This free crochet bird pattern has been sponsored by Clover USA. All opinions are my own.
This week I’d love to introduce you to my new free crochet bird pattern to make my little friends Bob and Betty Bird. This is a quick and easy amigurumi bird pattern that makes two chubby little birds who are ready for spring. They’re all dressed up to celebrate the spring season and make new friends after a long winter away.
Bob and Betty are a pattern that was created with the help of my two young children. I wanted to make a crochet bird pattern for spring and started on a prototype. Once my children saw it, they both wanted one of their own, in their favourite colours. I was happy to oblige and began making them their own birds.
It felt like the birds needed a little something more though so I asked my kids: “what do you think this little crochet bird needs to make them cuter?” They came up with some fun ideas but ultimately, my daugther decided on a pink flower and eyelashes for her bird and my son wanted a blue hat. My kids are always a big inspiration for me but it was especially fun creating this for them to be exactly what they wanted it to be.
My husband laid claim to the original prototype and wanted nothing added to his. So thanks to my kids, instead of one free crochet bird pattern to share with you today, we have two. We hope you enjoy them. I know my kids certainly do!
For this project I used some wonderful tools from Clover USA, specifically, a Clover Amour crochet hook, Chibi Bent Tip Tapestry Needles and Quick Lock Stitch Markers.
A good quality, comfortable crochet hook and locking stitch markers are vital tools to creating amigurumi. When creating an amigurumi project, the stitches tend to be tighter than other projects in order to prevent the stuffing from showing. This can lead to hand pain if you have an uncomfortable crochet hook. I found this hook to be incredibly comfortable and smoothe to work with.
Get an ad-free PDF version of this pattern HERE on Ravelry or HERE on Etsy.
I exclusively use locking stitch markers. The reason being is that I don’t trust stitch markers that don’t lock. I’ve had other stitch markers that didn’t lock fall out of my work, losing my place too many times to count. And that, is just too frustrating to deal with. If you really enjoy making amirugumi, then I highly recommend locking stitch markers become your new best friend. The Quick Lock Stitch Markers from Clover were fab. They come in a great little box that latches closed so it helps me keep them all in the same place (besides the ones that fall in my couch lol). Not only did the little kit of stitch markers come with a few different sizes, they look like tiny little sheep. They are just C.U.T.E.!
Free Crochet Bird Pattern: Bob and Betty Bird
Check out those cute little tails!
Check out the free tutorial for this pattern on YouTube!
Skill Level:
Easy
Terminology:
U.S. Terminology
The yarn and some of the tools used in this free crochet bird pattern.
Approximately 3” tall by
4.5” wide from wing tip to wing tip
Gauge:
10.5 sts x 11.5 rows = 2 inches
Notes:
This pattern is worked in continuous rounds (unless stated otherwise). Do not join at the end of the row, unless indicated. A stitch marker is used to keep track of the beginning of the round.
For a cleaner SCDEC, do your SCDEC under the front loops only of each stitch rather than under both loops. This is often referred to as an invisible decrease.
The Body, Wing, Beak and Tail pattern is the same for both birds. The only difference is the colour you use. Where “main colour” is indicated, use Fairy Tale (purple) for Betty Bird (she’s wearing a flower) and Denim (blue) for the Bob Bird (he’s wearing a hat).
Body:
Round 1: Using your main colour, make a MC and SC 6 into the MC. (6) Round 2: (SCINC) x 6 (12) Round 3: (SCINC, SC 1) x 6 (18) Round 4: SC 1, (SCINC, SC 2) x 5, SCINC, SC 1 (24) Round 5: (SC 3, SCINC) x 6 (30) Round 6: SC 2, (SCINC, SC 4) x 5, SCINC, SC 2 (36) Round 7: (SC 5, SCINC) x 6 (42) Round 8: SC 3, SCINC, (SC 6, SCINC) x 5, SC 3 (48) Rounds 9 – 17: SC around (48) – Place safety eyes in Round 15 with 7 sts between them. Round 18: SC 3, SCDEC, (SC 6, SCDEC) x 5, SC 3 (42) Round 19: SC around (42) Round 20: (SC 5, SCDEC) x 6 (36) Round 21: SC 2, (SCDEC, SC 4) x 5, SCDEC, SC 2 (30) Start stuffing, adding a bit more stuffing with each round. Stuff firmly. Round 22: (SC 3, SCDEC) x 6 (24) Round 23: SC 1, (SCDEC, SC 2) x 5, SCDEC, SC 1 (18) Round 24: (SCDEC, SC 1) x 6 (12) Round 25: (SCDEC) x 6 (6)
FO leaving a long tail. Weave the tail through the FLO to close the opening. Weave in ends.
** For Betty Bird Only** Using the black embroidery thread, embroider some eyelashes next to each eye. Start in the stitch directly next to the center/side of each eye. Insert the needle into the stitch two stitches to the right and back up through the stitch you started the eyelashes in. Insert the needle into the stitch that is one stitch above and slightly to the left (for the first eyelash on the right side and to the right for the left eyelash) of tip of the first eye lash. Repeat with the other eye.
Beak
Round 1: Using Caution, make a MC and SC 8 into the MC. (8) Round 2: (SC 1, SCINC) x 4 (12) Rounds 3 – 4: SC around (12) Do NOT stuff. After completing Row 4, join your last stitch to the first stitch with a SL ST. FO leaving a long tail to sew onto face. Lining the beak up with the bottom of the eyes, sew onto the face, sewing through both layers of the beak at once.
If you would like to support my blog, you can do so by doing your regular shopping on Amazon. As an Amazon affiliate, I earn a small commission on qualifying purchases made through my Amazon link, which in turn helps to support the blog so I can keep bringing you patterns and great content like this for free.
