Beth Skwarecki

What took me so long? Mostly not being able to decipher my own notes on how I made this thing. Apologies all around.

The trilobite is not as simple to make as the Nautie. It starts similarly to toe-up socks; it's got a lot of slipped stitches (both knitwise and purlwise); and at the end you have to do a tiny bit of crocheting. The resulting trilobite is about 3 inches long, depending on the size of yarn and needles you choose. I recommend worsted-weight yarn at a tight gauge, say size US#4 needles. The needles should be double-pointed sock needles. You'll also want a crochet hook in a similar size, a yarn needle, some stuffing, and eyes.

Abbreviations:
"sl-k" means slip one stitch knitwise
"heel stitch" is worked as: * K1, slip 1 st purlwise, repeat from *. On the next row, slip the sts you previously knitted, and knit the sts you previously slipped.

You will notice that in some places you are slipping the same stitch every row, and that stitch is pulling tighter and tighter. This is correct. The slipped stitches, which are being twisted, form two lines up the trilobite's back.

Cast on 4 stitches with a long-tail cast-on.
Row 1: Purl
Row 2: Knit
Row 3: Use another needle to pick up 4 stitches along your cast-on edge. You now have 8 live stitches you can work as a "round".
Row 4: Knit all 8 stitches.

The first 4 stitches of your round are the front of the trilobite; the other 4 stitches are its back. The directions after this point will include a slash ("/") to separate the directions for the front from the directions for the back.

Row 5: K1, M1, K1, M1, K1, M1, K1 / K1, M1, K2, M1, K1 (7 / 6 sts now on needles)
Row 6: K2, sl-k, K1, sl-k, K2 / heel stitch to end
Row 7: K2, sl-k, Knit in front, then back, then front of the same stitch (this makes 3 sts out of 1), sl-k, K2 / M1, heel stitch to end, M1.
Row 8: P2, sl-k, P3, sl-k, P2 / heel stitch to end
Row 9: K2, M1, sl-k, K3, sl-k, M1, K2 / M1, heel stitch to end, M1
Row 10: K3, sl-k, K3, sl-k, K3 / heel stitch to end
Row 11: P3, K tbl, P3, K tbl, P3 / heel stitch to end
Row 12: same as 10 / heel stitch to end
Row 13: same as 10
Row 14: P3, sl-k, P3, sl-k, P3 / heel stitch to end
Row 15: same as 10
Row 16: same as 10
Row 17: same as 11
Row 18: same as 10
Row 19: same as 10
Row 20: same as 14
Row 21: same as 10
Row 22: same as 10
Row 23: same as 11
Row 24: K3, sl-k, K3, sl-k, K3, CO 1 st / CO 1 st, heel stitch to end, CO 1 st
Row 25: CO 1 st, K3, sl-k, K3, sl-k, K4 / heel st to end
Row 26: K4, sl-k, K3, sl-k, K4 / heel st to end
Row 27: same as 26
Row 28: K2, K2tog, sl-k, K3, sl-k, SSK, K2 / K2tog, heel st until 2 sts from end, SSK
Row 29: same as 10
Row 30: K2tog, K1, K tbl, K3, K tbl, K1, SSK / K2tog, heel st until 2 sts from end, SSK
Row 31: K2, sl-k, (sl 2 knitwise together, K1, then pass the 2 slipped sts over. This makes one st out of three - a centered double decrease), sl-k, K2 / K2tog, heel st until 2 sts from end, SSK

At this point, insert the eyes if desired.

Row 32: K2tog, K3, SSK / K2tog, heel st until 2 sts from end, SSK

Stuff the trilobite, and then close the 10 remaining stitches by grafting (kitchener stitch).

With the crochet hook, make a chain 3 sts long. Single-crochet along the trilobite's "head" (starting at the point where you cast on stitches on row 24, continuing over the tip of the trilobite's head, and ending on the other side of his head, back at row 24. Refer to photo.) Finish with another 3 chain stitches for the other "horn". Trim ends or weave them in. You're done!