The Rookie

Beginner Knitted American Football Player

A huggable stuffed football player worked flat in easy stockinette. He wears team-color jersey and pants, a gold helmet with facemask, and he comes with a tiny football. If you can knit, purl, and sew a seam, you can make him.

Materials

Yarn — worsted weight (category 4), acrylic or wool-blend. Amounts are generous.

• Color A (navy / jersey): 40 yd (37 m)
• Color B (white / pants, stripes, number): 35 yd (32 m)
• Color C (gold / helmet): 25 yd (23 m)
• Color D (skin): 25 yd (23 m)
• Color E (brown / shoes and football): 20 yd (18 m)
• Color F (black / facemask and details): 10 yd (9 m)

Swap Color A/C for your favorite team colors if you like.

Needles: US 7 / 4.5 mm straight needles (or a circular needle used flat). Use a size that gives a firm fabric.

Notions

• Tapestry / yarn needle
• Polyester toy stuffing
• Stitch holder, spare needle, or waste yarn
• Scissors
• Optional: two 6 mm safety eyes (or embroider eyes)

Yardage note: One skein of each color is more than enough; leftovers are expected.

Gauge

20 sts and 28 rows = 4 in (10 cm) in stockinette stitch.

• 5 sts = 1 in (2.5 cm)
• 7 rows = 1 in (2.5 cm)

Gauge is for a dense toy fabric so stuffing does not show. If your swatch is looser than this, go down one needle size. Exact height can vary by ½ in (1 cm) without harming the design.

Finished Size

One size.

• Height: about 11 in (28 cm) after stuffing
• Chest circumference: about 8 in (20 cm) of fabric, ~3¼ in (8 cm) across when stuffed

Abbreviations (US)

• BO — bind off
• CO — cast on
• k — knit
• k2tog — knit 2 stitches together (1 st decreased)
• kfb — knit into the front and then the back of the same stitch (1 st increased)
• p — purl
• RS — right side
• St st — stockinette stitch (knit RS rows, purl WS rows)
• st(s) — stitch(es)
• WS — wrong side

kfb (how to): Knit the stitch as usual but do not slip it off. Swing the right needle around and knit into the back loop of that same stitch, then drop it off. You have made 2 sts from 1.

Pattern Notes

• The entire doll is knitted flat and seamed. There is no knitting in the round.
• Stockinette curls at the edges; this disappears once the pieces are seamed into tubes.
• Leave 12 in (30 cm) tails at every color change and bind-off — you will use them to sew.
• Work color changes at the start of a RS row when you can, for a cleaner stripe.
• Stuff firmly, but do not stretch the stitches into holes.
• Safety: if the doll is for a child under 3, embroider the eyes; do not use safety eyes or loose parts.

Instructions

Legs and Body (worked in one piece)

Leg 1

With Color E (brown), CO 18 sts.

• Rows 1–4: Knit every stitch (garter stitch sole).
• Rows 5–8: Work in St st, beginning with a RS knit row.

Change to Color B (white).

• Rows 9–36: Work in St st. (28 rows of pants; 18 sts remain ✓)

Cut yarn, leaving a tail. Place the 18 sts on a holder.

Leg 2

Work exactly as Leg 1, but do not cut Color B and do not put sts on a holder. You now have 18 live sts on the needle.

Join for body

Next row (RS), still with Color B: Knit 18 sts of Leg 2, CO 4 sts (backward-loop or knitted cast-on), knit 18 sts of Leg 1 from the holder.

(18 + 4 + 18 = 40 sts ✓)

• Rows 1–4 of body: Starting with a WS purl row, work 4 rows St st in Color B (waistband). 40 sts.

Change to Color A (navy).

• Rows 5–32 of body: Work 28 rows St st. 40 sts.

BO all 40 sts. Cut yarn, leaving a long tail for the back seam.

Arms (make 2)

With Color D (skin), CO 14 sts.

• Rows 1–6: St st (hand). 14 sts.

Change to Color A (navy).

• Rows 7–26: St st (sleeve). (20 rows; 14 sts remain ✓)

BO. Cut yarn, leaving a tail for seaming.

Head

With Color D (skin), CO 36 sts.

• Rows 1–20: St st. 36 sts.

• Row 21 (RS): *K2tog; repeat from * to end. (18 decreases → 36 − 18 = 18 sts ✓)

• Row 22: Purl.

• Row 23: *K2tog; repeat from * to end. (9 decreases → 18 − 9 = 9 sts ✓)

• Row 24: Purl.

Cut yarn, leaving a 12 in (30 cm) tail. Thread the tail through the remaining 9 sts, pull tight to close the crown, and fasten off securely. Do not seam the side yet.

Helmet

With Color C (gold), CO 40 sts.

• Rows 1–14: St st. 40 sts.

