Project: Chicks and eggs

These gorgeous chicks and eggs from Sarah Keen’s Knitted Farm Animals (GMC, £14.99 and available from www.thegmcgroup.com) make great Easter presents – and a welcome change from chocolate!

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Finished sizes

Chicks measure 2½in (6cm) in height

Eggs measure 2½in (6cm) in length

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 Materials [for hen, chicks & eggs]

Any DK yarn:

• 50g ginger (A) 
• 20g yellow (B)
• 20g red (C)
• 20g lemon (D)
• 10g orange (E)
• 10g light brown (F)
• Oddment of black for features

Note: amounts are generous but approximate

• A pair of 3.25mm (US3:UK10) knitting needles
• Acrylic toy stuffing
• Knitters’ blunt-ended pins and a knitters’ needle for sewing up
• Tweezers for stuffing small parts (optional)

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Tension

26 sts x 34 rows measure 4in (10cm) square over stocking-st using 3.25mm needles and DK yarn before stuffing

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Abbreviations

See below

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How to make Chicks

Body

Beg at lower edge using the thumb method and D, cast on 6 sts and work in rev stocking-st.

First and foll 3 alt rows (RS): Purl.

Inc row: (Inc 1) to end (12 sts).

Inc row: (Inc 1, k1) to end (18 sts).

Inc row: (Inc 1, k2) to end (24 sts).

Inc row: (Inc 1, k3) to end (30 sts).

Beg with a purl row, rev stocking-st 7 rows.

Dec row: (K2tog, k3) to end (24 sts).

Next and foll 2 alt rows: Purl.

Dec row: (K2tog, k2) to end (18 sts).

Dec row: (K2tog, k1) to end (12 sts).

Dec row: (K2tog) to end (6 sts).

Thread yarn through sts on needle, pull tight and secure.

Head

Using the thumb method and D, cast on 20 sts and work in rev stocking-st.

Beg with a purl row, rev stocking-st 5 rows.

Dec row (WS): (K2tog, k2) to end (15 sts).

Next and foll alt row: Purl.

Dec row: (K2tog, k1) to end (10 sts).

Dec row: (K2tog) to end (5 sts).

Thread yarn through sts on needle, pull tight and secure.

Feet (make 2)

Using the thumb method and E, cast on 3 sts and work in garter-st.

Garter-st 5 rows.

Cast off.

Beak

Using the thumb method and E, cast on 5 sts.

Thread yarn through these 5 sts, pull tight and secure.

Wings (make 2)

Using the thumb method and D, cast on
3 sts and work in rev stocking-st.

Purl 1 row.

Inc row (WS): K1, m1, k1, m1, k1 (5 sts).

Beg with a purl row, rev stocking-st 5 rows.

Dec row: K2tog, k1, k2tog tbl (3 sts).

Purl 1 row.

Cast off k-wise.

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Making up

Body

With the reverse side of stocking stitch outside, gather round cast-on stitches of body, pull tight and secure. Join row ends of body leaving a gap. Stuff and close gap.

Head

With the reverse side of stocking stitch outside, join row ends of head. Place a ball of stuffing inside head and sew cast-on stitches of head to body all the way round.

Feet

Fold each foot and join cast-on and cast-off stitches. Place Chick on a flat surface and pin seams of feet to body with an approx 1in (2.5cm) gap in between. Sew seams of feet to Chick.

Beak

Join row ends of cast-on edge of beak. Sew beak to centre front of head.

Wings

With reverse side of stocking stitch outside, fold each wing in half, bringing cast-on and cast-off stitches together and join. Place wings either side of Chick and sew across top edge of each wing to body.

Features

To make eyes, tie 2 knots in 2 lengths of black yarn, winding the yarn round 3
times to make each knot (see below). Tie eyes to head and run ends into head.

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How to make Eggs

Using the thumb method and F, cast on 5 sts.

First and foll 4 alt rows (WS): Purl.

Inc row: K1, (m1, k1) to end (9 sts).

Inc row: K1, (m1, k2) to end (13 sts).

Inc row: K1, (m1, k3) to end (17 sts).

Inc row: K1, (m1, k4) to end (21 sts).

Inc row: K1, (m1, k5) to end (25 sts).

Beg with a purl row, stocking-st 9 rows.

Dec row: (K2tog, k3) to end (20 sts).

Next and foll 2 alt rows: Purl.

Dec row: (K2tog, k2) to end (15 sts).

Dec row: (K2tog, k1) to end (10 sts).

Dec row: (K2tog) to end (5 sts).

Thread yarn through sts on needle,
pull tight and secure.

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Making up

Join row ends of Egg leaving a gap.
Stuff and close gap.