I was asked to make a robot which will be used to teach the reception year children phonics. I cut up 2 car washing sponges - the first I cut in half (kept one half for the head) and then cut one half in half again for the feet. The other sponge I trimmed a little for the body. I knitted coverings for the square bits of sponge - just measuring as I went to see that they fitted. For the arms I adapted my mini christmas stocking pattern so that they had a bend at the elbow (the sock heel) and I knitted tubes to make the legs. The ‘ears’ are knitted in the round - starting off with 20 stitches and over several rows decreasing until 8 remained then gathering the remainder to make a sort of bobble and then stuffed before being sewed on. I did the same with the antenae but carried on until 3 stitches remained and then did a short i-cord before squashing the bobble and sewing in place.

The fingers are also i-cords made seperately and sewed on and the smile is an icord in 4ply yarn and 2.5mm needles sewn on.

Stuffing him with the cut bits of sponge has made him keep a pleasing boxy shape.