Spotted Pony

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 12 mm (on the head): in round 14, 11 st apart (count along round 14: about 5.7 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 nostril thread, a oval about 3.5 mm wide and 5 mm tall, horizontal stitches; centred between rounds 2 and 3, 3 st from the centre top line, toward the toy's left .
• Embroidery in nostril thread (on the muzzle), straight stitches through: (between rounds 1 and 2, 1.5 st from the centre bottom line, toward the toy's left ) → (in round 2, 1 st from the centre bottom line, toward the toy's left ) → (between rounds 2 and 3, on the centre bottom line ) → (in round 2, 1 st from the centre bottom line, toward the toy's right ) → (between rounds 1 and 2, 1.5 st from the centre bottom line, toward the toy's right ).
• Strands (mane) (on the head): cut 30 pieces of yarn (mane) about 80 mm long; fold each in half and attach with a lark's head knot (pull through a stitch with the hook) along in round 5, on the centre front line -> in round 2, on the centre front line -> in round 1, 1.5 st from the centre front line, toward the toy's left -> in round 3, on the centre back line -> in round 8, on the centre back line -> in round 13, on the centre back line -> in round 18, on the centre back line -> in round 23, on the centre back line, evenly spaced. Trim to about 30 mm.
• Fringe (on the head): cut 9 pieces of yarn (mane) 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 5 and 6, 1.5 st from the centre front line, toward the toy's right -> between rounds 6 and 7, on the centre front line -> between rounds 5 and 6, 1.5 st from the centre front line, toward the toy's left , evenly spaced. Trim to about 22 mm.
• Strands (mane) (on the tail base): cut 16 pieces of yarn (mane) about 120 mm long; fold each in half and attach with a lark's head knot (pull through a stitch with the hook) along between rounds 1 and 2, on the centre top line -> between rounds 1 and 2, 1.5 st from the centre top line, toward the toy's left -> between rounds 1 and 2, on the centre bottom line -> between rounds 1 and 2, 1.5 st from the centre top line, toward the toy's right -> between rounds 1 and 2, on the centre top line , evenly spaced. Trim to about 50 mm. Give the strands a soft wave (see the last item of this section).
• Curling the strands: Soft waves: untwist each strand into its plies and brush lightly.