Deramores Ballerina Toy Knitting Pattern

Deramores Ballerina Knitted Toy

What is Being Made

The Deramores Ballerina is an intermediate-level knitted toy designed by Amanda Berry. This finished toy stands 18.5cm tall and features a complete ballerina figure with a distinctive tutu skirt. The project creates a stuffed toy suitable for display or play, though it is not recommended for children under 3 years due to small parts used in construction.

Craft and Techniques

This is a knitting project that combines fundamental and intermediate knitting techniques to construct a three-dimensional toy. The pattern uses stockinette stitch as the primary fabric construction method, which creates a smooth, classic knitted surface ideal for toy-making. The design incorporates strategic shaping through various decrease techniques to form the toy's structure and proportions.

The tutu skirt, a signature element of the design, is created using purl three stitches together (p3tog) decreases to dramatically reduce stitch count and create gathering and volume in the fabric. This technique transforms a wider cast-on edge into a fitted waistband, producing the characteristic flared silhouette of a ballet tutu.

Embroidery work is included to add facial features and details to the finished toy, using a contrasting yarn color for definition and character.

Stitches Used

• Stockinette stitch: The foundation fabric, worked by alternating knit rows on the right side with purl rows on the wrong side
• Knit (k): Basic knit stitch for building fabric
• Purl (p): Basic purl stitch for stockinette construction
• Knit into front and back (kfb): Increase technique to add stitches where shaping requires expansion
• Purl into front and back (pfb): Purl-based increase for shaping on wrong-side rows
• Knit two stitches together (k2tog): Decrease technique for right-leaning shaping
• Purl two stitches together (p2tog): Decrease technique for left-leaning shaping on wrong-side rows
• Purl three stitches together (p3tog): Aggressive decrease used to create the dramatic gathering in the tutu skirt
• Slip, slip, knit (ssk): Left-leaning decrease technique for refined shaping

Materials and Tools

Yarn: The pattern uses Deramores Studio Anti-Pilling DK yarn in three colors: Latte (Yarn A), Blush (Yarn B), and Chocolate (Yarn C), with one 50g ball of each. An additional metre of Ebony DK yarn is required for embroidering facial features and details. DK (double knitting) weight yarn is a medium-weight yarn that provides good stitch definition and is ideal for toy construction.

Needles and Hooks: Three single-pointed 3.25mm needles with a minimum length of 20cm are required for the main knitting. A 2.5mm crochet hook is also needed, likely for finishing details or securing elements. The pattern specifies a tension of 25 stitches and 32 rows per 10cm when working stockinette stitch on 3.25mm needles.

Additional Supplies: A tapestry needle is essential for seaming the toy pieces together and weaving in yarn ends. A stitch holder is used to temporarily hold live stitches during construction. Approximately 150g of toy filling (polyester fiberfill or similar stuffing) is required to give the finished ballerina its three-dimensional form and structure.

Pattern Overview

The tutu skirt construction begins with casting on 62 stitches using Yarn B and 3.25mm needles. The first eight rows establish the hem using stockinette stitch on the wrong side. Row 9 introduces the dramatic shaping: a purl three stitches together decrease is repeated 20 times across the row, reducing the stitch count from 62 to just 22 stitches. This creates the characteristic gathered, voluminous tutu effect by concentrating the fabric width into a narrow waistband.