Knitted Farm Friends Book Review, Pattern, Giveaway

I’m sharing a book review of a knitting pattern collection of farm animals, along with a knit rabbit pattern excerpt available through April 30, 2026, and a giveaway with your chance to win my review copy, so read on for details.

This post contains affiliate links. I may receive compensation (at no added cost to you) if you make a purchase using these links. GMC Publications Ltd provided me with a free review copy of Knitted Farm Friends: 20 Adorable Animals To Make (available through independent booksellers or on Amazon) by Sarah Keen. Although I accept free products for review, I do not accept additional compensation, nor do I guarantee a positive review. My reviews are based entirely on my honest opinions.

Book Review: Knitted Farm Friends

Knitted Farm Friends: 20 Adorable Animals To Make by Sarah Keen (available through independent booksellers or on Amazon) is a collection of knitting patterns. I’ve previously reviewed several other books by Sarah including:

The book opens with a brief introduction from Sarah and then dives into the patterns. Throughout the book, the knit animals are depicted standing against an illustrated farm background using bold colors, so the book is perfect for exploring with your favorite kiddo and letting them pick out animals they would like you to make for them. Each pattern starts with an Information You’ll Need section, which includes a materials list, the finished size, the tension (gauge), and refers readers to the pattern abbreviation list at the back of the book. Throughout the pattern, the animals are shown at various angles so you can see their outfits and any details (like tails, horns, feathers, etc.) clearly.

All of the animals measure between 6” (15 cm) to 10” (25.5 cm) in height; 13 of the patterns are between 7” (18 cm) to 7.75” (19.5 cm) tall. All of the animals have clothing, including five (dog, pig, pony, rabbit, and rat) with both dungarees (overalls) and pinafores (aprons), one (cow) with a skirt; nine (alpaca, billy goat, donkey, goose, highland bull, pheasant, ram, rooster, and turkey) with dungarees; three (cat, ewe, and hen) with a pinafore; one (fox) with trousers and a skirt; and one (bee) with trousers. The pattern instructions include directions for different body parts and garments and conclude with instructions for making up (assembly).

A Techniques section follows the patterns and includes tips on buying yarn (acrylic is recommended); safety advice because the patterns include small parts (buttons) that may be dangerous for babies and toddlers; written and illustrated instructions for forming the slip knot; the long tail cast on method; basic stitches (knit, purl, and k2tog); two-needle cast on; colorwork with intarsia; casting off; seaming with the mattress stitch, oversewing, and backstitch; and the embroidery chain and stem stitches. This section also includes an explanation and swatch photos of garter stitch, stockinette stitch, and the moss stitch; written instructions for decreasing with p2tog and increasing with m1 or kfb; threading yarn through stitches; stuffing and washing your projects; and the embroidery straight and satin stitches. There is an Abbreviations list including standard UK pattern abbreviations along with conversions between US and UK needles, yarn weight, and terminology. The book closes with an Index of patterns and techniques and a brief Acknowledgements section.

All of the patterns in Knitted Farm Friends: 20 Adorable Animals To Make by Sarah Keen (available through independent booksellers or on Amazon) are knit with DK (double knitting/#3/light) weight yarn and US 3/UK 10/3.25mm knitting needles with gauge (or tension) of 26 sts x 34 rows measuring 4” (10 cm) square. While the book is a paperback, it includes front and back cover flaps so you can easily knit while following along with the pattern. US knitters that prefer working with medium/worsted/#4 weight yarns can, of course, upsize their yarn and needles to get larger animals while still keeping a tight gauge. The patterns are designed for confident/advanced beginners who are familiar with reading pattern abbreviations. Several designs have common elements (such as body parts or clothing), so these parts will become familiar if you make multiple animals. Besides making these animals for your own children or grandchildren, these creatures make perfect additions to a classroom and would likely be welcomed by many children’s charities (but, always do check charity guidelines before donating!). The designs are very cute and the outfits make these animals perfect for dress up and playtime. If you have basic knitting skills and like making projects for children, you’ll find lots to enjoy in Knitted Farm Friends! Read on for the excerpted pattern for the knit Rabbit pattern and for a chance to win my review copy of the book.

Rabbit

Knit Rabbit Pattern by Sarah Keen

Reprinted from Knitted Farm Friends: 20 Adorable Animals To Make (available through independent booksellers or on Amazon) by Sarah Keen with permission from GMC Publications Ltd. Text © Sarah Keen, 2024. Copyright in the Work © GMC Publications Ltd, 2024.

