President Obama

Materials
1 skein Lion Brand Wool-ease in black
1 skein  Peaches n Crème cotton in camel
One set size 5 (US) double pointed needles
Pieces of felt in black, white, camel, and blue
Black, white, and blue embroidery floss
Toy stuffing
Yarn needle and embroidery needle
 
Head
Using body color, CO12, pm, join to knit int the round.
Round 1: K3, kfb, k1, kfb, k3, kfb, k1, kfb.  16 sts
Round 2: Kfb, k1, kfb twice, k3, kfb twice, k1, kfb twice, k3, kfb.  24 sts
Round 3: K5, kfb, k5, kfb, k5, kfb, k5, kfb.  28 sts
Round 4: Kfb, k3, kfb twice, k7, kfb twice, k3, kfb twice, k7, kfb.  36 sts
Rounds 5-6: Knit.
Round 7: K7, kfb, k9, kfb, k7, kfb, k9, kfb.  40 sts
Rounds 8-9: Knit.
Round 10: K7, kfb, k11, kfb, k7, kfb, k11, kfb. 44 sts
Rounds 11-23: Knit.
Round 24: K7, k2tog, k11, ssk, k7, k2tog, k11, ssk.  40 sts
Rounds 25-27: Knit.
Round 28: K7, k2tog, k9, ssk, k7, k2tog, k9, ssk.  36 sts
Rounds 29-34: Knit.
Round 35: (K2tog, k5, ssk) 4 times.  28 sts
Round 36: (K2tog, k3, ssk) 4 times.  20 sts
Fill head mostly full with stuffing.
Round 37: (K2tog, k1, ssk) 4 times.  12 sts
Round 38: K2tog 6 times.
Cut yarn, pull tail through remaining stitches, knot, and pull knot to inside of head.  Fill the head firmly with stuffing through the opening at bottom.
 
Body
Using body color, CO16, pm, join to knit in the round.
Rounds 1-2: Knit.
Round 3: Kfb, k2, kfb, k4, kfb, k2, kfb, k4.  20 sts
Round 4: K6, kfb, k2, kfb, k6, kfb, k2, kfb.  24 sts
Round 5: K6, kfb, k4, kfb, k6, kfb, k4, kfb.  28 sts
Round 6: K6, kfb, k6, kfb, k6, kfb, k6, kfb.  32 sts
Change to black yarn.
Round 7: K6, kfb, k8, kfb, k6, kfb, k8, kfb.  36 sts
Round 8: K6, kfb, k10, kfb, k6, kfb, k10, kfb.  40 sts
Round 9: K6, kfb, k12, kfb, k6, kfb, k12, kfb.  44 sts
Knit 25 rounds even.  Bind off.
 
Pants (make 2)
Using black yarn, CO24, pm, join to knit in the round.
Knit 5 ½” even.
 
 
Begin shaping for crotch.
Row 1: K2tog, k20, ssk.  22 sts
Row 2: P2tog, p18, p2tog. 20 sts
Row 3: K2tog, k16, ssk.  18 sts
Knit 8 rows even.  Bind off, leaving 18” tail.
 
Shoes (make 2)
Using black yarn, CO16, pm, join to knit in the round.
Rounds 1-11: Knit.
Round 12: (K2tog, k4, ssk) twice.  12 sts
Round 13: Knit.
Round 14: (K2tog, k2, ssk) twice. 8 sts
Round 15: Knit.
Round 16:  (K2tog, ssk) twice.  4 sts
Break yarn, pull through remaining stitches, knot, and pull to inside of shoe.
 
Stuff shoe loosely with filling.  Sew open end of shoe closed flat using mattress stitch. 
 
Sleeves (make 2)
Using black yarn, CO12, pm, join to knit in the round.
Rounds 1-3: Knit.
Round 4: K2tog, k12.  13 sts
Continue to increase one stitch every 4^th row  3 more times, until there are 16 sts.
Knit 7 more rows.  Bind off.
 
Hands (make 2)
Using body color, CO14, pm, join to knit in the round.
Rounds 1-4: Knit.
Round 5: (K2tog, k3, ssk) twice.  10 sts
Round 6: Knit.
Round 7: (k2tog, k1, ssk) twice.  6 sts
Break yarn, pull tail through stitches, knot, and pull knot to inside of hand.
 
