How to Knit a Bat
Complete Size - 26cm width x 6cm height x 6cm depth
What you will need...
Total time - 1 Hour 40 Minutes Each Knitted Bat
3.25mm knitting needles (UK 10, US 3)
Double knitting yarn - dark brown, light brown, and white.
Sewing up needle
Toy stuffing / filling
Scissors
Before You Start...
Abbreviations
K = Knit P = Purl St = Stitch Sts = Stitches
Cast On - I use the thumb method.
St-st = stocking stitch. Alternating a row of knit stitches (right side), with a row of purl stitches (wrong side).
K2tog = Decrease by knitting two stitches together, making one stitch from two.
Inc = Increase - by knitting into the front and the back of the same stitch, to make two stitches out of one.
Sl2tog - Slip two stitches together from the left needle to the right.
p2sso - pass two slipped stitches over (over the knitted stitch).
Cast off - P wise. US - bind off.
B&t tightly - Break off yarn and thread yarn through the remaining stitches on needle, pull up tightly and fasten off.
TOP TIP
Great Halloween activity for children! Get them to have a go at knitting a wing, or help design a bat face; great for inspiration as well as a fun challenge for them. Red eyes, extra fangs, or a just a happy smiley bat - lots of options to personalise it.
How to Make it...
Made from a knitted body piece, two knitted wings, two knitted ear pieces and two small knitted fangs. All pieces are sewn together with a couple of eyes sewn on to complete the face.
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Body Piece
Make 1
Time - 30 Minutes
Size 4 cm x 6 cm
Needles 3.25 mm
Yarn Dark Brown
Cast on 4sts
P 1 row
Inc Kwise into every St (8sts)
P 1 row
Inc Kwise into every St (16sts)
P 1 row
Next row (K1, Inc Kwise) to the end (24sts)
Beginning with a P row st-st 17 rows
Next row (K1, K2tog) to the end (16sts)
P 1 row
Next row K2tog to the end (8sts)
B&t tightly
Left Wing
Make 1
Time - 20 Minutes Each
Size 11 cm x 3 cm
Needles 3.25 mm
Yarn Dark Brown
Cast on 28sts
K 1 Row
K2tog, K to end (27sts)
K 1 Row
K2tog, K10, K2tog twice, K11 (24sts)
K 1 Row
K2tog, K to end (23sts)
K 1 Row
K2tog, K6, K2tog twice, K11 (20sts)
K 1 Row
K2tog, K to end (19sts)
K 1 Row
Cast off
Right Wing
Make 1
Time - 20 Minutes Each
Size 11 cm x 3 cm
Needles 3.25 mm
Yarn Dark Brown
Cast on 28sts
K 1 Row
K until 2 sts remain, K2tog (27sts)
K 1 Row
K11, K2tog twice, K10, K2tog (24sts)
K 1 Row
K until 2 sts remain, K2tog (23sts)
K 1 Row
K11 , K2tog twice, K6, K2tog (20sts)
K 1 Row
K until 2sts remain, K2tog (19sts)
K 1 Row
Cast off
Ears
Make 2
Time - 5 Minutes Each
Size 3 cm x 3 cm Piece
Needles 3.25 mm
Yarn Dark Brown
Cast on 9sts
P 1 row
Continue in st-st 6 further rows, dec 1 st at the start of every row until 3sts remain (3sts)
sl2tog, K1, p2sso
Fangs!
Make 2
Time - 5 Minutes Each
Size 1cm x 2cm
Needles 3.25 mm
Yarn White
Cast on 3sts
Beginning with a P row, st-st 3 rows
Sl2tog, K1, p2sso
Piece it Together...
Sewing up time and sewing of facial features - Total of 20 Minutes
Ears, Body and Wings
Ears - With right side of st-st on the outside, fold ear piece in half along the line of the cast on edge, and oversew row ends.
Body - With right side of st-st on the outside, and beginning at cast-on edge, oversew row ends leaving a small gap at the top. Mattress stitch will leave a nice neat finish. Stuff with toy filling, then close the gap in the seam. Fasten off all loose ends.
Wings - Turning your body piece upside down, pin the wings either side of the body, leaving a distance of 5 clear knitted stitches from the seam. Sew wings in place from this underside (this will leave a neater finish from the top view.)
Facial Features
Sew on a couple of eyes to the front of the face, leaving 3 clear knitted stitches between them (when doing two eyes).
Pin each of the fangs to the face in the desired position, and sew into place at the top cast-on edge only, to allow it to protrude. Ensure all pins are removed when complete.
Finger-knit a length of around 15 cm if you wish to have a little hook for your bat - attach this to the middle at the top to allow him to fly around!
Make it Different...
There is always the other option of making things a little less scary - a happy flappy bat with a smile, or picking some other little knitted shapes to use as part of the face. Perhaps using knitted hearts for eyes, picking out some knitted emoji facial features, or using some other small knitted pieces from other knitting patterns - just mix and match.
Start your own little creepy critter collection - as well as a few bats with different faces, you can knit some other fangtastic friends such as the spooky spider. Adding a couple of pumpkins and knitted monsters can then complete your Halloween collection!
Behind the Scenes!
These patterns are all made up as I go along, learning from mistakes along the way. Every time I create a new pattern, I record it in the Updates part of this site (effectively my blog…) There is a story behind each creation, and this can help give you some more ideas and encouragement.
All done?
Feel free to share your successes or any other tips or suggestions by contacting me. If it's all gone swimmingly and you're ready for your next challenge, have a look at what to try next!