Laura Long - Olympknits: Knit 18 Champion Athletes and a Handsome Horse

Sport and knitting are my 2 passions. Without one or the other I would feel lost. So having the opportunity to write a book combining both is a match made in heaven! By knitting dolls in different coloured yarns, changing their hair and making their easy-to-sew sports outfits, you can create whole teams of competitors ready to take on one of the greatest sporting events in the world. Sewing the outfits for each of your dolls enables you to create extra detail that is hard to achieve with knitting alone. Even if you are an amazing knitter and can make every detail, there is still something rather lovely about the combination of knitting and sewing being used together to make a wonderful finished project. I use this practice in all the dolls I sell, too.

When designing the dolls outfits I researched each sport and tried to re-create the way the competitors dressed in miniature. The result is that the outfits you will create really convey the look of the sports the knitted athletes are representing. All the clothes have been developed in the simplest way so they are fun and quick to make, and many of the outfits can be made using oddments of fabric or old clothes. Worn-out swimming costumes are perfect for recreating the swimmer and cyclist outfits, and an old white t-shirt is ideal for the rowers and weightlifter. Be inventive with the fabrics you choose the brighter the raw materials, the more interesting the clothes will be. The outfits are designed to fit a doll approximately 33cm (13in) tall.

If your dolls are taller or shorter, all you need to do is make some basic alterations to the clothes. If your dolls are smaller, simply take in more of the seams when sewing the clothes together. If they are larger, leave a bit of a gap when cutting around the pattern. Several months ago I put out a plea on my Laura Long Knitting Facebook and Twitter pages calling for help with knitting the dolls for this book. I was absolutely amazed at the response. I had people contact me from all over the country, and indeed the world, wanting to help.

Despite having been created using the same pattern on the same sized needles, each doll was unique. It is this randomness that I love about knitting. The imperfections provide the personality and characters of the dolls. So dont panic if your dolls dont quite resemble those in the photographs here thats the beauty of hand knitting!

4mm (US size 6) knitting needles 50g (2oz) oatmeal DK (this will make 2 dolls) Oddments of brown yarn for hair, brown or black for eyes and pink for mouth Stuffing White t-shirt fabric for vest (an old t-shirt works very well for this) Contrasting coloured thread for vest Paper for number badge Navy silk or satin for shorts Contrasting coloured thread for shorts White felt for shoes Contrasting coloured thread for shoes Ribbon and white yarn for shoes 22sts and 30 rows to 10cm (4in) NOTE ON GAUGE All knitters have slightly different gauge, so its important to check your gauge so that the outfit your athlete will wear fits properly. If you have more than the stated sts/rows to your 10cm (4in) swatch, then use slightly larger needles. Approximately 33cm (13in) tall. K2tog knit the next 2 stitches together Kfb knit forward and back into the same stitch to make 2 stitches P2tog purl the next 2 stitches together Rep repeat Skpo slip 1, knit 1, pass the slipped stitch over the knitted stitch Start at top of head. K2tog knit the next 2 stitches together Kfb knit forward and back into the same stitch to make 2 stitches P2tog purl the next 2 stitches together Rep repeat Skpo slip 1, knit 1, pass the slipped stitch over the knitted stitch Start at top of head.

Cast on 7 sts. Row 1 [Kfb] 6 times, k1 (13 sts). Row 2 P. Row 3 [Kfb, k1, kfb] 4 times, k1 (21 sts). Row 4 P. Row 6 P. Row 7 K6, [kfb] 2 times, k12, [kfb] 2 times, k7 (33 sts). Row 8 P. Rows 922 Stocking/stockinette stitch. Row 23 K6, skpo, k2tog, k12, skpo, k2tog, k7 (29 sts). Row 24 P. Row 25 [K2tog, k3, skpo] 4 times, k1 (21 sts). Row 26 P. Row 27 K. Row 28 P. BodyRow 29 [Kfb, k1] rep to last st, [kfb] (32 sts). Row 30 P. Rows 3154 Stocking/stockinette stitch. Row 55 [K2tog, k1] rep to last 2 sts, k2tog (21 sts). Row 56 P. LegsRow 57 K9, k2tog, turn (hold left leg sts and continue on 10 sts for right leg). Row 58 P. Rows 5988 Stocking/stockinette stitch. FeetRow 89 K4, [kfb] 2 times, k4 (12 sts). Row 90 P. Row 91 K5, [kfb] 2 times, k5 (14 sts). Row 92 P. Row 93 K6, [kfb] 2 times, k6 (16 sts). Row 94 P2tog, p12, p2tog (14 sts). Row 95 K2tog, k10, k2tog (12 sts). Row 96 [P2tog] rep to end of row (6 sts). Row 96 [P2tog] rep to end of row (6 sts).

Thread yarn through remaining sts. Rep on remaining 10 sts for left leg.

Cast on 10 sts. Rows 130 Stocking/stockinette stitch. Row 31 K1, [kfb] 2 times, k3, [kfb] 2 times, k2 (14 sts). Rows 3336 Stocking/stockinette stitch. Row 37 [K2tog] rep to end of row (7 sts). Row 37 [K2tog] rep to end of row (7 sts).