Here’s a little black owl to haunt your trees for Halloween. Too bad he’s much cuter than scary!
This project is a pretty easy one if you can knit in the round on double pointed needles and know how to do basic increases and decreases. The hardest part is the first couple rows that only have a few stitches. If you’ve made my duckling, grumpasaurus or minion you’ll have no problem with it.
Owl Pattern
Makes an owl that is 5″ tall (including the ears) and 4 1/2″ wide (not including the wingspan if you leave the wings free).
Supplies
1 ball Chunky weight yarn. I used Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Superchunky
4 double pointed needles size 8US or 5mm
tapestry needle
stuffing
white and gold felt
2 black 1/2 inch buttons. I used plastic hank buttons and cut off the hanks.
fabric glue
super glue (optional)
Gauge: 3 ½ stitches per inch knit in the round
Gauge is not super important here, just keep in mind that is you have more stitches per inch you will have a smaller owl and if you have less stitches per inch you will have a bigger owl. You do want the weave to be tight so that the stuffing doesn’t show through. To get this, I use a needle a couple size smaller than the yarn calls for.
Abbreviations
k – knit
kfb – knit front and back
ssk – slip slip knit
k2tog – knit 2 together
Body
You are knitting the body from the top down.
Cast on 6 stitches. Place marker to mark end of round. Join together to knit in the round being careful not to twist the stitches.
Round 1: kfb all stitches. 12 stitches
Round 2: knit
Round 3: kfb, kfb, kfb, kfb, kfb, kfb, k6. 18 stitches
Round 4: knit
Round 5: kfb, k1, kfb, k1, kfb, k2, kfb, k1, kfb, k1, kfb, k6. 24 stitches
Round 6: knit
Round 7: kfb, k2, kfb, k2, kfb, k4, kfb, k2, kfb, k2, kfb, k6. 30 stitches
Round 8: knit
Round 9: kfb, k3, kfb, k3, kfb, k6, kfb, k3, kfb, k3, kfb, k6. 36 stitches
This is a good time to bring your cast on tail inside and weave it in.
Round 10: knit
Round 11: kfb, k4, kfb, k4, kfb, k8, kfb, k4, kfb, k4, kfb, k6. 42 stitches
Round 12: knit
Round 13: kfb, k5, kfb, k5, kfb, k10, kfb, k5, kfb, k5, kfb, k6. 48 stitches
Round 14: knit
Round 15: kfb, k6, kfb, k6, kfb, k12, kfb, k6, kfb, k6, kfb, k6. 54 stitches
Round 16-30: knit
Round 31: ssk, k6, ssk, k6, ssk, k12, k2tog, k6, k2tog, k6, k2tog, k6. 48 stitches
Round 32: knit
Round 33: ssk, k5, ssk, k5, ssk, k10, k2tog, k5, k2tog, k5, k2tog, k6. 42 stitches
Round 34: knit
Round 35: ssk, k4, ssk, k4, ssk, k8, k2tog, k4, k2tog, k4, k2tog, k6. 36 stitches
Round 36: knit
Round 37: ssk, k3, ssk, k3, ssk, k6, k2tog, k3, k2tog, k3, k2tog, k6. 30 stitches
Round 38: knit
Start stuffing the owl. You want to stuff it fully, but not so much that the stuffing shows through the stitching. Continue to add stuffing as you finish the knitting.
Round 39: ssk, k2, ssk, k2, ssk, k4, k2tog, k2, k2tog, k2, k2tog, k6. 24 stitches
Round 40: knit
Round 41: ssk, k1, ssk, k1, ssk, k2, k2tog, k1, k2tog, k1, k2tog, k6. 18 stitches
Round 42: knit
Round 43: ssk, ssk, ssk, k2tog, k2tog, k2tog, k6. 12 stitches
Round 44: ssk, ssk, ssk, k2tog, k2tog, k2tog, 6 stitches
Cut off about a 12 inch tail. Put the tail on a tapestry needle and weave through the remaining 6 stitches. Take off the knitting needle and pull tight. Now pull the needle and yarn straight through to the other side of the body and pull to create an indent, this will make a base for him to sit on.
While still pulling tight so as not to lose your indent, tie the yarn in a small knot to the top of the owl. Weave in the end.
Ear (make 2)
Pick up 3 stitches on one side of the head.
Row 1 (WS): purl
Row 2: (RS): ssk, put stitch back on left needle, k2tog.
Cut off about a 6 inch tail. Put the tail on a tapestry needle. Weave through remaining stitch and pull tight.
