Fox bag holder pattern

Materials
-3mm dpns (if picking up sts, normal needles can be used if working flat)
-Brown, cream and black DK yarn
-1x14mm Black button for nose
-2x16mm Green buttons for eyes (safety eyes could be used, or you could embroider them on)
-Tapestry/yarn needle for tucking in ends
-Optional – 1xD shaped carabiner clip (to attach to bag)

Abbreviations
St(s) = Stitch(es)
CO = Cast on
K# = knit # stitches
K2tog = Knit 2 stitches together
Inc = Increase by your preferred method (I prefer Kfb on garter st)
Dec = Decrease by knitting 2 stitches together
YO = Yarn over, creating a stitch by looping the yarn round the needle
BO = Bind off

Head

Once the snout and back of the fox head are knitted, the yarn is changed from brown to cream. When working the cream, every other row you pick up and knit the brown stitches from the knitting you’ve done. This creates the pocket shape that allows you to make this pattern seamless. This is why dpns are used, so that both sides can be picked up similtaneously.

If you prefer you can knit this without picking up the stitches and instead sew the sides together at the end. I hate sewing so avoid it by all means necessary!

CO 4sts in brown.
Row 1: K all sts
Row 2: K all sts (this creates garter stitch and is done throughout the pattern.)
Row 3: K2sts, YO, K2tog, K to end (4sts)
Row 4: Inc one st at each end of needle
Row 5: K all sts
Repeat rows 4 and 5 until 28sts has been reached (you can add or subtract rows depending on the size you want quite easily)
Row 30 – 64: K all sts
Row 65: Dec one st at each end of needle
Row 66: K all sts
Repeat rows 65 and 66 until 18sts.

Change yarn from brown to cream.
Row 75-76: K all sts

As noted at the start of the pattern, from this point on you pick up sts as you work the fox purse. So you fold the knitting in half and pick up the 1st brown st so that its in front of your 1st cream st and then k2tog. You do the same at the very end by picking up the last brown st at the ens of your knitting next to your last cream stitch and k2tog. You only do this every other row, and not on a row you are increasing the sts – no real reason why other than it can get a bit tight on the needles!

Row 77: Inc one st at each end of needle
Row 78: K all sts
Repeat rows 77 and 78 until 28sts.
Rows 87 – 118: K all sts
BO.

Ears (Make 2)

CO 10sts in black
Rows 1-4: K all sts
Row 5: Dec 1st st
Repeat row 5 until only one two sts remain.
Row 13: K2tog, pull yarn and cut.

Finishing

Sew ears to top of head. Thread in all loose ends. Position and sew buttons to correspond with nose and eyes. If used, create a braid in brown yarn and use this to fasten the D ring to the fox purse.

Enjoy!

I reckon with different colours and a few minor tweaks this patyern coukd be essily adapted to make an owl, or badger or perhaps a little monster?