And then – bam! – a horse appeared. Just like that, out of nowhere! Even better – it came from a Waldorf kindergarten. But let’s start from the beginning:

At the moment, I’m juggling a couple of projects—a colorful African Flower blanket and a new cover for a footstool/ottoman (posts to come!)—but it seems that coming across an unusual or inspiring pattern almost always makes me put everything on hold and start something new. That’s exactly what happened when I stumbled across the homepage of a German Waldorf kindergarten suggesting knit farm animals. I immediately fell for the horse. The pattern is simple, quick, and the finished result is absolutely delightful. Now our little herd has grown to a band of wild horses… and one zebra.

The way it works is straightforward: first, you knit the body according to the pattern. It’s all done in one piece with a few increases and decreases, and honestly, it’s quick—done in about an hour. Then you fold it in half and finally join it together, making sure to work in the tail along the way. So far, none of the horses I’ve made have ears or a mane—I’m not a fan of the ears the pattern suggests, and I haven’t figured out a good way to do the mane. But honestly, isn’t it just as loveable even without them?