Wing (Make 2)
You can also make these wings by picking up the stitches, but I chose to knit them separate and sew them on.
Cast on 9 stitches leaving a tail of about 12 inches.
Work 7 rows in stockinette ending in a WS row.
Decreases:
Row 1: ssk, k5, k2tog. 7 stitches
Row 2: purl
Row 3: ssk, k3, k2tog. 5 stitches
Row 4: purl
Row 5: ssk, k1, k2tog. 3 stitches
Row 6: purl
Row 7: bind off
Finishing
Cut two circles from the white felt. I found a large spool of thread was the perfect 1 1/2 inch template. Glue them on with fabric glue. Cut a small triangle with rounded edges for the beak and glue it on between the eyes. Glue with super glue or sew buttons on for the pupils.
Using the cast on tail, sew a wing onto each side of the body. Do this just like you would seam two horizontal stockinette pieces together (there is a nice picture of it here). You can leave the wings to hang free which will look like this.
Or tack them down at the bottom like I did.
copyright 2011 Kathy Lewinski
www.justcraftyenough.com
Do not sell or duplicate this pattern. Do not sell items made with this pattern. Do not teach this pattern without my permission. Thank you.
© 2005 – 2011 Kathy Lewinski & Susan Cornish
Very cute! I am probably doing my iron craft tonight if I can get off my butt and work on something other than making cake.
What a cute little Hoot owl. I will try and make this toy. Thank you for the good photos of how to put it all together.
Pingback: Day 57: Knit Halloween Owl « Daily Craft Project
Pingback: Little Black Owl, Perfect For Halloween! · Knitting | CraftGossip.com
Pingback: Midweek Munchies
I just love owls, and this pattern is so very cute, my little grandson wants to help make one, now my yarn is allover the place and we are both tangled in it, i am trying to untangle him and me. Him and his brother went to the zoo and saw the real owls now he wants one, he keeps saying whoooo whooooo, so i guess i better hurry and get more yarn, i may have to cut him and i apart.
Your pattern is so easy to read, thank you so much, i have a place all picked out for these little creatures, next to a few pumpkins and a witch,
Thank you
Mary
My mother always said owls bring good luck. So, I always have a few around. This little guy is gonna be another one of my pride and joy collection. My moms gone now but I can still hear her saying. “We can never have enough good luck baby girl” 🙂
What a cute little Hoot owl. I like all the pictures to help with making him up. I will try this pattern.
My oldest daughter collects owls. This will be a cute addition!
I love the owl. just the thing to knit for a friend for Christmas….thanks for posting it
I love the little black owl it is so adorable. Its the perfect little toy for Halloween.
Thanks for the great pattern and pictures. Just in time for Halloween!
my sister’s birthday is in october, so i would love to make her this owl. it is such an adorable pattern and keeping with the halloween theme. i hope i can print it as i am having some difficulty find the print icon on the pattern page.
Arlene – I have not had a chance to sit with our IT person, my husband, and figure out how to add a print icon to the site for patterns. For the time being you just have to choose print from your computer toolbar.
That owl is so cute! My daughter is going to love it. Might have to make her a whole family of owls.
I love this owl! My daughter will insist on a whole family of them. Better get started then right?
Thanks everyone for the kind comments! I hope you all knit up a flock of owls and share the pictures with us in the Flickr group.
It is really cute! Seems like it would have been a good project for me when I was just starting my knitting experience, as it is a simple but interesting project that would teach to follow directions, then see a wonderful outcome.
What a cute little owl!! I don’t think it would take long at all to whip it up!! Thanks for something quick and easy!!
That is a cute little owl!! I live quick and easy little projects like this!! My grand kids will love it when I make one!!
Very cute idea! My best friend loves owls and I can’t wait to start this one!
This little guy is a “hoot.” I can’t wait to make him for my grandson’s nursery that is filled with birds and owls. Thank you.
too cute – going to make for my 2 favorite neighborhood kids for halloween – they’ll love them – thank you for the pattern
What a CUTE little owl! Can’t wait to give it a try! Thanks so much for sharing this adorable pattern with everyone.
Darling pattern, and perfect timing as I have a granddaughter who loves owls, so I shall get out the needles and I have some black yarn (although I may make a grey one too) and get busy. Thanks a lot… you have made a little girl happy I’m sure, and kept a grandmother busy pleasing her. She loves to have me make things for her, and it keeps this old lady busy.
i am on my way to making this owl. he is adorable. i have a couple of suggestions that may help someone. when putting a marker at the end of a row, put the marker after the next to last stitch to mark the end of the row. this keeps the marker from slipping off the needle.the beginning rows are the hardest, so make sure you pull your yarn very tight to prevent a hole. also, go very slow at the beginning so you don’t make a mistake. it does get easier as you add more stitches.i hope this helps. i had to start mine a few times until i got it.
