April 9, 2021

Yarn held normal (no double) since this is such a bulky yarn by nature. Didn’t gauge and went down 2 needle sizes to accommodate the additional thickness of the yarn.
Certainly was intense on my hand and arm muscles - thank gawd for Biofreeze. Finished up in 3-4 days. It was HUGE.. I was terribly worried that it wouldn’t shrink enough but tossed it in the washer on hot. After each cycle, 4x, it just wasn’t truly shrinking and was very limp and drapey but the felting process had started. Decided to throw in some slippers, tennis balls, and a shit-ton of soap and held my breath on the 5th cycle. Yay! It was working.. It had stiffened up considerably.. went for a 6th cycle and viola! (If I had done that from the beginning, probably would have only taken 2-3 cycles).
Now for the pattern.. this one was a tough read. Even the tutorial that was linked for the CO method (which I knew) was a terrible source for those who may have really needed it. The instructions were ambiguous and convoluted, yet overly simplified. Could be tough for a beginner wanting to do it, even though it really is a great beginner project. Anyhow.. it was free, and that’s what ya get sometimes. Since I will be making a few of these, I have re-written the pattern so that I can follow more clearly while having a night of mindless knitting and a bottle of wine.

Cat Cocoon (by yellow thread knit)
^rewrite of the original pattern for ease of following as the original was confusing and poorly written^

Materials:
Worsted weight felt-able 100% wool (1000 – 1200 meters or 500 – 600 grams)
10mm/US15 circular needles (60 and 100 cm long)
Stitch markers
Needle for weaving ends

Abbreviations:
BO: Bind off
BOR: Beginning of round
CO: Cast on
EOR: End of round
K: Knit
Kfb: knit into front and back of stitch (increase)
K2tog: knit two stitches together (decrease)
M: marker
M1L: Make one left (backloop) increase
M1R: Make one right (front loop) increase
Pm: place marker
Sm: Slip marker
St(s): stitch(es)

Gauge:
11.5 sts x 15 rows = 4”x4” pre-felted with yarn held double
Suggested to check gauge for denseness needed for finished project. Felting sample to calculate the shrinkage of yarn chosen.

Instructions: (yarn held double throughout pattern)
^unless otherwise noted, project is worked in the round^
CO 8 stitches with magic loop method – This will create an “in the round” project.
Round 1: knit
Round 2: kfb in each stitch (16 sts)
Round 3: knit
Round 4: ^k1, kfb, pm - repeat from ^ until end of round. Last marker is BOR
Round 5: knit
Round 6: ^knit until 1 st before next marker, kfb, sm - repeat from ^ until end of round (32 sts)
Round 7-28: Repeat rounds 5 and 6, {11 times} (120 sts)
Round 29-30: knit
Round 31: Repeat round 6 (128 sts)
Round 32-46: Repeat rounds 29-31 {5 times} (168 sts)
Round 47: BO 21 sts, knit until end of round, removing markers.

The following section (row 48 – 84) is worked flat.
Row 48 (WS): purl
Row 49 (RS): knit
Row 50 (WS): purl
Row 51 (RS): knit
Row 52 (WS): purl
Row 53: ^k9, pm, k2tog, k10 - repeat from ^ until end of row (140 sts)
Row 54-58: Repeat rows 48-52
Row 59: ^knit to marker, sm, k2tog - repeat from ^ 7 times, k7
Row 60-62: Repeat rows 48-50
Row 63: Repeat row 59 (133 sts)
Row 64-75: Repeat rows 60-63 {3 times} (105 sts)
Row 76: purl
Row 77: ^k1, M1L, knit until last st, M1R, k1 - Repeat from ^ until end of row (107 sts)
Row 78: purl
Row 79: ^knit to marker, sm, K2tog - repeat from ^ 7 times, k to end (100 sts)
Row 80: purl
Row 81: ^k1, M1L, knit until last st, M1R, k1 - Repeat from ^ until end of row (102 sts)
Row 82: purl
Row 83: k1, M1L, ^knit to marker, sm, k2tog - Repeat from ^ 7 times, knit to last st, M1R, k1 (97 sts)
Row 84: purl

The following section will be worked in the round.
Round 85: cable CO 6 sts, pm (marks the BOR), CO 1 st, join in the round, knit around. (104 sts) – 8 sections of 13 sts each
Round 86: knit
Round 87: ^k2tog, knit to next marker, sm - Repeat from ^ until end of round (96 sts)
Round 88-89: knit around
Round 90: ^k2tog, knit to next marker, sm – Repeat from ^ until end of round (88 sts)
Round 91-102: Repeat rounds 88-90 {4 times} (56 sts)
Round 103: knit
Round 104: ^k2tog, knit to next marker, sm – Repeat from ^ until end of round (48 sts)
Round 105-112: Repeat rounds 103-104 {4 times} (16 sts)
Round 113: k2tog each st until end of round (8 sts)
Cut yarn and thread through remaining 8 sts, pull tight, and weave end tails.

Use your favorite felting method and dry shape with towels (or balloons). If the cocoon is not holding shape after drying, run it through the felting process again until desired result.