What could be better than a handmade toy, knitted with love? This cuddly pirate toy from the Christmas 2020 issue of Love Knitting for Baby magazine is a great example of one that will be cherished for a long time to come – and we're lucky enough to be able to give you the pattern for free!
Sophie Jordan's pirate toy is worked in stocking stitch throughout, making it an easier knit than it might at first seem. A few increases here, a few decreases there, change yarn colours now and then, and – ahoy, matey! – you’ve got yourself a brilliant buccaneer for the kids to play with.
Want more knitted toys? Cast on our free elephant knitting pattern, or knit a doggy duo with our toy dog knitting patterns
To make this pirate toy you will need:
Hayfield, Bonus DK (100% acrylic, 100g/280m) or alternative dk yarn, 1 ball of each:
- Yarn A Biscuit (963)
- Yarn B White (961)
- Yarn C Signal Red (977)
- Yarn D Black (965)
- Yarn E Bluebell (969)
- Yarn F Chocolate (947)
- Yarn G Sunflower (978)
A scrap of pink DK yarn
Small crochet hook (for the hair)
Pirate toy knitting pattern
The pirate toy is worked in two sections: the front and back. The arms and legs are worked by picking up stitches at the sides and bottom of the torso. The only adjustment you need to be aware of is that the peg leg and the boot need to be swapped around so that when sewn together RS inwards, the peg leg faces the peg leg and the boot faces the boot.
This pattern uses our standard knitting abbreviations.
For more on the techniques used in this pattern take a look at our tutorials. We explain how to cast on knitting and how to cast off knitting, plus find out how to increase a stitch in knitting and how to decrease in knitting.
Tension
Yarn used knits as DK to this tension: 22 sts and 28 rows to measure 10x10cm (4x4in) over stocking stitch using 3¼mm needles
Pirate toy front
Body and head
Cast on 38 sts using 3¼mm needles and Yarn B.
Rows 1–4 Beg with a RS knit row, work 4 rows in st st.
Change to Yarn C.
Row 5 (RS) K2tog, K to last 2 sts, k2tog. [36 sts]
Rows 6–8 Beg with a WS purl row, work 3 rows in st st.
Change to Yarn B and rep rows 5–8. [34 sts]
Change to Yarn C and rep rows 5–8. [32 sts]
Change to Yarn D and rep rows 5–8. [30 sts]
Work 2 rows in st st.
Change to Yarn B and work 2 rows in st st.
Next row K2tog, K to last 2 sts, k2tog. [28 sts]
Next row Purl.
Change to Yarn C and work 4 rows in st st.
Change to Yarn B and work 4 rows in st st.
Rep last 8 rows once more.
Change to Yarn C.
Next row K2tog, K to last 2 sts, k2tog. [26 sts]
Next row Purl.
Rep last 2 rows once more. [24 sts]
Change to Yarn A and work 2 rows in st st.
Next row Kfb, K to last st, kfb. [26 sts]
Next row Pfb, P to last st, pfb. [28 sts]
Rep last 2 rows 3 times more. [40 sts]
Beg with a RS knit row, work 10 rows in st st.
Change to Yarn C and work 8 rows in st st.
Next row K2tog, K to last 2 sts, k2tog. [38 sts]
Next row Purl.
Rep last 2 rows twice more. [34 sts]
Next row K2tog, K to last 2 sts, k2tog. [32 sts]
Next row P2tog, P to last 2 sts, p2tog. [30 sts]
Rep last 2 rows once more. [26 sts]
Next row K2tog, K to last 2 sts, k2tog. [24 sts]
Next row (P2tog) twice, P to last 4 sts, (p2tog) twice. [20 sts]
Next row (K2tog) twice, K to last 4 sts, (k2tog) twice. [16 sts]
Next row (P2tog) 3 times, P to last 6 sts, (p2tog) 3 times. [10 sts]
Next row (K2tog) twice, K to last 4 sts, (k2tog) twice. [6 sts]
Cast off.
Peg leg
With RS facing, count 2 sts in from RH edge of bottom of the stripy top. Using Yarn E and 3¼mm needles, pick up and knit 16 sts into the cast-on loops.
***Beg with a WS purl row, work st st for 6cm, ending with a RS row.
Next row (WS) (P2tog) twice, P to last 4 sts, (p2tog) twice. [12 sts]
Change to Yarn F and work 8 rows in st st.
Next row (RS) K2tog, K to last 2 sts, k2tog. [10 sts]
Work 3 rows in st st.
Next row K2tog, K to last 2 sts, k2tog. [8 sts]
Work 4 rows in st st.
Next row P2tog, P to last 2 sts, p2tog. [6 sts]
Work 2 rows in st st.
Next row K2tog, K to last 2 sts, k2tog. [4 sts]
Work 2 rows in st st.
Next row (P2tog) twice. [2 sts]
Cast off.
Boot leg
With RS facing, using Yarn E and 3¼mm needles and leaving a 2 st gap between the legs, pick up and knit 16 sts along the bottom of the stripy top, ending 2 sts before the end of the stripy top.