Rabbit

Information you’ll need

Materials

  • Any DK (US: light worsted) yarn (amounts given are approximate)
    • Yarn A white (30g per Rabbit) 
    • Yarn B denim blue (15g)
    • Yarn C damson (15g)
    • Oddments of black and dusky pink for embroidery
  • 1 pair of 3.25mm (UK10:US3) needles and a spare needle of same size for dungarees
  • Knitters’ pins and a blunt-ended needle for sewing up
  • Acrylic toy stuffing
  • 2 small buttons for each Rabbit

Finished size

  • Rabbit stands 7.5in (19cm) tall

Tension

  • 26 sts x 34 rows measure 4in (10cm) square over st-st using 3.25mm needles and DK yarn before stuffing.

Notes from Underground Crafter

  • This pattern uses standard UK knitting abbreviations. You can find a full list, along with the differences between UK and US abbreviations, here on the Craft Yarn Council website.
  • VeryPink Knits has a helpful video tutorial for the M1 increase here.
  • The Yarnist has a helpful video tutorial for the k3tog decrease here.
  • A helpful video tutorial for the k2tog decrease is available below.
  • If you can’t see the k2tog video above, click HERE to watch it on YouTube.
  • The Blue Mouse Knits has a helpful video tutorial for the k2tog tbl decrease here.
  • Fiber Chronicles has a helpful video tutorial for the kfb increase here.
  • Fiber Flux has a helpful video tutorial for the p2tog decrease here.
  • A helpful video tutorial for the mattress stitch seam is available below.

How to make Rabbit

Body

  • Using the long tail method and yarn A, cast on 36 sts.
  • Row 1: Purl.
  • Row 2: K1, (k8, m1, k1, m1, k8) twice, k1 (40 sts). 
  • Rows 3 to 9: Beg with a p row, work 7 rows in st-st. 
  • Rows 10 and 11: Work 2 rows in g-st to mark waist. 
  • Rows 12 to 21: Beg with a k row, work 10 rows in st-st.
  • Row 22: K1, (k8, k3tog, k8) twice, k1 (36 sts).
  • Row 23 and foll alt row: Purl. 
  • Row 24: K1, (k7, k3tog, k7) twice, k1 (32 sts).
  • Row 26: K1, (k6, k3tog, k6) twice, k1 (28 sts). 
  • Row 27: Purl.
  • Cast off.

Head

  • Using the long tail method and yarn A, cast on 28 sts.
  • Rows 1 to 3: Beg with a p row, work 3 rows in st-st.
  • Row 4: K5, (m1, k6) 3 times, m1, k5 (32 sts).
  • Row 5 and foll 3 alt rows: Purl.
  • Row 6: K15, m1, k2, m1, k15 (34 sts).
  • Row 8: K16, m1, k2, m1, k16 (36 sts).
  • Row 10: K17, m1, k2, m1, k17 (38 sts).
  • Row 12: K18, m1, k2, m1, k18 (40 sts).
  • Rows 13 to 15: Work 3 rows in st-st.
  • Row 16: K17, k2tog tbl, k2, k2tog, k17 (38 sts).
  • Row 17 and foll 2 alt rows: Purl.
  • Row 18: K16, k2tog tbl, k2, k2tog, k16 (36 sts).
  • Row 20: K15, k2tog tbl, k2, k2tog, k15 (34 sts).
  • Row 22: K14, k2tog tbl, k2, k2tog, k14 (32 sts).
  • Rows 23 to 25: Work 3 rows in st-st.
  • Row 26: (K2tog, k2) to end (24 sts).
  • Row 27 and foll alt row: Purl.
  • Row 28: (K2tog, k1) to end (16 sts).
  • Row 30: (K2tog) to end (8 sts).
  • Break yarn and thread through sts on needle, pull tight and secure by threading yarn a second time through sts.

Feet and legs (make 2)

  • Using the long tail method and yarn A, cast on 16 sts.
  • Row 1: Purl.
  • Row 2: (K1, kfb) 4 times, (kfb, k1) 4 times (24 sts).
  • Rows 3 to 9: Work 7 rows in st-st.
  • Row 10: K6, (k2tog) 6 times, k6 (18 sts).
  • Row 11: Purl.
  • Row 12: K7, (k2tog) twice, k7 (16 sts).
  • Rows 13 to 17: Work 5 rows in st-st.
  • Cast off.

