Free Pattern Friday! :: Play Leash ::

Hello and Thank Goodness It's Friday! Because that means this is my first ever (hopefully of many more to come), free pattern Friday. If you have kids or maybe like in my case just one kid, you know all too well that at some point one of those stuffed animals is going to become a real animal. Who am I kidding... we all know they will all be real for the majority of the duration of their childhood. If yours is like mine its mostly the 'doggies'. My girl loves her some doggies, and we can't just have all these doggies running loose in the yard! So I was asked to devise a plan to tame those wild doggies, a challenge to which I met with this simple - yet effective! - doggie leash.

Notes: I don't recommend using this for actual live animals or babies and very small children who might get tangled up in it. The intended purpose is just for playtime fun. That being said this is not an exact science and it by no means needs to be perfect. Add your own flair and have fun with it.

Here's what you need:

• Some DK, worsted, sport or fingering weight yarn - I used Caron Simply Soft
• Double point needles for the weight of yarn you choose - I used size 6/4mm DPN
• Tapestry needle
• Lanyard clip of some kind
(I also have an Embellish Knit icord maker that I used to make my icord.)

Start by makeing an icord about 40 inches long. Next you want to knit a little tab. If you knit your own icord skip down to the tab knitting instructions. If you used an EK icord maker like I did hang with me a minute and I'll explain how to get it off without cutting the yarn so you can knit the tab.

First take the weighted clip off of the icord below so there isn't tension on the hooks. Now pull up your working yarn a bit so its out of the way of the hooks and wont get caught up then slowly turn your handle backwards. This will cause the hooks to close and the loops to come up and off the hooks completely. The slower the better because you can see if anything gets caught and can stop it before it gets out of hand. But really, you shouldn't have a problem. Once it is free pull down gentle on the icord below to pull it out of the tube. Now you can pick up those 4 stitches with one of your DPN needles and your ready to knit the tab.

To knit the tab:
If your lanyard clip is somewhat small knit in stockinette for about 5 rows then bind off and cut your yarn leaving a long tail to sew the tab down around your lanyard clip. If your clip is a bit wider like mine was knit the first row as follows: k1, m1, k2, m1, k1. now knit in stockinette for about 6 rows then bind off and leave a long tail. Slide your lanyard hook base onto the tab you knit and fold it back on itself (around the base of the clip) with the stockinette side out. Take your tapestry needle and whip stitch it down.

For the loop/handle of the leash:
Using your yarn tail at the beginning of your icord and your tapestry needle, tack down a loop of icord about 3 inches. Now if you're like me, you may not like the naked join out in the open for all to see. So add an embellishment! I happened to have a little crocheted flower laying around from something I was testing the night before. But you of course do not need to embellish it at all, a boy may not care for a little flower all that much.

Then VOILA! You have a simple yet lovely play leash fit for any tiny human who loves stuffed doggies.

Please let me knew if you have questions or if anything is confusing! Happy Knitting!

THANK YOU for your support! Please show continued support by using this pattern only for your non-commercial, personal use. Please do not knit and sell designs from this pattern without express written permission. Copyright © 2012 A Flight of Sparrows; all rights reserved.