This adorable Cat with Orange Scarf by Sachiyo Ishii is a colourful knitted cat complete with its own scarf and little hat.
The design has lots of personality, combining a grey-and-white cat with brightly coloured clothing and sweet embroidered details. Best of all for knitters who don’t enjoy working toys in the round, this cat is knitted flat on straight needles.
It’s a lovely choice if you’re looking for a knitted cat that’s more of a character than a realistic animal.
Quick Pattern Information
- Pattern: Cat with Orange Scarf
- Designer: Sachiyo Ishii
- Publisher: Clover
- Project: Knitted cat
- Yarn Used: Paintbox Yarns Simply DK
- Yarn Weight: DK
- Construction: Knitted flat
- Needle Type: Straight needles
- Features: Scarf, hat, embroidered whiskers and contrasting details
- Get the free pattern: Download the free Cat with Orange Scarf knitting pattern PDF
What Makes This Knitted Cat Special?
It’s the accessories and colour that give this cat its character.
Rather than trying to create a realistic knitted cat, Sachiyo Ishii has turned it into a cheerful little personality. The grey and white of the cat itself provides a relatively neutral base, while the colourful clothing becomes the focus.
The orange scarf is particularly effective, but there are several additional colours incorporated into the original design.
This could be a fun pattern if you enjoy choosing colour combinations and adding the little finishing touches that bring knitted toys to life.
A Cat Knitting Pattern for Straight Needles
One of the most useful things to know about this pattern is that the cat is knitted flat.
That’s important because many three-dimensional toy patterns are worked in the round using double-pointed needles.
If you prefer traditional back-and-forth knitting on straight needles, this is one of the cat patterns I’d look at first.
There is naturally some sewing and assembly involved afterwards, so the trade-off is straightforward: you avoid knitting the toy in the round but have more finishing to do.
Yarn Used
The original cat uses Paintbox Yarns Simply DK, a smooth acrylic DK yarn.
A smooth yarn is particularly useful for this kind of toy because it allows the shaping and small details to remain clearly visible.
The pattern uses several colours, although only small amounts are required for some of the decorative details.
If you want to substitute another yarn, check Clover’s complete requirements before buying your supplies rather than relying on yarn weight alone.
Who Would I Recommend This Pattern To?
I’d recommend this cat to a knitter who is comfortable with basic knitting and doesn’t mind sewing toy pieces together.
It’s particularly well suited to someone who wants to make a knitted animal on straight needles.
The individual knitting isn’t the only part that matters with a project like this. Careful stuffing, neat seams and thoughtful placement of the facial features can make an enormous difference to the finished cat.
Knitting Bee Pattern Notes
Best feature: The colourful scarf and hat give the cat loads of personality.
Best for: Knitters who prefer making toys flat on straight needles.
Style: Cute character cat rather than realistic knitted animal.
Yarn: DK, with a smooth acrylic used for the original.
Colour potential: Excellent. The clothing gives you an easy way to personalise the cat without changing the main design.
Consider before choosing it: Flat construction means there is sewing and assembly at the end. If finishing is your least favourite part of toy knitting, compare it with one of our cats worked in the round.
Why Knit This Cat?
Choose this pattern if you want something more playful than a plain stuffed cat.
The accessories make the project particularly appealing as a gift because you can easily imagine changing the colours to suit the recipient.
It also occupies a useful middle ground in our cat collection: a proper three-dimensional knitted toy that doesn’t require you to knit in the round.
Is This Cat Pattern Right for You?
Choose Cat with Orange Scarf if you want:
- a cat knitted on straight needles
- a DK toy knitting pattern
- a colourful character rather than a realistic cat
- a project with plenty of opportunity for personalisation
- a knitted cat with clothing and accessories
If you’d rather avoid sewing or prefer a more lifelike cat, compare some of the other designs in our cat knitting collection before deciding.
Before You Start
Download the original Clover PDF and check the complete requirements before purchasing your materials.
Clover provides everything needed to actually make the cat, including the exact finished size, yarn quantities, needles, gauge, knitting instructions and assembly directions.
Knitting Bee’s guide is here to help you decide whether this particular cat suits you; the complete pattern remains with the original designer.
More Free Cat & Toy Knitting Patterns
Find more kittens and cats in our collection of free cat knitting patterns, including cats knitted flat and in the round.
For hundreds more animals, dolls and character toys, explore our free toy knitting patterns.
You can also browse our top free knitting pattern roundups for more curated collections and ideas for your next project.