by Alexandra Virgiel

This chubby little penguin would make a great gift for a kid or the Linux geek in your life.

Short-row shaping forms the curve of the neck/head and the round belly.

?photos:?A. Virgiel

Height: About 8"

MATERIALS

?[MC] Plymouth Encore Worsted [75% acrylic, 25% wool; 200 yd/180m per 100g skein]; color: #217 (black); about 0.25 skein
?[CC1] Plymouth Encore Worsted [75% acrylic, 25% wool; 200 yd/180m per 100g skein]; color: #208 (white); about 0.25 skein
?[CC2] Brown Sheep NatureSpun Worsted [100% wool; 225 yd per 100g skein]; color: yellow; less than 0.25 skein (This yarn is worked doubled)
NOTE: Any worsted-weight yarn may be used for this pattern; the Encore and NatureSpun are what I happened to have on hand.

?1 set US #6/4mm straight needles?
?two beads or buttons for eyes
?black sewing thread and needle (for eyes)
?tapestry needle
?polyester fiberfill for stuffing
?stitch marker

?

20 sts/30 rows = 4" in stockinette stitch

[Knitty's list of standard abbreviations can be found?here]

w&t (wrap and turn)
On a knit row: slip the next stitch purlwise, bring the yarn to the front of the work, and replace the slipped stitch back onto the left needle without twisting it. Turn the work around to begin working back in the other direction.

On a purl row: slip the next stitch purlwise, bring the yarn to the back of the work, and replace the slipped stitch back onto the left needle without twisting it. Turn the work around to begin working back in the other direction.

Back
Worked from the tail end to the tip of the beak.
Using MC, CO 30 sts.
Row 1?[RS]: K 15, pm, k15.
Cont in stockinette stitch for 11 more rows.
*Decrease Row?[RS]: K to 3 sts before m, ssk, k2, k2tog, k to end.
Cont in stockinette stitch for 13 more rows.
Rep from * once more, then work Decrease Row once more. 24 sts rem.?
Remove marker. Work 3 rows even.

Begin Short Row Shaping for Head
Row 1?[RS]: K20, w&t.
Row 2?[WS]: P16, w&t.
Row 3?[RS]: K14, w&t.
Row 4?[WS]: P12, w&t.
Row 5?[RS]: K10, w&t.
Row 6?[WS]: P8, w&t.
Row 7 [RS]: K6, w&t.
Row 8?[WS]: P4, w&t.
Row 9?[RS]: K to end, picking up and knitting wraps together with respective sts.
Row 10?[WS]: P all sts, picking up and purling wraps together with respective sts.
Rep these 10 rows once more.
Next row?[RS]: Use backwards loop or knitted-on method to CO 5 sts, k to end.
Next row?[WS]: CO 5 sts, p to end. 34 sts.

Begin Decreases for Head
Next row?[RS]: K7, [k2tog, k4] to last 9 sts, k2tog, k7. 30 sts rem.
Next row?[WS]: P all sts.
Next row?[RS]: [K1, k2tog] to end. 20 sts rem.
Work 2 rows even.

Begin Beak
Change to CC2 and work 3 rows even.
Next row?[RS]: K2, [k2tog, k1] to end. 14 sts rem.
Work 3 rows even.
Next row?[RS]: K2tog across.
Break yarn, thread through rem 7 sts and fasten off.

Front
Worked from the bottom to the neck in stockinette stitch.
With CC1, CO 10 sts. P 1 row.
Increase Row?[RS]: K1, m1, k to last st, m1, k1.
Work one row even.
Work these 2 rows twice more.
Work Increase Row.?
Work 3 rows even.?
Work Increase Row once more. 20 sts.
P 2 rows. The single row that is purled on the RS forms the fold line that separates the bottom from the stomach.
Work 7 rows even.
Increase Row [RS]: [K4, m1] to last 4 sts k4. 24 sts|
P 1 row.

Begin Short Row Shaping for Stomach
Row 1?[RS]: K20, w&t.
Row 2?[WS]: P16, w&t.
Row 3?[RS]: K14, w&t.
Row 4?[WS]: P12, w&t.
Row 5?[RS]: K10, w&t.
Row 6?[WS]: P8, w&t.
Row 7?[RS]: K all sts, picking up and knitting wraps together with respective sts.
Row 8?[WS]: P all sts, picking up and purling wraps together with respective sts.
Row 9?[RS]: K all sts.
Row 10?[WS]: P all sts.
Rep these 10 rows twice more.?If you don't want your penguin to be quite so rotund, skip the third repeat and work four rows even instead.
Next row?[RS]: K12, pm, k to end.
P 1 row.
Decrease Row?[RS]: K to 3 sts before marker, ssk, k2, k2tog, k to end.
P 1 row.
Rep Decrease Row. 20 sts rem.
Change to CC2. P 1 row and remove marker.
Decrease Row?[RS]: K1, [k2tog, k2] to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1. 15 sts rem.
Work 7 rows even.
BO all sts.

Wings?(Make 2)
With MC, CO 15 sts.
Work 16 rows in stockinette stitch.
Decrease Row?[RS]: K1, ssk, k to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1.
P 1 row.
Work these 2 rows 4 times more.
BO rem 5 sts.

Feet?(Make 4)
With CC2, CO 9 sts.
Work 2 rows in stockinette stitch.
Decrease Row?[RS]: K1, ssk, k to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1.
P 1 row.
Work these 2 rows once more.
Next Row?[RS]: K1, ssk, k to end.
Work 2 rows even.
BO rem 4 sts.

With yellow yarn, sew beak closed at underside.
With black yarn, sew back and front together, beginning at the center back bottom, working up and around the yellow part at the neck, and ending at the bottom again. The side back will need to be eased to fit the side front. Leave a small opening for stuffing.
Stuff. Sew opening closed.
Place two feet pieces wrong sides together and whipstitch edges. Sew feet to body with whipstitch.
Fold wings in half, wrong sides together, and whipstitch long edge closed. Whipstitch wings to body.
Sew on eyes with sewing thread. If making this for a small child, it is safer to leave off buttons and embroider eyes on instead.
Optional: use yellow yarn and blanket stitch to create "toes" on the feet

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Alexandra is only slightly obsessed with knitting and penguins. More of her designs can be found at?her website.