This is a no-sew pattern knit in the round. The pattern involves knitting a few different pieces, but there is no sewing required to attach the pieces.

The initial intention of the pattern was to be a cat toy, but I have knit it on size 0 needles with fingering yarn to make fridge magnets and I have knit with jumbo yarn on size 15 needles to make a stuffed animal about 20” (50cm) long. (See photo showing lobsters on size 0, 3, 10, and 15 needles).

The pattern is written for magic loop or flexible DPNs, as instructions are split between the two needles. However, it can be knit on regular DPNs by simply ignoring the divider between instructions for the 2 needles.

This pattern includes many photos at various steps. I wouldn’t say it is beginner friendly, but I do think it could be good for someone who is just getting into intermediate difficulty knitting. This pattern uses lifted increases. M1R and M1L could be used instead, but I believe the lifted increases give a better result and are no more difficult to execute.

Materials Required:

• 30-40 yds worsted weight red yarn (or whatever you prefer!)
• A small amount of black yarn, crochet thread, etc. for eyes (or safety eyes, if appropriate for your situation)
• Size 3 circular needle (or size appropriate for your yarn) long enough for magic loop or flexible DPNs
• An extra size 3 or smaller knitting needle, stitch holder, cable needle, etc. (used to transfer stitches)
• 2 locking stitch markers (or other way to hold stitches temporarily)
• Tapestry / yarn needle
• Stuffing
• Catnip (if making as a cat toy) - I like to sew the catnip into small fabric pouches so loose catnip can’t fall out of the toy

Gauge:
Exact gauge is not important, as long as your gauge is tight enough not to allow the stuffing to come through. For cat toys, however, I recommend knitting at a tighter gauge than you usually would to minimize the risk of the toy unraveling, which could be dangerous for the cat (if they consume the yarn, it could cause a GI obstruction).

As a cat toy, I usually knit this pattern with worsted weight on size 3 needles, which results in a lobster ~6” (~15cm) long, excluding the antennas, and a nice tight fabric that doesn’t allow stuffing to show through. If you are a loose knitter, you may want to use size 2 or 2.5 needles. If you knit tightly, size 4 needles might be better.

This pattern is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may be shared with friends and family, but please do not share this pattern, or any portion of it, online. You may sell toys made with this pattern, but please provide credit (Designer: Shelley Honda, Ravelry: sbhonda, Etsy: BigShelleyCrafts) when doing so. If selling online, please provide a link to the pattern listing.

Note: Yarn cat toys can be dangerous and cause GI obstructions if consumed. Check your toys regularly for wear and tear and dispose of any toys that show signs of unraveling. Please be responsible and know your cat – if they have a tendency to rip apart toys and/or a liberal definition of “food,” decide accordingly whether you think it’s safe to leave them unattended with this toy.