Begin crown:

• Row 15 (RS): *K3, k2tog; repeat from * to end. (8 decreases → 40 − 8 = 32 sts ✓)
• Row 16: Purl.
• Row 17: *K2, k2tog; repeat from * to end. (8 decreases → 32 − 8 = 24 sts ✓)
• Row 18: Purl.
• Row 19: *K1, k2tog; repeat from * to end. (8 decreases → 24 − 8 = 16 sts ✓)
• Row 20: Purl.
• Row 21: *K2tog; repeat from * to end. (8 decreases → 16 − 8 = 8 sts ✓)

Cut yarn, leaving a tail. Thread through the remaining 8 sts, pull tight, and fasten off. Seam the side edges together with mattress stitch to form a cap.

Center stripe (optional): With Color B, duplicate-stitch (or chain-stitch) a 2-st-wide white stripe from the front brim, over the crown, to the back brim.

Facemask (make 3)

With Color F (black), CO 3 sts.

Knit every row (garter stitch) for 24 rows.

BO. Each strip is about 2½ in (6.5 cm) long.

Optional 4th strip for a chin strap: make one more the same way.

Football

With Color E (brown), CO 4 sts.

• Row 1 (RS): Kfb, k2, kfb. (2 increases → 4 + 2 = 6 sts ✓)

• Row 2 and all WS rows unless noted: Purl.

• Row 3: Kfb, k to last st, kfb. (6 + 2 = 8 sts ✓)

• Row 5: Kfb, k to last st, kfb. (8 + 2 = 10 sts ✓)

• Row 7: Kfb, k to last st, kfb. (10 + 2 = 12 sts ✓)

• Row 8: Purl.

• Row 9: Kfb, k to last st, kfb. (12 + 2 = 14 sts ✓)

• Row 11: Kfb, k to last st, kfb. (14 + 2 = 16 sts ✓)

• Rows 12–22: Work 11 rows St st, beginning with a WS purl row (ends after a WS row). 16 sts.

• Row 23 (RS): K2tog, k to last 2 sts, k2tog. (16 − 2 = 14 sts ✓)

• Row 25: K2tog, k to last 2 sts, k2tog. (14 − 2 = 12 sts ✓)

• Row 27: K2tog, k to last 2 sts, k2tog. (12 − 2 = 10 sts ✓)

• Row 29: K2tog, k to last 2 sts, k2tog. (10 − 2 = 8 sts ✓)

• Row 31: K2tog, k to last 2 sts, k2tog. (8 − 2 = 6 sts ✓)

• Row 33: K2tog, k to last 2 sts, k2tog. (6 − 2 = 4 sts ✓)

• Row 35: K2tog, k2tog. (4 − 2 = 2 sts ✓)

• Row 36: P2tog. Fasten off remaining st.

Optional white stripes: Work Rows 7–8 and Rows 25–26 in Color B instead of Color E.

Embroider a few short Color B stitches down the center for laces. Seam the long edges, stuffing firmly as you go so the football stays pointed at both ends.

Finishing

Use mattress stitch for all seams unless noted. Stuff as you sew, a little at a time.

1. Legs. Fold each leg so the selvedges meet. Starting at the shoe, sew the leg seam up to the crotch. Close the cast-on edge of each shoe into an oval sole. Stuff the feet and legs firmly.

2. Body. Sew the center-back seam from the crotch CO up to the bind-off. The 4 crotch stitches sit between the legs. Stuff the body firmly up to the neck.

3. Arms. Fold each arm, seam from hand to bind-off, and stuff. Close the hand end. Sew the bind-off edge of each arm to the side of the body, just below the neck, with the seam facing down.

4. Head. Seam the side edges of the head from crown to cast-on. Stuff firmly into a round shape. Sew the open cast-on edge to the top of the body, adding a pinch of stuffing at the neck so the head does not wobble.

5. Face. With Color F, embroider two small eyes (or install safety eyes) and a short smile on the lower half of the head, leaving the upper half free for the helmet brim.

6. Helmet. Put the helmet on so the front edge sits just above the eyes. Tack it to the head with a few hidden stitches in Color C around the brim so it cannot slip.

7. Facemask. Sew the three black strips horizontally across the face, evenly spaced, attaching each end to the helmet brim at the sides of the face. If you made a chin strap, sew it from one side of the helmet, under the chin, to the other side.

8. Jersey number. With Color B, embroider a number on the chest (chain stitch or duplicate stitch). 12 is a classic; use any number you like. A matching number on the back is optional.

9. Football. Sew the football to one hand with a few stitches in Color E, or leave it loose as a toy.

10. Weave in ends. Trim. Give the Rookie a squeeze — he is ready for kickoff.

Helpful tips

• Mattress stitch: With RS facing you, pick up the bar between the first and second stitch on one edge, then the matching bar on the other edge. Pull snug every few stitches.
• If the helmet is tight: Put it on before the head is fully stuffed, then finish stuffing through the neck.
• If stuffing shows: You knitted too loosely — take a smaller needle next time, or add a lining of leftover yarn behind thin spots.