Here is a lovely little pattern to enjoy this fine Spring Equinox! I’m currently in the process of making a flock of these little chaps, they take a couple of hours each but I do recommend pinning them out and blocking overnight to counteract a little twist in the tail and wings once they’re worked up. I have also realised that they have no eyes, so you could embroider those on or add safety eyes to finish.

Materials:

Double Knit wool, main colour and beak/feet colour

3.5mm hook, or any hook to create a finished work that will hold the filling well

Yarn needle

Fibre fill

Abbreviations (UK crochet terms)

rnd : round

dc : double crochet

tr: treble

dtr: double treble

st : stitch

ch : chain

sl st : slip stitch

dec : decrease

inc : increase by dc 2 in same st

Head and body

In main colour,

magic circle 6

rnd 1 inc 1 in each st (12)

rnd 2 *inc 1, dc 1* 6 times (18)

rnd 3 *inc 1, dc 2* 6 times (24)

rnd 4-6 work even

rnd 7 *dec 1, dc 2* 6 times (18)

rnd 8 *inc 1, dc 2* 6 times (24)

rnd 9 *inc 1, dc 3* 6 times (30)

rnd 10-15 work even

rnd 16 dec 1, dc 8, dec 1, work even to end (28)

rnd 17 dec 1, dc 6, dec 1, work even to end (26)

rnd 18 dec 1, dc 4, dec 1, work even to end (24)

rnd 19 dec 1, dc 2, dec 1, work even to end (22)

rnd 20 dec 1, dec 1, work even to end (20)

rnd 21 dec 1, dc 16, dec 1 (18)

rnd 22 dec 1, dec 1, dc 10, dec 1, dec 1 (14)

rnd 23 dec 1, dec 1, dc 6 , dec 1, dec 1 (10)

break yarn and pull through to finish.

Right wing

magic circle 6

rnd 1 *inc 1, inc 1, dc 1* twice

rnd 2 dc 1, inc 1, inc 1, dc 3, inc 1, inc 1, dc 2

rnd 3 dc 2, inc 1, inc 1, dc 5, inc 1, inc 1, dc3

next, dc4.

**ch 8, ch 1 and turn.

row 1 dc 8 down the edge of the ch and 1 more into the side of the last st of the oval section. **

row 2 sl st into next st along of oval, then turn work (do not do a ch before turning like you would ordinarily do when working in rows)

row 3 missing the stitch at the base of your hook, dc 7, ch 1 and turn.

row 4 dc 7, then sl st to anchor the row to the oval as before. Turn

row 5 as in row3, dc 5, ch 1 and turn

row 6 dc 5, sl st to oval and turn

row 7 dc 3, ch 1 and turn

row 8 dc 3, sl st to oval and turn

row 9 dc 1, ch 1 and turn

row 10 dc 1, sl st to oval. Break thread and pull through to finish.

Left wing

Work same as right wing , inserting the following section in place of the pettern between ** **.

**ch 9, ch 1 and turn.

row 1 dc 9 down the edge of the ch, turn the work. By adding the twist here, you will be working the wing to look like a mirror image of the other wing.**

Tail

ch 12, ch 1 and turn

row 1 dc 12, ch 1 and turn

row 2 dc 4, tr 4, dtr 4, chain 3 and turn

row 3 dtr 3, tr 4, dc 5, ch 1 and turn

row 4 dc 12

turn work a quarter turn to work the end of the tail.

Work 6 tr into the same place, ¼ of the way along the edge of the tail. Sl st into centre of edge of tail.

Repeat this last step again but into a space ¾ of the way along the edge. Sl st into very end of edge of tail, break yarn and pull through to finish.

Beak

In beak colour,

Working in a clockwise direction, surface crochet 6 dc in triangular shape (2dc on each side)

rnd 2 dec 1, dec 1, dec 1, break yarn and pull through to finish.

Use end of yarn to sew up ends.

Feet (2 alike)

Surface crochet 2dc in position on front of bird, ch 1 and turn. Dc 2, break yarn and pull through to finish.

Stuff bird body through gap at end. Sew tail to base of body, and wings in place on bird. Weave in all ends to finish.