Free Knitting Pattern: Fox Scarf

So, here's that fox related DIY tutorial that I promised AGES ago. Now that's summer's slowly winding down, I'm thinking ahead to autumn - I always seem to have more time for knitting in the autumn, maybe it's just because the TV schedule gets better (Great British Bake Off is actually the next best thing to eating - hurrah!).  

I'd seen a few of these fox scarves about last winter, and decided I'd knit one. One problem though - I couldn't find a pattern I liked! I took a deep breath and decided to design my own (this is my first ever knitting pattern - massive thanks to my mum who actually made sense of my scribbled handwriting and transformed them into a pattern which actually resembles a real knitting pattern).

I didn't want my fox to look too realistic, but instead have a soft cartoony appearance. You could adapt this pattern easily, just change the colour of wool and use your imagination to make different animals. I also have it on high authority that young kids would like this scarf, which just further cements in place the idea that I do actually dress like a 6 year old. Oh well...

You Will Need:

Size 4mm knitting needles
400g Orange double knitting wool
100g White double knitting wool
50g Pink double knitting wool

Abbreviations:

Sts – Stitches
St st – Stocking stitch
K – Knit
P - Purl
K2tog – Knit two together
P2tog – Purl two together
Inc – Increase by knitting twice into the same stitch

Note: Knit side = right side

Main Body:

Using 4mm needles and orange (or an alternative main colour) cast on 40 sts, and starting with a knit row, work in st st until work measures 78cm, ending with a purl row. Cast off.

If you want your scarf shorter or longer, simply knit in st st for less or more rows.

Legs (make 4):

Using 4mm needles and main colour, cast on 20 sts. Beginning with a knit row, st st 38 rows.
Next row: (K2tog) 10 times. Break off yarn leaving a long loose end. Using a blunt needle, thread loose end through remaining 10 sts on needle. Pull tightly and fasten off.

Head (make 2):

Using white wool, cast on 10 st.
R1: K10 sts (10)
R2: P10 sts (10)
R3: Inc into first st, k8, Inc into last stitch (12)
Starting with a purl row, work 7 rows in st st.
R11: Inc into first st, k10, inc into last st (14)
R12: Purl across (14)
R13: K6 in white, k2 in orange, K6 in white (14)
R14: P4 in white, P6 in orange, P4 in orange (14)
R15:Inc into first st, k2 in white, K8 in orange, K2 in white inc into last st (16)
R16: P3 in white, P10 in orange, P3 in white (cut off white, leaving a tail) (16)
R17: K across in orange (16)
R18: P across in orange (16)
R19: Inc in first stitch, K14 across, increase into last stitch (18)
R20: Inc in first st, P16 across, Inc in last st (20)
R21: K across
R22: P across
R23: Inc in first st, K18 across, Inc in last st (22)
R24: Inc in first st, P20 across, Inc in last st (24)
R25-28: starting with a knit row, continue in st st
R29: K2tog, K20, K2tog (22)
R30: P2tog, P18, P2tog (20)
R31: K across (20)
R32: P2tog, P16, P2tog (18)
R33: K2tog, K14, K2tog (16)
R34: P2tog, P12, P2tog (14)
Cast off, leaving a long thread.

Tail (make 2):

Cast on 10sts using orange wool
R1-5: Beginning with a knit row work in st st
R6: P2tog, P6, P2tog (8)
R7: K2tog, K4, K2tog (6)
R8-12: Start with a purl row, continue in st st
R13: Inc into first st, K4, ,Inc into last st (8)
R14: Inc into first st, P6, Inc into last st (10)
R15: Inc into first st, K8, Inc into last st (12)
R16: P across
R17: K across
R18: Inc into first st, P10, Inc into last st (14)
R19-22: Start with a k row, continue in st st (14)
R23: Inc into first st, K12, Inc into last st (16)
R24 – 29: Starting with a P row, continue in st st
R30: P7 in orange, P2 in white, P7 in orange
R31: K1 in orange, K2 in white, K4 in orange, K1 in white, K3 in orange, K1 in white, K2 in orange, K2 in white
R32: P2tog using white, P2 in orange, P2 in white, P2 in orange, P1 in white, P1 in orange, P1 in white, P2 in orange, P 1 in white, P2tog in orange (14)
R33: K2 in white, K2 in orange, K1 in white, K1 in orange, K1 in white, K1 in orange, K3 in white, K1 in orange, K2 in white. (cut off orange, leaving a tail)
R34: P across
R35: K across
R36: P across
R37: K2tog, K10, K2tog (12)
R38: P across
R39: K across
R40: P2tog, P8, P2tog (10)
R41: K2tog, K6, K2tog (8)
R42: P across
R43: K2tog, K4, K2tog (6)
R44: P2tog, P2, P2tog (4)
R45: K2tog twice
Cast off 2 sts, leaving a long tail.

Outer Ear (make 2)

Cast on 11 sts in Main Colour
K1 row, P next row, continue in st st for the next 2 rows.
Row 5: K2 tog, K7, K2tog
Row 6: P2tog, P5, P2tog
Row 7: K2tog, K3, K2tog
Row 8: P2tog, P1, P2tog
Knit last 3 sts together and cast off.


Inner Ear (make 2)

Cast on 7 sts in Main Colour
K 1 Row, P next row
Row 3: K2tog, K3, K2tog
Row 4: P2tog P1, P2tog
Knit last 3 sts together and cast off.

Sewing Up

Fold the legs in half length-ways, right sides facing, and sew along the seam. Leave a hole at the base of each leg to turn out. Sew each leg to a corner of the main body, as shown in photographs.
Place the right sides of the two tail pieces together and leave a gap at the base of the tail. Turn round the right way and sew in-between two legs at the bottom of the scarf.
Cut out two eyes out of felt, and one nose, and sew onto one of the head pieces. Use white felt to add highlights to the eyes and nose.
Place the two head pieces right side together and sew together, leaving a gap at the top of the head to turn out the right way. Sew onto the body, in-between two legs as shown in photographs.

And you're done! Wear it for those days when there's a slight nip in the air, or maybe for when you just need cheering up. Let me know if you try this (or if you have any questions about the pattern, just post me a comment below).