Wings(make 2)
Round1: Using main colour, make a MC and SC 6 into the MC (6). Round 2: (SCINC) x 6 (12) Rounds3 – 5: SC around (12)
After completing Row 5, join your last stitch to the first stitch with a SL ST. FO leaving a long tail to sew onto the body. Do NOT stuff. Sew wings onto either side of the body, lining the top edge of the wing up with the bottom of the eyes and sewing through both layers of the wings at the same time.
Feet (make 2)
Round1: Using Caution, make a MC and SC 8 into the MC. (8) Round2: (SC 1, SCINC) x 4 (12) Rounds3 – 5: SC around (12) After completing Row 5, join your last stitch to the first stitch with a SL ST. FO leaving a long tail to sew either side of the body. Do NOT stuff. Sew the feet onto the bottom of your bird along Round 5 with 3 stitches in between them, sewing through both layers of the feet at the same time.
Tail
Round1: Using main colour, CH 10. SCINC in the 2nd CH from the hook. SC 7, SC 4 in the last CH. Working up the other side of the CH, SC 7, SCINC in the last CH. Do not join. (22) Round2: SC in each st around (22) Round 3: SCDEC, SC 8, SCDEC, SC 10 (20) Round4: SC around (20) Round 5: SCDEC, SC 8, SCDEC, SC 8 (18) Round 6: SC around (18)
After completing Round 6, join your last stitch to the first stitch with a SL ST. FO leaving a long tail to sew onto the bottom part of the back of your bird. Do NOT stuff. Sewing through both layers of the tail, sew the tail onto the bottom of your bird along Round 4 of the body so the tail points out towards the center of the back of the body.
Flowerfor Betty Bird
Round 1: Using Caution, make a MC and SC 6 into the MC. Join to first st with a SL ST. FO. Round 2: Change to Rouge, attaching it to the first ST of the previous round.CH 1.(HDC, DC, HDC) in the first st. *(SL ST, HDC, DC, HDC) in the next st.* Repeat instructions in ** 4 more times. Join last st to first st with a SL ST.
FO and weave in ends. Sew to the head of the bird.
Hat for Bob Bird
Round 1: Using Celestial, make a MC and SC 6 into the MC. (6) Round 2: (SCINC) x 6 (12) Round 3: (SCINC, SC 1) x 6 (18) Round 4: SC 1, (SCINC, SC 2) x 5, SCINC, SC 1 (24) Round 5: (SC 3, SCINC) x 6 (30) Rounds 6 – 8: SC around (30) Round 9: (SCINC, SC 1) x 15 (45) Round 10: SL ST in each st around. (45) FO. Using a long piece of Celestial yarn, sew the hat onto the top of the bird’s head, adding a bit of stuffing into the hat before closing it up.
Feel free to sell the item
created by this pattern but please provide pattern credit back to me when
posting online, and please provide a link to my blog: www.theloopylamb.com. Please do not resell, distribute, duplicate,
or share this pattern in any printed or digital form, claiming this pattern as
your own original design. Please do not
use my photos when selling your finished items.
I’d love to see your finished
items! Please share your finished makes
by tagging the pattern on Ravelry, sharing it to our Facebook page or Instagram. Don’t forget to follow me on Facebook,
Instagram and Pinterest
This step-by-step tutorial will help you learn how to crochet a magic circle – often referred to as a magic ring or adjustable circle/ring. The magic circle/magic ring is a really handy technique to know if you’re a fan of amigurumi projects. The magic circle is an alternative to creating a ring with a chain 4 which would typically leave an open hole in your project. When you use a magic circle to being your project it creates a tightly closed ring when you’re crocheting in the round. So if you’re using it for amigurumi, this means no hole for the stuffing to show through and a more professional-looking finish.
This technique is relatively easy to do but with some practice, it’ll be as easy as creating a starting chain.
Pin this tutorial so you can refer back to it later. Save
How to Crochet the Magic Circle
Using your non-dominant hand, hold the end of the yarn between your thumb and pointer finger. Wrap the working yarn around your fingers (from front to back) once.
Cross the working yarn over top of the yarn on the inside of your hand and lay the working yarn across the top of your fingers. I like to use my pinky finger to hold it down and keep it secure fo the next part.
Insert your crochet hook underneath the first strand of yarn and grab the second strand of yarn.
Pull the second strand of yarn under the first strand of yarn.
Twist the yarn to create a loop. Yarn over the hook using the working yarn and pull through the loop to create a chain.
Remove your fingers from the loop. Your magic circle is now completed!
If you would like to support my blog, you can do so by doing your regular shopping on Amazon. As an Amazon affiliate, I earn a small commission on qualifying purchases made through my Amazon link, which in turn helps to support the blog so I can keep bringing you patterns and great content like this for free.
Working Your First Row
To work into the magic circle, work your desired stitches into the magic cirlce, ensuring that both the ring and yarn tail are crocheted over. In my example here, I’m crocheting six single crochet stitches (Get my tutorial on how to do the single crochet stitch HERE).
When you’ve finished crocheting your first round of stitches, gently pull the yarn tail until your ring closes and you have a tightly closed ring. like in the image below.
Continue working your second round of stitches as normal.
All opinions are my own. This page may contain affiliate links.
Thank you so much to everyone for all the love you showed my first faux fur yarn project: Kaya Koala. So many people were excited to get started on making a crochet koala of their very own but some found using the faux fur yarn a bit intimidating. As a result, I started a YouTube channel and launched my very first YouTube Video sharing my top tips for working with faux fur yarn. I designed my Crochet Koala Keychain as a starter project for those that may be nervous about crocheting with faux fur yarn. It’s small and quick and helps you get the feel of what it’s like to create an amigurumi type project with faux fur yarn.