**Beg with a WS purl row, work st st for 6cm, or until you reach to top of the wooden leg, ending with a RS knit row.
Next row (WS) (P2tog) twice, P to last 4 sts, (p2tog) twice. [12 sts]
Change to Yarn D and work in st st for 6.5cm, ending with a WS purl row.
Next row (RS) K2tog, K to last 2 sts, k2tog. [10 sts]
Next row Purl.
Rep last 2 rows twice more. [6 sts]
Cast off purlwise.
Arms
With RS facing, using Yarn B and 3¼mm needles, count down 4 rows from bottom of Yarn A (head) section. Pick up and knit 12 sts along side of stripy top.
Beg with a WS purl row, work 3 rows in st st.
Change to Yarn C and work 4 rows in st st.
Change to Yarn B and work 4 rows in st st.
Rep last 8 rows until 4 Yarn B stripes and 3 Yarn C stripes have been worked in total.
Change to Yarn A and work 6 rows in st st.
Next row (RS) K2tog, K to last 2 sts, k2tog. [10 sts]
Next row (WS) Purl.
Next row K2tog, K to last 2 sts, k2tog. [8 sts]
Next row Purl.
Next row K2tog, K to last 2 sts, k2tog. [6 sts]
Cast off purlwise.
Rep with second arm on other side of body.
Pirate toy back
Body and head
Work as for Front Body and Head.
Boot leg
With RS facing, count 2 sts in from RH edge of bottom of the stripy top. Using Yarn E and 3¼mm needles pick up and knit 16 sts.
Work as for Front Boot Leg from **.
Peg leg
With RS facing, using Yarn E and 3¼mm needles and leaving a 2-st gap between the legs, pick up and knit 16 sts along the bottom of the stripy top, ending 2 sts before the end of the stripy top.
Work as for Front Peg Leg from ***.
Arms
Work as for Front.
Belt buckle
Cast on 12 sts using 3¼mm needles and Yarn G, leaving a long tail for sewing up later.
Knit 3 rows.
Next row K3, turn and place rem 9 sts on a holder.
Work 10 rows in garter st then place these 3 sts on a holder.
Next row Return 9 held sts to needle and rejoin yarn.
Cast off 6 sts, K to end. [3 sts]
Work 10 rows in g st.
Next row K3, cast 6 sts onto RH needle, K3 sts from holder. [12 sts]
Work 3 rows in g st.
Cast off.
Shoe buckle
Cast on 8 sts using 3¼mm needles and Yarn G, leaving a long tail for sewing up later.
Knit 1 row.
Next row K3, turn and place rem 5 sts on a holder.
Work 3 rows in garter st then place these sts on a holder.
Next row Return 5 held sts to needle and rejoin yarn.
Cast off 2 sts, K to end. [3 sts]
Work 2 rows in g st.
Next row K3, cast on 2 sts onto RH needle, K3 from holder.
Work 1 row in g st.
Cast off.
White headscarf spots (Make 10)
Cast on 10 sts using 3¼mm needles and Yarn B, leaving a long tail for sewing up later.
Cast off, knitting into the back of each st.
Roll the strips of knitting into round, flat circles and use the cast-on tail and a tapestry needle to secure the shape.
Headscarf tails (Make 2)
Cast on 2 sts using 3¼mm needles and Yarn C.
Row 1 (Kfb) twice. [4 sts]
Row 2 Kfb, P2, kfb. [6 sts]
Row 3 Kfb, K4, kfb. [8 sts]
Row 4 Kfb, P6, kfb. [10 sts]
Rows 5–7 Beg with a RS knit row, work 3 rows in st st.
Row 8 P2tog, P to last 2 sts, p2tog. [8 sts]
Row 9 Knit.
Row 10 P2tog, P to last 2 sts, p2tog. [6 sts]
Row 11 Knit.
Row 12 P2tog, P to last 2 sts, p2tog. [4 sts]
Row 13 Knit.
Row 14 (P2tog) twice. [2 sts]
Row 15 Knit.
Cast off.
To make up
Using Yarn G, sew the belt buckle to the belt and shoe buckle to the boot taking care to place them centrally.
Using Yarn B, sew the headscarf spots evenly across the headscarf, placing 5 on the front and 5 on the back.
With RS together, stitch around the outside edge of the doll leaving a 2.5cm opening for turning, using Yarns B and C throughout the striped sections and changing colour as necessary for the remaining sections.
Turn the doll RS out and stuff until plump before closing the hole.
Overlap the headscarf tails, both with RS facing forward and stitch together at the base – make sure the back one peeps out behind the front one.
Securely attach the headscarf tails to the side of the head using Yarn C.
Using Yarn D for the eyes and Pink for the nose and mouth, embroider the facial features using the photo as a guide.
Using Yarn F cut into 7.5cm lengths and the crochet hook, add the hair working around the bottom row of the headscarf from ear to ear by inserting the hook under one of the stitches, fold the yarn in half, allow the crochet hook to catch the middle loop and pull part-way through (under the stitch). Thread the loose ends of the yarn through the loop just pulled through and pull up tight. Repeat until the hair goes from ear to ear around the back of the head.
More like the pirate toy knitting pattern
Try our free toy dog knitting patterns and our premature baby kitting patterns for quick and cute knits. Learn new technique with our how to do finger knitting and how to French knit articles.
