Oscar - KNITTING

The perfect challenge to get rid of the awful green eyelash yarn abandoned so sadly in my stash. Here is Oscar! He is rather grouchy...

Here's how to make your very own Oscar!

Yarn
2 balls of Salsa/ Brazilian in Lime Green (I don’t know if this is still available, but you’ll find something that will work, I’m sure)
1-2 hank of Cascade 220 in Grey Tweed
1 ball of Lion Brand Microspun in Black
1 ball of Lion Brand Microspun in Fuschia
1 ball of Lion Brand Wool-Ease in Grey (if you don’t want to get two of Cascade 220)
A bit of Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick in Taupe

Needles
Size 10.5 (6.5 mm) straight needles
Size 10.5 (6.5 mm) double pointed needles (4 or 5)
Size 15 (10 mm) circular needle (16”)
Size 6 (4 mm) straight needles
Size H (5 mm) crochet hook

Notions
Googly eyes
Tapestry needle
Glue
Grey sewing thread and needle
Polyester fiberfill

Pattern

Head

Work back and forth with 2 strands of Salsa held together, using 10.5 straight needles.

CO 20
Work 8 rows of garter st.

Increase section (work increases by knitting into each strand of the stitch)
R1: *K2, K both strands. Repeat from * across. (26 st)
R2: K
R3: *K2, K both strands. Repeat from * across. (35 st)
R4: K
R5: *K4, K both strands. Repeat from * across. (42 st)
R6: K
R7: (Mouth opening) K13, BO 16, K13.
R8: K13, CO 16, K13.
R9-12: K
R13: (eye indent decreases) K16, K3tog, K4, K3tog, K16.
R14-16: K
R17: (eye indent increases) K16, K 1st strand of next st f&b, K 2nd strand of st, K4, K 1st strand of next st, K 2nd strand of st f&b, K16.
R18: K
R19: *K4, K2tog. Repeat from * across. (35 st)
R20: K
R21: *K2, K2tog. Repeat from * across. (27 st)
R22: K
R23: *K2, K2tog. Repeat from * across. (21 st)
R24: K
R25: *K1, K2tog. Repeat from * across. (14 st)
R26: *K2tog. Repeat from * across. (7 st)
R27: *K2tog. Repeat from * across. K1. (4 st)

Break yarn, thread needle, draw yarn through last 4 st. Use the tail of the yarn to sew up the back of the head, leaving the neck open to attach to body.

Mouth

Work back and forth following chart in st st using Lion Brand Microspun in black and fuschia with size 6 needles.

With black: CO 8
R1: Kf&b, P6, Kf&b. (10 st)
R2: Kf&b, K8, Kf&b. (12 st)
R3: Kf&b, P10, Kf&b. (14 st)
R4: Kf&b, K12, Kf&b. (16 st)
R5: Kf&b, P14, Kf&b. (18 st)
R6: Kf&b, K16, Kf&b. (20 st)
R7: P across.
R8: Kf&b, K18, Kf&b. (22 st)
R9: P across.
R10: Kf&b, K20, Kf&b. (24 st)
R11: P across.
R12 (middle row): K across.
R13 (begin following color chart): P across.
R14: K2tog, K20, K2tog. (22 st)
R15: P across.
R16: K2tog, K18, K2tog. (20 st)
R17: P across.
R18: K2tog, K16, K2tog. (18 st)
R19: P2tog, P14, P2tog. (16 st)
R20: K2tog, K12, K2tog. (14 st)
R21: P2tog, P10, P2tog. (12 st)
R22: K2tog, K8, K2tog. (10 st)
R23: P2tog, P6, P2tog. (8 st)
BO.

Break yarn, weave in ends. With black end nearest bottom of tongue, weave up the center of tongue to create a line.

Using one strand of Salsa, whipstitch the mouth into the hole in the head.

Body
Work in the round in st st using 2 strands of Salsa held together with 10.5 dpns.

