Legs
 
Make 2
 
Using size U.S. 2/3 (3 mm) needles, cast on 6 sts in flecked gray.
 
Work 6 rows in st st, beg with a K row.
Next row: K1, M1, K to last st, M1, K1. (8 sts)
Next row: P.
Rep last 2 rows 1 more time. (10 sts)
Work 2 rows in st st, beg with a K row.
Next row: K2tog, K6, ssk. (8 sts)
Bind off pwise.

Front Legs
 
Make 2
 
Using size U.S. 2/3 (3 mm) needles, cast on 6 sts in flecked gray.
 
Work 12 rows in st st, beg with a K row.
Next row: K2tog, K2, ssk. (4 sts)
Bind off pwise.

Tail
 
Make 1
 
Using size U.S. 2/3 (3 mm) needles, cast on 17 sts in flecked gray.
 
Work 2 rows in st st, beg with a K row.
Bind off.

Ears
 
Make 2
 
Using size U.S. 2 (2.75 mm) needles, cast on 4 sts in flecked gray.
 
K 3 rows.
Next row: K2tog, ssk. (2 sts)
Next row: K2tog. (1 st)
Break yarn and pull it through rem st.

Making Up
 
Fold the head piece with RS together and whipstitch the back seam, leaving the top open for turning and stuffing. Turn the head RS out and stuff. Make sure the back seam is in the center and close the top of the head, using mattress stitch.
 
Fold the body piece in half widthwise, with WS together. Sew the lower and back edges together, using mattress stitch, leaving the neck edge open for stuffing. Stuff the body. Whipstitch the head to the body.
 
Fold the tail in half lengthwise in the way the piece naturally curls. Whipstitch the seam and sew in place.
 
Fold the front leg pieces lengthwise, with WS together. Whipstitch the lower edges and join the long seams, using mattress stitch, leaving the top edge open for stuffing. Stuff and sew in place.
 
Fold the back leg pieces lengthwise, with RS together. Whipstitch the seam on the top part of the legs, leaving the top edge open for stuffing. Turn RS out and sew the lower part of the seam, using mattress stitch, and whipstitch the lower edges. Stuff and whipstitch in place.
 
For the eyes, make two French knots using black yarn. Using white yarn, make a circle of chain stitch around each French knot. Using black yarn, make a small triangle for the nose in satin stitch and make the mouth using straight stitch. Whipstitch the ears in position. Using a single strand of white mohair yarn, make three stitches on each side of the face to represent the whiskers.
 
To give your cat a fuzzy look, dampen him slightly and brush vigorously with a small nylon bristle brush.

This cat knitting pattern is excerpted with permission from "Farmyard Knits" by Fiona Goble (Andrews McMeel Publishing, LLC).