Cast-on our free sheep knitting pattern for spring!

Meet Shula – Ann Franklin's sheep knitting pattern! Knitted in a combination of bramble stitch and garter stitch, she's a real cutie and the perfect spring project.

Shula is created using 4ply and aran-weight Shetland wools from Jamieson & Smith to create a truly special finish – ideal for gift making. Bramble stitch is easier to work than you think: you just work two knit stitches and a yarn forward into one stitch.

Keep scrolling to find our free sheep knitting pattern.

Your sheep knitting pattern: What you need

Jamieson & Smith Shetland Aran Worsted (Aran weight, 100% Shetland wool, 50g/61m balls)
1 ball in Snaa White (25g required)

Jamieson & Smith 2ply Jumper Weight (4ply weight, 100% Shetland wool, 25g/15m balls)
1 ball in Brown (shade 143)
Plus a scrap of fine yarn in cream

1 pair 2.75mm (UK 12/US 2) knitting needles
1 pair 4mm (UK 8/US 6) knitting needles
150g of toy stuffing

Tension

28 sts and 56 rows to measure 10x10cm (4in) using 2.75mm needles

Abbreviations

pfkb: purl into the front and knit into the back of the next stitch.
P3tog: purl the next 3 stitches together (3 sts reduced to 1 st).
MB: make bramble: (K1, yf, K1) all into next st.
B&T: break & thread: break the wool and thread the tail onto a tapestry needle. Thread the wool end through the sts on the knitting needle, then take the sts off the needle and pull the tail up to tighten the sts into a circle.

Head over to our knitting abbreviations page for more useful terms.

Your free sheep knitting pattern

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Sheep knitting pattern: How to make the body

Using 4mm needles and Jamieson & Smith Shetland Aran in Snaa White, cast on 9 sts.
Row 1 (WS): (Kfb) to the end of the row. 18 sts
Row 2 (RS): P1, (P1, pfkb) eight times, P1. 26 sts
Row 3: K1, (MB, P3tog) to the last st, K1.
Row 4: P1, (P2, pfkb) eight times, K1. 34 sts
Row 5: K1, (P3tog, MB) to the last st, K1.
Row 6: P1, (P3, pfkb) eight times, P1. 42 sts
Row 7: As Row 3.
Row 8: P1, (P4, pfkb) eight times, P1. 50 sts
Row 9: as Row 5.
Row 10: P1, (P5, pfkb) eight times, P1. 58 sts
Row 11: as Row 3.
Row 12: P1, (P6, pfkb) eight times, P1. 66 sts
Row 13: As Row 5.
Row 14: Purl.
Row 15: As Row 3.
Row 16: Purl.
Row 17: As Row 5.
Rows 14–17 set the Bramble Stitch (MB) pattern. Continue in Bramble Stitch (MB), work a further 18 rows.
Row 36: P1, (P6, P2tog) eight times, P1. 58 sts
Row 37: As Row 5.
Row 38: P1, (P5, P2tog) eight times, P1. 50 sts
Row 39: As Row 3.
Row 40: P1, (P4, P2tog) eight times, P1. 42 sts
Row 41: As Row 5.
Row 42: P1, (P3, P2tog) eight times, P1. 34 sts
Row 43: As Row 3.
Row 44: P1, (P2, P2tog) eight times, P1. 26 sts
Row 45: Knit.
Row 46: P1, (P1, P2tog) eight times, p1. 18 sts
Row 47: (K2tog) to the end of the row. 9 sts.
B&T.

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Sheep knitting pattern: Making the tail

Using 4mm needles and Jamieson & Smith Shetland Aran in Snaa White, cast on 5 sts.
Knit 12 rows.
B&T.

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Sheep knitting pattern: Legs

(Make 4 the same)
Using 2.75mm needles and Jamieson & Smith 2ply Jumper Weight in Brown, cast on 24 sts.
Knit 14 rows.
Row 15: (K2, kfb) to the end of the row. 32 sts
Knit 11 rows.
Row 27: (K2, K2tog) to the end of the row. 24 sts
Row 28: Knit.
Row 29: (K1, K2tog) to the end of the row. 16 sts
Row 30: Knit.
Row 31: (K2tog) to the end of the row. 8 sts
Row 32: Knit.
B&T.

