Knit Father Christmas

As soon as my colleagues in the PieceWork office showed me Kate Buck's original Father Christmas, I knew I had to try to re-create him. It was a challenge, but well worth it! For more details, see Kate Buck's article "Father Christmas'' in the November/December 2004 issue of PieceWork.

Materials are available at yarn, needlework, and craft stores or from mail-order or online resources

Finished size
About 18 inches (46 cm) tall and 9 1/2 inches (24 cm) wide from hand to hand

Gauge
14 sts and 20 rows or rnds = 2 inches (5.1 cm) in stockinette stitch

Abbreviations
beg—begin(ning)
BO—bind off
cir—circular
CO—cast on
cont—continue
dec(s)—decrease(s)
dpn—double-pointed needles
inc—increase(s)
k—knit
k2tog—knit 2 stitches together
p—purl
patt—pattern
pm—place marker
rem—remain(ing)
rep—repeat
rnd(s)—round(s)
RS—right side
sl—slip
ssk—slip 2 stitches individually to right needle as if to knit, insert left needle tip into the fronts of the
two slipped stitches, then use right needle to knit them together through their back loops
st(s)—stitch(es)
St st—stockinette stitch
tog—together
WS—wrong side

Stitch Guide
Backward Loop Cast-On
*Loop working yarn and place it on the needle backwards so that it doesn't unwind. Rep from * for specified number of stitches.
Loop Stitch from Nicky Epstein's Knitted Embellishments (Loveland, Colorado: Interweave Press, 1999)
With yarn doubled (the loop st is worked with two strands of yarn),
Row 1: (WS) *K1, make loop (insert needle in next st as if to k, wrap yarn over the needle, then around the first two fingers of your left hand close to the needle, then over the needle again, draw both loops on the needle through the st, insert the left needle tip through the fronts of these sts and k them tog through their back loop); rep from *, end k1.
Row 2: K.
Row 3: *Make loop, k1; rep from *, end by making a loop in the last st.

Wrap and Turn
Bring yarn to front, sl next st to right needle, bring yarn to back (thereby wrapping the yarn around the st), sl st back onto left needle, turn work in preparation to work in the opposite direction.

Instructions
Boot
With Pepper and dpn, CO 4 sts. Divide sts as evenly as possible on 3 dpn and join, being careful not to twist sts. Inc rnd: K into the front and back of each st--8 sts. K 1 rnd even. Rep inc rnd--16 sts. K 10 rnds even. Shape heel:
Short-row 1: K7, wrap and turn (see Stitch Guide).
Short-row 2: P6, wrap and turn.
Short-row 3: K5, wrap and turn.
Short-row 4: P4, wrap and turn.
Short-row 5: K5, wrap and turn.
Short-row 6: P6, wrap and turn.
Short-row 7: K7, k to end of rnd.
K 13 rnds even, ending at center back of heel—boot should measure about 2 1/2 inches (6 cm) from beg. Cut off Pepper. Weave in CO tail to WS of boot, closing gaps at corners of heel.

Leg
Join Scarlet and pm to denote end of rnd. K 42 rnds, or until piece measures about 4 1/4 inches (11 cm) from color change, ending 4 sts before end of rnd. Cut off yarn. Place sts on holder. Weave in loose ends at color change. Make another boot and leg to match, but do not cut off yarn; leave sts on needles.

Lower Body
Cont with second leg worked, k4, use the backward loop method (see Stitch Guide) to CO 3 sts, marking the center of these 3 sts for center front, k across all held sts of first leg, use the backward loop method to CO 3 more sts, k rem sts of second leg—38 sts total. K 25 rnds, or until piece measures about 2 1/2 inches (6 cm) from joining rnd, ending 1 st before center front st. Break yarn and set aside.

Skirt
With Scarlet and cir needle, CO 83 sts. Do not join into a rnd. K 1 row, pm after the first 3 sts and pm before the last 3 sts. Work the 3 sts at each edge in garter st (k every row) and the center 77 sts in St st (k 1 row, p 1 row). Work 1 WS row. Cut off Scarlet, join Aran, and k 1 (RS) row. Join another strand of Aran, and work Rows 1–3 of loop st (see Stitch Guide). Cut off Aran, rejoin Scarlet, and work 4 rows even, keeping 3 sts at each edge in garter st and center 77 sts in St st, and ending with a WS row.
Dec Row 1: (RS) K3 (edge sts), k5, *k2tog, k6; rep from * to last 3 sts, k3 (edge sts)—74 sts rem.
Work 7 rows even in patt.
Dec Row 2: K8, *k2tog, k5; rep from * to last 3 sts, k3—65 sts rem.
Work 7 rows even in patt.
Dec Row 3: K8, *k2tog, k4; rep from * to last 3 sts, k3—56 sts rem.
Work 7 rows even in patt.
Dec Row 4: K8, *k2tog, k3; rep from * to last 3 sts, k3—47 sts rem.
Work 7 rows even in patt.
Dec Row 5: K5, *k2tog, k5; rep from * to last 7 sts, k2tog, k2, k3—41 sts rem.
Work 1 (WS) row even in patt.

Join Skirt to Body
Place body sts inside skirt. With dpn and beg 1 st before marked center front st of body, k2tog across (1 st from skirt tog with 1 st from body) until all body sts have been joined to skirt—3 skirt sts rem. Work rem 3 skirt sts tog with first 3 sts to overlap skirt edging—38 sts rem; skirt and body joined.