For my Crochet Koala Keychain project, I have used Fable Fur yarn from We Crochet (crochet.com) in the colour Kuma to create a mini crochet koala head to be used as a keychain. If you leave out the keychain attachments, you could even use it as a pompom on a child’s hat.
The tools you’ll need to complete this project are 14 yards of faux fur yarn, a small amount of worsted weigh yarn in black, large eye tapestry needle, scissors, a pair of safety eyes, a small amount of polyester stuffing, a split ring and a keychain attachment. These whip up so quickly and are honestly, a little addictive to make. I was able to get 5 of these adorable little guys from one skein of yarn.
If you’re nervous about working with fur yarns, check out my video below and get my tips for working with this kind of product.
Crochet Koala Keychain – Free Crochet Pattern
Get an ad-free PDF version of this pattern HERE on Ravelry or HERE on Etsy.
The head is worked with the wrong side facing out to show the better-looking side of the fur.
Pieces are worked in continuous rounds unless otherwise noted.
Check out the Video Tutorial for this Pattern:
Pattern:
Head
Round 1: Using Fable Fur and 5.5mm hook, make a MC and SC 6 into the MC. (6) Round 2: (SCINC) x 6 (12) Rounds 3 – 5: SC around (12) – Place safety eyes in Row 4 with 2 sts between them. Add stuffing. Round 6: (SCDEC) x 6 (6) FO leaving a long tail to sew up the hole and sew on your split ring. Add a bit more stuffing and sew up the hole. Sew the split ring to the top of the head. Weave in ends.
My crochet koala keychain with the toy that inspired it: Kaya Koala – Which is also a free crochet pattern here on my blog.
Nose:
Round 1: Using Brava Worsted in black and a 3.5mm hook, make a MC and SC 6 into the MC. (6)
Join last ST to the first ST with a SL ST. FO leaving a long tail to sew onto the face. Sew onto face and weave in ends.
If you would like to support my blog, you can do so by doing your regular shopping on Amazon. As an Amazon affiliate, I earn a small commission on qualifying purchases made through my Amazon link, which in turn helps to support the blog so I can keep bringing you patterns and great content like this for free.
Ears (Make two)
Round 1: Using Fable Fur and 5.5mm hook, make a MC and SC 6 into the MC. (6) Join last ST to the first ST with a SL ST.
FO leaving a long tail to sew onto the head. Sew each ear onto either side of head and weave in ends.
Finishing Touches
The fur may cover up the eyes a bit so take a sharp pair of scissors and trim the fur around the face so they are easier to see.
Attach Keychain to split ring and you’re all finished!
Disclaimer:
Feel free to sell the item created by this pattern but please provide pattern credit back to me when posting online, and please provide a link to my blog: http://www.theloopylamb.com. Please do not resell, distribute, duplicate, or share this pattern in any printed or digital form or claim this pattern as your own original design. Please do not use my photos when selling your finished items.
I’d love to see your finished
items! Please share your finished makes
by tagging the pattern on Ravelry, sharing it to our Facebook page or Instagram. Don’t forget to follow me on Facebook,
Instagram and Pinterest
This post may contain affiliate links. All opinions are my own.
When I released my pattern for my amigurumi Koala: Kaya Koala, I kept hearing the same questions over and over: “Is it hard to work with that yarn?”, “I’ve had troubles working with fur yarn in the past, any tips?”, “How do you keep track of your stitches with faux fur yarn?” , “Can you even SEE the stitches?”. So I decided to share my tips for crocheting with faux fur yarn to help take the fear out of working with faux fur yarns so that you can feel confident to try working with it for your next project.
I’m also excited to announce that I’ve launched my YouTube channel! You can check out the video for this article below!
Tips for Crocheting with Faux Fur Yarn
Tip #1: Feel the Stitches
The biggest issue that I hear prevents people from working with faux fur yarn is not being able to see the stitches and to be honest, I was a bit nervous about that at first. My favourite faux fur yarn right now is this Fable Fur yarn from crochet.com (You can check it out HERE.). This yarn has a thick strap on the back of the yarn which I found made it easy to feel where my stitches were. So although the stitches aren’t visible, feeling the stitches enables you to count stitches and figure out where you should be putting your hook.
Tip #2: Use a Bigger Hook
If you are struggling to feel where your stitches are located try going up a hook size (or two) and/or loosening your tension until you can feel the stitches. Once you can feel the stitches, you’ll feel more confident in where you’re putting your hook/stitches and be less likely to get frustrated.
Tip #3: Use a Stitch Marker
Since you can’t really see the stitches, using a stitch marker (ideally in a contrasting colour) is a HUGE help. I use fur yarn primarily for amigurumi projects so this is a biggie for me. Even if you aren’t using faux fur yarn for amigurumi, I still recommend using a stitch marker to mark your first stitch (and any other important stitches your pattern may need you to track). It will prevent you from going back later and hunting to find them.
Tip #4: Take Your Time
Although faux fur yarn is INCREDIBLY forgiving, you still want your project to come out looking amazing so take your time. You’ll build up speed (and confidence) the more you use faux fur yarn so take your time.
If you would like to support my blog, you can do so by doing your regular shopping on Amazon. As an Amazon affiliate, I earn a small commission on qualifying purchases made through my Amazon link, which in turn helps to support the blog so I can keep bringing you patterns and great content like this for free.
Tip #5: Count Your Stitches as You Crochet
When I’m working with faux fur yarn, I count the stitches in my head as I’m crocheting. This is where taking your time comes in to play. You can get frustrated if you keep having to go back and feel your stitches to make sure your count is correct. Counting as you go will actually help speed up the process.
