Sorry for the inconvenience but my blog formatting is wacky today and I don't have any time to fix it. Please download the PDF version 2009 Sock Hippo Pattern Gauge: 6sts x 9rows = 1 inchMaterials: 36 yards of Yarn 1 (Y1) Undyed DK weight yarn, 80 yards of Yarn 2 (Y2) Self Striping DK weight yarn, 1 set Size #2 DP needles, 1 12-inch Size #2 Addi Turbo Needle, 2 skein black DMC floss or 4-6 yards of black sport weight yarn or string, Polyester Fiber-fill,Email us at mybb@comcast.net if you have questions or need clarification.Don’t forget to share your images with us on Ravelry!You'll begin this critter by making the legs and putting them aside for later. Then you will begin the head and work from the top down attaching the legs at intervals. Once the body is complete you will make a tail, the ears, and the horns and attach them. The final step will be to embroider on his facial features and you are free to embellish him as you wish. Enjoy.Legs (make 4):With Y1 CO 24 stitches. Do not turn. You’ll be knitting in the round by working from the first stitch you casted on.Round 1: knitRound 2: (k8, inc 1,) 3 times. (27 stitches)Round 3: knitRound 4: (k9, inc 1,) 3 times, (30 stitches)Round 5: knitRound 6: purlRound 7: knitRound 8: (k1, k2tog) 10 times (20 stitches),Round 9: (k1, k2tog, k1) 5 times, (15 stitches)Round 10: k1, (k2tog) 7 times, (8 stitches) cut yarn leaving approximately 6 inches and using a tapestry needle thread it through the remaining 8 stitches, pull tight and tie off.Turn your work around so you that you are looking at the knit side and begin working with the cast on edge. Switch to Y2 and pick up 24 stitches along the cast on edge.Round 1: knitRound 2: (k6, k2tog,) 3 times (21 stitches)Round 3: knitRound 4: (k5, k2tog,) 3 times (18 stitches)Rounds 5-8: knit. Stuff with fiber-fill and close using the Consolidation Method (see stitch instructions), * you should now have 9 stitches. Cut yarn leaving enough that the stitches don’t come undone (approximately 6 inches). Transfer all legs to a spare needle, scrap of yarn (double thickness), or a stitch saver tool as they are completed with the purl side of the final row facing you. This will be helpful when you attach them to the body.Head:With Y2 and using the Turkish Cast-On Method, wrap yarn counter clockwise from left to right 16 times. This gives you 32 stitches, but you will work short rows on only 16 for now.Row 1: sl1, k14, (1 st remains unworked) turn,Row 2: sl1, p13, (1 st remains unworked) turn,Row 3: sl1, k12, (2 sts remain unworked) turn,Row 4: sl1, p11, (2 sts remain unworked) turn,Row 5: sl1, k10, (3 sts remain unworked) turn,Row 6: sl1, p9, (3 sts remain unworked) turn,Row 7: sl1, k8, (4 sts remain unworked) turn,Row 8: sl1, p7, p enc, (3 sts remain unworked) turn,Row 9: sl1, k8, k enc, (3 sts remain unworked) turn,Row 10: sl1, p9, p enc, (2 sts remain unworked) turn,Row 11: sl1, k10, k enc, (2 sts remain unworked) turn,Row 12: sl1, p11, p enc, (1 sts remain unworked) turn,Row 13: sl1, k12, k enc, (1 sts remain unworked) turnRow 14: sl1, purl accross, (you will not p enc here, because you should be at the end of the row) turn,Row 15: sl1, knit across.Begin working rounds now. Slide your circular needle into place and just continue knitting the stitches along the cast on edge. Be sure you are looking at the knit side of your work before you complete this step. Also make sure you are not using the yarn tail for your working yarn. (Now is a good time to start using your DP needles or if you prefer can use two circulars). Once you knit the stitches along the cast on edge, move the yarn tail to the front of your work. It will mark the beginning of each round.Rounds 1-5: knit, Snout:Row 1: This step doubles the next 16 stitches. Begin short rows again only working 16 stitches with Y1. (inc 1, k1) 8 times (k1, inc 1) 8 times (32 stitches), turn, (I use a backward loop cast on or a “inc 1”. if you can’t decide on a good increase method, you can KFB all 16 stitches for your first time through this pattern.)Row 2: sl1, p30, (1 st remains unworked) turnRow 3: sl1, k29, (1 st remains unworked) turnRow 4: sl1, p28, (2 sts remain unworked) turnRow 5: sl1, k27, (2 sts remain unworked) turnRow 6: sl1, p26, (3 sts remain unworked) turnRow 7: sl1, k25, (3 sts remain unworked) turnRow 8: sl1, p24, (4 sts remain unworked) turnRow 9: sl1, k23, (4 sts remain unworked) turnRow 10: sl1, p22, (5 sts remain unworked) turnRow 11: sl1, k21, (5 sts remain unworked) turnRow 12: sl1, p20, (6 sts