❄ Christmas Cork Elves & Pals ❄

from
♡ Dolly Delights ♡
by MagdaLaine

Materials:
• any double knitting weight yarn leftover yarns in small amounts in colours of your choice;
• needles: 3.25mm/UK10/US3;
• tapestry needle;
• toy stuffing or any ordinary washable pillow filling (optional, if No-Cork version is used);
• Champagne cork (they are usually 4.5cm-5.5cm/1.75''-2.25'');
• buttons, ribbons and any other embellishments if you wish;
This pattern was originally written for working flat, but it does contain instructions converted into
knitting in the round using magic loop method. When sewing use a stitching method that leaves the
thinnest seam possible.

©MagdaLaine – Dolly Delights ♡ Christmas Cork Elves & Pals – September 2015 ♡ Page 1/5
Abbreviations used:
K – knit, P – purl, CO – cast on, BO – bind off,
K2tg – knit 2 stitches together, decrease, P2tg – purl 2 stitches together,
ssk – slip one st as if to knit and then the 2nd one as if to knit and then knit them together through the
backs of their loops,
Kfb – knit to the front and back of the loop, increase,
st or sts - stitch or stitches, St-st – stockinette stitch,

Size:
These little characters are the size of cork which is about
4.5cm-5.5cm/1.75''-2.25'' plus the hat.
Your champagne corks may look like these in the photo here.
The one on the left has a clearly defined head, neck and the body.
The one on the right is not as shapely (:
When you are knitting covers for your corks you might have to adapt the head section a bit to make
sure your knitted piece fits right. The colour change between the head and the lower part of the body
should fall at the neck line. If your cork looks more like the one on the left, 4 rounds/rows for the head
is enough. But if your cork looks more like the one on the right, you might be better of knitting 5
rounds/rows (this section is marked in the instructions with an *).

No cork? No problem…
At the end of this pattern you will find instructions for making these cork characters as little softly
stuffed ornaments with closed base, which can hang. Enjoy (:

Cork Knits so far… (:

You can find more of my Cork Patterns in this bundle HERE.

Before you knit:

These little characters are excellent little festive knits that you can just whip up in no time. I would
make one or two each evening while watching something on the telly.
There is so much you can do with them:
- they are great in groups e.g. make 12 days of Christmas or 24 for the Advent Calendar,
- they could be a group of elves, or a choir boys and girls, or Santa's Little Helpers,
Be creative and add ornaments like: buttons, ribbons, pompoms, bells and make something special
this Christmas (:

edited: July 2023

Remember to read the whole pattern before you knit

©MagdaLaine – Dolly Delights ♡ Christmas Cork Elves & Pals – September 2015 ♡ Page 2/5
Knitting flat • [P1, P2tg]x4 8sts
• K all
• [P2tg]x4 4sts
• K all
• Cut yarn and pull the yarn end through the
remaining stitches. Tighten and sew the
seam using the ends.
Scarf:
Needles: 3.25mm
In Colour CO 40sts and then BO. Attach a little
tassel at both ends if you wish.
Pull the cover over the cork, put the hat and
Main body: scarf on and your little elf is ready (:
Needles: 3.25mm
In White CO 22sts
• Work 4 rows in st-st starting with P row -
they will roll up
Change to Colour
• Work 7 rows in st-st starting with P row
• K1, [K3, K2tg]x4, K1 18sts