CO 20, join to work in the round.
K around for 2 inches (I did 3” and it’s just too long…).
Next row: *Kf&b. Repeat from * across.
Next row: K around.
Next row: *K2, Kf&b. Repeat from * across.
K around until almost out of yarn, leaving enough to bind off and sew any remaining seams.
BO.

Head finishing
Lightly stuff the head to see how it will be shaped. Glue googly eyes into the indented place above the mouth. Let dry completely. If you are giving this to kids, use eyes that you can sew on tightly instead of gluing.

To make eyebrows, cut about a 1’ strand of Wool-Ease Thick & Quick. Pull the two plies of the yarn apart. Gently pull each of these plies apart. Hold all four pieces together, and thread the tapestry needle. Beginning at the outer corner of one eye, leave a few-inch-long tail and loosely whipstitch across the top of the eye to create an eyebrow. End in between the eyes. Pull the end of the yarn back through all stitches created. Do the same with the tail at the beginning. Repeat for the other eye. Fluff up the eyebrows by pulling the wool apart a bit more. Make sure to place the eyebrows correctly or they look ridiculous, as I found out. ?

Sew the head to the body at the neck parts of each.

The head is shaped in three places: 1) to pull the eyes into the head to make him look grumpier. 2) to pull the back of the mouth in so it doesn’t pop out when stuffed. 3) to pull the chin down on the neck so he isn’t looking upward. To do each of these shapings, thread a tapestry needle with about a foot of one strand of Salsa for 1 and 3, or with grey wool-ease for 2. For shaping 1) stab the bottom of the head leaving a tail, push it through to where the nose would be, grab a couple of stitches, and push it back down to the starting place. Pull until the eyes are as far into the head as you like, tie a knot, weave in the ends. For shaping 2) stab the back of the head in the same way, grab a strand of mouth yarn, stab it back out and tie a knot. For shaping 3) grab a couple of stitches from both the chin and the neck and tie them together. These instructions probably don’t make sense, but it will be ok if you don’t do them.

Arms (make 2)

Work back and forth in St st with 2 strands of Salsa held together using size 10.5 straight needles.

CO 20
R1: BO 5, P15.
R2: K15, CO5.
Repeat rows 1&2 four more times.
BO 20.

Break yarn. With the yarn end nearest the fingers, weave through a finger until yarn is at the wrist. Draw the end through both sides of the wrist to make a cylinder with the purl side out. Tie a knot. Finish weaving in ends.

Garbage Can

Work in the round in K4 P4 rib using Cascade 220 with size 15 circular needles.

CO 48, join to work in the round.
K 2 rounds.
Next row: *K5, Kf&b. Repeat from * across. (56 st)
Next row: *K5, P2, K1. Repeat from * across.
Next row: *K4, P4. Repeat from * across.
Repeat this row until garbage can measures about 11.”
Next row: *K5, P2, K1. Repeat from * across.
K 2 rounds.
BO.

Put in a zippered pillowcase. Throw in the washing machine with some jeans to felt it. (Don’t over-felt or he won’t fit inside!) Pull to shape, let dry.

Garbage Can Bottom

Use grey Wool-Ease and a size H crochet hook. You can use Cascade 220 if you’d like.

Make a loop of yarn.
Sc 6 stitches into the loop, sl st to join in the round. Pull the loop to get rid of the hole.
*Sc in next st, 2 sc in next st. Repeat from * around.
*Sc in next two sts, 2 sc in next st. Repeat from * around.
Continue crocheting around like this, increasing by sc 2 st in a stitch to keep it flat, until the circle is the same size as the bottom of the garbage can.

Using one strand of whatever yarn used to crochet it, whipstitch to the bottom of the can.

Finishing

Stuff the head, body and garbage can. Using the sewing needle and thread, sew the body to the inside of the can. Using one strand of Salsa, sew the arms to the sides of the body. Shape, and enjoy!