Tip #6: Don’t Pull Too Hard on The Yarn
If you need to frog a part of your project or you encounter a tangle, be patient and tug gently or else the yarn will snap.
Tip #7: Don’t Crochet Over the Yarn Tail With Crocheting Into a Magic Circle (Adjustable Ring)
If your project requires making a magic circle DO NOT crochet over the yarn tail. The yarn will not glide as well with all that fur in there so you will likely be unable to close your magic circle. If you get frustrated (like I did), you’ll end up snapping your yarn. Instead, after you create your magic circle, push the yarn tail behind your work and just crochet around the ring part instead.
Tip #8: Show the Wrong Side
Since you can’t see the stitches, the general right side/wrong side rules of crochet don’t really apply. So show the side that looks better! In most cases, the traditional “wrong side” will be to give you a fuller, furrier look.
So those are my tips for working with faux fur yarn. I hope they help to give you the confidence to give this kind of yarn a try. I’d love to hear from you. If you have any questions or any tips of your own for working with faux fur yarn, let me know in the comments below!
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All opinions are my own. This page may contain affiliate links.
I have always wanted to design a crochet koala. They’re adorable, furry and just irresistable. I wanted my crochet koala to capture all of those loveable koala qualities and I hope you think that Kaya does. This crochet koala pattern is a relatively easy amigurumi pattern and it is the perfect cuddle size. Plus, this pattern can be made with one ball of Fable Fur yarn and a small amount of worsted weight black yarn.
Kaya the Koala is made using this lovely super bulky Fable Fur yarn I received from my friends at We Crochet (wecrochet.com). I used the colourway Kuma to make Kaya. This faux fur yarn has incredible dimension of colour and really helps bring Kaya to life. This was my first time using faux fur yarn and it exceeded absolutely every one of my expectations. We Crochet just knocked it out of the park with this yarn. It is insanely soft and because of the wide band on the back of the yarn, it is really easy to feel your stitches. Because of the fur, stitch visibility is practically zero but feeling the stitches makes it so much easier to work with. When you see the finished project, stitch visibility doesn’t even matter once you see the beautiful effect of the faux fur. I’ve had people ask me where I bought Kaya because they thought she was a store-bought stuffy. If that’s not a huge compliment, I don’t know what is!
Kaya’s sweet little nose is made with a small amount of Brava Worsted yarn in black which is also from We Crochet. Brava Worsted is a worsted weight acrylic yarn and I used only a fraction of a Brava Worsted Mini Skein to create the nose. This yarn has great stitch definition and was also really enjoyable to use. I’ve started other designs using the Brava Worsted Mini Skeins because they are a great size for amigurumi projects and they come in some really great colours.
If this is your first time working with faux fur yarn, check out my video below to get my top tips for working with faux fur yarn.
Are you ready to get started on making your very own crochet koala? Let’s get started.
Kaya the Koala – Crochet Koala Free Pattern
Get an ad-free PDF version of this pattern HERE on Ravelry or HERE on Etsy.
Approximately 10” tall from top of head to bottom of feet.
Gauge:
4 sts x 6 rows = 2 inches
Notes:
All pieces are worked and sewed onto
the project with the wrong side facing out to show the better-looking side of
the fur.
All pieces (except the nose) are worked in
continuous rounds. Do not join the ends
of your rows.
Head and Body:
Round 1: Using Fable Fur and 5.5mm crochet hook, make a MC and SC 6 into the MC. (6) Round 2: (SCINC) x 6 (12) Round 3: (SCINC, SC 1) x 6 (18) Round 4: (SCINC, SC 2) x 6 (24) Rounds 5 – 9: SC around.(24) Place safety eyes in Row 6 with 4 sts between them. Round 10: (SCDEC, SC 2) x 6 (18) Start stuffing, adding a bit more stuffing each row. Round 11: (SCDEC, SC 1) x 6 (12) Round 12: (SCDEC) x 6 (6) Round 13: (SCINC) x 6 (12) Round 14: (SCINC, SC 1) x 6 (18) Rounds 15 – 21: SC around. (18) Round 22: (SCDEC, SC 1) x 6 (12) Round 23: (SCDEC) x 6 (6) FO off, using your end to close up the hole. Weave in ends.
Nose:
Row 1: Using black yarn and 3.5mm hook, CH 3. SC in 2nd CH from hook. SC 1. (2) Row 2: CH 1 and turn. (SCINC) x 2. (4) Row 3: CH 1 and turn. SCINC, SC 2, SCINC. (6) Rows 4 – 8: CH 1 and turn. SC across. (6) Row 9: CH 1 and turn. SCDEC, SC 2, SCDEC (4) Row 10: CH 1 and turn. (SCDEC) x 2. (2) Row 11: CH 1 and turn. SC around the outside of the piece, putting a single SC in each st and the end of each row, placing 2 SCs in each of the four corners. Join last st to first st with a sl st. FO leaving a long tail to sew onto head.
Sew nose onto head, between the eyes, adding a small amount of stuffing behind the nose so the nose protrudes off the face a bit.
If you would like to support my blog, you can do so by doing your regular shopping on Amazon. As an Amazon affiliate, I earn a small commission on qualifying purchases made through my Amazon link, which in turn helps to support the blog so I can keep bringing you patterns and great content like this for free.
Ears (make 2)
Round 1: Using Fable Fur and 5.5mm crochet hook, make a MC and SC 6 into the MC. (6) Round 2: (SCINC) x 6 (12) Round3: (SCINC, SC 1) x 6 (18) Round 4: SC around. (18) FO leaving a long tail. Use the tail to sew the ears onto other side of the head. Weave in ends.
