CUDDLY SCORPION

US 5 dpns

 

First, make the body.  If you don’t like doing short rows (rows 7, 11, 15, etc), you can skip them, but they add a bit of extra curve to the finished scorpion.

 

Cast on 6 stitches, evenly distributed on three dpns.

Leave a six inch tail to use in joining the tail later on.

Place a marker between the first and second stitch to mark the first needle throughout.

 

Row	1	*k2*	(2 2 2)
Row	2	*kfb k*	(3 3 3)
Row	3	*2kfb k*	(5 5 5)
Row	4	*kfb k2 kfb k*	(7 7 7)
Row	5	*kfb k6*	(8 8 8 )
Row	6	*k8*	(8 8 8 )
Row	7	p8 p8 k8 wrap turn
		p8 wrap turn
		k8	(8 8 8 )
Row	8	*k8*	(8 8 8 )
Row	9	*k8*	(8 8 8 )
Row	10	*k8*	(8 8 8 )
Row	11	p8 p8 k8 wrap turn
		p8 wrap turn
		k8	(8 8 8 )
Row	12	*k8*	(8 8 8 )
Row	13	*k8*	(8 8 8 )
Row	14	*k8*	(8 8 8 )
Row	15	p8 p8 k8 wrap turn
		p8 wrap turn
		k8	(8 8 8 )
Row	16	*k8*	(8 8 8 )
Row	17	*k8*	(8 8 8 )
Row	18	*k8*	(8 8 8 )
Row	19	p8 p8 k8	(8 8 8 )
Row	20	*k8*	(8 8 8 )
Row	21	*k8*	(8 8 8 )
Row	22	*k8*	(8 8 8 )
Row	23	p8 p8 k8	(8 8 8 )
Row	24	*k8*	(8 8 8 )
Row	25	*k8*	(8 8 8 )
Row	26	*k8*	(8 8 8 )
Row	27	p8 p8 k8	(8 8 8 )
Row	28	*k8*	(8 8 8 )
Row	29	*k8*	(8 8 8 )
Row	30	*k8*	(8 8 8 )
Row	31	p8 p8 k8	(8 8 8 )

 

On the next row, rearrange the stitches from the second to the first needle.

 

Row	32	k7 p2 k1 k6 k8	(10 6 8 )
Row	33	k7 p2 k1 k6 k8	(10 6 8 )
Row	34	k7 p2 k1 k6 k8	(10 6 8 )
Row	35	k7 p2 k1 k6 k8	(10 6 8 )
Row	36	k7 p2 k1 k6 k8	(10 6 8 )
Row	37	k7 p2 k1 k6 k8	(10 6 8 )
Row	38	k7 p2 k1 k6 k8	(10 6 8 )

 

Stuff the body to this point, and continue stuffing as you continue to the pincers.

 

Row	39	k2tog k6 k6 k2tog k8	(7 7 8 )
Row	40	k8 k6 k8	(8 6 8 )
Row	41	4k2tog 3k2tog k3 k2tog k3	(4 3 7)
		start stuffing here
Row	42	k4 k3 k7	(4 3 7)
Row	43	k2 k2tog k3 k2 k2tog k3	(3 3 6)
Row	44	k4 k3 k5	(4 3 5)
Row	45	k2 k2tog k k2 k2tog k3	(4 2 4)

 

From here on use only two needles to hold the stitches and a third to knit.

 

Row	46	5k2tog	(2 3)
Row	47	k2 k2tog k	(2 2)

 

With needle one, knit a 4 row 2 stitch I-cord.

Bind off by sewing through both stitches, having cut 12 inches of yarn, and sew the yarn back to the tip of the body through the I-cord in order to knit with it again.

With needle two, knit a 4 row 2 stitch I-cord.

Bind off by sewing through both stitches and weave yarn back to tip of body, sewing together any gap between the pincers you have just made.

 

SCORPION TAIL

 

Cast on 6 stitches, evenly distributed on three dpns.

Leave a six inch tail to use in joining to the body later on.

Place a marker between the first and second stitch to mark the first needle throughout.

