Merlin the Odd Sock Raven

Merlin the Odd Sock Raven: Knitted Toy Design by Cilla Webb

Project Overview

Merlin the Odd Sock Raven is an intermediate-level knitted toy pattern designed by Cilla Webb. This whimsical project creates a three-dimensional raven figure using the stockinette stitch technique and basic shaping methods. The design is constructed from multiple knitted components—feet, legs, wings, and body—that are sewn together and stuffed to create a soft, sculptural toy.

What Is Being Made

This pattern produces a complete knitted raven toy featuring distinct body parts. The finished piece includes four feet, two legs, two wings, and a body section, all assembled to form a charming bird character. The construction method involves knitting individual flat pieces in stockinette stitch, then joining them together using mattress stitch seaming and tapestry needle work, with polyester fiberfill stuffing added during assembly for dimension and shape.

Yarn and Materials

Primary Yarn: Wendy Merino DK, a 100% Merino wool yarn with a yardage of 116 meters per 50-gram ball. This DK (double knitting) weight yarn provides a soft, breathable fiber ideal for toys.

• MC1 (Main Color 1): 100g Wendy Merino DK in Jet—the primary dark color for the raven's body
• MC2 (Main Color 2): 50g Wendy Merino DK in Crepe—a secondary shade used for contrast
• CC1 (Contrast Color 1): 50g Wendy Merino DK in Seaspray—a lighter accent color
• Additional Materials: A small amount of white yarn for details, polyester fiberfill for stuffing, and a tapestry needle for seaming

Needles and Tools

The pattern uses 3.5mm straight needles, which are appropriately sized for DK-weight yarn and produce a fabric with good stitch definition. Additional tools include a tapestry needle for mattress stitch seaming and sewing pieces together, and standard stuffing materials for filling the toy components.

Knitting Techniques and Stitches

Stockinette Stitch (St st): The foundation technique used throughout most of the pattern. Stockinette stitch creates a smooth, flat fabric with a characteristic V-pattern on the right side, achieved by alternating knit rows and purl rows when working flat on straight needles.

Yarn Forward/Knit Front and Back (kfb): This increase stitch is used strategically in the legs, wings, and feet sections to create shaping. The kfb technique increases one stitch by knitting into the same stitch twice—once through the front loop and once through the back loop—creating a subtle increase that maintains fabric integrity.

Casting On and Casting Off: The pattern begins each component with a cast-on edge and concludes with a cast-off (bind-off) edge. The instructions note casting off loosely, which prevents the edges from puckering and allows for easier seaming.

Mattress Stitch: This invisible seaming technique is used to join the knitted pieces together. Mattress stitch works by threading the tapestry needle through the side edges of stockinette stitch fabric, creating a seam that is nearly invisible from the right side and maintains the stretch and flexibility of the knitted fabric.

Pattern Structure and Components

Feet (Make Four): Each foot is constructed by casting on stitches in the main color and working stockinette stitch rows with strategic increases using the kfb technique. The foot pieces grow in width through repeated increase rows, creating a tapered shape. These pieces are cast off loosely and assembled without seaming the cast-on or cast-off edges, allowing them to remain open for attachment to the legs.

Legs (Make Two): The leg components begin with a cast-on of 21 stitches in MC2 (Crepe). Stockinette stitch is worked for several rows before increases are introduced. The kfb increases are spaced evenly across rows (such as *K3, kfb, k3* repeats) to create gradual widening. Legs are seamed along the side using mattress stitch with stuffing added during closure, creating a three-dimensional tubular form. The feet are attached vertically to the legs near the cast-on edge, positioning them to support the toy when placed on a flat surface.