 Assembly
 Legs: Seam pants together at crotch using ladder stitch.  

Center shoe under pants leg, inserting slightly at back. Use a piece of black yarn and running stitch to sew shoe into pants leg.  Repeat for other shoe.

Stuff pants firmly, but take care not to stretch stitches.

Upper body: Center head on neck.  Attach to neck using body color yarn and ladder stitch. 

Stuff torso fully.  Slip pants into torso, overlapping edge of jacket slightly.  Stitch in place with black yarn and running stitch.

Arms: Insert hand slightly into sleeve.  Stitch in place using black yarn and running stitch.  Stuff arm and hand.  Repeat for other arm. 

Stitch arms to side of body using ladder stitch.

Suit: Cut out suit pieces using felt templates.  Center white triangle over center of chest, lining up the top with the edge of black yarn.  Stitch in place using white thread and blanket stitch.

Line up bottom of tie with bottom point of shirt triangle.  Stitch in place with blue thread.  Place tie knot at top and stitch in place.

Wrap shirt collar around neck, meeting corners at top of tie.  Stitch in place using white thread and blanket stitch, starting  where the corners meet, and working around bottom edge.  Do not secure along top edge of collar.

Wrap jacket lapel around neck, crossing ends and centering at bottom of tie. Stitch in place with black thread.

Hair: Cut out all hair pieces using templates.  Place front piece of hair on head, centering in front, and lining up tip of dart with the tip of the head.  Stitch in place using black thread, and mattress stitch, closing up dart as you go. 

 

Place back piece of hair on head, lining up end of dart with the end of the dart on the front.  Stich in place, closing dart as you go.

Ears: Line up ears on inside of sideburns.  Stitch in place along inner edge.

Eyebrows: Center on front of face about 1/3 of the way down.  Stitch in place. Eyes: Line up eyeballs, then center pupils.  Stitch in place.   Nose and mouth:  Use thick strand of black embroidery floss.  Using photo as a guide, stitch nose and mouth in a running stitch, being careful not to pull stiches tight.

Felt templates

© All work and content is copyrighted 2008 Katie Park unless otherwise indicated. No part of these pages may be reproduced without the express written consent of the artist. Any unauthorized usage is strictly prohibited. 

Questions?  Contact me at [email protected] 

Comments

[Natalie]

Why is he so pale? I don't understand why you've made him look like a white guy in a suit. Cute doll, but I don't think he looks like Obama...

[Natalie]

P.S. I love all of your other dolls - so please don't think I'm just a meanie.

[Lydi]

I like it! Very cool. You seldom see a knit doll with gravitas. I think it's in the mouth. :)

I tumbled you.

[Anna]

Cute doll and to me he does look like Obama. Not pale at all, it looks like his complexion.

[Carla]

Thank you so much for sharing the Obama pattern. It's perfect. You do beautiful work. I can't wait to get started.

[EDNA]

Whole Hillary Clinton pattern will not print.......come out blank page

[elizabeth]

Regarding the Obama doll, I do not see the template for his hair. Is it there? If not can you please send it to me? Thanks, Elizabeth

[ugg knightsbridge]

Success does not mean anything! But if you are successful you can always maintained a positive mind! But failure does not mean anything! As long as you keep on trying you still the other side to success

[ugg ultra short]

love all of your other dolls - so please don't think I'm just a meanie.

[internet marketing arizona]

There also has to be some give and take with learners to clarify any confusing points.

[janis]

brilliant found the pattern simply by chance im casting on the stitiches as we speak cant wait for the finished president

[King of Jerks]

This obama doll is... ...strange. Did you make this pattern or did you find it?

[Katie]

I wrote the pattern myself. I knitted this doll as a request 4 years ago. I gave it to my daughter's preschool, and they had an Inauguration for him.

Knitting anything political, even a doll, invites controversy, and I've certainly received my share of emails regarding this project. Most of the reaction has been good, but not surprisingly, some has been bad. It's not within my knitting abilities to create a perfect knitted likeness of our president, so I did the best I could. I'm glad so many people have enjoyed this pattern. If you don't like it? I invite you to knit your own improved version. Many people have! I love that! Or...don't knit it at all. It really doesn't matter to me.