My goal with this project is to use up leftover bits of yarn from other projects that remain in my stash. So I’m starting my mouse collection with a mouse made from leftover chroma. I have some leftover worsted, aran and a lot of leftover sock yarn for this project. I am making little changes to the mouse as I go along and once I finalize my version, I’ll add it to the project.
Mouse 1: Worsted, 15 grams knitpicks chroma (leftover from Galapagos), US 3.0 (3.25 mm). This is a long nosed mouse.
Mouse 2: Worsted, 15 grams MadelineTosh Vintage (leftover from Winter Slouchy Chemo Cap), US 3.0 (3.25 mm). This is a short nosed mouse.
Mouse 3: Worsted, 16 grams FrogTree Pediboo Worsted (leftover from Winter Chemo Cap), US 3.0 (3.25 mm). This mouse is a medium nosed mouse. This yarn is a heavier worsted weight.
Mouse 4: Worsted, 16 grams FrogTree Pediboo worsted (leftover from Winter Chemo Cap), US 3.0 (3.25 mm). This is a medium nosed mouse with a 6” tail.
Mouse 5: Fingering, 7 grams MadelineTosh Sock in Amaranth (leftover from Amaranth Skew), US 1.0 (2.25 mm). This is a medium nose mouse with a 4” tail.
Mouse 6: Fingering, 5 grams MadelineTosh Sock in Amaranth (leftover from Amaranth Skew), US 1.0 (2.25 mm). This is a short nose mouse with a 4 1/2” tail.
Mouse 7: Fingering, 6 grams MadelineTosh Sock in Amaranth (leftover from Amaranth Skew), US 1.0 (2.25 mm). This is a short, pointy nose mouse with a 4 1/2” tail.
Mouse 8: Fingering, 6 grams Pico Accuardi superwash merino (leftover from Animal Arithmetic), US 1.0 (2.25mm). This is a short, pointy nose mouse with a 4 1/2” tail.
Mouse 9: Fingering, 5 grams Pico Accuardi superwash merino (leftover from Animal Arithmetic), US 1.0 (2.25mm). This is a short, pointy nose mouse with a 4 3/4” tail. I also put a bell in this one to test sound levels. The bell is really muffled.
Mouse 10: Fingering, 5 grams Pico Accuardi superwash merino (leftover from Animal Arithmetic), US 1.0 (2.25mm). This is a short, pointy nose mouse with a 4 1/2” tail.
Mouse 11: Fingering, 7 grams Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sock Multi (leftover from Bog Sock with Ruffles, Watercolor Bed Socks and Watercolor Mitts), US 1.0 (2.25mm). This mouse uses 3 increases instead of 4 from the tail.
Mouse 12: Fingering, 5 grams Pico Accuardi superwash merino (leftover from Animal Arithmetic), US 1.0 (2.25mm). This is a short, pointy nose mouse with a 4 1/2” tail. I shortened this one up by about 3 rows. The nose doesn’t curve as much.
Mouse 13: Fingering, 5 grams Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sock Multi (leftover from Bog Sock with Ruffles, Watercolor Bed Socks and Watercolor Mitts), US 1.0 (2.25mm). This mouse finalizes the shorter version knit in Mouse 11 with a 4” tail.
Mouse 14: Fingering, 4 grams Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sock Multi (leftover from Bog Sock with Ruffles, Watercolor Bed Socks and Watercolor Mitts), US 1.0 (2.25mm). This is a short mouse with a 4” tail.
Mouse 15: Fingering, 5 grams Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sock Multi (leftover from Bog Sock with Ruffles, Watercolor Bed Socks and Watercolor Mitts), US 1.0 (2.25mm). This is a short mouse with a 4” tail.
Mouse 16: Fingering, 4 grams Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sock Multi (leftover from Bog Sock with Ruffles, Watercolor Bed Socks and Watercolor Mitts), US 1.0 (2.25mm). This is a short mouse with a 4” tail.
Mouse 17: Fingering, 5 grams Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sock Multi (leftover from Bog Sock with Ruffles, Watercolor Bed Socks and Watercolor Mitts), US 1.0 (2.25mm). This is a short mouse with a 4” tail. I’m using an ssk equivalent for the second snout decrease.
