Ananova:

A designer has created controversy with a set of knitting patterns for woolly models of the world's most evil dictators.

Rachael Matthews's new book has designs for a dozen dictators, with a photo of Hitler doing the Nazi salute on the cover.

She calls the Hitler doll Knitler, reports The Sun.

Other tyrants featured are former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, Uganda's Idi Amin and Cambodian dictator Pol Pot.

Ms Matthews is the brains behind Cast Off, a London knitting circle that has grown famous over the past few years.

The group have knitted together on the Circle Line, at folk clubs in the East End, and were once ejected from the Savoy for their knitting exploits.

Knitting kits to make items including shoelaces, a cigarette, lipstick, a grenade and even a woollen penis are available from her website www.castoff.info.