Look, I am not even going to try and convince you that you need these. Either you looked at them, fell instantly in love, and began spinning out a whole complicated tale for them (their names are Owlbert and Owllison. They own a combination secondhand bookshop and cafe. Owlbert makes the best popovers you’ve ever seen, and Owlllison has a knack for tracking down that book you loved when you were a kid but can’t remember). Or you’re a normal, respectable adult who is not susceptible to such nonsense.

Either way is cool, and we can still totally be friends even if you’re not as easily distracted by the absurd and adorable as I am.

But if you are easily distracted? If you do feel a sudden longing to know what the owls get up to when no one is around? If you’re pretty convinced they’re having tea with the foxes and going on adventures with the raccoons? Well then you’re my kind of people, I think you’ll love these as much as I do.

And I think we’re going to have a marvelous time together!

General information

This 26-page pattern is tremendously detailed and holds your hand every step of the way. There are pages and pages of step-by-step photos to show you exactly what to expect as you work. The pattern is full of helpful tips on everything from casting on, blocking, duplicate stitching the belly, filling your owl, and managing your ends.

It’s almost absurdly detailed, but it really does mean you can totally make these, even if you’ve never knit a project like this before!

Skills & scope

Each owl fits in the palm of your hand and takes only a few hours to knit. The knitting is surprisingly mellow, mostly stockinette in the round with a few increases and decreases here and there to give it shape. You’ll work a bit of duplicate stitch for the belly and face at the end.

The pattern uses charts, so you will need to know how to follow a knitting chart.

Yarn, gauge & sizing

The pattern comes in one size. I made mine in fingering weight yarn, but you can make it in any weight of yarn, and the finished size will change depending on what yarn you use. You don’t need to match any particular gauge, but you do need to knit tightly enough to make a firm fabric so your filling doesn’t show through.

You can absolutely use scrap yarn for this.

The owl in the pictures took less than 100 yards of yarn for the body, less than 100 yards yarn to duplicate stitch the belly and face, and less than 10 yards of yarn used for the beak and tufts. I knit mine at about 7.5 stitches per inch and they are about 5.5 inches tall, 8 inches wing tip to wing tip, and 8.5 inches around the belly. If you want a larger owl, you can absolutely use a thicker yarn.

Tools & supplies

You’ll need needles that let you work in the round (circulars or DPNs) in whatever size lets you get a firm fabric with your chosen yarn plus the general knitting tools you need for most projects (scissors to cut your yarn, a darning needle to weave in ends, the occasional stitch marker or bit of scrap yarn to hold stitches). Part of the project is knit in the round, and part flat, so you’ll want to be sure you’re using whatever needles you need to get the same gauge in both cases (some people need a different needle size when knitting flat than when knitting in the round).

You’ll also need something to fill the owls with. You may also want eyes (they’re optional, they’re adorable without eyes or with embroidered eyes). I have a page here with information about the supplies I use in my projects.