Highland Cow

Safety eyes and noses go in before the piece is stuffed and closed (see the pieces above); embroidery is easier before the piece is sewn on.

• Safety eyes with a printed glint 10 mm (on the Head): between rounds 14 and 15, 11 st apart (count along round 14: about 5.5 st each side of the centre front line).
• Satin stitch (on the Muzzle) (2, symmetric: the toy's left side is described, the right is its mirror image): in rose thread, a oval about 4.5 mm wide and 6.5 mm tall, horizontal stitches; centred between rounds 3 and 4, 3 st from the centre top line, toward the toy's left .
• Fringe (on the Head): cut 12 pieces of yarn (rust, ginger) about 68 mm long; fold each in half and attach with a lark's head knot (pull through a stitch with the hook) along between rounds 4 and 5, 4.5 st from the centre front line, toward the toy's right -> in round 4, on the centre front line -> between rounds 4 and 5, 4.5 st from the centre front line, toward the toy's left , evenly spaced. Trim to about 24 mm. Curl the strands (see the last item of this section).
• Fringe (on the Head): cut 13 pieces of yarn (rust, ginger) about 68 mm long; fold each in half and attach with a lark's head knot (pull through a stitch with the hook) along between rounds 6 and 7, 7 st from the centre front line, toward the toy's right -> in round 6, on the centre front line -> between rounds 6 and 7, 7 st from the centre front line, toward the toy's left, evenly spaced. Trim to about 24 mm. Curl the strands (see the last item of this section).
• Fringe (on the Head): cut 13 pieces of yarn (rust, ginger) about 64 mm long; fold each in half and attach with a lark's head knot (pull through a stitch with the hook) along between rounds 8 and 9, 8.5 st from the centre front line, toward the toy's right -> in round 8, on the centre front line -> between rounds 8 and 9, 8.5 st from the centre front line, toward the toy's left , evenly spaced. Trim to about 22 mm. Curl the strands (see the last item of this section).
• Fringe (on the Head): cut 12 pieces of yarn (rust, ginger) about 56 mm long; fold each in half and attach with a lark's head knot (pull through a stitch with the hook) along between rounds 10 and 11, 8 st from the centre front line, toward the toy's right -> in round 10, on the centre front line -> between rounds 10 and 11, 8 st from the centre front line, toward the toy's left , evenly spaced. Trim to about 18 mm. Curl the strands (see the last item of this section).
• Mane (on the Head): cut 10 pieces of yarn (rust, ginger) about 64 mm long; fold each in half and attach with a lark's head knot (pull through a stitch with the hook) along in round 3, 5 st from the centre front line, toward the toy's left -> in round 2, on the centre back line -> in round 3, 5 st from the centre front line, toward the toy's right, evenly spaced. Trim to about 22 mm. Curl the strands (see the last item of this section).
• Strands (mane) (on the Body): cut 34 pieces of yarn (rust, ginger) about 56 mm long; fold each in half and attach with a lark's head knot (pull through a stitch with the hook) along between rounds 16 and 17, on the centre front line -> between rounds 16 and 17, 13.5 st from the centre front line, toward the toy's left -> between rounds 16 and 17, on the centre back line -> between rounds 16 and 17, 13.5 st from the centre front line, toward the toy's right -> between rounds 16 and 17, on the centre front line, evenly spaced. Trim to about 18 mm. Curl the strands (see the last item of this section).
• Curling the strands: Curls: before knotting, wrap the pieces tightly in a spiral around a knitting needle or a wooden skewer (3–4 mm), tape the ends, dampen (or steam with an iron held above, not touching) and let them dry completely on the needle; slide them off and they stay curly. For fluffy waves instead, untwist each strand into its plies and brush lightly. Note: instead of knotted strands the fringe can be worked as loop stitches along the rounds — an alternative that is not part of this pattern's stitch counts.