How to make a yarn panda.

I decided to do my Digital Art DYI assignment on making your own gifts. I don't know how to knit very well, but I wanted to knit a gift. However, I didn't want it to be the usual yarn items like, scarfs or mittens. So, I found how to make a yarn panda. I loved the idea of creating your own stuffed animal without the help of Build-A-Bear. It's simple and fun.
After making my first this past weekend, I wrote a How-to for my Magazine Writing class.

I hope you enjoy it:

Yarn Panda

Tired of the same scarves and mittens? Venture outside these commonly knitted items. Don't know what to get your grandchild, girlfriend or boyfriend, coworker? Make the cutest panda bear anyone has seen. The simple pattern makes this project easy for beginners to make. One problem that happens frequently while knitting is boredom. It takes hours to complete a scarf and it’s the same knitting pattern through the entire work, scarves are too long and blankets are even longer. One of the greatest parts of making the yarn Panda, each piece to the panda takes about thirty minutes to knit, eliminating all boring knitting sessions.
Another great reason to knit your own panda: The price of stuffed animals is rising. With time and less than ten dollars, you can create something on your own that comes from the heart. Knitting the panda should only take a couple of hours, the time consuming part is sewing the panda together. Thanks to Justin McCraw, the panda expert, for helping me create my first panda.

Materials
You will need size seven needles and one tapestry needle, which looks like a needle you use to sew with except much larger. Purchase double knitting yarn or thicker, white yarn will be used as the body of the Panda and black or any substitute color yarn for the arms and legs. To stuff the panda you can use a SuperSoft Fiber poly-fil an 8 oz bag can fill about 30 pandas.

The needles

Step One: The Body
To start, cast on 12 stitches using the white yarn. Then knit in garter stitch, which means you knit every row. Keep the stitches tight because when you stuff the panda you don't want the stuffing to come out. Knit until the work measures 12 inches, then cast off.


Step Two: The Arms
Cast on 12 stitches using the black yarn and garter knit until the work measures 4 inches and then cast off. Repeat this step for the other arm. For advanced knitters, the last inch you can knit a different color, which will give the panda gloves.


Step Three: The Legs
Cast on 12 stitches using black yarn, garter knit until the work measures 5 inches, and then cast off. Repeat this step for the other leg. In addition to the gloves on the arms, you can knit a the last inch in white for shoes.

Step Four: Sewing it up
Take the body that you knitted and, using your tapestry needle and white yarn, sew the sides together to for a six inch pouch. Before stuffing the bottom, you can turnit inside out, it makes the panda look smoother. Fill the body with stuffing, making sure to stuff it well to ensure a healthy and beefy panda. Then sew the bottom together. Counting down nine ridges from the top, wrap white yarn around this spot and then tie it tight.
Sew the top of the arms and legs and down the sides, turn them inside out, then fill with stuffing. When sewing the bottom, leave a long tail at the end of each, you can use it to attach the appendage to the body. While attaching the legs and arms to the body evenly space each to create a symmetrical panda.

Step Five: Facial Features
Using the tapestry needle and black yarn, you can sew anything to the face of the panda to make it even more unique. McCraw suggests making two “X”s for the eyes, a line for the mouth, and an upside-down “V” for the mouth. You can keep it simple with two lines for the eyes and the rest of the panda empty for some mystery to it. Some fun ideas are to add a button to the stomach to create a belly button.

Step Six: Ears and the Tail
To make the ears, take your black yarn, cast on five stitches and garter stitch one row. For the second row, knit two then cast off one, and knit the last two. Then knit one row. For the next row, knit two then cast off one, and knit the last one. Then knit one row. Next row knit two, and cast off the last stitch. Then knit one row. Cast off the last two stitches by casting off one stitch then make a loop with the last stitch and cut the yarn from the yarn ball and pull it through the loop and make it tight. This should create a triangular ear. When attaching it to the body you can sew it on any way. Each way is unique. Once you have a couple pandas under your belt, you can sew the ears on before sewing the body together to create a seamless panda.
For the tail you can make another ear, but for the more advanced you can follow this pattern. Cast on five stitches using the black yarn, garter stitch one row. On the next row, cast off the first stitch, knit three then cast off the last stitch in the row. Then knit one row. Next, cast off the first stitch, knit one, and then cast off the last stitch. Then cast off the final stitch, finally attach to its proper place.


Next time you pass a Build-A-Bear in the mall, remember you can really build a panda bear from the ground up yourself. Your loved ones will truly appreciate the time and effort you put into them, these pandas make an awesome gift.

Side Bars:
How-to cast on:
To cast on, you take the end of your yarn in your non-dominant hand. Wrap the yarn around your four fingers and over the other end forming a loop around your hand. Next, take the yarn ball end of the yarn and form a loop. Pull the loop through the loop around your hand. Then, place your needle through that loop and pull on the end of the yarn. You’ve just learned to cast on!
How-to cast off:
To cast off, knit two in your last row and take the first stitch that you knitted in the row and using the other needle pull it through the second stitch. You should have one stitch on your needle now. Next, knit one, then take the first stitch and pull it through the second again. Repeat this process until you get to the end of your row. With the last stitch make a large loop, then cut the yarn from the yarn ball. Take the end you just cut and pull it tightly through the loop of the last stitch. You have just cast off!