Arms (make 2)
Round 1: Using Fable Fur and 5.5mm crochet hook, make a MC and SC 6 into the MC. (6) Round 2: (SCINC, SC 2) x 2 (8) Rounds3 – 4: SC around (8) Start stuffing, adding more as you work. Round 5: (SCDEC, SC 2) x 2 (6) Rounds 6 –7: SC around (6) FO leaving a long tail. Use the tail to sew arms onto either side of the body near the “neck”.
Legs (make 2)
Round 1: Using Fable Fur and 5.5mm crochet hook, make a MC and SC 6 into the MC. (6) Round 2: (SCINC, SC 2) x 2 (8) Rounds 3 – 6: SC around (8) FO leaving a long tail. Stuff the legs and sew onto either side of the bottom of the body.
Feel free to sell the item
created by this pattern but please provide pattern credit back to me when
posting online, and please provide a link to my blog: http://www.theloopylamb.com. Please do not resell, distribute, duplicate,
or share this pattern in any printed or digital form, claiming this pattern as
your own original design. Please do not
use my photos when selling your finished items.
I’d love to see your finished crochet koala! Please share your finished makes by tagging the pattern on Ravelry, sharing it to our Facebook page or Instagram. Don’t forget to follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest
All opinions are my own. This page may contain affiliate links.
This week I’m reviewing the brand new kit Crochet Mini Animals: 12 Tiny Projects for Animal Lovers by Thuy Duong.
Thunder Bay Books is releasing a new kit called Crochet Mini Animals on February 25th, 2020 in North America. The designer, Thuy Duong has created 12 mini crochet amigurumi project designs for this kit Each design is less than 2″ tall.
When I first took a look at this kit, I noticed all the thread included with the kit. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that there are enough materials provided in this box to make all 12 of the crochet mini animals in this kit. The Crochet Mini Animals kit also includes all of the following:
a 1mm (U.S. size 12) crochet hooks
24 seed beads to be used as eyes,
a tapestry needle
crochet cotton thread in seven different colours
embroidery floss in 3 different colours
wire
stuffing for your crochet mini animals
Crochet Mini Animals pattern book
It seems like a lot to be fitting into this little box!
Here are all the crochet mini animals that you can make with this kit:
Cat
Elephant
Giraffe
Poodle
Blackbird
Swan
Lamb
Llama
Sloth
Koala
Hedgehog
Panda
The Crochet Mini Animals pattern book is really comprehensive and includes step-by-step instructions to help you get the best results possible for your project. It goes through basic stitch instructions as well as instructions for various techniques used in the projects in the book. The patterns were clear and easy to read. Pictures are included with each project to illustrate different techniques to guide you through the process.
The materials in the Crochet Mini Animals kit seem to be of good quality. I had no issues with the thread breaking and the crochet hook is made of steel. The materials were organized and tidy when I opened the kit. I loved that the stuffing is vaccuum sealed so that it takes up less room in the box. I kind of expected there to be a stitch marker in the box given that it’s relied upon in amigurumi patterns and it’s called for in the patterns however, one wasn’t included in the kit. This wasn’t a big deal since I used other thread from the kit to mark my stitches.
If you would like to support my blog, you can do so by doing your regular shopping on Amazon. As an Amazon affiliate, I earn a small commission on qualifying purchases made through my Amazon link, which in turn helps to support the blog so I can keep bringing you patterns and great content like this for free.
If you’ve been considering giving mini crochet a try to see if you’d enjoy it, this kit would be a great way to try it out without much investment. Since everything you need is in the kit, you could make all the projects in the kit and decide if it’s something you enjoy doing.
I think it’s great that these kits are available and they’d be good for travelling. Since this kit has eveything to make 12 different projects, you could just pack this kit and a pair of scissors and have everything you’d need for a trip. These little projects would make really great key chains. I personally want to make either the black bird or the sloth for my keychain.
This kit is expected to be available to purchase on Amazon as of February 25, 2020. You can grab a copy of your own HERE.
Thanks to Thunder Bay Press for sending this kit over for me to review. We’re giving away another crochet kit called Super Cute Crochet over on Instagram! Head on over to my Instagram on March 2nd @Theloopylamb to find out how you can enter to win your very own Super Cute Crochet Kit.
Have you tried mini crochet before? I’d love to hear what you thought. Let me know in the comments below.
All opinions are my own. This page may contain affiliate links.
This week I’m back with a free crochet pocket scarf pattern: The Tweedy Pocket Scarf. This is a beginner-friendly crochet pocket scarf pattern that uses a simple one row repeat to create a really pretty texture. This pattern is easily adjustable to any width or length and you can make the pockets as shallow or as deep as you’d like. I’ve included instructions for making adjustments to make this scarf your own below.
My favourite part of the Tweedy Pocket Scarf is the zippers. Pockets on scarves are great if you want to put your hands in them to keep them warm but honestly, they can sag a bit after use and they aren’t functional if you want to put anutyhing in them. Put your phone in your pocket and you bend over the the phone comes falling out. Gah! As a mom, I feel like I never have enough pockets so I thought I’d add zippers to my pockets so I can keep things in the pockets safely. These pockets are big enough that you could keep a sandwich in them… I’m not saying you should… just that you could lol. But I have definitely used my pockets to hold a skein of yarn and my hooks to crochet while out in public.
Putting my new crochet pocket scarf to good use. I have a mini skein of yarn in one pocket and a hook, scissors and tapestry needle in the other!
Get an ad-free PDF version of this pattern HERE on Ravelry or HERE on Etsy.
