The duck-billed platypus is an extraordinary creature. When explorers first returned from Australia with a specimen to show to their scientific colleagues, they were accused of presenting a fake animal sewn together from other animal parts. The body of a mammal and the beak and feet of a duck? Preposterous! But the platypus is real and spends its life scooping up insect larvae from the bottoms of rivers and lakes, searching them out with its incredibly sensitive bill. Its dense fur, which protects it from freezing in the chilly water in which it spends most of its life, is represented in this platypus toy by thick woolly chenille-style yarn (although DK will also work to give a platypus with a smoother finish).

The pattern for the duck-billed platypus is from the book Kath Dalmeny’s World of Knitted Toys, and the full list of over 50 projects is shown below.

Materials
The pattern requires: 50g DK chenille in black, 20g chunky yarn in mid brown, 20g DK in chestnut brown, scraps of DK in black for the markings.

The pattern also suggests using 10mm (3/8 inch) toy safety eyes, but felt eyes or black stitches would also be appropriate.

KATH DALMENY’S WORLD OF KNITTED TOYS patterns list

The book contains over 50 patterns for making adorable knitted toys – people and animals from all over the world. Each chapter covers a different habitat, the animals that make their homes there, and one of the people who live there, with accessories to represent their lives or work. The knitting patterns are listed under three categories – Easy; Straightforward; and Challenging, to help knitters choose the project that is right for you. The projects are as follows:

BASIC PERSON PATTERN
(which is then adapted for the people patterns below)

IN THE JUNGLE

• South American Indian
• Spider monkey – mother and baby
• Snake
• Tiger cub
• Gorilla
• Orang utan
• Parrot
• Banana

AUSTRALIAN OUTBACK

• Australian sheep farmer (complete with corks hanging from his hat!)
• Merino sheep
• Koala bear
• Duck-billed platypus
• Wombat
• Kangaroo and Joey

DOWN ON THE FARM

• Farmer
• Highland bull
• Pigs and piglets
• Cat
• Mallard duck
• Chicken, cockerel and chicks

THE DEEP BLUE SEA

• Pearl fisherman
• Dolphin
• Shark
• Killer whale
• Turtle
• Octopus
• Clownfish

FOREST FRIENDS

• Canadian Mountie
• Horse
• Grizzly bear
• Beaver
• Raccoon
• Chipmunk
• Moose

ON SAFARI

• African Park Ranger
• Zebra
• Lion family – lion, lioness and lion cub
• Rhinoceros
• Elephant
• Warthog

THE SNOWY REGIONS

• Eskimo
• Husky dog
• Fish
• Penguins – Emperor penguins and Adelie penguins – parents and chicks
• Seal
• Walrus
• Polar bear

PATTERN VARIATIONS

• Sea lion
• Panda bear