Change to Skin Tone

• P all
• Work 4 rows in st-st starting with P row (or
5 depending on your cork, if you work 5 rows, Knitting in the round
the lines below will change, alternatives are Main body:
in brackets) Needles: 3.25mm
• P1, [P3, P2tg]x4, P1 (K1, [K3, K2tg]x4, K1) In White CO 22sts and join to work in the
18sts round
• K all (P all) • K 4 rnds – they will roll up
• P1, [P2, P2tg]x4, P1 (K1, [K2, K2tg]x4, K1)
14sts Change to Colour
• K all (P all) • K 7 rnds
• [P2tg]x7 ([K2tg]x7) 7sts • K1, [K3, K2tg]x4, K1 18sts
• Cut yarn and pull the yarn end through the Change to Skin Tone
remaining stitches. Tighten and sew the • K 1 rnd
seam using the ends. • K1, [K3, Kfb]x4, K1 22sts
Hat: • K 4 rnds* (or 5 rnds depending on your cork)
Needles: 3.25mm • K1, [K3, K2tg]x4, K1 18sts
In White CO 24sts • K all
• K 3 rows • K1, [K2, K2tg]x4, K1 14sts
• K all
Change to Colour
• [K2tg]x7 7sts
• Work 5 rows in st-st starting with K row
• Cut yarn and pull the yarn end through the
• [P4, P2tg]x4 20sts
remaining stitches. Tighten and secure.
• K all
• [P3, P2tg]x4 16sts
• K all
• [P2, P2tg]x4 12sts
• K all
©MagdaLaine – Dolly Delights ♡ Christmas Cork Elves & Pals – September 2015 ♡ Page 3/5
Hat: • P 1 rnd
Needles: 3.25mm
Change back to Colour
In White CO 24sts and join to work in the
• K 6 rnds (if you want a bigger-longer body
round
Knit 8 or even 10 rnds, ALSO, weave in the CO
• P 1 rnd
end through CO sts & tighten to close the
• K 1 rnd little hole in the base)
• P 1 rnd • K1, [K3, K2tg]x4, K1 18sts
Change to Colour Change to Skin Tone
• K 5 rnds • K all
• [K4, K2tg]x4 20sts
• K1, [K3, Kfb]x4, K1 22sts
• K all • K 5 rnds (in this version Knit 5 rnds)
• [K3, K2tg]x4 16sts
• K1, [K3, K2tg]x4, K1 18sts
• K all • K all
• [K2, K2tg]x4 12sts
• K1, [K2, K2tg]x4, K1 14sts
• K all
• K all
• [K1, K2tg]x4 8sts
• [K2tg]x7 7sts
• K all • Cut yarn and pull the yarn end through the
• [K2tg]x4 4sts
remaining stitches. Tighten and secure.
• K all
• Cut yarn and pull the yarn end through the Work the remaining parts of this character as
remaining stitches. Tighten and secure. in the instructions above.

Scarf: Body (Flat):

Same as for knitting Flat. In White CO 7sts
• P all
No Cork Option • [Kfb]x7 14sts
• P all
• [Kfb, K1]x7 21sts
• P all
• Kfb, K20 22sts
• P all
Change to White
• K 2 rows
Change back to Colour
• Work 6 rows in st-st starting with K row (if
You can turn these little cork elves into fully you want a bigger-longer body Work 8 or
stuffed, hanging ornaments, with rounded, even 10 rows)
closed base. • K1, [K3, K2tg]x4, K1 18sts
Body (ITR): Change to Skin Tone
In Colour CO 7sts and join to work in the round • P all
• [Kfb]x7 14sts • K1, [K3, Kfb]x4, K1 22sts
• K all • Work 5 rows in st-st starting with P row
• [Kfb, K1]x7 21sts • K1, [K3, K2tg]x4, K1 18sts
• K all • P all
• Kfb, K20 22sts • K1, [K2, K2tg]x4, K1 14sts
• K 1 rnd • P all
Change to White • [K2tg]x7 7sts
• K 1 rnd (K 2 rows in flat)

©MagdaLaine – Dolly Delights ♡ Christmas Cork Elves & Pals – September 2015 ♡ Page 4/5
• Cut yarn and pull the yarn end through the but make sure that the yarn goes slightly
remaining stitches. Don’t tighten yet. through the front of the hat, NOT exactly
Starting at the bottom weave in the CO end through the centre. The hat sits much lower at
through the CO sts and tighten to close the the back of the head (almost touching the neck
gap and then sew the seam going upwards. line) and over the forehead at the front and so
Stuff. Then pull the yarn at the top to close the string shouldn’t go through the centre of
the gap at the top of the head. the hat.
General tip for all stuffed characters:
Make sure you stuff the heads well. The
circumference of the cork head is about
10cm/4’’. So, to make sure the hats sit well on
the softly stuffed knits the heads should be
close to this size otherwise the hats will be too
big.
Enjoy (:
Finishing touches:
Attach a ribbon or another piece of yarn to the ❄
very top of the head so that you can hang your
ornament. Then pull this end through the hat

Copyright note:
This pattern is available for personal and non-profit use only. It may not be used either in whole or in part to
produce items for sale. By downloading/printing this pattern you agree with these terms.
Thank you.

©MagdaLaine – Dolly Delights ♡ Christmas Cork Elves & Pals – September 2015 ♡ Page 5/5