remain unworked) turnRow 13: sl1, k19, (6 sts remain unworked) turnRow 14: sl1, p18, (7 sts remain unworked) turnRow 15: sl1, k17, k enc, (6 sts remain unworked) turnRow 16: sl1, p18, p enc, (6 sts remain unworked) turnRow 17: sl1, k19, k enc, (5 sts remain unworked) turnRow 18: sl1, p20, p enc, (5 sts remain unworked) turnRow 19: sl1, k21, k enc, (4 sts remain unworked) turnRow 20: sl1, p22, p enc, (4 sts remain unworked) turnRow 21: sl1, k23, k enc, (3 sts remain unworked) turnRow 22: sl1, p24, p enc, (3 sts remain unworked) turnRow 23: sl1, k25, k enc, (2 sts remain unworked) turnRow 24: sl1, p26, p enc, (2 sts remain unworked) turnRow 25: sl1, k27, k enc, (1 st remains unworked) turnRow 26: sl1, p28, p enc, (1 st remains unworked) turnRow 27: sl1, k29, k enc, turnRow 28: sl1, p30, p enc, turnRow 29: sl1, k31, do not k enc, do not turn. Cut yarn leaving enough to tie Y2 onto and resume working in the round by knitting the next 16 stitches. You should now be at the beginning of each round once again.Head cont:…Round 6: (k2tog) 16 times. k16, (you should have 32 stitches total)Round 7: knit 9:Round 8: (k1, k2tog tbl, k1) 4 times, k16, (28 stitches)Round 9: knitRound 10: (k1, k2tog tbl) twice, (k2tog tbl, k1) twice, k16, (24 stitches). You will now be working rounds of the neck and body.rounds 11-12: knit.Body:Knit 16 more stitches. You should now be at the midway point of the back where you will begin each round from now on.Round 1: (k4, inc 1, k4) 3 times (27 stitches)Round 2: knit Round 3: k5, Inc 1, k9, Inc 1, k8, Inc 1, k5 (30 stitches)Round 4: k6. You are now going to consolidate the next 9 stitches with the stitches on one leg so they can be worked together.While holding the body section as if you were going to continue knitting. Pick up the needle containing the legs so that you can see the purl side of the final row. Hold the body needle and the leg needle parallel so that the body is farthest away from you and the leg is in the front. Consolidate (see instructions below) the next 9 stitches of the body with the 9 stitches of the leg. Now attach a second leg in the same manner as the first, k6 to finish off the roundRound 5: knitRound 6: k5, inc 1, knit to last 5, inc 1, k5 (32 stitches)Round 7: knitRound 8: k5, inc 1, k10, inc1, k2, inc1, k10, inc 1, k5 (36 stitches)Round 9: knitRound 10: k6, inc 1, k to last 6, inc 1, k6 (38 stitches)Round 11: knitRound 12: k6, inc 1, k12, inc 1, k2, inc 1, k12, inc 1, k6 (42 stitches)Round 13: knitRound 14: (k7, inc 1) twice, k5, inc 1, k4, inc 1, k5,(inc 1, k7) twice (48 stitches)Round 15: knitRound 16: (k8, inc 1) twice, k6, inc 1, k4, inc 1, k6,(inc 1, k8) twice (54 stitches)Round 17: knitRound 18: (k9, inc 1) twice, k6, inc 1, k6, inc 1, k6,(inc 1, k9) twice (60 stitches). Here’s a good place to switch to your circular needle.Rounds 19-26: knit,Round 27: (k2, k2tog,) twice, k4, k2tog, k32, k2tog, k4, (k2tog, k2,) twice, (54 stitches)Round 28: knit,Round 29: k3, k2tog, k8, k2tog, k6, k2tog, k8, k2tog, k6, k2tog, k8, k2tog, k3 (48 stitches)Round 30: k13. Now you’ll consolidate the legs the same way you did earlier (see instructions below) for one leg only. k4, and attach a second leg in the same manner, k13,Round 31: (k3, k2tog, k3) 6 times. (42 stitches)Round 32: k2, k2tog, k6, k2tog, k4, k2tog, k6, k2tog, k4, k2tog, k6, k2tog, k2 (36 stitches)Round 33: (k2, k2tog, k2) 6 times, (30 stitches), stuff the upper portion of the body until firm.Round 34: k1, k2tog, k4, k2tog, k2, k2tog, k4, k2tog, k2, k2tog, k4, k2tog, k1 (24 stitches)Round 35: (k1, k2tog, k1) 6 times, (18 stitches)Round 36: (k1, k2tog,) 6 times (12 stitches) cut yarn leaving a 8 inch tail, and using a tapestry needle thread it through the all stitches. Stuff more fiber-fill into the body until you are satisfied with the firmness, pull tight and tie off. You’ll need to be creative with this step since it’s closed and you can’t work from the inside.Ears (make 2):Row 1: Using Y2 CO 18 stitches, turn,Row 2: sl1, p2tog 8 times, p1, turn,Row 3: sl1, k2tog 4 times, k1, do not turn, cut yarn leaving a 12 inch tail, and using a tapestry needle thread it through the 6 remaining stitches pull tight. Fold the ear in half vertically and stitch the bottom edge together. Secure each ear to the top of the head along the line where you began to work the encroachment stitch earlier.Finishing: Embroider on the facial features and voila! You now have your very first Sock Hippo. You are free to embellish him any way you wish.© 2008 Mybootee Boutique