Mouse 18: Fingering, 5 grams Red Heart Heart and Sole (leftover from an earlier pair of socks, balls are different lots so they can’t be used for mitts), US 1.0 (2.25mm). This is a short mouse with a 4” tail. I’m using an ssk equivalent for the second snout decrease.
Mouse 19 & 20: Fingering, ??? grams Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sock Multi (leftover from Bog Sock with Ruffles, Watercolor Bed Socks and Watercolor Mitts), US 1.0 (2.25mm). This is a short mouse with a 4” tail. I’m using an ssk equivalent for the second snout decrease.
Mouse 21: Red Heart heart & sole, 5 grams each
My Version Short Mouse with Pointy Nose
I will blog about this with pictures at some point to make this easier.
Tail
Using provisional cast on, cast on 4 stitches onto one needle. Knit Icord for 4 1/2 (5 1/2) inches using a US 1.0 (3.0) needle. (remove provisional cast on, thread tail through loops and pull tight.) Weave in end once mouse is complete.
Bottom
Move first 2 stitches to a second needle to set up for knitting in the round. Round 1: (KFB, PM)* (8 stitches). Rounds 2 & 3: (K to 1 stitch before marker, KFB), repeat to end (12 stitches). Round 4: (K to 1 stitch before marker, KFB), repeat to end. Round 5: K to end. Repeat rounds 4 & 5 a total of 4 times, then repeat round 1 one more time (36 stitches)
Body
Reset start of round by shifting the last 2 stitches on needle 2 to needle one and by shifting the last 2 stitches on needle 1 to needle 2. (Note this can be done later, but it is simpler to handle this before the marker reset.) Knit 8 rounds in stockinette.
<p>
Reset markers so that there are 10 stitches between start of needle and first marker, 13 stitches to second marker and 13 stitches to end of second needle. (3 sections). Round 21: (K2tog, K to M, SM), repeat from ( to ) 2 more times. Rounds 22-24: Knit. Rounds 25-32: Repeat rounds 21-24. Rounds 33-35: Repeat rounds 21-23. Rounds 36 & 37: Repeat round 21 & 22. (21 stitches, 5 stitches from start to first marker, 8 stitches between marker 1 & 2, 8 stitches between marker 2 and end of needle 2).
Snout
Round 38: K to M, SM, SSK, K to M, SM, K to last 2 stitches, K2tog. Round 39: K. Rounds 40-44: Repeat round 38. Shift first stitch from section 1 to the end of needle 2 & knit this stitch. Move the last stitch of secion 1 to section 2. stitches are now arranged as follows (3 - 3 - 3). Rounds 45 & 45. Repeat round 38. Repeat stitch shift so that stitches are now arranged as follows (1 - 2 - 2). Repeat round 38. 3 stitches remain. Cut yarn leaving an 8” tail; weave through loops and draw tight. Weave in ends.
Ears
Knit 2 per pattern directions. Thread tail through 10 loops twice and pull tight. Take starting tail and weave it through the cast on end. Use this to help shape the outside edge of the ear.
Finishing
Sew on ears, stitch eyes and nose in contrast color.
Finishing Notes
-
I run the nose yarn tail through the 3 loops several times before weaving the tail into the mouse. This gives the nose more structure.
-
I use a skinny double point needle to determine the placement of my ears. I thread the double point through the mouse. Where the needle enters and exits marks my ear locations. I stitch the ears in on one stitch (this way I can still pull the ear out if its wrong) and then determine the placement of the eyes with old-fashioned ball-headed straight pins (the ones with the colored balls on them). I then finish stitching in the ears along a single line of stitches & weave in the ends.
-
I cut a 24” length of black sock yarn for my eyes and nose. I wrap the stitch at the eye position 3 - 4 times and if I want more dimension I wrap the eye wrap stitches 2-3 times. I run the yarn through the mouse to the second eye and repeat the process. I then run the yarn to come out at the nose. I wrap the yarn around the nose tip from top to bottom 3-4 times and then wrap the wraps 3 to 4 times to give the nose dimension. I then weave the tail through the mouse.