How to Knit a Unicorn
Complete Size – 19cm length x 6cm width x 21cm height
What you will need…
Total time – 6 Hours 35 Minutes Each Knitted Unicorn
4mm knitting needles (UK 8, US 6)
Double knitting yarn – Cream, pink, blue, purple and sparkly silver
Sewing up needle
Scissors
Toy filling/stuffing
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.
ssk = ‘slip, slip, knit’. 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.
Cast off – K wise or P wise according to pattern. US – bind off.
B&t tightly – Break off yarn and thread yarn through the remaining stitches on needle, pull up tightly and fasten off.
Sl2tog – Slip two stitches together from the left needle to the right.
p2sso – pass two slipped stitches over (over the knitted stitch).
TOP TIPS
There are lots of variations of this so take a look at ‘Make it Different’ below to help you choose your design before you get started.
Use up some old oddments of yarn for the tail and the main. Different brands of yarn for each colour means that some of the pieces might be bigger/smaller than expected but shouldn’t make too much of a difference.
When sewing up the unicorn horn, begin at the tip and work down towards the cast on edge. This will allow you to stuff it more easily, as you go along.
How to Make it…
Made from one knitted body piece, one knitted head piece, one knitted neck piece, one knitted horn piece, four knitted leg pieces, and two knitted ear pieces. Six small knitted lengths are needed in total to make up the tail, and a further seven variable knitted lengths to form the mane. All pieces are sewn together with added stitching for the facial features and buttock detailing.
Body Piece
Make 1
Time – 65 Minutes
Piece Size 16 cm x 13 cm
Needles 4 mm
Yarn Cream
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)
P 1 row
Next row (K2, Inc Kwise) to the end (32sts)
Beginning with a P row st-st 9 rows
Next row (K2, K2tog) to the end (24sts)
Beginning with a P row st-st 5 rows
Next row (K2, Inc Kwise) to the end (32sts)
Beginning with a P row st-st 9 rows
Next row (K2, K2tog) to the end (24sts)
P 1 row
Next row (K1, K2tog) to the end (16sts)
P 1 row
Next row K2tog to the end (8sts)
B&t tightly
Head Piece
Make 1
Time – 60 Minutes
Piece Size 15 cm x 9 cm
Needles 4 mm
Yarn Cream
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)
P 1 row
Next row (K2, Inc Kwise) to the end (32sts)
Beginning with a P row st-st 5 rows
K11, ssk, K6, K2tog, K11 (30sts)
P 1 row
K11, ssk, K4, K2tog, K11 (28sts)
P 1 row
K11, ssk, K2, K2tog, K11 (26sts)
Beginning with a P row st-st 5 rows
K2, (K2tog, K2) to end (20sts)
P 1 row
Next row K2 (K2tog, K1) to end (14sts)
P 1 row
Next row K2tog to end (7sts)
B&t tightly
Neck
Make 1
Time – 10 Minutes
Piece Size 9 cm x 3 cm
Needles 4 mm
Yarn Cream
Begin at bottom of neck and using cream yarn, cast on 20sts
Beginning with a P row st-st 5 Rows
Cast off Kwise
Horn
Make 1
Time – 5 Minutes
Piece Size 3 cm x 4 cm
Needles 4 mm
Yarn Sparkly Silver
Cast on 7sts
Beginning with a P row st-st 3 rows
Next row K1, K2tog, K1, K2tog, K1 (5sts)
Beginning with a P row st-st 3 rows
Next row K2tog, K1, K2tog (3sts)
sl2tog, K1, p2sso and fasten off
Legs
Make 4
Time – 15 Minutes Each
Piece Size 6.5 cm x 7.5 cm
Needles 4 mm
Yarn Cream and Sparkly Silver
Begin at top of leg and using cream yarn, cast on 11sts
Beginning with a P row st-st 15 Rows
Break of yarn and join on sparkly silver
(K1, inc Kwise) 5 times (up until penultimate st), K1 (16sts)
Beginning with a P row st-st 3 rows
Next row K2tog to end (8sts)
B&t tightly
Tail
Make 6 Separate Pieces for each Tail
Time – 5 Minutes Per Piece
Piece Size 7 cm x 1 cm
Needles 4 mm
Yarn Colour Pink, Purple, Blue
Knit 6 pieces of the following – 2 of each colour yarn
Cast on 16sts
Cast off Pwise
Ear Piece
Make 2
Time – 5 Minutes Each
Piece Size 4 cm x 2 cm
Needles 4 mm
Yarn Cream
Cast on 8sts
Beginning with a P row st-st 3 rows
K2tog, K1, K2tog, K1, K2tog (5sts)
B&t tightly
Mane
Make 7 Separate Pieces for each Mane
Time – 5 Minutes Per Piece
Piece Size Variable 2.5-7cm x 1 cm
Needles 4 mm
Yarn Colour Pink, Purple, Blue
Cast on the correct number of stitches according to the following lengths.
