Are You in Danger of Going Crazy with Cats?
Don’t go crazy with cats… knit one or several with 17 free cat knitting patterns instead!
Back when I lived in Ohio, we were owned by three cats in a cramped 3-floor (counting the basement) townhome. I do not recommend this many cats in a small space, but it was by accident.
Kind of.
Here’s how it happened.
How We Accidentally Obtained 3 Cats
Our first cat came to us as a gorgeous orange-and-white kitten who followed my mother-in-law home one day. My husband and I were rather newly married, so when his parents asked us if we wanted a kitten, we jumped right in.
In his kittenhood, he was pretty nutty. We named him “Cuji” because I refused to let my husband name him “Cujo.” (This, by the way, is how we wound up naming all our cats.)
A few years later, my then-boss’ sister was moving across the country. She had several cats and kittens, and she couldn’t take them all with her. My husband and I took a kitten. She was pure white with blue eyes; amazingly, she could hear. (Pure white cats with blue eyes are often deaf.)
She had a fondness for Q-tips. My husband wanted to name her “Q-Tip.” I refused. Our compromise was “Q.”
But one day… Q disappeared. She often liked to dart out our back door; we usually nabbed her and brought her back inside. But this time, that didn’t happen. My husband had bonded with Q, and he was devastated.
Several months later, yet another kitten followed my mom-in-law home. Since we’d lost one cat, we decided we’d take in this little guy. He was gray with the most beautiful black markings all over him — not spotted, not tabbied, not sploched, but a magical, artistic blend of the three.
This time, I came up with the original name suggestion: “Picasso.” My husband wanted to nickname him “Pickles.” Always the killjoy, I refused. One of us conjured “Pico,” and we agreed.
A few months after we acquired Pico, my husband called me at work and left a message. He was half-laughing and half-sobbing and I had no idea what he was saying. In a panic, I called him back.
What he had been trying to say was “I FOUND Q!!”
So that’s how we came to be a 3-cat family. See, it really was nearly by accident!
Sadly, Cuji died while we were still in Ohio. Q and Pico are now living with my in-laws; when we first moved to Oklahoma, we rented a house that did not allow pets. The cats had to depart. But they are purr-fectly content where they are now.
Cats and Knitting: a Match Made in Heaven
Ruminating about my cats led me to put together this collection of cat knitting patterns. Why cats? Cats and knitting just seem to go together.
We love yarn; so do cats. Cats love to snuggle next to us on the sofa; we love to knit with a cat snuggled next to us on the sofa. Truly, the enjoyment of knitting seems only amplified by a cat watching our knitting needles click.
The cat patterns offered here have so many great possibilities. Children would of course love to receive one as a gift. Many cat lovers probably would, too. They make tremendous charity knitting projects. And, of course, if you’re looking for a little knitted mascot for yourself, you can’t go wrong with a cat!
Following are some of the many, many cat knitting patterns available free online.
Free Cat Knitting Patterns
Beans: This tiny fellow is knit in the round (sewing is minimal) and will give you the opportunity to try a little needle felting for the facial features.
The Window Cat: This happy seated cat, also knit in the round, does indeed seem well-placed on a sunny window.
The Parlor Cat: This cat is knitted completely in the round, from head to tail. I just love the way it’s positioned, in that prim little way cats sit with their back legs tucked in and their little front paws arranged right below their faces.
Knitted Kitty: If you’re not a fan of circular knitting, this cat is the one for you. It’s knit flat and sewn up to finish. I love this cat because it stands on its own!
Tabitha the Destash Kitty: If you’re looking for a truly delightful way to use up leftover yarn, check out this pattern. It’s especially great when you have bits and pieces of one and maybe bits and pieces of another. Of course, it’s cute enough to use a fresh skein for, too.
Maru Kitty Plush Toy: This is the only toy cat on this list that is felted. The difference in its appearance is astonishing; it looks almost like a real cat — or, at least, a very professional-looking toy!
Four Knitted Cats – Tabby, Ginger, Black-and-white and Moggy: Just as the name suggests, this is a four-in-one pattern. (“Moggy” is the little gray cat.) The pattern is mostly the same for all four cats, with minor variations.
Twinkle Kitty: Here you’ll find another tiny cat with very minimal sewing required. You’ll only need to sew on the tail.
Tall Tiger: If you loved the lovable toy tiger from the “Calvin & Hobbes” comic strip, you will absolutely adore Tall Tiger. While he’s a little more challenging, he’s definitely worth the extra effort!
Kate: Here’s cute little cat stylishly decked out in a shirt and trousers.
Grisig the Cat: Grisig is another stylish little cat with a large head and eyes and wide, “glossy” eyes. This cat begs to be creatively customized; give it different costumes, fun hair, little accessories, and so on.
Brownie Cat: This adorable cat sits at attention! If you’d like to practice (or try) intarsia, this is a great cat to try.
Cats: This pattern is terrific for beginners or anyone who wants to dash off a cute kitty. I Heart Cat Loves Dog:
I Heart Cat Loves Dog and Amineko Knit Cat: A crocheted pattern for Amineko the Cat inspired both of these patterns. While both are darling, “I Heart Cat Loves Dog” also has a variation to knit a dog in the same style.
Roly Poly Kitty: Another utterly precious little cat that is as roly-poly as its name.
Hello Kitty: No collection of cat knitting patterns could possibly be complete without a Hello Kitty pattern! This pattern makes perhaps the largest cat of the bunch; it’s about the size of a baby doll. (You could make her a little smaller with a lighter weight yarn and smaller needles.)
I’m confident that with this tremendous collection of cat knitting patterns, you’ll find the perfect one to use as a gift, a charity project, or for yourself.
And by the way… if you REALLY want 3 cats in a tiny home, maybe knit them instead!