Converting from crochet to knit: beholders

#1

I saw the beholder pattern in the most recent issue of AntiCraft and would love to make one either as a stuffed toy or as a hat.
http://www.theanticraft.com/archive/imbolc08/beholder.htm
unfortunately the patern is crochet and i have just never got the hang of that!

I think i can figure out the body as a knit pattern, but im not sure how i woud get the flat ended tube effect with knitting. icord is too narrow and cant be stuffed, and DPN tubes wouldnt have the flat end for attaching the eyes. Does anybody know how i could get the right effect.

the same problem applies to this pattern: http://www.theanticraft.com/archive/imbolc08/catchhiseye.htm how do i knit a flat circle that i can pick up stitches around the edge of to make the rest of the bag?

#2

A wider i-cord should do the trick… try an 8 or 10-stitch icord. You’ll have to do some swatching, but that’s to be expected.

As for the bag, you can mostly follow the directions for the crochet… let me see…

Using black yarn, Ch 2 (counts as first st), 7 hdc in magic ring loop, tighten, sl st in 2nd ch. (8 sts)
Rnd 1: Ch 2, 2 hdc in next stitch, 2hdc each st around, sl st. (15 sts)
Rnd 2: Ch 2, 1 hdc, 2 hdc next st around, sl st. (22 sts) Finish off.

So I would do a provisional CO of 8, join them to work in the round, and KFB in each stitch around, then on the next round, (k1, kfb) around.

You can find instructions on how to do a flat circle from round blankets or shawls. Change colors when you want to. The only thing that might be a little complex would be where you see the blue crossing over the brown, which you can do by picking up a loop 2 or 3 rounds below. When you have the width you want, just start working even until you have the height you want, do an eyelet row, and BO. Then I’d duplicate stitch the veins on, and do an icord drawstring. Then go back to the beginning, remove the provisional CO and just run your yarn end around that circle of stitches a few times and pull it tight.

HTH

#3

You could perhaps take parts from other patterns.
http://www.knittingpatterncentral.com/directory.php has lots of toys patterns.
A ball for the body, an animal or teddy bear legs for stalks, Some have flat feet soles knit separate, like these. http://magknits.com/May06/patterns/ted.htm
http://www.canadianliving.com/crafts/knitting/knit_a_stuffed_elephant.php
and round knit coasters here for the bag?
http://www.knittingatknoon.com/coasterspatt.html
I think once stuffed they might all tend to bow out a bit anyway.