I’m using Lion Brand Mandala Tweed yarn to create my scarf. I did a yarn review of the Lion Brand Mandala Tweed yarn a little while ago and you can check it out HERE. With a yarn that has so much colour and personality, I wanted to find a stitch that would work with the yarn instead of against it. It is easy for complex stitch patterns to get lost in all that colour. I opted for a simple stitch and I think it was the perfect option for this yarn. It really shows off the beauty of the yarn.
Adjusting this pattern
This crochet pocket scarf pattern when made as written, will create a scarf that is 72″ in length. This length was used so the scarf can wrap around your neck once to keep you warm while keeping the pockets at a comfortable position to put your hands in. If you prefer a scarf that is a little longer or shorter, you can do that by either adding more rows to make it longer or choosing to crochet less rows to make it shorter. If you prefer a scarf that is more narrow, you can create a scarf of any width by chaining an even number of stitches and then following the instructions for the pattern (and ignoring the stitch count). If you do alter the width, please note that you should have an odd number of stitches when you complete each row. (i.e. if you CH 20, you should have 19 sts. If you CH 36, you should have 35 sts each row.)
To resize this pattern: CH any even
number of stitches. If you do
alter the width, please note that you should have an odd number of stitches
when you complete each row. (i.e. if you CH 20, you should have 19 sts. If you CH 36, you should have 35 sts each
row.)
This pattern creates a scarf that is
approximately 72” long and is made to be able to wrapped around your neck once
while having the pockets at a comfortable height. You can adjust the length to be longer or
shorter by adding or omitting rows to reach your desired length. Alternatively, you could crochet to the
length the pattern gives and make deeper pockets by folding the bottoms of the
scarf up higher than the measurement given in the pattern.
Crochet Pocket Scarf Pattern
CH 40. Row 1: SC in the 2nd chain from the hook. SC in each remaining CH across. (39) Row 2: CH 1 and turn. SC in the first st and each st across. (39) Row 3: CH 1 and turn. (SC, DC) in the first st. *SK 1, (SC, DC) in the next st*. Repeat instructions in * * until 2 sts remain. SK 1, SC in the last st. (39) Rows 4 – 273: Repeat Row 3 until scarf measures 84” long (or until desired length). Rows 274 – 275: CH 1 and turn. SC in the first st and each st across. FO leaving a long tail to sew up the pockets we’ll create.
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With the right side facing you, fold the bottom edge of each side of the scarf up approximately 6.5”. Pin the edges in place along the sides and using the long tail, sew up one of the side seams. Using a length of yarn, sew up the other side seam to finish creating your pocket. Repeat on the second pocket.
Pin your zipper into place on either side of the top of the pocket and using your sewing needle and thread, sew the zipper into place. Repeat on the second pocket.
Feel free to sell the item created by this pattern
but please provide pattern credit back to me when posting online, and please
provide a link to my blog: www.theloopylamb.com. Please do
not resell, distribute, duplicate, or share this pattern in any printed or
digital form, claiming this pattern as your own original design. Please do not use my photos when selling your
finished items. Using and/or
purchasing this pattern does not grant permission for mass production.
I’d love to see your finished items! Please share your finished makes by tagging
the pattern on Ravelry, sharing it to our Facebook page or Instagram. Don’t forget to follow me on Facebook,
Instagram and Pinterest
All opinions are my own. This page may contain affiliate links.
If you’re looking for a fun and stylish free crochet poncho pattern, look no further. I’ve rounded up some of the best free crochet poncho patterns that the internet has to offer from some incredibly talented makers.
Ponchos are a great transitional piece as we transition between seasons or for keeping you warm on cooler evenings that don’t require a jacket. Ponchos are great when worn with jeans! Ponchos for kids are also great. I know when spring hits, my kids can’t wait to shed those winter jackets. But just because they want to shed the jacket, doesn’t mean they necessarily should. Enter the poncho. A great piece to keep them warm and they’re willing to wear it because they think they’re wearing a cape. That’s a win in my books!
I’ve chosen to include a variety of crochet poncho pattern styles to give as much variety as possible. Some of these patterns are available in a variety of sizes or include instructions on how to adjust the pattern to fit your own measurements. A lot of these poncho patterns are also very easy to customize in order to make them your own.
If you have a suggestion for a free crochet poncho pattern that you love that I haven’t included here, let me know in the comments below!
The first pattern in our free crochet poncho pattern round up is this pretty C2C Block Rocking Poncho by Michelle White of Dora Does. I just LOVE the colour gradient in this design. This pattern is labelled as easy and uses the corner to corner crochet technique. The pattern by Dora Does can be found HERE.
Our next free crochet poncho pattern is the Midnight Madness Poncho by Nana’s Crafty Home. This pattern is available in several sizes and uses a simple two row repeat so it’s a great pattern for crocheting on-the-go or when binging your favourite show. The pattern by Nana’s Crafty Home can be found HERE.
The Play-Off Poncho by Moogly is a free crochet poncho pattern that is available in sizes XS – 5X. It’s easily customizable and it’s made in a simple stitch so it’s accessible for beginners wanting to take a stab at their first poncho. Get the pattern HERE.
The Secret Paths Poncho by Pattern Princess is available in one size and the pattern states it should fit a size medium/large best. This poncho is made by sewing two triangles together and it has an easy, rhythmic stitch repeat. Check out the free poncho pattern HERE.
This pattern is a Tunisian Crochet Pattern by Raffamussa Designs. It’s called the Misty Grey Poncho and it is available HERE on the Underground Crafter blog. This poncho is available in the following sizes: XS/S, M/L, XL/2X.
