Stitchfinder: Knit Sea Creature: Blue Whale

Blue Whale

Yarn: Worsted weight yarn [Featured: Wool-Ease]
Needles: 3 double-pointed needles
Extras: Yarn needle or crochet hook, embroidery needle, black embroidery floss, beading needle, seed beads, felt, thread, stuffing

Method

Note: The body is made in rounds, but the fins are made in rows.

Body
1st round: Cast on 1 st.
2nd round: Kfb, then k again in same st. (3 sts)
3rd round: K1, kfb, k1. (4 sts)
4th round: K1, kfb twice, k1. (6 sts)
5th round: K2, kfb twice, k2. (8 sts)
6th round: K3, kfb twice, k3. (10 sts)
7th round: K all. (10 sts)
8th round: K4, kfb twice, k4. (12 sts)
9th round: K all. (10 sts)
10th round: K5, kfb twice, k5. (14 sts)
11-19th rounds: K all. (14 sts)
20th round: K5, ssk, k2tog, k5. (12 sts)
21st round: K all. (12 sts)
22nd round: K all. (12 sts)
23rd round: K4, ssk, k2tog, k4. (10 sts)
24th round: K all. (10 sts)
25th round: K all. (10 sts)
26th round: K3, ssk, k2tog, k3.
At this point, lightly stuff the body of the whale. (8 sts)
27th round: K all. (8 sts)
28th round: K all. (8 sts)
29th round: K2, ssk, k2tog, k2. (6 sts)
30th round: K all. (6 sts)
31st round: K all. (6 sts)
32nd round: K all. (6 sts)
33rd round: K all. (6 sts)
34th round: K1, ssk, k2tog, k1. (4 sts)
35th round: Ssk, k2tog. (2 sts)
36th round: Bind off knitwise.

Side fins (make 2)
1st row: Cast on 2 sts.
2nd row: P all. (2 sts3rd row: K1, m1, k1. (3 sts)
4th row: P all. (3 sts)
5th row: K1, m1, k2. (4 sts)
6th row: P all. (4 sts)
7th row: K2, k2tog. (3 sts)
8th row: P all. (3 sts)
9th row: K1, k2tog. (2 sts)
10th row: Bind off purlwise, leaving a long tail of yarn to attach to body.

Back fins (make 2)
1st row: Cast on 2.
2nd row: P all. (2 sts)
3rd row: K all. (2 sts)
4th row: P all. (2 sts)
5th row: K all. (2 sts)
6th row: P all. (2 sts)
7th row: Bind off knitwise, leaving a long tail of yarn to attach to body.

Making up
Using the tails of yarn left from making the fins and your yarn needle or crochet hook, attach fins to body. With embroidery needle, embroider a mouth in black floss. Cut small circles out of felt about the size of a lentil; these will stabilize seed bead eyes and prevent them from being pulled through the yarn. With the beading needle, sew the beads and felt eyes in place, orienting the beads, if possible, so that the holes look like pupils.

Directions reproduced with permission, from 75 Seashells, Fish, Coral & Colorful Marine Life to Knit & Crochet. Courtesy of St. Martin’s Press, 2012.

ABBREVIATIONS / REFERENCES
k= knit	k2tog = knit two together
Kfb = knit in front and back of st	M1 = make 1
p = purl	ssk = slip, slip, knit
st(s) = stitch(es)