The amazing Amazon rainforest makes up over 40% of the planet’s remaining tropical forests and expands across 9 countries. It is a happy home to countless creatures.
Eight of the most iconic Amazonian animals have flocked together in this booklet of knitting patterns for your own AmaZoo: there’s the slumbering sloth, the genial giant anteater, the campy capybara, the thrilling toco toucan, the majestic, magnificent jaguar, the startling scarlet ibis, the bright blue poison dart frog and the terrific tapir.

Each animal measures 7 to 9 cm and is a fast, medium difficult project, that asks for only small amounts of yarns. So, these critters are a great project to use up any scraps you have lying around.

These animals were knitted flat on 1.25 mm double pointed needles (UK 18, US 0000) in Scheepjes Maxi Sweet Treat. All can be done in heavier yarn, on thicker needles and the animals will turn our somewhat larger.

The AmaZoo makes a splendid set of hanging ornaments (in this case a crib mobile) or a cute playset and is a fun way to practise and play around with different knitting techniques, such as making i-cords, short rows, loop stitches (explained in the pattern) and some basic crocheting (chain stitches) and embroidery.

Soft toy filling was used to fill the animals, the eyes can be done in French knots or with small beads and the branches were strengthened with a partial skewer.

When beads and sticks are used, make sure the animal stays out of reach of small children!

Stitching together the animals, stuffing them and kneading them into shape can be a little fiddly and takes a bit of time and patience, but the end result will be worth it!

Have an amazon knit! Viv