Arlene – What I do it put the marker after the last stich and then when I join in the round I knit the first stitch onto that needle with the marker. This holds the stitch marker on. I’m also the type of person who when they knit in the round on double points always knits the first stitch from the next needle on to the last needle before moving on to the empty needle. This way the area that is between needles is always changing & you don’t get a “ladder” effect from loose stitches between needles. (I’ll have to do a tutorial on that at some point).
Yes, getting started is the hardest part on these types of patterns. It is always hard to work a few stitches on double points. It gets easier with practice though.
Pingback: Dollar Store Crafts » Blog Archive » 40+ Ghoulishly Good Halloween Ideas
Hi!
What a darling owl pattern. I simply cannot get it to download so I can knit it for a friend who is having a baby. Please offer suggestions. Thnx.
ML – The pattern is not a download. If you want to print out a copy of it you can just use the print option in your browser or you can copy the pattern and save it in a word document. Hope that helps
hi kat – i made the owl and he came out adorable. i am making a second one because my niece saw it and she wants one. i also made the grumpasauris for my grandaughter. i made her a female by putting a bow on her head. i love these patterns. i wish you had one for a panda bear. the owl was a very good pattern. the grumpasauris was a little more involved but it came out so cute. thank you.
Pingback: handmade by irinasoloviova - Pearltrees
Pingback: Ollie The Owl « Casey Kay
Pingback: Owl Craft Tutorials for Halloween » Inspiring Pretty
Love this black owl so adorable. 🙂
He is super cute but I had a fair few problems knitting him up – I’m pretty new to knitting and wondered what sort of rounded needles you used for him as mine have a cable 80cm long and I couldn’t knit the start and end of his body properly because the needles were just too big – can you suggest what else I might try? I sewed up the stretched gaps at the end and popped an ear to cover one up and he still looks lovely, but I’m disappointed that I couldn’t work out how to do it properly.
I just worked out why I had a problem! You were using 4 needles and I used a circular – I’d delete my silly comment but I can’t work out!
Thanks for the great pattern! Maybe I’ll make one properly this time!
I’m so glad you were able to work out the problem & that you figured out a way to make it work for you. At least you still like him 😉
Pingback: Getting My Blogging Act Together, One Project at a Time | Artistic Antics
Pingback: Mr. Sedaris, I Made You an Owl | jingersnaps
Pingback: Fall Mason Jar Crafts, Knit Owls and Halloween Quilts — Bonbon Break
Pingback: Holiday DIY Gift Ideas: Scrubs, Tights and Crocheted Goodies — Bonbon Break
Pingback: Walnut Fairies, Jersey Bike Rides & Succulent Gardens — Bonbon Break
Pingback: Pattern | Pearltrees
Pingback: FREE pattern Wednesday! | Stash-a-Yarn
Pingback: Pattern: Little Toy Bird
Pingback: I Love Yarn Day! | Wild Yarns
Pingback: Knit Owl for a Friend | A place to post things I find interesting.
Pingback: Owl Knitting Patterns | In the Loop Knitting
Pingback: Fun Halloween Knitting Patterns – Knitting
Pingback: List of Free Toy Animal Knitting Patterns I Want To Knit | My Filing Cabinet
Pingback: Bookmark Dump: ULTIMATE HALLOWEEN EDITION – Habitual Homebody
Pingback: Kinda Fun & Kinda Freaky Halloween Knitting Patterns - Knits' End
Pingback: Animal Knitting Patterns - The Knit Wit by Shair
Pingback: 7 Owl Knitting Patterns Great for Learning to Knit Owls | The Knitting Librarian
Pingback: Make Knitted Owls From These 7 Owl Knitting Patterns | The Knitting Librarian
Pingback: Make Knitted Owls From These 7 Owl Knitting Patterns | The Knitting Librarian | The Knitting Librarian
Pingback: 14 Knitted Wild Animals Free Patterns | The Knitting Librarian
Pingback: Little Black Owl, Perfect For Halloween! – Knitting
Pingback: 7 Free Owl Knitting Patterns from Knitted Flat to Knit in the Round
Pingback: ≫ Patrones divertidos para tejer Halloween – Tejer
Pingback: 16 Knitted Wild Animals Free Patterns From Armadillo, Beaver, Elephant, Flamingo, Octopus, Turtle, And More