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A pair of woolly friends who exude rustic charm, Paul & Babe are happy to join your festivities. With mobile arms and legs, the pair can even hold hands; Paul’s hands are stitched to hold his ax or the hoof of his best pal. From Babe’s scarf to the plaid pattern on Paul’s shirt, this project has so many delightful details to fall in love with!

Difficulty Intermediate

Yarn Weight 4

Finished Size Paul: 18” tall, excluding pom-pom. Babe: 17” tall, excluding horns.

Yarn Knit Picks Wool of the Andes (100% Peruvian highland wool; 110 yd 101 m/ 1 ¾ oz 50 g): #25978 Whirlpool (light blue; MC) and #23764 Red (CC1), 2 skeins each; #23899 Sapphire Heather (medium blue; CC2), #28282 Peacoat (navy; CC3), #25072 Almond (light brown; CC4), and #25634 Merlot Heather (brown; CC5), 1 skein each.

Needles Size 4 (3.5 mm): set of double-pointed (dpn). Babe’s scarf only: Size 7 (4.5 mm): straight. Adjust needle size if necessary to obtain the correct gauge.

Notions Markers (m); removable m; fiberfill; quilter’s pins; tapestry needle; 2 ½“ piece of cardboard; Paul only: 2 black safety eyes size 8 mm; small stitch holder (or waste yarn); three ½” buttons; sewing needle and thread to attach buttons; 4” × 7” piece of 1⁄8” thick craft foam. Babe only: 2 black safety eyes size 10 mm; size G/6 (4 mm) crochet hook.

Gauge 23 sts and 32 rows = 4” in St st on smaller needles.

For techniques you don’t know, please visit our online knitting glossary.

NOTES

• Paul’s shirt is worked with narrow dark blue horizontal stripes, then chain stitch embroidery is used to make the vertical stripes. The body is worked from the top down, changing color for the pants. The head begins with the hat color then changes to brown yarn, with a patch added later on the front for the face. The hat ribbing is worked separately and sewn to the bottom edge of the hat then turned up. Two mustache pieces are worked separately and sewn to the face. The arms and legs are worked separately and sewn on. The axe is worked in two pieces and sewn together around a piece of craft foam cut to the axe head shape.

• Babe’s head is worked in the round from the top down, with a separate appliqué piece for the darker blue accent color. Babe’s body is worked in the round from the top down and sewn to the head. The legs and tail are worked separately and sewn to the body. The horns are worked separately and sewn to the head. The inner ears and outer ears are worked separately, sewn together, then attached to the head.

• The heart appliqués are worked separately and sewn on.

• To mask color jogs when changing from one color to another, work as follows: Work one round in the new color. At the beginning of the next round, use the right needle to pick up the old color stitch below the stitch on the left needle and place it onto the left needle next to the first stitch of the new color, knit these two stitches together, then continue with the new color.

• Exact gauge isn’t necessary for this project. It is more important to achieve a tight enough gauge that the fiberfill doesn’t show through after the pieces have been stuffed.