Curly Snake
from Itty Bitty Toys by Susan B. Anderson

This curly snake is perfect to wrap around your shoulders or the arm of a chair.

He is welcome to hang out just about anywhere. The entire snake is knit in one piece in the round; you just knit and knit and knit. Not only is it fast, it's so simple you could make this curly friend in your sleep.

Starting at the tail, you knit the snake until he is as long as you like, using up any stash of sock yarn and leftovers along the way. A simple running stitch along the side, when pulled, makes the snake curl up.

finished measurements

  • 24 inches long when uncurled

yarn

  • Trekking (XXL) (75% new wool, 25% nylon; 459 yards/100 grams), Circus#135

Note: Any fingering-weight sock yarn will work for this project, and it takes only a small portion of a skein. Leftover, odd balls will be sufficient.

tools

  • U.S. size 3 set of four double-pointed needles, or size needed to obtain gauge
  • Scissors
  • Tape measure or ruler
  • Polyester fiberfill, 1 small bag
  • Yarn needle
  • Stitch marker
  • Black embroidery floss

gauge

  • 6 ½ stitches per inch in stockinette stitch

body
Beginning at the tail end of the snake, cast on 6 stitches, placing 2 stitches on each of three double-pointed needles. Join to knit in the round, being careful not to twist the stitches. Place a stitch marker on the first stitch.
Rounds 1-6: knit
Round 7: kfb in each stitch (4 sts per needle,
12 sts total)
Round 8-19: knit
Round 20: (kfb, k2, kfb) on each needle (6 sts per needle, 18 sts total)
Round 21: (kfb, k4, kfb) on each needle
(8 sts per needle, 24 sts total)

Continue knitting every round until the snake measures 22 inches from the beginning. If you would like your snake to be longer or shorter, now is the time to make that adjustment.

Thread the tail from the cast-on stitches on a yarn needle. Stitch through all of the cast-on stitches, gather to close up the hole, and stitch to secure. Weave the end to the inside and trim. Fill the snake with stuffing after every few inches to the end.

Continue on to create the head:
Round 1:
Needle 1: knit (8 sts)
Needle 2: kfb in first 4 stitches, k4 (12 sts)
Needle 3: k4, kfb in last 4 stitches (12 sts)
32 stitches total.
Round 2: knit
Round 3:
Needle 1: knit (8 sts)
Needle 2: kfb in first 6 sts, k6 (18 sts)
Needle 3: k6, kfb in last 6 sts (18 sts)
44 stitches total.
Rounds 4-9: knit
Round 10:
Needle 1: knit (8 sts)
Needle 2: (k2tog) 6 times, k6 (12 sts remain)
Needle 3: k6, (k2tog) 6 times (12 sts remain)
32 stitches total remain.
Round 11: knit
Round 12:
Needle 1: knit (8 sts)
Needle 2: (k2tog) 4 times, k4 (8 sts remain)
Needle 3: k4, (k2tog) 4 times (8 sts remain)
24 stitches total remain.
Rounds 13-17: knit
Round 18: (k2tog), repeat across the round
(12 sts remain)
Round 19: knit

Distribute the remaining stitches on two double-pointed needles, 6 stitches on each, so that the 6 stitches that form the upper lip are on one needle and those for the lower lip are on the other. Finish stuffing the snake. Cut the yarn, leaving an 8-inch-long tail, and thread the tail on a yarn needle. Using kitchener stitch (see p. 9), graft the mouth closed.

tongue
With two double-pointed needles used as straight needles, cast on 4 stitches. Work in I-cord (see p. 7) until the tongue measures 3/4 inches from the cast-on edge.
Next row: continue in I-cord, k2 stitches; leave the other 2 stitches unworked
Work 2 rows in I-cord on these 2 stitches only.
Next row: k2tog (1 st remains)
Cut the yarn and pull through the remaining stitch.

Reattach the yarn to the 2 unworked stitches and complete the second half of the tongue in the same way as the first. Weave the bound-off tails into the tongue with a yarn needle and trim.

Thread the cast-on tail on a yarn needle and whipstitch the tongue to the mouth of the snake. Weave the tail to the inside and trim.

eyes
With black embroidery floss, take 2 small straight stitches per eye. Weave all tails to the inside and trim.

finishing
To make the snake coil up, cut a length of the yarn about 18 inches long. Place the length on a yarn needle, and pull it through a stitch at the tail end. Tie a knot to secure the length. Take running stitches along the side of the snake up to the beginning of the snake's head. Pull the length gently to gather the snake up into a loose coil. Tie another knot near the snake's head and pull the end to the inside and trim. Place the knotted end near the tail on the yarn needle and pull to the inside and trim.