Creepy Knit Spider Pattern

A friend of mine recently asked on Facebook if people decorate for fall first, then Halloween, then back to fall for Thanksgiving, or if they go straight into Halloween decor. The overwhelming answer was to start with Halloween decorations, so that must mean it’s time to start sharing some spooky season decor.

This knit spider designed by Revati Poole can hold the line between creepy and cute depending on the color yarn you use to knit it and how many eyes you give it. This one is worth checking out all the different projects on Ravelry to see how different people have made it. The ones with stripes are probably my favorite, but there’s a great fuzzy one, too.

The original uses chunky yarn but if you used thinner yarn and smaller needles you could make a whole arachnid family!

You can download the pattern for free from Ravelry.

Looking for more Knitted Halloween toys? Check these Halloween Toy Patterns out

I don’t often share knitting patterns for pets, mostly because I don’t think of it. I don’t have a dog, and I’ve never knit for my cats except a knit couch and a little cat bed I made on a knitting machine, both of which were pretty much ignored.

I have shared some pet bed knitting patterns, and both hats and sweaters for dogs.

But I don’t think I’ve shared a pattern for a cat sweater, until now.

This one is the Bunny sweater by Sarah Zhou, so named because her cat is named Bunny, of course.

It’s a made to measure pattern because cats come in all shapes and sizes, and you can also use any yarn you like and whatever gauge you are getting with that yarn.

The design is knit from the bottom up, that is, from the tail side up toward the head. Pairs of decreases shape the body as you work toward the armholes, which are made by binding off a few stitches. Then the belly and the back are worked flat, then joined and worked in the round for the chest part.

There are some design options in the pattern, from the look of the photos they include using a contrasting color for the edging, working a scalloped edging, maybe a foldover collar? But of course you can add your own embellishments, stripes, make it in team colors or for a Halloween costume. I’m sure they’re quick to knit so you can make a bunch if you have a cat who is willing to submit to such torture.

Bunny looks like a very good and mostly tolerant girl; I don’t think either of my cats would be willing to wear a sweater. But if you make one (the pattern is available on Ravelry) and successfully get your cat to wear it I would love to hear about it!

[Photo: Sarah Zhou]

Have you read?