Creepy Crawly

In honor of spider week in kindergarten, a knit spider pattern:


Size: One size

Finished Measurements: approx. 8 inches long

Materials:

• black worsted weight yarn (I used Cascade 220 so that I could try felting one.)
• small amount of red yarn (optional)
• 1 set of 5 size 5 DPNs (or size needed to get gauge)
• 1 set of 5 size 3-4 DPNs (or smaller size than needed to get gauge) (optional)
• yarn needle
• polyester batting

Gauge
22 st/4in. (Knit at a gauge tighter than usual for worsted weight yarn so that the white batting doesn't show through the black fabric.)

Opisthosoma (Body)

CO 12 stitches onto the larger DPNs, placing marker after the sixth stitch, and join for knitting in the round.
Knit 2 rounds.
Increase round: K1, M1, knit to 1 stitch before the marker, M1, knit to the last stitch in the round, M1, K1.
Repeat increase round two more times (24 st)

K1 round even.
Repeat increase round.
Repeat these two rounds until 60 stitches on needles.

Knit 5 rounds even.

Decrease round: K1, SSK, knit to last 3 stitches before marker, K2tog, k1, slip marker, k1, SSK, knit to last 3 stitches in round, K2tog.
Knit 1 round even.
Repeat these two rounds until 40 stitches remain.
Repeat decrease round every round until 28 stitches remain.
Knit 1 round even.

Using yarn needle, use the CO tail to seam the opening shut.

Cephalothorax

Repeat the increase round three times (40 stitches).
Knit to the marker, arranging the stitches with 20 on the first needle, and 10 each on the other two needles.

With the live stitches still on the needles, turn the spider inside out. (If you purl more loosely than you knit, start knitting onto the smaller needles at this point. Also note that it's easier to make "ladders" between the DPNs while purling, so be sure to pull the stitches tight at the beginning of the needle.) Stuff the abdomen.

Leg round: **Purl first four stitches onto free needle.
Use the fifth DPN to knit 4 inches of 4-stitch I-cord, then break yarn and pull through stitches using a yarn needle.
Rejoin yarn by picking up 4 stitches at the inside base of the leg you just made.
Purl to last 4 stitches on the needle.
With free needle, knit 4 inches of 4 stitch I-cord, break the yarn, and pull through the stitches with yarn needle.
Pick up 4 stitches at the base of the second leg.
Purl to the end of the round.

Purl two rounds even.
Weave in the ends before continuing, being sure to close any gaps.**

Repeat from ** to ** once more for a total of four legs and three purl rounds after the legs.

Do another leg round for a total of six legs.

Purl decrease round: P1, p2tog, purl to the last three stitches before the end of the needle, p2tog, p1, purl to the end of the round.
Purl one round even.
Do another purl decrease round.

Do another leg round.

Continue purl decrease rounds until 20 stitches remain.

Stuff the cephalothorax.
Graft the remaining stitches using Kitchener Stitch. Weave in end.

Optional: Use duplicate stitch and red yarn to make eyes.

Afterthought: I need a better picture of the spider. The one I posted looks almost like it's intarsia on a white sweater.