This is Knubbelchen, the brainchild/needlechild of a designer known on Ravelry only as Pezi888 of Erding, Bayern, in Germany. The pattern is free on Ravelry (but you will need to join the site–as if every knitter hasn’t already). It’s available in German, Dutch and English. The English translation is excellent–no errors at all in the boy version. The pattern includes a girl version, with a knitted-on skirt. I haven’t tried that yet, but I intend to. The only translation oddity is that after the pattern says to hold stitches on waste yarn, you are later told to “unhold” them. Totally clear, just an atypical way of explaining that you are supposed to remove the stitches from the waste yarn to begin knitting with them again.
What is extra nice about this simple pattern is that, when you finish the knitting, there is almost no sewing up. You stuff the head (and only the head), close up the the top of the head, stitch through the neck to draw it in a tad, stitch on the hat–and you’re done. Of course, you can stitch on a face if you like. But I like the simple look of no features, especially for a young child. Later, you and the child can decide what the face should look like.
My Knubblechen is knitted in sportweight Blackberry Ridge wool left over from my Stained-Glass Window Mesi Hat. The pattern calls for sockweight. That would be excellent as well. This is a great way to use up small amounts of yarn–in any weight you decide will work.
when making the knubbelchen how do you join to rd on the head do you just use 2 needles?
@carolyn baker…Howdy! The entire doll is knitted “in the round” on doublepoints–either 4 or 5 if you prefer. I don’t know magic loop, but I assume that would work also. So, for the head, you cast on 40 stitches and just work in the round for 22 rounds.
I wanted to do the knubbelchen for my great-grandson but the english translation won’t download for me. Can you help?
@Gail…sorry for the late reply. The English version downloads for me via Ravelry: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/knubbelchen The only thing I can suggest is to give it another try.
Please can I buy a already written pattern,I can’t do downloads and I sooooo want to make a knubbelchen,thanks,
@lis bancroft…the only pattern I know of is free and available for download on Ravelry at http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/knubbelchen Sorry I can’t be of more help than that.
This worked for me I hope it will for you 🙂
http://library.ravelry.com/pezi888/183985/ENG_Knubbelchen.pdf?AWSAccessKeyId=AKIAJNNSUP6J3RN4WZYQ&Expires=1427662994&Signature=NwNRKXYwZ%2BesTPv6XA769%2FS2wQ8%3D
What does the word translate to? Elf? I can’t wait to make one!!
@Alba…I haven’t been sure of the translation. It’s a fun pattern. But Pezi888 has pulled the free pattern from Ravelry because some scoundrels were selling it (not on Ravelry, though).
Would love to know the history of this doll and what is the meaning of knubbelchen ????
What is the history of this doll and translate knubbelchen.
@Anne…I bet it’s interesting. But the history is unknown to me.
Now that the pattern has been pulled off Raverly, where can you find it?
@Annealbright…I don’t know. (It’s not my pattern.) I heard that the designer pulled it because someone was selling the pattern. Sometimes I find patterns via the Wayback machine: https://archive.org/web/
I stumbled across this sweet pattern the other day and read it’s no longer available.
My daughter is expecting her first baby and I really want to knit this. Does anyone have an email address for the designer? I have no intention of selling anything all I want to do is knit this little doll. I am so in love with it I can hardly stand it. Can anyone help me???
@Jaye…The designer is pezi888 on Ravelry.
Its back on Ravelry again, still free.
It means something like “little knot/knob.”
@JonD…Thanks. That definitely makes sense, given the knotted hands and feet.
I am in the process of making one for my first grandchild due in August. The pattern suggested using cotton yarn for young children so I am using crochet thread size 3 for the head and Patons Stretch Socks for the rest of it. Love the way it is turning out.
@Barbara…what an interesting yarn choice! I might try to think out of the box on yarn choice for my next one!
I just downloaded the pattern from the ravelry site.
Hi ….just a quick question please as I’m new to knitting with DPNs and not quite understanding it. I have actually managed to knit the first 22 rounds (getting excited now) but my bubbles burst as I can’t get to grasps with the next peice body: K5, pm, k5, (= needle 1) and the same for needles 2,3,& 4. But if I’ve got 40 stitches on as instructed for the head what do I do with the other other 20 remaining stitches?
Apologies but have read, reread and reread to the point I wish I hadn’t started it as getting so annoyed with myself. Any advice would be great. Thank you.as i cant wait to finish one and show it off.
@Dawn…You are starting the body at this point. The line you’ve quoted has you deal with the 40 stitches so you end up with 10 stitches on each of the four needles, with a marker separating the stitches on each needle into 5 before the marker and 5 after. I hope that’s helpful. If not, try posting your question on Ravelry in the “patterns” section of the main boards. Someone may be able to explain it better than I can.
i am desperate to knit this for my charities and hospitals in South Africa
@Michele Bouwer…the pattern remains available on Ravelry: https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/knubbelchen
what are the dimensions of this doll?
@Mary Lou…The designer doesn’t give any dimensions in the pattern. The star shape sort of makes it hard to measure. I’ve given all mine away, but my estimate is that from the top of the head (once stuffed) to where the legs flare out is about 6 inches. And then maybe another 4-5 inches on the legs. In fingering weight.
@Mary Lou…if you look at the 5000 plus projects on Ravelry (I first filtered to just the “helpful” ones), you will see a few photos with babies or adults holding the doll. That helps with a sense of the size of it.