2 lengths in pink, casting on 6sts
1 length in pink, casting on 12sts
1 length in blue, casting on 12sts
1 length in pink, casting on 14sts
1 length in purple, casting on 14sts
1 length in pink, casting on 16sts
Cast off Pwise
Piece it Together…
Sewing-up time – Total of 1 Hour 45 Minutes
Stitching of facial features – Total of 15 Minutes
Sewing Up
Body Piece – With right side of st-st on the outside, beginning at cast-on edge, gather up cast on stitches and continue to sew across row ends up to the B&t end, leaving this end open. Mattress stitch will leave a nice neat finish. Stuff firmly, once again leaving open for now.
Tail – Sew together all tail pieces at one end to make a single bunch. Pin this completed tail in position just above the B&t end of body as left open above, and sew into place. (This will allow loose ends to be easily fastened off inside.) Pull up body end tightly and fasten off.
Legs – With right side of st-st on the outside, beginning at foot, pull up tightly and continue to sew across row ends up to the cast-on edge, leave this cast-on edge open. Mattress stitch will leave a nice neat finish. Stuff firmly and then leave open.
Place legs onto body into position and sew the open end of the legs into place. Fasten off all other loose ends.
Buttock Detailing – This is a good time to add on any desired buttock detailing. Waiting until this point ensures it will lie in the correct position. I have stitched on three small pink stars.
Head – With right side of st-st on the outside, beginning at cast-on edge, gather up cast-on stitches and continue to sew across row ends up to the B&t nose end. Ideally use mattress stitch once again. Stuff firmly and then pull up tightly and fasten off.
Ears – With right side of st-st on the outside, fold the ear piece in half, across the cast-on edge. Oversew across row ends, down towards the cast-on edge.
Pin the ear pieces either side of the head, lying them flat against the head, pointing forwards. Oversew the ear cast-on/cast-off edges onto the headpiece. This sewing from the rear of the ear allows a neater look from the front view.
Facial Features – Place completed horn into position at the front top of the completed head piece as shown, and sew into place. Leave a long end to allow you to continue as below to complete the facial stitching.
Using sparkly silver yarn, stitch a nose on centrally to the front of the face. Continue to stitch on eyes and mouth as shown in the picture or as per your desired facial expression. Fasten off all loose ends.
Mane – Sew on the mane pieces individually to allow correct positioning. Fasten just the row ends of these pieces to allow the rest of the mane piece to dangle freely. Begin by sewing on the two shorter ‘forelock’ pieces just behind the horn to allow them to dangle forwards. Pin the next three mane pieces in the sequence (pink, purple and pink, as shown in the picture, and sew these ends into place, centrally to the top/rear of the unicorn’s head. Fasten off these loose ends and leave this completed head to one side while the neck is sewn as follows. You should still have two remaining mane pieces to attach to the neck later on.
Neck – With right side of st-st on the outside, beginning at cast-on edge, sew across row ends. Pin the open cast-off edge to the base of the head, with the row-end seam lying at the top, in-line with the sewn-on mane pieces.
Stuff firmly and sew the remaining two mane pieces to the seam of the completed neck, in line with the mane pieces on the head. (See picture.)
Pin this completed neck/head to the front of the completed body of the unicorn, allowing the neckline to flow smoothly with the front of the body. Sew into place and fasten off all loose ends.
Ensure all pins are removed when completed.
Make it Different…
There are lots of colour variations possible for your unicorn – both for the body, mane, tail, added buttock detailing, and facial features. Varying shades of pink would go well, and definitely more practical than cream!
Experiment with some different facial features to give him your own bit of character. Sleeping, winking, surprised…! Instead of a silver nose, you may also wish to sew on a small button.
Increase the number of cast-on stitches for the tail and mane pieces if you would like to make them a little longer.
The mane can be made to fall one side as above, however, doubling the length of these (doubling the number of cast-on stitches) may allow them to flop either side of the unicorn when fixed centrally. This will allow the mane to be seen from both side views.
The legs could have small rice/weighted bags sewn into the bottoms to make him more sturdy.
Buttock detailing optional! I have done a few stars, but a heart or flower can be embroidered on if you fancy a bit of detailing.
Maybe even add a rainbow accessory for your unicorn – perhaps as a little blanket cover (as shown in the picture.) A pretty bow tied around his neck can also complete him as a handmade gift.
Smaller needles to make him a bit smaller but give thicker stronger feel. 3.25mm needles makes the size similar to the knitted reindeer. Making one in this size as well as the one as above, would make a perfect little mum and baby unicorn set.
This basic pattern may also be used to make a horse other similar-looking animals, using other colours, and omitting the horn. Your little ones may also appreciate a knitted rainbow to complete a magical bedroom!
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!