There’s a special place in my heart for platypuses! These creatures may look strange, but they have the most amazingly unique abilities – whether on land or underwater.

That’s why Billy’s accessories in this pattern include a playful pair of swimming goggles and a rubber ring. You can’t keep him out of the water!

The pattern is mainly worked in continuous rounds, unless otherwise stated, so you will need to use st markers to help you keep track of your st count. You’ll be working the legs, body and head from the bottom up, as one piece to reduce sewing. The arms, head, beak, feet and tail are then worked separately.

While the stitches themselves are all fairly basic, maintaining good tension and keeping your stitches from twisting too much is important to get the right shaping on the head in particular so it’s an intermediate pattern.

A stitch guide (including video links) and extensive photo tutorial throughout will help you to visualise the different techniques used and clarify what you’ll be doing at each stage.