Materials:
Scraps of red and green yarn and appropriate sized needles. (I used
merino wool cause the scraps were handy, but I would actually recommend
indestructible acrylic).
Size:
Measure pets neck and subtract about 2". (If you don't have the pet
handy you can find a chart of different breeds neck sizes in most pet stores).
Gauge:
Cast on 20 stitches and work 3 to 4 inches in the stitch of your choice.
(I used seed stitch since I like it and it doesn't curl).
Collar:
Multiply the number of inches you need by your gauge and cast on this
number of stitches. If you are using seed stitch cast on an uneven number
of stitches and K1, P1 across for each row. When piece measures 1 1/2 to
2 1/2 inches, (depends on size of breed) bind off.
Holly:
Leaves - Make 2 With Green cast on 16 sts.
Row 1: p7, inc in next 2 sts, p7 (18 sts)
Row 2: Knit
Row 3: K1, (yo, k2tog) 8 times, K1.
Row 4: Knit
Row 5: Purl
Row 6: K7, (k2 tog) twice, K7 (16 sts).
Bind off all stitches.
Fold leaf in half and whip stitch the cast on and bound off edges together, then fold in half lengthwise and whip stitch up the center. The picot edge (from Row 3) will be on the outside forming the pointed edges of the holly leaf.
Berries - Make 3 With Red cast on 12 sts. tightly.
Row 1: Purl
Row 2: Knit
Bind off stitches tightly.
With right side of stockinette stitch on the outside roll up this little strip as tightly as you can and fasten the loose edge in place. With tapestry needle and the attached tail weave in and out of the edge stitches at the top of the berry, pull this thread tightly, run the thread through the middle of the berry (don't pull this tightly) and repeat on the bottom of the berry.
Attach the two leaves in the center of the collar so that they form a wide V, then attach the berries in the center of the V.
I purchased a buckle of red plastic (the type that is pronged and one end fits into the other. they are often used on backpacks) but if you aren't afraid the pets hair will get caught you could use velcro. If you use velcro do not subtract the 2" at the beginning of pattern. When I sent these as a gift I inserted the ends of the collar into the buckle but did not sew them, this way the recipient (not the pet <G>) could sew them to fit.
Tips:
1. When seaming the leaves be sure and actually use a whip stitch,
I tried other methods and none seemed to work out well.
2. When making leaves, leave a good size tail at the beginning. It took more yarn to sew up the leaves than I expected. 3. When making up berries be sure and leave a 4-5 inch tail at both the beginning and end of the knitting.
This pattern idea is my own but Jean Greenhowe provided the inspiration for the holly.