How to Knit an Adorable Bird: Step-by-Step Instructions

Knitting Needle Size

6 or 4 mm, Double-Pointed Knitting Needles (DPNs)

Yarn Weight

(4) Medium Weight/Worsted Weight and Aran (16-20 stitches to 4 inches)

Materials

• RED HEART® Super Saver® (Art. E300 available in solid color 7 oz (198 g), 364 yd (333 m); multicolor, heather and print 5 oz (141 g), 244 yd (223 m), flecks 5 oz (141 g), 260 yds (238 m) skeins.) : 1 skein of 316 Soft White A, and a small amount each of 321 Gold B, 254 Pumpkin C, 312 Black D, 722 Pretty N’ Pink E, 512 Turqua F, and 672 Spring Green G
• Susan Bates® Double Pointed Knitting Needles: 4 mm [US 6], set of 4
• Susan Bates® Crochet Hook: 3.25 mm [US D-3] (for attaching fringe only)
• Stitch Marker
• Yarn Needle
• Fiberfill

Gauge

18 sts = 4” (10 cm); 28 rows = 4” (10 cm) in Stockinette Stitch.

Check your gauge. Use any size needles to obtain the gauge.

Abbreviations

• A, B, C, etc = Colors A, B, C, etc
• cm = centimeter
• K = knit
• k2tog = knit 2 together
• P = purl
• st(s) = stitch(es)
• tog = together
• ( ) = follow instructions in parentheses as indicated.

Special Stitch

kfb: Knit into the front and the back of the next stitch (1 stitch increase).

Finished Size: 6½” (16.5 cm) tall x 4” (10 cm) wide

Notes

The body is worked from the bottom up. Stuff the body firmly with fiberfill as it is worked. Wings, beak, feet, and hat are worked separately then sewn to the body.

Bird (Make 3)

Body

With A and leaving a 6” (15 cm) tail, cast on 6 sts and divide sts evenly onto 3 needles. Join, being careful that sts are not twisted and begin working in the round. Place marker to indicate the beginning of the round.

• Round 1 (Right side): Kfb around—12 sts.
• Round 2: (Kfb, K1) around—18 sts.
• Round 3: (Kfb, K2) around—24 sts.
• Round 4: (Kfb, K3) around—30 sts.
• Round 5: (Kfb, K4) around—36 sts.
• Round 6: (Kfb, K5) around—42 sts.
• Rounds 7-20: Knit around.
• Round 21: (K2tog, K5) around—36 sts.
• Rounds 22-24: Knit around.
• Round 25: (K2tog, K4) around—30 sts.
• Rounds 26-28: Knit around.
• Round 29: (K2tog, K3) around—24 sts.
• Rounds 30-32: Knit around.
• Round 33: (K2tog, K2) around—18 sts.
• Rounds 34-36: Knit around.
• Round 37: (K2tog, K1) around—12 sts.
• Round 38: K2tog around—6 sts.

Cut yarn, leaving a 6” (15 cm) tail. Thread yarn needle with tail and weave through remaining stitches. Draw up firmly; fasten securely and weave in ending tail. Thread yarn needle with beginning tail and close beginning opening by weaving and drawing the tail through the cast-on sts.

Wings (Make 2)

With A and leaving a 6” (15 cm) tail, cast on 6 sts and divide sts evenly onto 3 needles. Join, being careful that sts are not twisted and begin working in the round. Place marker to indicate the beginning of the round.

• Round 1 (Right side): Kfb around—12 sts.
• Rounds 2-4: Knit around.
• Round 5: (K2tog, K2) around—9 sts.
• Rounds 6–14: Knit around.
• Round 15: (K2tog) 4 times, k1—5 sts.

Cut yarn, leaving a 12” (30.5 cm) tail for sewing. Thread yarn needle with beginning tail and close beginning opening by weaving and drawing the tail through the cast-on sts. Thread yarn needle with ending tail and weave through remaining stitches. Draw up firmly; fasten securely. Do not trim or weave in ending tail.

Beak

With B and leaving a 12” (30.5 cm) tail for sewing, cast on 9 sts and divide sts evenly onto 3 needles. Join, being careful that sts are not twisted and begin working in the round. Place marker to indicate the beginning of the round.

• Round 1 (Right side): Knit around.
• Round 2: (K2tog, K1) around—6 sts.
• Round 3: K2tog around—3 sts

Cut yarn, leaving a 6” (15 cm) tail. Thread yarn needle with ending tail and weave through remaining stitches. Draw up firmly; fasten securely and weave in tail. Do not weave in the beginning tail.

Feet (Make 2)

With C, cast on 6 sts and divide sts evenly onto 3 needles. Join, being careful that sts are not twisted and begin working in the round. Place marker to indicate the beginning of the round.

• Round 1 (Right side): Kfb around—12 sts.
• Round 2: Knit around.
• Round 3: (K2tog, K2) around—9 sts.
• Round 4: Knit around.
• Round 5: (K2tog, K1) around—6 sts.
• Round 6: K2tog around—3 sts.