Upper Body
Cont even in rnds until piece measures 1 1/2 inches (3.8 cm) from joining rnd, and ending 9 sts before the marked center front st.

Back: Using the backward loop method, CO 18 sts for arm. Turn work, p these 18 sts, then p across 19 sts for back, then use the backward loop method to CO 18 more sts for other arm—55 back sts. Working these 55 back sts back and forth in rows, cont even in St st until 15 rows. BO 22 sts at beg of next 2 rows—11 sts rem. Cut off yarn. Place sts on holder.

Front: Pick up and k 18 sts at CO edge of one arm, k across 19 front sts, pick up and k 18 sts along CO edge of other arm—55 front sts. Work as for back—11 sts rem each for front and back.
Turn doll inside out (as much as possible) and weave in loose ends. With Scarlet threaded on a tapestry needle, sew front to back along tops of arms. Stuff boots, legs, and lower body with fiberfill.

Hands
With Natural, dpn, and beg at lower arm seam, pick up and k 24 sts around opening at end of arm. Pm and join for working in the rnd. K 5 rnds. Dec for tip of hand:
Rnd 1: *Ssk, k8, k2tog; rep from * once—20 sts rem.
Rnd 2: K.
Rnd 3: *Ssk, k6, k2tog; rep from * once—16 sts rem.
Rnd 4: *Ssk, k4, k2tog; rep from * once—12 sts rem.
Rnd 5: *Ssk, k2, k2tog; rep from * once—8 sts rem.
Rnd 6: *Ssk, k2tog; rep from * once—4 sts rem.
Cut yarn, thread tail through rem sts, pull tight, and fasten off to WS. Weave in loose ends. Rep for other hand. Stuff hands, arms, and upper body with fiberfill.

Neck and Head
Place 11 held front sts on one dpn and 11 held back sts divided between 2 dpn—22 sts total. Join Scarlet for neck, and work in rnds, dec 1 st at the beg of the front sts and 1 st at the beg of the back sts every rnd 3 times—16 sts rem. Cut off Scarlet, and join Natural for head. K 1 rnd.
Next rnd: K into the front and back of every st—32 sts. K every rnd until piece measures 2 inches (5.1 cm) from color change between neck and head.
Dec for top of head:
Rnd 1: *K6, k2tog; rep from *—28 sts rem.
Rnd 2: *K5, k2tog; rep from *—24 sts rem.
Rnd 3: *K4, k2tog; rep from *—20 sts rem.
Cont in this manner, working 1 less st between decs until 12 sts rem. Stuff head with fiberfill. Work 1 more dec rnd—8 sts rem. Cut yarn, thread tail through rem sts, pull tight, and fasten off to inside of head. Dip hands and head in the tea to darken the yarn the desired amount. Squeeze out excess fluid and let air-dry.

Cuffs
With Aran, CO 23 sts. Join second strand of Aran and work 3 rows of loop st. With single strand of Natural, BO all sts. With yarn threaded on a tapestry needle, sew cuff into a ring, then sew cuff to wrist at color change between arm and hand so that fringe extends away from body. Rep for other cuff.

Collar
With Aran and dpn, CO 27 sts, and work as for cuff. With yarn threaded on a tapestry needle, sew to neck at color change between neck and head so that fringe extends downward.

Hat
With Aran and dpn, CO 37 sts. Join a second strand of Aran and work 3 rows of loop st. Cut off Aran and join Scarlet. Divide sts as evenly as possible on 3 dpn, pm for end of rnd, and k 6 rnds, placing another marker after the 18th st to mark center front. Shape point: K, inc 1 st after center-front marker every rnd 6 times, and at the same time dec 1 st each side of end-of-rnd marker every other rnd 3 times as follows: Ssk, work to last 2 sts of rnd, k2tog (there will still be 37 sts after these 6 rnds have been worked). Remove center-front marker. Dec 1 st each side of end-of-rnd marker every rnd until 5 sts rem. Cut yarn, thread tail through rem sts, pull tight, and fasten off to inside. Weave in loose ends.

Beard
With Aran and dpn, CO 3 sts. Working garter st in rows, inc 1 st each end of needle every RS row 11 times—25 sts.
Next row: K11, BO 3 sts, k to end.
Next row: K11, use backward loop method to CO 3 sts over gap, k to end--25 sts.
Shape sideburns: Work short-rows as follows,
*Short-row 1: K9, wrap and turn, k to end.
Short-row 2: K7, wrap and turn, k to end.
Short-row 3: K5, wrap and turn, k to end.
Short-row 4: K3, wrap and turn, k to end.
K across all 25 sts. Rep from * once more. BO all sts. Thoroughly wet beard and rub gently to slightly felt the fibers. Let air dry. With yarn threaded on a tapestry needle, sew beard to face.
Stuff the hat gently with fiberfill and sew in place to the top of the head. With Aran threaded on a tapestry needle, make four horizontal sts evenly spaced along upper body for "buttons" as shown. With Pepper, make two horizontal sts for eyes. With Scarlet, sew front overlap of skirt together. Weave in remaining loose ends.

About the Designer. Ann Budd is the managing editor of PieceWork's sister magazine, Interweave Knits, and can't resist a knitting challenge.

by Ann Budd