What do you need?
wool, red, white, off white, light pink
knitting needles, thickness 2.5
large darning needle
scissors
Today we knit a Sinterklaas using synthetic wool, because then Sinterklaas can be washed. If you are a swift knitter you can finish all the knitting in 2 hours. But day after tomorrow we finish Sinterklaas completely, otherwise this blog will be too long.
How to knit a little Sinterklaas
How you knit the body and head in one go
Cast on 22 stitches using white wool. Knit stitch 4 needles.
Using the knit stitch on both sides makes lovely ribbing.
Continue with red wool, 1 needle knit stitch, 1 purl.
The white rib stitches are thicker than the red in tricot.
After knitting 20 needles in red continue with pink.
Knit 10 needles, 1 knit stitch, 1 purl, tie off after 10 needles,
Lace a thread through the bottom white and pull it tight.
Close the knitting using the same colours wool.
Leave the top side open to stuff the head and body later on
Knit arms and hands in 1 go
Cast on 2x 12 stitches on 1 needle using red wool.
Knit 6 needles, 1 needle knit stitch, 1 needle purl.
Continue with 4 needles white, 1 needle knit stitch, 1 purl.
Slip the white stitches on to the darning needle.
Pull the thread through the stitches.
Pull the thread tight and tie off.
Tie off all loose ends except 1.
Sinterklaas his beard is knitted in garter, which means all rows in knit stitch. But how do you decrease? Like this!
After 4 needles of knit stitch you decrease 2 times one stitch in every uneven needle: the first two and the last two stitches on the needle you knit together. The even needles you just knit in knit stitch.
SO: start needle 5 by inserting the needle in to two stitches and knit as one and repeat this at the end of the needle. Knit needle 6 all in knit stitch.
Repeat with needle 7 and 8, 9 and 10, 11 and 12. Tie off by slipping off the first stitch, knit stitch the second and pull the slipped off stitch over the knitted one. After this knit each stitch then pull the first stitch over the 2nd. Finish by cutting the thread and pulling it through the last stitch.
Cast on 12 stitches and knit back and forth in knit stitch.
Knit after 4 needles 2 times two stitches together.
Repeat this 4 times then tie off.
Knit the miter
Cast on 2 x 12 stitches on one needle, in red wool.
Knit 4 needles, 2 needles knit stitch, 2 purl.
Decrease two stitches in each uneven needle.
When 3 stitches remain, tie off.
Now all parts are knitted. Tomorrow we put the Sint together and we embroider his coat, miter and face. Then Sint Nicolaas is totally ready!