 

Row	1	*k2*	(2 2 2)
Row	2	*kfb k*	(3 3 3)
Row	3	*kfb k2*	(4 4 4)
Row	4	*kfb k3*	(5 5 5)
Row	5	*kfb k4*	(6 6 6)
Row	6	*kfb k5*	(7 7 7)
Row	7	kfb k6 kfb k6 wrap turn
		p8 p8 wrap turn
		k8 k8 kfb k6	(8 8 8 )
Row	8	*k2tog k6*	(7 7 7)
Row	9	*k2tog k5*	(6 6 6)
Row	10	*k2tog k4*	(5 5 5)
Row	11	*k2tog k3*	(4 4 4)
Row	12	*k2tog k2* stuff to this point	(3 3 3)
Row	13	*k2tog k1*	(2 2 2)
Row	14	*kfb k*	(3 3 3)
Row	15	*kfb k2*	(4 4 4)
Row	16	*kfb k3*	(5 5 5)
Row	17	*kfb k4*	(6 6 6)
Row	18	kfb k5 kfb k5 wrap turn
		p7 p7 wrap turn
		k7 k7 kfb k5	(7 7 7)
Row	19	*k2tog k5*	(6 6 6)
Row	20	*k2tog k4*	(5 5 5)
Row	21	*k2tog k3*	(4 4 4)
Row	22	*k2tog k2* stuff to this point	(3 3 3)
Row	23	*k2tog k1*	(2 2 2)
Row	24	*kfb k*	(3 3 3)
Row	25	*kfb k2*	(4 4 4)
Row	26	*kfb k3*	(5 5 5)
Row	27	kfb k4 kfb k4 wrap turn
		p6 p6 wrap turn
		k6 k6 kfb k4	(6 6 6)
Row	28	*k2tog k4*	(5 5 5)
Row	29	*k2tog k3*	(4 4 4)
Row	30	*k2tog k2* stuff to this point	(3 3 3)
Row	31	*k2tog k1*	(2 2 2)
Row	32	*kfb k*	(3 3 3)
Row	33	*kfb k2*	(4 4 4)
Row	34	kfb k3 kfb k3 wrap turn
		p5 p5 wrap turn
		k5 k5 kfb k3	(5 5 5)
Row	35	*k2tog k3*	(4 4 4)
Row	36	*k2tog k2* stuff to this point	(3 3 3)
Row	37	*k2tog k1*	(2 2 2)
Row	38	*kfb k*	(3 3 3)
Row	39	kfb k2 kfb k2 wrap turn
		p4 p4 wrap turn
		k4 k4 kfb k2	(4 4 4)
Row	40	*k2tog k2* stuff to this point	(3 3 3)
Row	41	*k2tog k1*	(2 2 2)
Row	42	kfb k kfb k wrap turn
		p3 p3 wrap turn
		k3 k3 kfb k	(3 3 3)
Row	43	*k2tog k1*	(2 2 2)
Row	44	*k2*	(2 2 2)
Row	45	*k2*	(2 2 2)
Row	46	*kfb k*	(3 3 3)
Row	47	*kfb k2*	(4 4 4)
Row	48	*kfb k3*	(5 5 5)
Row	49	k5 kfb k4 k5	(5 6 5)
Row	50	k5 k6 k5	(5 6 5)
Row	51	k2tog k3 k2tog k2 k2tog k2tog k3	(4 4 4)
Row	52	k4 k4 k4	(4 4 4)
Row	53	k2tog k2 k2tog k2tog k2 k2tog	(3 2 3)
Row	54	k3 k2 k3 stuff to this point	(3 2 3)
Row	55	k3 k2tog k3	(3 1 3)
Row	56	k3 k1 k3	(3 1 3)
Row	57	k2tog k1 k1 k1 k2tog	(2 1 2)
Row	58	k2tog k1 k2tog	(1 1 1)

 

Bind off by pulling yarn through all three remaining stitches, leaving about 4” of yarn to sew first into the first three rows, then pulling across a row and sharply into the body or the barb in order to make a sharp downward turn to the barb (check out Molly Lincoln’s lobster claws to get a better understanding of how to do this shaping.  You’ll be doing it again on the claws next.  http://dirigo.wordpress.com/2007/12/17/free-pattern-toy-lobster/)

 

SCORPION CLAWS (make two)

Huge thanks and credit to Molly Lincoln for inspiring me and letting me adapt her lobster claw pattern.  Her instructions kick my instructions’ butt, so check her’s out to get a better sense of what to do for the final shaping. http://dirigo.wordpress.com/2007/12/17/free-pattern-toy-lobster/

 

Cast on 6 stitches, evenly distributed on three dpns.

Leave a six inch tail to use in joining to the body later on.

Place a marker between the first and second stitch to mark the first needle throughout.