Hands and forearms (make 2)

  • Using the long tail method and yarn A, cast on 8 sts.
  • Row 1 and foll alt row: Purl.
  • Row 2: (Kfb) to end (16 sts).
  • Row 4: (Kfb, k3) to end (20 sts).
  • Rows 5 to 7: Work 3 rows in st-st.
  • Row 8: (K2tog, k2) to end (15 sts).
  • Rows 9 to 21: Work 13 rows in st-st.
  • Row 22: (K2tog, k1) to end (10 sts).
  • Break yarn, thread through sts on needle and leave loose.

Dungarees

  • Make dungarees using yarn B, as for Dog.
  • Note: foll individual instructions as given for 1 front and 1 back of dungarees.

First leg

  • Using the long tail method and yarn C, cast on 12 sts and beg in g-st.
  • Rows 1 and 2: Work 2 rows in g-st. Break yarn and set aside.

Second leg

  • Work as for first leg but do not break yarn.

Join legs

  • Row 3: Beg with second leg and k10, k2tog, turn, using the knitting-on method cast on 5 sts, turn, then with the same yarn continue across first leg and k2tog, k to end (27 sts).
  • Row 4 and foll 2 alt rows: Purl.
  • Row 5: K2, m1, k23, m1, k2 (29 sts).
  • Row 7: K12, k2tog, k1, k2tog, k12 (27 sts).
  • Row 9: K10, k2tog, k3, k2tog, k10 (25 sts).
  • Rows 10 to 14: Work 5 rows in st-st.
  • Rows 15 to 17: Work 3 rows in g-st, ending with a RS row.
  • Cast off in g-st for back of dungarees or cont with bib for front of dungarees:

Divide for bib

  • Row 18: Cast off 6 sts kwise, k12 (13 sts now on RH needle), cast off rem 6 sts and fasten off. 
  • Rejoin yarn to rem sts and patt:
  • Row 19: K2, (k1 tbl) 9 times, k2 (13 sts). 
  • Row 20: K2, p9, k2.
  • Row 21: Knit.
  • Rows 22 to 27: Rep rows 20 and 21, 3 times more, ending with a k row.
  • Rows 28 and 29: Work 2 rows in g-st, ending with a RS row.
  • Cast off in g-st.

Straps for dungarees (make 2)

  • Using the long tail method and yarn B, cast on 26 sts.
  • Row 1: Knit.
  • Cast off kwise.

Pinafore

  • Make pinafore using yarn C, as for Ewe.
  • Using the long tail method and yarn C, cast on 65 sts and beg in g-st.
  • Rows 1 and 2: Work 2 rows in g-st.
  • Rows 3 to 12: Beg with a k row, work 10 rows in st-st.
  • Row 13: K1, (k2tog, k2) to end (49 sts).
  • Rows 14 and 15: Work 2 rows in g-st, ending with a RS row.

Divide for bib

  • Row 16: Cast off 18 sts kwise, k12 (13 sts now on RH needle), cast off rem 18 sts and fasten off. 
  • Rejoin yarn to rem sts and patt:
  • Row 17: K2, (k1 tbl) 9 times, k2 (13 sts).
  • Row 18: K2, p9, k2.
  • Row 19: Knit.
  • Rows 20 to 25: Rep rows 18 and 19, 3 times more, ending with a k row.
  • Rows 26 and 27: Work 2 rows in g-st, ending with a RS row. Cast off in g-st.

Straps for pinafore

  • Using yarn C make straps, as for dungarees.

Ears (make 2)

  • Using the long tail method and yarn A, cast on 12 sts and work in g-st.
  • Rows 1 to 6: Work 6 rows in g-st.
  • Row 7: K4, kfb, k2, kfb, k4 (14 sts).
  • Row 8 and foll 4 alt rows: Knit.
  • Row 9: K4, kfb, k4, kfb, k4 (16 sts).
  • Row 11: K5, kfb, k4, kfb, k5 (18 sts).
  • Row 13: K5, kfb, k6, kfb, k5 (20 sts).
  • Row 15: K6, kfb, k6, kfb, k6 (22 sts).
  • Row 17: K6, kfb, k8, kfb, k6 (24 sts).
  • Rows 18 to 28: Work 11 rows in g-st.
  • Row 29: K6, k2tog, k8, k2tog, k6 (22 sts).
  • Row 30 and foll 7 alt rows: Knit.
  • Row 31: K6, k2tog, k6, k2tog, k6 (20 sts).
  • Row 33: K5, k2tog, k6, k2tog, k5 (18 sts).
  • Row 35: K5, k2tog, k4, k2tog, k5 (16 sts).
  • Row 37: K4, k2tog, k4, k2tog, k4 (14 sts).
  • Row 39: K4, k2tog, k2, k2tog, k4 (12 sts).
  • Row 41: K3, k2tog, k2, k2tog, k3 (10 sts).
  • Row 43: K2, k2tog, k2, k2tog, k2 (8 sts).
  • Row 45: (K2tog) to end (4 sts).
  • Break yarn and thread through sts on needle, pull tight and secure by threading yarn a second time through sts.

