Tiger! Tiger!

One of the most luxurious patterns that you can knit in my book, Faux Taxidermy Knits, is the Tiger Rug. Knitted in extremely chunky yarn, and an alternative to the slightly more controversial tiger skin rugs that are a historical decoration in some areas, this project would add a touch of glamour to any space; as well as a brilliant place to lie down and read your book for a while.

I am pleased to say that I have put together Tiger Rug kits, which are now available in my Etsy shop. Read on for more information!

The Tiger Rug

Found on Page 90 of my book, the pattern for the Tiger Rug is written up in a chart; the written pattern would be so long that the book would have been twice as thick as it is already! The yarn I initially used to knit him up in was Wool and the Gang Crazy Sexy Wool, a pure Peruvian wool in gorgeous Fireball Orange, Space Black and Ivory. This tiger rug is a popular feature at shows when I exhibit, and I know of at least two projects which have been completed since last September!

The yarn is super chunky; not only this, but it is held double. As a result, although the finished object is quite large, the actual knitting does not take much time at all relative to the size. Felt, safety eyes and a bit of felting yarn for decoration, and you have a project that will wow any visitor.

Tiger Rug Kits

Tiger Rug kits are now available on my Etsy shop, priced at £129.99.

High demand at shows and in conversation with the faux taxidermists who have loved my book has lead me to put together kits for the Tiger Rug. I decided not to include the book in the kit, as I know that a lot of people who already have the book want to knit the rug - so if you don't have the book and want to buy a kit, ensure you remember to buy a copy of the book (with 14 other critter patterns) or the standalone pattern from my publisher.

My recommended yarn in the book, and the yarn my own tiger rug was initially knitted up in, is a luxury brand which comes to over £300 per project. I know that this is not a realistic price for many people, so the kit is put together with an alternative yarn which is also super chunky, but is made of acrylic instead of wool to bring the price down. An added advantage of the reduced cost of this yarn is that it is also more hard-wearing, an important consideration for a project who is most likely to get a lot of heavy-duty use!

The kit includes:

• 17 balls of Cygnet Super Chunky in Burnt Orange
• 7 balls of Cygnet Super Chunky in Black
• 5 balls of Cygnet Super Chunky in Cream
• A pair of black safety eyes and washers
• 1 square of orange felt
• 1 square of black felt
• 15 mm circular knitting needles
• Tapestry needle for sewing up
  
  
  

As well as saving money when you buy all of these materials in the kit, rather than getting them all separately, all the components for your tiger will arrive nestled in a handmade hessian bag, which is available nowhere else.

I would love to see your tiger works in progress, and definitely the finished objects! Let me know when you complete them - tag them with #fauxtaxidermyknits on social media and Ravelry, or email me here.

Lastly, if you love tigers as much as I do, why not see what other tiger products are available on Etsy in the list I have put together! See it here.

A WIP from @zoearoberts on Twitter.

A finished tiger by Wheek on Ravelry!

Wheek's tiger has loads of character.