 

Row	1	*k2*	(2 2 2)
Row	2	*k2*	(2 2 2)
Row	3	*k2*	(2 2 2)
Row	4	*kfb k1*	(3 3 3)
Row	5	*k3*	(3 3 3)
Row	6	*k3*	(3 3 3)
Row	7	*k3*	(3 3 3)
Row	8	*k3*	(3 3 3)
Row	9	*k3*	(3 3 3)
Row	10	*k3* stuff to this point	(3 3 3)
Row	11	*k2tog k1*	(2 2 2)
Row	12	*k2*	(2 2 2)
Row	13	*kfb k1*	(3 3 3)
Row	14	*k3*	(3 3 3)
Row	15	2kfb k1 2kfb k1 k3	(5 5 3)
Row	16	k5 k5 k3	(5 5 3)
Row	17	4kfb k1 kfb k2 kfb k1 k3	(9 7 3)
Row	18	k9 k7 k3	(9 7 3)
Row	19	k9 k7 k3	(9 7 3)

 

On the next round, drop the stitch marker.

 

Row

20

k9 k7

(9 7) (3)

 

Leave the three stitches on needle 3 and use a fourth dpn to knit the first three stitches on old needle 1 (place marker between the 4^th and 5^th stitches, making this the new needle 1).  Ignore the three stitches on old needle three until later, or place on a stitch holder.

 

 

Row	21	k5 k4 k7	(5 4 7) (3)
Row	22	k5 k4 k7	(5 4 7) (3)
Row	23	k2tog k3 k1 k2tog k1 k3 2k2tog	(4 3 5) (3)
Row	24	k4 k3 k5 stuff to this point	(4 3 5) (3)
Row	25	k2tog k2 k1 k2tog k2tog k1 k2tog	(3 2 3) (3)
Row	26	k3 k2 k3	(3 2 3) (3)
Row	27	k3 k2tog k3	(3 1 3) (3)
Row	28	k3 k1 k3	(3 1 3) (3)
Row	29	k2tog k1 k1 k1 k2tog	(2 1 2) (3)
Row	30	k2tog k1 k2tog	(1 1 1) (3)

 

Bind off by cutting 6 inches of yarn and threading through the three live stitches you’re working with.  Later, use the tail to curl the claw by weaving in the first three rows and pulling tight across the opening of the claw before as Molly shows for the lobster.

 

Go back to the three stitches you kept live on the other needle or on a stitch holder.  Tie a new piece of yarn onto the stitch below the three live stitches and weave the end into the claw.  Knit an I-cord:

 

Row	1	k3, push stitches to other end of dpn	(3)
Row	2	k3, push stitches to other end of dpn	(3)
Row	3	k3, push stitches to other end of dpn	(3)
Row	4	k3, push stitches to other end of dpn	(3)
Row	5	k3, push stitches to other end of dpn	(3)
Row	6	k3, push stitches to other end of dpn	(3)
Row	7	k2tog k1, push stitches to other end of dpn	(2)
Row	8	k2tog	(1)

 

Bind off by cutting yarn and threading through the remaining stitch.  Pull tight and leave a tail to weave in and create the “curved thumb” of the the claw (again, haven’t you read Molly’s instructions?  If not, stop here and just make her lobster first.  You know you want to anyway.  The scorpion will wait.  That’s what scorpions do.  They’re patient.  http://dirigo.wordpress.com/2007/12/17/free-pattern-toy-lobster/)

 

LEGS

The legs are easy, but are hard to write out, so bear with me.

You make 8 of them, four on each side.

I recommend attaching the claws to the body first on the underside of the body, just where the head starts to taper down.  Make sure the claws jut outwards and then come back in, like a real scorpion if you can.

 

The first set of legs goes just in front of the first purl row on the body, just behind where you attached the claws, and the subsequent three go between the first four purl rows on the body.

 

All you need to do is pick up two of the stitches from the body, even to where the purl rows start, but you’re picking up on the horizontal plane of the body now.

 

Start your yarn by tying your yarn onto the body leaving a 6 inch tail.  Now make a 2-stitch I-cord in the following manner:

 

Knit 12 rows of 2-stitch I-cord.

On the 13^th row, on the first stitch knit through not only the first stitch on the needle, but also the stitch below.  Pull both the lower stitch and your new stitch through as a single stitch before you stitch the second stitch of the row.

You now have three stitches.

On the 14^th row, knit the first two stitches together to return to a two stitch I-cord.  This creates a joint in the leg.

Do the same joint creation on the 21^st row, returning to two stitches on the 22^nd.

Knit 40 rows in total for a leg with two joints (12 rows 8 rows 20 rows).

On the 41^st row, k2tog.

Cut the yarn, sewing through the last stitch to bind off.  Pull the yarn through the final five rows of the I-cord and pull tight.  This makes a foot pad.

 

Now, return to the tail of yarn from when you started the leg at the body.  With a tapestry needle, use this tail to securely attach the first six row of the leg to the body vertically before you weave in the remaining yarn.  This allows the leg to curl upwards and, with the joints you made, give it a crawly feel.