This is The Lucky Penny Poncho by Sincerely Pam and it is available in child’s size. This pattern uses Lion Brand Mandala Tweed Yarn in the colourway Lucky Penny (check out my review of this yarn here). This version of the pattern comes in children’s small, medium and large sizes HERE.
The child-sized version of the Lucky Penny Poncho was so popular that Pam wrote up the pattern for adult sizes too! Check out the adult sizes of the Lucky Penny Poncho by Sincerely PamHERE.
The Perfect Fall Poncho from Moogly is so pretty and would look awesome paired with jeans. I’d personally wear it any season. It has a beautiful texture and is easily adjusted to fit your personal size. Get the pattern HERE.
If you would like to support my blog, you can do so by doing your regular shopping on Amazon. As an Amazon affiliate, I earn a small commission on qualifying purchases made through my Amazon link, which in turn helps to support the blog so I can keep bringing you patterns and great content like this for free.
Kids love ponchos too! This cute little poncho is called The Pretty Poncho by Evelyn Blayne. It is available in one size and I love that this was created for the designer’s daughter so she could have something warm and safe to wear in her car seat. Get the pattern HERE.
The Vincent Cloak by Knot Bad promises to be a cozy addition to your wardobe. It’s made with Lion Brand Thick and Quick Yarn and should work up quickly. Get your the pattern HERE.
The Moroccan Weekend Wrap is a poncho style wrap pattern from Moogly. This poncho is really unique. It has two differently coloured panels and can be worn in a variety of ways. Get the pattern HERE.
I couldn’t resist adding this Momma’s Little Gobbler Turkey Hooded Cape by Edyth Blayne to this list. It is just too adorable and I love it. Although you may think this is a seasonal item that can be worn for Thanksgiving, I’d argue this is a great poncho for kids anytime. Kids will get a big kick out of it and it’s sure to garnish tons of compliments when worn out in public. Get the pattern HERE.
The Ragged Falls Poncho is another adorable make by Sincerely Pam. This free crochet poncho pattern is available in children’s sizes, all the way up to 5X adult sizes. Yay for size inclusivity! This would be a great mommy and me poncho set. Get the pattern HERE.
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This post may contain affiliate links. All opinions are my own.
Looking for a quick and easy crochet mittens pattern? These Norse Crochet Mittens use a simple stitch pattern and super bulky weight yarn so they work up in a flash. They are great pattern for experienced beginners wanting to make their first pair of crochet mittens or for those that just want a quick and simple crochet project to work on while watching their favourite movie. Regardless of your motivation for making them, these crochet mittens will be a cozy addition to any winter wardobe.
This crochet mittens pattern was designed using Patons Norse yarn. This yarn is a blended yarn comprised of 54% arcylic, 28% wool and 18% polyester. It has a brushed halo effect which gives these crochet mittens their fuzzy appearance. The halo does make seeing the stitches a bit more difficult than normal but they aren’t impossible to see and you can definitely feel the stitches. This pattern uses only a single ball of Patons Norse Yarn!
Get an ad-free PDF version of this pattern HERE on Ravelry or HERE on Etsy.
The Norse Crochet Mittens are worked from the top-down (fingertips to wrist) in joined rounds. Because of the halo effect of the yarn, I recommend utilizing a stitch marker to mark the beginning of every round even though you won’t be working in a continuous spiral. After working the top of the mitten to the knuckles, we’ll add on the opening for the thumb. Then we’ll work some shaping to taper the mitten to the wrist and then the ribbed cuff is added.
After completing the body of the mitten, the thumb is added. This is done by attaching your yarn to the opening we created for the mitten and crocheting around that hole. The thumb is worked from the base up with some basic tapering worked up to the tip. Then the tip of the thumb is sewn closed and the ends are woven in. That’s it! Ready to get started making your own Norse Crochet Mittens?
Approximately 9.5” long from top of mitten to bottom of ribbing
Approximately 4” wide across top of mitten
Approximately 4.5” wide at widest point of mitten
Gauge:
6 sts x 5 rows = 2 inches
Notes:
This project is written using U.S. terminology
This project is worked in the round and the end of each round is joined to the first stitch of the round using a slip stitch. I recommend using a stitch marker to mark the beginning of every round.
Row 1: Make a MC and HDC 8 into the MC. Join with sl st. (8) Row 2: CH 1. HDCINC in each stitch around. Join with sl st. (16) Row 3: CH 1. (HDC in the first stitch, HDCINC in the next stitch) repeat 7 more times. Join with a sl st. (24) Rows 4 -14: CH 1. HDC in the first stitch and in each stitch around (24) Row 15: CH 1. HDC in the first stitch. CH 6, Skip 2 sts. HDC in the next 21 sts. Join with a sl st. (22 sts and 6 CHs) Row 16: CH 1. HDC in the first stitch. HDC 6 in the CH space. HDC in the next 21 sts. Join with a sl st. (28) Rows 17 – 18: CH 1. HDC in the first stitch and each stitch around. Join with a sl st. (28) Row 19: CH 1. HDC in the first 2 sts, HDCDEC in the next stitch, HDC in the next 3 stitches, HDCDEC, HDC in the last 19 stitches. (26)
Row 20: CH 1. HDC in the first 4 sts, HDCDEC 2 times, HDC in the next 8 sts, HDCDEC 2 times, HDC in the last 6 sts. (22) Row 21: CH 2 (counts as first stitch). DC in the 2nd stitch each stitch around. Join with a sl st. (22) Rows 22 – 23: CH 1. (FPDC around the first st, BPDC around the next st) repeat instructions in the () around. (22) Row 24: CH 1. SC in the first st and each stitch around. (22) FO and weave in ends.
