UK Crochet Terms

• Yarn: Dreamy Wool Cuddle Soft Chunky
• 50% Cotton & 50% Acrylic – 1 ball/skein = 119 yd/108 m of yarn in 3.5 oz/100 g
• Weight: USA 5 / UK Chunky / Australia 12 Ply
• MC: Cookie Dough or Silver Sprinkles – 138 yd / 126 m / 117 g – 1 x 100 g & 1 x 50 g
• Colour A: Peppercorn – 24 yd / 22 m / 20 g – 1 x 50 g
• Colour B: Marmalade or Custard – 3.6 yd / 3.3 m / 3 g – 1 x 50 g
• Crochet hooks:
• L/11 (8 mm) – for basket base, using double strand
• J/10 (6 mm) – for all other parts, using single strand
• E/4 (3.5 mm) – optional hook if you choose to crochet the eyes
• Other materials: Black embroidery thread or thin black DK yarn for the facial features.
• Additional tools: stitch markers (essential), yarn (blunt ended) needle, standard (sharp ended) large eye needle, scissors, row counter

Size

Basket base: 5.5–6" (14–15 cm) in diameter
Height: 5” (13 cm)

Gauge / Tension in 4" x 4" (10 cm x 10 cm)

Double strand using 8 mm hook: 9 dc and 9 rows
Single strand using 6 mm hook: 12 dc and 13 rows

Abbreviations (UK Crochet Terms)

• Fig. = Figure
• lp/lps = loop/loops
• st/sts = stitch/stitches
• MC = Main Colour
• RS/WS = Right Side/Wrong Side
• yo = yarn over (hook)
• ch/chs = chain/chains
  Yo and pull through the working lp on your hook.
• sl st = slip stitch
  Insert hook in the st, yo, and pull the lp through the st and the working lp on your hook.
• dc = double crochet
  Insert hook in the st, yo and pull through the st, yo and pull through 2 lps on your hook.
• BPdc = back post double crochet
  Insert hook in the stitch (as you’d normally do, under both of the top loops of the stitch) but instead of inserting it from the front, insert the hook through the back of your work, then insert it, from the front, under both top loops of the following stitch (in essence we have inserted the hook around the post of the stitch from the back), yarn over and pull through the post of the stitch, yarn over again and pull through 2 loops on your hook.
• dc2tog = double crochet two together (double crochet decrease)
  Traditional decrease: Insert hook in next st, yo and pull up a lp, insert hook in the following st, yo and pull up a lp again, yo and pull through all 3 lps on your hook.
  
  Invisible decrease: Insert hook under the FL of next 2 sts, yo and pull through those 2 front lps, yo again and pull through the last 2 lps on your hook.
• htr = half treble crochet
  Yo, insert hook into next st, yo and pull through the st, yo and pull through all three lps on your hook.
• tr = treble crochet
  Yo, insert hook into next st, yo and pull through the st, yo and pull through 2 lps on hook, yo again and pull through last 2 lps on hook.
• dtr = double treble crochet
  Yo twice, insert hook into next st, yo and pull through the st, [yo and pull through 2 lps on hook] x 3.
• [ ] = Repeat the sequence in the square brackets as many times as indicated after the bracket.

Basket Crochet Pattern

Pattern notes: Worked in joined rounds using a double strand of yarn throughout.

Starting: Using 2 strands of MC and 8 mm hook, make a magic ring.

Rnd 1: 1 ch, 6 dc into ring. Join with sl st. (6 sts)
Rnd 2: 1 ch, 2 dc in each st around. Join. (12 sts)
Rnd 3: 1 ch, [dc in next st, 2 dc in next st] x 6. Join. (18 sts)
Rnd 4: 1 ch, [dc in next 2 sts, 2 dc in next st] x 6. Join. (24 sts)
Rnd 5: 1 ch, [dc in next 3 sts, 2 dc in next st] x 6. Join. (30 sts)
Rnd 6: 1 ch, [dc in next 4 sts, 2 dc in next st] x 6. Join. (36 sts)

The bottom of the basket is done and should measure 5.5–6" (14–15 cm) in diameter. If your circle is too small, add another round using the same increase pattern: [dc in next 5 sts, 2 dc in next st] around. You will then have 42 sts for the remainder of the basket.

Continue working the sides of the basket using a double strand of MC and the same hook:

Next Rnd: 1 ch, BPdc in each st around. Join.
Next Rnd: 1 ch, dc in each st around. Join.

Repeat the last round until the basket measures approximately 5" (13 cm) tall.

Finishing: Fasten off and weave in all yarn tails on WS securely.

Beak

Pattern notes: Worked in a continuous spiral using a single strand of yarn

Starting: Using either Colour A or B and 6 mm hook, make a magic ring.

