Knit Kitten Kozy :: A Happy Story & A Quick Pattern

Last week my daughter found a mysterious package in our front yard.  When she picked it up a tiny voice said “mew, mew”!!
You can imagine my husband’s surprise when he opened the plastic bag (yes ?!?) & found a kitten in it!  We have two one-year old cats, so we figure someone thought that we wouldn’t mind another.  Hmmm, it would have been nice if they had knocked on the door & asked us!  Anyhow…

Let me introduce you to the newest, tiniest member of our family – Aurora!

My husband took her to the vet right away & he told him that he thought she was about 10 days old. Her eyes were barely open & her ears still hadn’t popped.  The vet said that she seemed healthy & then sent my husband & kids home with the teeny baby.

Well, when I arrived home from shopping, later that afternoon, I had quite a shock!  (Look what happens when you go out for a few hours.)  I immediately started searching the net for information on how to take care of a kitten who SHOULD be with her Catty-Mama!

The main thing I learned was that little ones have difficulty regulating their body temperature.  I already knew that she would be feeling lonely, so I had the kids search for some “friends” for her.  We also knew we had to get her some kitten formula & a mini bottle – FAST!  A kitten this young can become fatally dehydrated within minutes if they aren’t fed regularly.

At this age, a kitten is totally helpless & very fragile.  We have had to feed her, bathe her (a job we are definitely falling down on a bit, yes, she is a bit sticky in some of these pictures – a starving kitten is a very messy eater & we don’t have lovely rough cat tongues to lick her constantly), help her to use her litter box & try to  protect her delicate immune system (which can be tricky with two very excited children who would love to hold & kiss her ALL day!)

After spending several days, wrapping our fluffy new baby in washcloths & tea towels to keep her warm, I decided that I had to make something that would be warm & cozy for her (& let me stop worrying about her being cold at night!).  I rummaged through my stash & found some giant Rowan Big Wool (thanks, Mom!) – perfect for knitting a little house that could stand up all on its own !

I wanted to create something that I could make quickly, didn’t involve a lot of shaping & would make Aurora feel secure but not trapped.  Of course, I chose pure wool because I know from my years of waldorf-study that wool captures scents & I wanted the little house to “smell” right!

I set to work & in no time at all, Aurora had her own Kitten Kozy!

Do you have a little furry baby who might like a cozy place to sleep & dream?

Here’s the pattern for my

Knit Kitten Kozy

Yarn – one ball of Rowan Big Wool – 100% Merino Wool
Needles – 9mm (smaller than usual for this size wool to make the knitting tight & firm)
To make this project really easy, use a row counter.
Wool Needle
Safety Pins

** The kitten kozy is knit in 2 pieces – the front, bottom & back (the pink) & then one large rectangle (the creme) which wraps up & over to create the sides & roof.  You can use two colours, just one or create your own combination!

This simple project can be made by anyone who knows how to knit, purl, increase & decrease.

Gauge = 14 rows/4″ or 10 cm & 1o sts / 4″ or 10 cm

The Kitten Kozy is approx. 6 ” (15 cm) wide & 7″ (18 cm long).

Piece One – front, bottom & back

Start with some increases to shape the “front” wall of the Kozy.

Cast on 4 sts.
Row 1 – Knit 4
Row 2 – Purl 4
Row 3 – Inc 1 st, K4, Inc 1 st = 6 sts
Row 4 – Purl 6
Row 5 – Inc 1 st, K6, Inc 1 st = 8 sts
Row 6 – Purl 8
Row 7 – Inc 1 st, K8, Inc 1 st = 10 sts
Row 8 – Purl 10
Row 9 – Inc 1st, K10, Inc 1 st = 12 sts
Row 10 – Purl 12
Row 11 –Inc 1 st, K12, Inc 1 st = 14 sts
Row 12 – Purl 14

Now you are going to divide the front to leave an entry “doorway”

Right side of doorway

Row 13 – Knit 6, cast off 2 – knit 6 = 10 sts
Row 14 – Purl 6 ( & turn your work – leave the other stitches untouched on your needle & just work one side of the doorway)
Row 15 – Cast off 1, Knit 4 = 5 sts
Row 16 – Purl 5
Row 17 – Knit 5
Row 18 – Purl 5
Row 19 – Knit 5
Row 20 – Purl 5 – cut yarn leave a 4″ tail – leave stitches ON your needle

Next, you are going to create the left side of the “doorway”

Attach new yarn & then
Row 14 – Purl 6
Row 15 –  Knit 4, Cast off 1 = 5 sts
Row 16 – 20 as above

Continue on with the bottom of the Kozy

Row 21 – Knit 6, Cast ON 4 stitches, Knit 5
Row 22 – Purl 14 –

Place markers at both ends of this row so you’ll know where the “floor” begins

Continue in stocking stitch (knit the knit rows & purl the purl rows) for 24 rows = 46 rows

Place markers at both ends of this row so you’ll know where the “floor” ends

Starting up the back wall –

Continue in stocking stitch for 10 more rows = Row 56

Start decreases to shape the back of the Kozy.

Row 57 – Dec 1, Knit 10, Dec 1 = 12 sts
Row 58 – Purl 12
Row 59 – Dec 1, Knit 8, Dec 1 = 10 sts
Row 60 – Purl 10
Row 61 – Dec 1, Knit 6, Dec 1 = 8 sts
Row 62 – Purl 8
Row 63 – Dec 1, Knit 4, Dec 1 = 6 sts
Row 64 – Purl 6
Row 57 – Dec 1, Knit 2, Dec 1 = 4 sts
Cast OFF 4 sts

Piece Two – sides & roof

Cast on 19 sts
Row 1 – Knit 19 sts
Row 2 – Purl 19 sts
Continue stocking stitch for 48 more rows.
Cast off.

Assembling your Kitten Kozy

With wrong sides together
Sew the short side of Piece Two between the markers (the “floor”)
Sew the other short side of Piece Two between the markers on the other side of the “floor”, creating a tunnel.

Next, mark the centre point on both ends of the roof with pins & the centre points on the front & back parts (the peak of the roof).

Carefully, pin the front piece to the roof – working the roof up along the front wall, over the peak of the roof & down the other side.  (See photo above)

Repeat for back wall.

CAREFULLY weave in all ends!

Put your Kitten Kozy out for your little furry baby to find ( they have to think it’s THEIR idea to wander in the first time!)

Then take a picture & send it to me!

If you ever find yourself in this type of kitten situation, I hope that you’ll make a Kitten Kozy!  It was SO quick (less than 2 hours – start to finish) & really worth it.

Please share it with your friends too – so lots of babies can be warm & kozy!

Happy Making!!

P.S. This pattern is for your personal, non-commercial use.  Thanks! All rights reserved ©2014 Handwork Homeschool

The post Knit Kitten Kozy :: A Happy Story & A Quick Pattern first appeared on Handwork Homeschool