The Donkeys

I've gotten a few requests for this pattern that I'm knitting for The Donkey Sanctuary's gift shop, the Long Ears Boutique.The first attempts at this were a tiny bit frustrating, but I managed to handle the learning curve and I do believe some honest-to-goodness knitted donkeys will be going to the donkeys!

Large Woolley Knitted Donkey Stands 9" high

MATERIALS - Makes 2 donkeys



Two ounces of any 50 gram ball of double knitting in grey, brown or cream and small balls in yellow, black & white, and a few inches in red; No. 10 - 31/4 mm knitting needles; a short length of black 2 ply fingering for the features. Riling.

Note: This pattern is British. Work garter stitch throughout unless otherwise stated. Feel free to knit donkeys in any wool you have available, any colour or texture, as they all have individual personalities, just like their larger real donkey relatives here at the Sanctuary.
Key: Inc. in next st. = knit into front and back of next stitch p. = purl; k. = knit, St-St = Stocking Stitch; sts. = stitches

MAIN PART (For ease in following, mark one side of work with a marker or piece of scrap yarn as RS)

Front Leg:


Cast on 8 sts

Rows 1 RS ( place marker or scrap yarn) knit

Row 2 knit

Row 3 (RS) Inc. 1 st. at the beginning of the next row (9sts)

Rows 4 - 6 Knit, ending with a WS row

Repeat these last 4 rows 4 times (13 sts.)

Break off wool and push the sts to the end of the needle.

Back Leg: On to the same needle, cast on 8 sts.

Rows 1 - 2 Knit

Row 3 Inc. 1 st. at beginning of next row, then k. 2 rows. ending w a S row

Row 6 Inc. 1 st. at end of next row, then knit 2 rows.

Row 9 Inc. 1 st. at each end of the next row (12 sts) then k. 3 rows.

Row 13 K. 2 tog., k. until 1 st. remains, inc K. 3 rows

Row 17 Repeat row 13, then k. 2 rows

Row 20 Inc. 1 st. at each end of the next row (14 sts.), then k. 2 rows.

Row 23: K 14, turn and cast on 10, turn and k. the 13 sts. from the front leg. (37 sts.) Ending with a S row

Body:

Row 1 : Knit all stitches.

Row 2 : Inc., k. to end.

Rows 3 - 4 Knit

Row 5 : Inc., k. to end. (39 sts.)

　

Rows 6 - 11 Knit, ending with a S row

Row 12 K.2 tog., k. to end.

13^th Row: Inc (head end), k to end.

K 5 rows.

Repeat the 13^th row and then the 12^th row.

K. 2 rows.

Repeat the 13^fh row and then the 12^th row. (39 sts.)

K. 1 row.

Cast off 25 sts. at the beginning (tail end) of the next row. (14 sts.).

Neck - Inc. 1 st. at beginning of next row, then k. 5 rows.

Head - Cast on 4 sts. at the beginning of the next row and 3 sts. at the beginning of the following alternate row. (22 sts.)

K. 1 row, then inc. 1 st. at the end of next row.

K. 8 rows.

14^th and 15^th Rows: K. until 10 remain, turn and k. back.

16^th and 17^th Rows: K. until 9 remain, turn and k. back.

18^th and 19^th Rows: K. until 8 remain, turn and k. back.

20^th and 21^a Rows: K. until 7 remain, turn and k. back.

22^nd and 23^rd Rows: K. 2 tog., k. until 6 remain, turn and k. back until 2 remain, k 2 tog.

24^th and 25^th Rows: K. 2 tog., k. until 5 remain, turn and k. back until 2 remain, k. 2 tog.

26^th and 27^th Rows: K. 2 tog, k. until 4 remain, turn and k. back until 2 remain, k 2 tog. (17 sts.)

K. 1 row, then cast off.

Make another piece in the same way.

UNDERBODY


Work as for the main part until the 5^th row of the body has been worked (39 sts.)

K. 2 rows then cast off

Make another piece in the same way. Sew the cast-off edges of the underbody together, leaving an opening

in the centre for stuffing.

Sew along top of head & back of main parts to the top of back legs, then from top of front legs to the

beginning of head, leaving front of head open. Sew the underbody to the main part, leaving the leg ends

open. Turn to right side and stuff. Sew up the opening in the underbody.

Large Woolley Knitted Donkey - Women's Weekly 1954