If you would like to support my blog, you can do so by doing your regular shopping on Amazon. As an Amazon affiliate, I earn a small commission on qualifying purchases made through my Amazon link, which in turn helps to support the blog so I can keep bringing you patterns and great content like this for free.
If you’re looking for the pattern for the hat I’m wearing in this picture, it can be found here: The Juneau Blues Beanie.
Thumb
Row 1: Attach your yarn to the thumb hole. CH 1 and HDC 12 evenly around the thumb hole. Join with a sl st. (12) Row 2: CH 1. HDC in the first st and each st around. Join with a sl st. (12) Row 3: CH 1. HDC in the first 3 sts, HDCDEC, HDC in the next 3 sts, HDCDEC, HDC in the last 2 sts. Join with a sl st. (10) Rows 4 – 5: CH 1. HDC in the first st and each st around. Join with a sl st. (10) Row 6: CH 1. HDC in the first 2 sts, HDCDEC, HDC in the next 2 sts, HDCDEC, HDC in the last 2 sts. Join with a sl st. (8) Row 7: CH 1. HDCDEC 4 times. Join with a sl st. (4) FO and sew hole shut. Weave in ends.
Disclaimer:
Feel free to sell the item created by this pattern but please provide pattern credit back to me when posting online, and please provide a link to my blog: www.theloopylamb.com. Please do not resell, distribute, duplicate, or share this pattern in any printed or digital form, or claim this pattern as your own original design. Please do not use my photos when selling your finished items.
I’d love to see your finished crochet mittens! Please share your finished makes by tagging the pattern on Ravelry, sharing it to our Facebook page or Instagram. Don’t forget to follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest
This post may contain afilliate links. Although YarnCanada.com supplied me with the yarn for free, it does not affect my opinon of the yarn. All opinions are my own.
When my friends at YarnCanada.com reached out to me to see if I would be interested in reviewing Lion Brand Mandala Tweed yarn, I jumped at the chance. I hadn’t even heard about this yarn yet and many Lion Brand yarns aren’t accessible in Canada so I was really excited to check this new yarn out.
Yarn Canada
Here in Canada, we don’t typically have access to the number of yarn options that our U.S. neighbours enjoy. I often find myself drooling over Lion Brand yarns that are released only to find out that they aren’t available for purchase in Canada. Sure, I could order it in online but once you add in the exchange rate, shipping and duty charges, that $8 skein of yarn, just got a whole lot pricier. YarnCanada.com has helped to bridge that gap by offering a wide selection of yarns that I previously would not have been able to obtain (reasonably) while keeping the purchase price affordable. They ship for FREE when you spend over $55! My yarn addiction just hit next level. Click HERE to check out their site and add some new yarny goodness to your stash.
Lion Brand Mandala Tweed Yarn Review
One cake of Lion Brand Mandala Tweed is 200g/7oz and contains 568 yards/520m of yarn. That’s a lot of yarn for just one cake! It is 100% acrylic and it’s machine washable and dryable. The recommended hook size for this yarn is a 5.5mm (4.5mm needle for all you knitters out there). The gauge information on the label (using the recommended hook/needle sizes) are as follows:
Crochet Gauge: 15 sts x 18 rows = 4″
Knitting Gauge: 20 sts x 28 rows = 4″
Lion Brand Mandala Tweed is a size 4 medium weight yarn that is currently available in three colourways: Seven, Dice and Lucky Penny. The colours were all very pretty and it took me a long time to decide which colourway to pick. I decided to go with Seven since the bright colours were a little outside the realm of what I’d normally pick and they just seemed fun.
This is a self striping yarn and the tweed is created with two differently coloured strands of yarn being twisted together. Once worked up, it creates a beautiful kind of marled ombre effect as it works from one colour to the next.
The one thing I want to note about the colours and tweed effect is that just because you get two or more cakes from the same dye lot does not mean that your colours will look the same. The label reads “Note: Balls of yarn from the same dye lot may differ due to the unique effect within each color. This is the charm of the yarn.” I myself experienced this with the two cakes that I was sent. Both cakes were from the same dye lot but looked very different from eachother. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It just means that everything you make from this yarn is a one-of-a-kind masterpiece. After working the second cake in with the first, the difference wasn’t as noticeable as I thought it would be. As long as your cakes are from the same dye lot, any changes should be unnoticeable.
If you would like to support my blog, you can do so by doing your regular shopping on Amazon. As an Amazon affiliate, I earn a small commission on qualifying purchases made through my Amazon link, which in turn helps to support the blog so I can keep bringing you patterns and great content like this for free.
My first impressions upon taking it out of the box was that the yarn has some serious squish factor. I gave it the initial squeeze test and loved it. It was soft and incredibly squishy. My daughter grabbed a cake and started hugging it so it passed her test as well.
How Mandala Tweed Works Up
I had no idea what to expect in terms of how this yarn would work up. Having two colours working together at the same time and with some colour changes being longer than others, this yarn has a lot of personality. I wanted to find something that worked with the yarn and that personality instead of against it. I probably did about 50 or so swatches of verious stitch patterns until I found something that I was happy with. In the end, I felt like a closed, simple stitch pattern would be better for this yarn than something more open or with a lot of texture because everything was getting lost in all that colour.
I chose to use the thicket stitch for the project I designed with the Lion Brand Mandala Tweed yarn I received. I am so pleased with how it’s worked up so far. The colours are beautiful and the texture of the simple stitch compliments the colours nicely. You can see the Tweedy Pocket Scarf pattern made with this yarn HERE.
Have you tried Lion Brand Mandala Tweed yarn yet? What did you think? Let me know what you thought below!
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figcaption> All opinions are my own. This page may contain affiliate links.
