NINJA AMIGURUMI (FREE KNITTING PATTERN)
My son Drew is constantly begging me to knit something for him. My daughter has an endless collection of handmade toys but I’ve always found it far more challenging to come up with ideas suitable for a 10-year-old boy. One afternoon while watching Drew practice his ninja moves on his little sister, inspiration hit.
Excerpted with permission from Knitwits
by Katie Boyette, published by Sellers Publishing. Image by Katie Boyette.
Materials:
-2 skeins (300 yds) Cascade 220 number 8555 (black) or Cascade 220 number 8895 (red) -1 set US 7 (4.5 mm) double pointed needles -Toy stuffing -1 piece white felt 3 x 5 in. -1 piece black felt 1 x 10 inches plus 1 piece black felt 2 x 2 in. -2 pieces gray felt 1 x 1 in. -Red, gray, black, and white thread
GLOSSARY OF ABBREVIATIONS:
-CO cast on -dpn double-pointed needles(s) -k knit -k2tog knit two together -kfb knit into front and back of stitch -p purl -pm place marker -ssk slip slip knit. Increase by knitting into the front and then back of a stitch -st[s] stitch[es]
Step 1
BODY
Round 1: K2, kfb, k3, kfb, k2, kfb, k3, kfb. 18 sts Round 2: K2, kfb, k5, kfb, k2, kfb, k5, kfb. 22 sts Round 3: K2, kfb, k7, kfb, k2, kfb, k7, kfb. 26 sts Round 4: K2, kfb, k9, kfb, k2, kfb, k9, kfb. 30 sts Round 5: K2, kfb, k11, kfb, k2, kfb, k11, kfb 34 sts Round 6: K2, kfb, k13, kfb, k2, kfb, k13, kfb. 38 sts Round 7: K2, kfb, k15, kfb, k2, kfb, k15, kfb. 42 sts Round 8: K2, kfb, k17, kfb, k2, kfb, k17, kfb. 46 sts Round 9: K2, kfb, k19, kfb, k2, kfb, k19, kfb. 50 sts Round 10: K2, kfb, k21, kfb, k2, kfb, k21, kfb. 54 sts Round 11: K2, kfb, k23, kfb, k2, kfb, k23, kfb. 58 sts Round 12: Knit. Round 13: K2, kfb, k25, kfb, k2, kfb, k25, kfb. 62 sts Round 14: Knit. Round 15: K2, kfb, k27, kfb, k2, kfb, k27, kfb. 66 sts Round 16: Knit. Round 17: K2, kfb, k29, kfb, k2, kfb, k29, kfb. 70 sts Rounds 18-35: Knit. Round 36: K2, k2tog, k29, ssk, k2, k2tog, k29, ssk. 66 sts Round 37: Knit. Row 38: K2, k2tog, k27, ssk, k2, k2tog, k27, ssk. 62 sts Round 39: Knit. Round 40: K2, k2tog, k25, ssk, k2, k2tog, k25, ssk. 58 sts Round 41: Knit. Round 42: K2, k2tog, k23, ssk, k2, k2tog, k23, ssk. 54 sts Round 43: K2, k2tog, k21, ssk, k2, k2tog, k21, ssk. 50 sts Round 44: K2, k2tog, k19, ssk, k2, k2tog, k19, ssk. 46 sts Round 45: K2, k2tog, k17, ssk, k2, k2tog, k17, ssk. 42 sts Round 46: K2, k2tog, k15, ssk, k2, k2tog, k15, ssk. 38 sts
Pause and stuff head nearly full.
Round 47: Knit. Round 48: K2, kfb, k15, kfb, k2, kfb, k15, kfb. 42 sts Round 49: Knit. Round 50: K2, kfb, k17, kfb, k2, kfb, k17, kfb. 46 sts Round 51-57: Knit. Round 58: K2, k2tog, k17, ssk, k2, k2tog, k17, ssk. 42 sts Round 59: Knit. Round 60: K2, k2tog, k15, ssk, k2, k2tog, k15, ssk. 38 sts Round 61: Knit. Round 62: K2, k2tog, k13, ssk, k2, k2tog, k13, ssk. 34 sts Round 63: K2, k2tog, k11, ssk, k2, k2tog, k11, ssk. 30 sts Round 64: K2, k2tog, k9, ssk, k2, k2tog, k9, ssk. 26 sts Round 65: K2, k2tog, k7, ssk, k2, k2tog, k7, ssk. 22 sts Pause and stuff body nearly full. Round 66: K2, k2tog, k5, ssk, k2, k2tog,k5, ssk. 18 sts Round 67: K2, k2tog, k3, ssk, k2, k2tog, k3, ssk. 14 sts Round 68: K2, k2tog, k1, ssk, k2, k2tog, k1, ssk. 10 sts Round 69: K2tog 5 times. 5 sts
Cut yarn and pull tail through remaining stitches. Stuff body completely full. Pull stitches tight, knot, and pull knot to inside of toy. Use a piece of yarn and a yarn needle to sew up the hole in the top of the head.
Step 2
ARMS (make 2)
Round 1: Kfb, k1, kfb twice, k1, kfb. 10 sts Round 2: Kfb, k3, kfb twice, k3, kfb. 14 sts Rounds 3-4: Knit. Round 5: K2tog, k3, ssk, k2tog, k3, ssk. 10 sts Rounds 6-9: Knit. Round 10: Kfb, k3, kfb twice, k3, kfb. 14 sts Round 11: Knit. Round 12: Kfb, k5, kfb twice, k5, kfb. 18 sts Bind off.
Step 3
LEGS (make 2)
Round 1: Kfb, k1, kfb twice, k1, kfb. 10 sts Round 2: Kfb, k3, kfb twice, k3, kfb. 14 sts Round 3: Kfb, k5, kfb twice, k5, kfb. 18 sts Rounds 4-6: Knit. Round 7: K2tog, k5, ssk, k2tog, k5, ssk. 14 sts Rounds 8-12: Knit. Round 13: Kfb, k5, kfb twice, k5, kfb. 18 sts Round 14 : Knit. Round 15: Kfb, k7, kfb twice, k7, kfb. 22 sts Round 16: Knit. Round 17 Kfb, k9, kfb twice, k9, kfb. 26 sts Bind off.
Step 4
ASSEMBLY:
Stuff arms and legs firmly. Beginning with the arms, sew each to side of body using ladder stitch and black yarn. Align legs just under arms. Attach using ladder stitch. Cut all pieces out of felt. Center white felt rectangle on center of head. Attach using red thread and a blanket stitch. Attach eyes with black thread. Wrap black belt diagonally around body. Pin in place, then secure with blanket stitch. Carefully pin ninja stars on belt, and secure with blanket stitch.
