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Monday, October 31, 2011

Helping a penguin, one sweater at a time...

About a week ago, I was browsing the Etsy blog when I came across a post that made me leap up from bed in the late hours of the night and run downstairs to my sewing room...


This was the photo from the blog, and as much as it is insanely cute, it is so sad at the same time.  The oil spill that hit New Zealand a couple of weeks ago has taken it's toll on the penguins that live there.  Nothing gets to my heart like a penguin, let alone one in trouble.  My love of birds goes way past chickens, and if appropriate I would certainly add one of these guys to my flock!

A 100% wool sweater for these penguins helps keeps them warm and prevents them from ingesting oil until they can be cleaned and cared for.  You better believe I started knitting right away!  I had enough scrap wool yarn and the correct size needles to follow the pattern shared on Etsy:

Penguin Jumper in 8ply – Must be 100% Wool Yarn1 pair 3.25mm , 1 pair of 3.75mm needles , 1 set of 3.25mm dpn’s or circular
Cast on 36 stitches using 3.25 needles.K1, P1 to end of row. Repeat this row 7 times. Change to 3.75mm needles and K2, P2 rib. Work 4 rows increasing at each end of every row. (44 sts)
Continue until work measures 15 cms.
Decrease 1 st at each end of every row until 28 sts remain.
Decrease 1 st. in middle of next row (27 sts.)
Leave on needle.
Make second side the same.
Transfer the 54 sts from both pieces to 3 of the set of 4 3.25mm needles.(18 sts on each.) and work a round neck in K1 P1 rib for 10 rows.
Cast off.
Stitch up sides to decreasing to 27sts (opening for flipper). Add elastic to the top and bottom to prevent the penguins getting out of them. Top: 15cm of elastic; bottom 17 cm (knots allowed). Flat elastic okay.


I have knit hats, socks, mittens, scarves, legwarmers, stuffed animals, and even dog sweaters.  I was so excited to add penguin sweater to my resume :)  Here is a photo of how it turned out, I used one of Bea's stuffed animals as a Model :)



I am off to the post office first thing tomorrow morning to drop it in the mail, I am so glad my knitting habit could be put to good use.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

It came out so cute! That is going to be one happy penguin!