I was so excited to work up a little ox pattern for Chinese New Year, but alas…the yarn was telling me otherwise and who am I to argue with yarn?? (I think beavers have been on my mind with some wonderful flood control projects introducing beaver skills bringing me an awful lot of happy!)
So here it is, my little Chinese Knit Year beaver. Gung Hay Fat Choy!

I wish you balance and personal fulfilment for your Metal Ox/Bao the Beaver year!

This is a pattern for a knitted beaver. It is worked mainly in stockinette and in the round. With the ears and tail worked flat. The legs are picked up from waste yarn and worked similarly to glove fingers for a few rounds. Eyes and nose are embroidered with straight sts.

You may use any yarn with this project. The sample used Shetland fingering weight yarn held together with a lace mohair.

This pattern has been neither test knit nor tech edited. Please, let me know if you find any mistakes.

yarn:
Shetland by Gathered Sheep Yarns; Light Fingering / 3 ply; 100% Shetland; 96yds (87.8m)/20g mini skein
Cobweb to Lace weight fluffy yarn (mohair, alpaca, etc)
approximate yarn amounts:
15g of MC-A (Shetland fingering yarn in Red) & MC-B (lace weight yarn such as mohair or alpaca in Gold/Ochre)
5g or CC-A (Shetland light fingering yarn in Brown) * CC-B (lace weight yarn such as mohair or alpaca in Brown)
muzzle colour - small bit of ecru or pale neutral colour fingering weight
needles:
2.25mm (us no 1) DPNs set of 5, 6in/15cm
or needles to achieve a relatively tight fabric after blocking
gauge:
5.5 sts x 9 rows = 1in/2.5cm over stranded stockinette
Gauge is not hugely important, but will affect the height vs width of your toy.
approximate finished size:
5in/12.5cm (nose to tail) x 2.5in/6cm (height)
additional tools:
needle to weave in ends, st markers, st holders/waste yarn, floss to embroider eyes and nose, stuffing (keep it all wool and find stuffing at World of Wool - UK; CeCesWool, Shepherd’s Dream, or Home of Wool - US; Custom Woolen Mills Ltd. - Canada)