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Sheep knitting pattern: How to make Shula's head

Using 2.75mm needles and Jamieson & Smith 2ply Jumper Weight in Brown, cast on 10 sts.
Row 1: (Kfb) to the end of the row. 20 sts
Row 2 & every alt row: Knit.
Row 3: (K1, kfb) to the end of the row. 30 sts
Row 5: (K2, kfb) to the end of the row. 40 sts
Row 7: (K3, kfb) to the end of the row. 50 sts
Row 9: (K4, kfb) to the end of the row. 60 sts
Knit 11 rows.
Row 21: (K4, K2tog) to the end of the row. 50 sts
Knit 7 rows.
Row 29: Cast off 6 sts, knit to the end of the row. 44 sts
Mark the beginning of this row.
Row 30: Cast off 6 sts, knit to the end of the row. 38 sts
Mark the beginning of this row.
Row 31: Cast off 2 sts, knit to the end of the row. 36 sts
Row 32: Cast off 2 sts, knit to the end of the row. 34 sts
Row 33: K2tog, knit to the last 2 sts, K2tog. 32 sts
Row 34: Knit.
Repeat Rows 33 and 34 until 20 sts remain, ending with a Row 34.
Row 47: (K2tog) to the end of the row. 10 sts.
B&T.

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Sheep knitting pattern: How to make the ears

(Make 2 the same)
Using 2.75mm needles and Jamieson & Smith 2ply Jumper Weight in Brown, cast on 6 sts.
Knit 2 rows.
Row 3: Kfb, K4, kfb. 8 sts
Row 4: Knit.
Row 5: Kfb, K6, kfb. 10 sts
Row 6: Knit.
Row 7: Kfb, K8, kfb. 12 sts
Knit 5 rows.
Row 13: K2tog, K8, K2tog. 10 sts
Row 14: Knit.
Row 15: K2tog, K6, K2tog. 8 sts
Row 16: Knit.
Row 17: K2tog, K4, K2tog. 6 sts
Row 18: Knit.
Row 19: K2tog, K2, K2tog. 4 sts
Row 20: Knit.
Row 21: (K2tog) twice. 2 sts
Row 22: K2tog to cast off.

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Eyeballs

(Make 2 the same)
Using 2.75mm needles and fine yarn in natural/white, cast on 12 sts.
Row 1: Knit.
Row 2: (K2tog) to the end of the row. 6 sts.
B&T.

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Pupils

(Make 2 the same)
Using 2.75mm needles and Jamieson & Smith 2ply Jumper Weight in Brown, cast on 8 sts.
B&T.

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Making up your sheep knitting pattern

Body
Sew a running stitch across the cast-on stitches and pull these up to close the cast-on edge into a tight circle. Join the main seam, leaving a small gap for stuffing and turning. Turn and stuff firmly. Close the gap.

Tail
Sew the B&T end to the centre back of the body, (the opposite end of the body to the flat portion/cast-off end).

Legs
Join the seam, leaving the cast-on edge open. Stuff the legs firmly, and sew onto the base of the body, two on each side of the body’s main seam.

Head
Using brown yarn, sew a running stitch around the edge of the flat portion of the front of the body (Rows 44 – 47) to mark where to attach the head. Sew a running stitch through the cast-on stitches and pull these up to close the cast-on edge onto a tight circle. Join the remainder of the seam to the marked rows.
Stuff the head firmly, and sew the open edges onto the body, using brown yarn add a running stitch as a guide for positioning, having the B&T (cast-off) sts at the centre top.

Ears
Fold the ear in half lengthways, and sew across the cast-on edge, leaving all other edges open. Sew the cast-on edge of the ears to the head, following the line of where the head meets the body, and having the open edges of the ears facing downwards and centre fold at the top. The top of the ears should be about 3.5cm (1½in) apart.

Eyes
Sew the side edges of the eyeballs and pupils to create flat circles. Sew the eyeballs on either side of the head, about 5 sts apart, and about 4.5cm (1¾in) down from where the top of the head meets the body. Sew the pupils on top of the eyeballs. Using brown yarn, sew a few stitches running from one eyeball to the next, pulling these stitches up slightly to pull the eyes closer together and to shape the face. The eyes will now be about 1.5cm (¾in) apart.

Mouth & Nostrils
Using fine cream yarn, sew 2 long daisy stitches for nostrils on either side and above the circle of cast off centre stitches of the head. The nostrils should be slanted so that the top of the nostrils are about 2.5cm (1in) apart, whilst the bottom of the nostrils are 1cm (½in) apart.
Using the same yarn, sew a wide mouth in running stitch, following the third row around the cast-on stitches to help create the shape.

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Celebrate spring with our bouncy sheep toy

Ann Franklin’s Shula Sheep knitting pattern will make a lovely gift for friends and family this Easter, or a springtime decoration for your home.

It’s a great stashbuster project, as it doesn’t require much yarn - why not make yourself a whole flock!

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Make charming spring decorations with Gathered

Create a pretty decor with our free knitted Easter Egg pattern.