The Easter Island Heads. Ancient, enigmatic with large noses, the moai stand silent sentinel on Easter Island, their long faces watching, waiting and witness to history. The true purpose of these massive statues is lost in the mists of time. But now you can use this free knitting pattern to knit a (much) smaller version to guard your coffee and keep it snug in your individual size cafietere. Practice an enigmatic smile as friends or colleagues ask “why” or “what” possessed us to design it in the first place (it was part natural conversation and cover, part to see if we could), or you to re-create it.
The prototype single head was done in bright orange and green wool scraps a striking but alarming and inaccurate combination). We used a pale aqua background to bring out the grey in the sample. Also remember there needs to be sufficient difference in the greys to see the details.
I had tremendous fun designing this and knitting the sample and I hope you enjoy knitting it as much.
The cosy is roughly 11cm tall when finished. Some of the Easter island statues roughly 11 metres, that’s a lot of wool if you wanted to knit yourself a life-size model of one……..
1 x 50g Background colour yarn (DK)
1 x 25g Dark grey yarn (DK)
1 x 25g Light grey yarn (DK)
1 pair 4mm knitting needles plus a spare needle
3 stitch holders (or nappy pins or spare yarn)
Small amounts of stuffing for each nose.
Needle for sewing up and embroidering detail.
Continue working the pattern, until row 11 of the diagram is reached then for each head, slip 5 sts in light grey onto a stitch holder and leave at the front of the work (depicted by & symbol on diagram). Cast on 5sts on row 12 of the pattern to replace the stitches on the holder. Continue to work the remaining rows of the pattern. Finally work 2 rows rib as given for rows 1 and 2. Cast off in rib. To work nose (make 3) With right side facing, pick up 5 stitches from the stitch holder. Starting with a knit row work 4 rows stocking stitch. Next Row: Cast on 5 stitches at either end of next row. (15 sts) Next Row: Purl to end. Shaping for top of nose Row 1: K2tog at each end of the row (13sts) Row 2: Purl to end Repeat these 2 rows 4 more time (3sts) Next Row: Purl to end. Cast off in knit
Repeat for the other 2 noses
Brow ridges (make 3) Using dark grey cast on 11 sts. Work 6 rows stocking stitch Cast off Bobble (make 4)
Cast on 3 sts Working in knit stitch, M1 at each end of next row (5 sts) Work 3 rows in stocking stitch K2tog at each end of next row (3 sts) Run remaining sts through thread and draw tightly. Thread and draw cast on edge also.
To knit loops (make 4) Cast on 1 st Work 10 rows in stocking stitch. Cast off To make up
(The nose bit is a bit fiddly and awkward to explain, but be guided by the picture)
For each nose, fold the cast on stitches against the sides of the 4 rows worked straight, then sew the sides to the main piece, they should go in as they go up and the cast off stitches should fit to the bottom of the three center dark grey stitches.
Using dark grey yarn, embroider nostrils on the underside of the nose and a row of backstitch across the centre 5 sts on the rows that are 2 and 5 below the bottom of the nose Stuff the nose through the gap created by putting the spare stitches into the pattern. Be generous with this without overfilling, we’re talking huge conks but with shaping here! Stitch up the gap. The brows should naturally curl. Stitch them as a roll on each face along the length of the two full rows of dark grey.
Attach the bobbles at regular intervals up one side (allowing for handles). Attach the 4 knited loops to the other side of the cover to match the bobbles. Sew in any loose ends.