Rnd 1: 1 ch, 5 dc into ring. (5 sts). Pull on the starting tail to close the ring. Weave in the starting tail securely and tie a knot.
Rnd 2 to 4: dc in each st around. (5 sts)

Finishing: Slip st to the next st and fasten off leaving around 10" (25 cm) tail for attaching.

Add a small amount of toy stuffing or fill with scraps of matching colour yarn.

Close the opening by threading the yarn tail through the front loops of the remaining stitches and pulling tightly.

Eyes

Pattern notes: Below are two examples of colour combinations. Choose one you prefer.

Below are simple eyes using 3 colors.

The photo below shows how you can use a fourth colour and embellishments using various colour threads. Feel free to embellish the eyes further with glitter, sequins, beads or other craft supplies.

Right Eye Crochet Pattern

Pattern notes: Worked in joined rounds using single strand.

When making sl sts in the rounds below make them loosely so your work doesn’t roll up (excluding joining sl sts)

Starting: Using single strand of Colour A and 6 mm hook, make a magic ring.

Rnd 1: 1 ch, 6 dc into ring. Pull on the starting tail to close the ring. Insert the hook in the first st of the round, drop Colour A and yo Colour B and pull through the stitch and the lp on your hook to join the round. (6 sts)

Rnd 2: 1 ch, 2 dc in each st around. Join the round by pulling colour A instead to do the last joining sl st. (12 sts)

Rnd 3: Sl st (loosely) in the bl of each stitch around. (12 sts)

Join with a sl st to the first sl st of the round. Cut the yarn and fasten off. I recommend using an invisible join to avoid a visible bump.

Using MC create a loop on your hook and sl st to the bl of the 1st st of previous round.

Note that all stitches in the next round will be made in the bl of the sl sts made in round 3.

Rnd 4: 1 ch, [dc in bl of next st, 2 dc in bl of next st] x 6, join with sl st. (18 sts)

Rnd 5: 1 ch, dc in next st, 2 htr in next st, tr in next st, 2 tr in next st, [htr in next st, 2 htr in next st] x 3, dc in next st, sl st in next 7 sts, join with sl st. (23 sts)

Cut the yarn and fasten off. Using Colour A create a loop on your hook and sl st to the 1st st of previous round.

Rnd 6: Sl st in bl of next 10 sts, *sl st to bl of next st, make 3 chs, dtr at the bottom of the 3 chs, picot (2 chs, sl st in 2nd ch from hook), make 3 chs and sl st to the bottom of the dtr st*, repeat from * to * once more to create a second feather, dc in bl of next st, sl st in bl of next 6 sts and fasten off, leaving the last 4 sts of the previous round unworked.

Finishing: Flip the eye to WS, tighten the magic ring and securely weave the starting tail in. Secure all the other ends by tying knots. Clip the excess yarn.

Left Eye Crochet Pattern

Starting: Using Colour A and 6 mm hook, make a magic ring.

Rnd 1: 1 ch, 6 dc into ring. Pull on the starting tail to close the ring Insert the hook in the first st of the round, drop colour A and yo colour B and pull through the stitch and the lp on your hook to join the round. (6 sts)

Rnd 2: 1 ch, 2 dc in each st around. Join the round by pulling Colour A instead to do the last joining sl st. (12 sts)

Rnd 3: Sl st in the bl of each stitch around. (12 sts)

Join with a sl st to the first sl st of the round. Cut the yarn and fasten off. I recommend using an invisible join to avoid a visible bump.

Using MC create a loop on your hook and sl st to the 1st st of previous round.

Note that all stitches in the next round will be made in the bl of the sl sts made in round 3.

Rnd 4: 1ch, [dc in bl of next st, 2 dc in bl of next st] x 6, join with sl st. (18 sts)

Rnd 5: 1 ch, sl st in next 7 sts, dc in next st, [2 htr in next st, htr in next st] x 3, 2 tr in next st, tr in next st, 2 htr in next st, dc in next st, join with sl st. (23 sts)

Cut the yarn and fasten off. Using Colour A create a loop on your hook.

Rnd 6: Skip first 4 sts of the previous round and sl st in bl of next 6 sts, dc in bl of next st, *sl st to bl of next st, make 5 chs, sl st to the 2nd ch from hook, dtr at the bottom of the 5 chs, make 3 chs and sl st to the bottom of the dtr st*, repeat from * to * once more to create a second feather, sl st in bl of next 10 sts and fasten off.

Finishing: The same way as the right eye.

Assembly

Attaching the Beak

Attach at the front of the basket (opposite side to where the seam is) over the centre of 3 rows of basket wall, starting 2 rows above BPdc row. Don’t attach the tip of the beak (first row).

Attaching the Eyes

Position the eyes on each side of the beak so that the feathers point slightly towards the upper outer edge of the basket. Using a needle and matching-colour sewing thread, sew the eyes in place with back stitches worked between Rounds 5 and 6 of the eye.