Cut yarn, leaving a 12” (30.5 cm) tail for sewing. Thread yarn needle with ending tail and weave through remaining stitches. Draw up firmly; fasten securely. Do not trim or weave in the ending tail.

Hats

Pink and Blue

With E and leaving a 6” (15 cm) tail, cast on 6 sts and divide evenly onto 3 needles. Join, being careful that sts are not twisted and begin working in the round. Place marker to indicate the beginning of the round.

• Round 1 (Right side): (Kfb, K1) around—9 sts.
• Rounds 2-10: Knit around.
• Round 11: (Kfb, K2) around—12 sts.
• Rounds 12-14: Knit around.
• Round 15: (Kfb, K1) around—18 sts.
• Round 16: (Kfb, K2) around—24 sts.
• Round 17: (Kfb, K3) around—30 sts.
• Round 18: (Kfb, K4) around—36 sts. Cut E.
• Round 19: With F, knit around.
• Round 20: Purl around.
• Rounds 21 and 22: Repeat Rounds 19 and 20.

Bind off all sts in knit. Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing. Thread yarn needle with the beginning tail of Hat and close the beginning opening by weaving and drawing the tail through the cast-on sts. Weave in the beginning tail.

Fringe

Cut 3 lengths of F, each 3” (7.5 cm) long. Fold a length in half. Insert crochet hook in the top of the hat, place the fold on the hook and draw the fold through, forming a loop. Insert ends of length in loop and pull to tighten. Repeat to attach remaining lengths. Unravel the lengths by brushing them with your hook or a comb. Trim fringe to the desired length.

Green Hat

With G and leaving a 6” (15 cm) tail, cast on 6 sts divided evenly onto 3 needles. Join, being careful that sts are not twisted and begin working in the round. Place marker to indicate the beginning of the round.

• Round 1 (Right side): (Kfb, K1) around—9 sts.
• Rounds 2-10: Knit around.
• Round 11: (Kfb, K2) around—12 sts.
• Rounds 12-14: Knit around.
• Round 15: (Kfb, K1) around—18 sts.
• Round 16: (Kfb, K2) around—24 sts.
• Round 17: (Kfb, K3) around—30 sts.
• Round 18: (Kfb, K4) around—36 sts.
• Round 19: (Kfb, K5) around—42 sts.
• Rounds 20-22: Knit around.

Bind off all sts in knit. Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing. Thread yarn needle with the beginning tail of Hat and close the beginning opening by weaving and drawing the tail through the cast-on sts. Weave in the beginning tail.

Fringe

Cut 9 lengths of E, each 3” (7.5 cm) long. Fold a length in half. Insert crochet hook in the top of the hat, place the fold on the hook and draw the fold through, forming a loop. Insert ends of length in loop and pull to tighten. Repeat to attach 2 more lengths to the top of the hat, and 3 lengths to each side of the hat. Unravel the lengths by brushing them with your hook or a comb. Trim fringe to desired length.

Green and Blue Striped Hat

With G and leaving a 6” (15 cm) tail, cast on 6 sts divided evenly onto 3 needles. Join, being careful that sts are not twisted, and begin working in the round. Place marker to indicate the beginning of the round.

• Round 1 (Right side): (Kfb, K1) around—9 sts.
• Rounds 2 and 3: Knit around, at end of Round 3 drop G.
• Rounds 4 and 5: With F, knit around, at end of Round 5 drop F.
• Rounds 6-8: With G, knit around, at end of Round 8 drop G.
• Rounds 9 and 10: With F, knit around, at end of Round 10 drop F.
• Round 11: With G, (Kfb, K2) around—12 sts.
• Rounds 12 and 13: Knit around, at end of Round 13 drop G.
• Round 14: With F, knit around.
• Round 15: (Kfb, K1) around—18 sts. Drop F.
• Round 16: With G, (Kfb, K2) around—24 sts.
• Round 17: (Kfb, K3) around—30 sts.
• Round 18: (Kfb, K4) around—36 sts. Drop G.
• Rounds 19-22: With F, (K1, P1) around.

Bind off all sts in knit. Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing. Thread yarn needle with the beginning tail of Hat and close the beginning opening by weaving and drawing the tail through the cast-on sts. Weave in the beginning tail.

Fringe

Cut 3 lengths of F, each 3” (7.5 cm) long. Fold a length in half. Insert crochet hook in the top of the hat, place the fold on the hook and draw the fold through, forming a loop. Insert ends of length in loop and pull to tighten. Repeat to attach remaining lengths. Unravel the lengths by brushing them with your hook or a comb. Trim fringe to the desired length.

Finishing

With the ending tail of the wing, and using the photograph as a guide, sew the wing to the body in a hugging, diagonal position. Repeat for the second wing. Thread yarn needle with the ending tail of the foot. Using the photograph as a guide, sew the foot to the body. Repeat for the second foot. Thread yarn needle with the beginning tail of the beak. Using the photograph as a guide, sew the beak to the body. Thread yarn needle with a 12” (30.5 cm) length of D. Using the photograph as a guide, embroider eyes on the body. Thread yarn needle with the ending tail of the hat. Using the photograph as a guide, sew the hat to the body.