Tail

  • Using the long tail method and yarn A, cast on 12 sts.
  • Row 1: Purl.
  • Row 2: (Kfb, k1) to end (18 sts).
  • Rows 3 to 7: Work 5 rows in st-st.
  • Row 8: (K2tog, k1) to end (12 sts).
  • Row 9: (P2tog) to end (6 sts).
  • Break yarn and thread through sts on needle, pull tight and secure by threading yarn a second time through sts.

Making up

  • Note: Sew up all row-end seams on right side using mattress stitch one stitch in from the edge, unless otherwise stated; a one-stitch seam allowance has been allowed for this.

Body

  • Sew up side edges of body and with this seam at centre back, oversew cast-on stitches. Stuff body leaving neck open.

Head

  • Sew up side edges of head, stuff head and push a ball of stuffing into nose. Pin and sew head to body making a horizontal stitch over one stitch from head, then a horizontal stitch over one stitch from body and do this alternately all the way round.

Feet and legs

  • Fold cast-on stitches of feet in half and oversew. Sew up side edges of legs and stuff feet and legs. 
  • Pin legs to body leaving a 0.75in (2cm) gap at crotch and sew in place. 

Hands and forearms 

  • Gather round cast-on stitches of hands, pull tight and secure. Sew up side edges of forearms, stuff and pull stitches on a thread tight and secure. Sew forearms to Rabbit at both sides.

Dungarees, pinafore, straps and buttons

  • Make up dungarees, pinafore, straps and buttons, as for Pig.
  • Place two pieces of dungarees together matching all edges and sew up inside leg seams and across crotch. Sew up side seams and place dungarees on Pig. Sew cast-off stitches of waist of dungarees to row above waist of Pig using backstitch. Sew ends of straps to top edge of front of bib, take straps over shoulders, cross over and sew to back of dungarees. Add two buttons to bib.
  • Sew up side edges of skirt of pinafore and place pinafore on Pig. Sew cast-off stitches of waist of pinafore to row above waist of Pig using backstitch. Sew ends of straps to top edge of front of bib, take straps over shoulders, cross over and sew to back of pinafore. Add two buttons to bib.

Ears

  • Oversew side edges of ears.
  • With this seam at centre of inside edge sew ears to head.

Features

  • Mark position of eyes with two pins and embroider eyes in black making a vertical chain-stitch for each eye, then a second chain-stitch on top of first. Embroider eyebrows in black using straight stitches and embroider nose and mouth in pink using satin stitch for nose and straight stitches for mouth.

Tail

  • Sew up side edges of tail and stuff. Pin and sew tail to back of Rabbit below waist band sewing through dungarees or pinafore to body.

Giveaway

After reading my review of Knitted Farm Friends: 20 Adorable Animals To Make by Sarah Keen and trying out the knit Rabbit pattern, you’re probably ready to get your hands on this book! You can buy it now through independent booksellers or on Amazon), or enter the giveaway below by 11:59 p.m. Eastern on Sunday, May 11, 2025 for your chance to win my review copy. While my copy of the book was provided by GMC Publications Ltd., the giveaway is organized by Underground Crafter. Enter using any of the options on the Rafflecopter widget below. One winner will be chosen from the entries at random to win my review copy of the book. Winner will be contacted approximately 1 week after the entries close. Winner will have 3 days to claim the prize. If winner does not respond within 3 days, prize will be awarded to an alternate. By entering this giveaway, you are agreeing to share your contact information with Rafflecopter and/or Underground Crafter. You can read the Rafflecopter Privacy Policy and the Underground Crafter Privacy Policy here to understand how this information is used. This giveaway is open worldwide, except where prohibited by law. Good luck!

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