Knitted Early Bird Gets The Worm
The Knitted Early Bird Gets the Worm Toy is the cutest addition to any playtime collection! With its bright colors and soft texture, this toy is perfect for snuggles and imaginative play. Your little one will have a blast pretending to feed the bird its worm while developing fine motor skills. Crafted with care and attention to detail, this knitted toy is not only adorable but also durable for hours of enjoyment. So, why wait? Let the Knitted Early Bird bring fun and joy to your child's playtime today!
Early bird gets the worm (Free pattern)
You need:
Knitting needles (and 2 dpns) size 3mm
Filling
Safety eyes
For the chicken: Yellow and orange DK yarn
Worm: a little bit of green DK yarn
Hat: crochet hook 3mm, red and yellow/orange DK yarn
Basket: crochet hook 3mm and knitting needles 3mm, brown DK yarn
Head (make 1), with yellow yarn
Cast on 13 sts. P1 row.
Next row: K1, (m1, k1), repeat (_) to the end. P 1row.
Next row: K1, (m1, k3), repeat (_) to the end. P 1row.
Next row: K1, (m1, k4), repeat (_) to the end.
Beginning with P row, st-st 13 rows. (If you want bigger head then 15 rows)
Next row: K1, (k2tog, k3), repeat to (_) the end. P1 row
Next row: K1, (k2tog, k2), repeat to (_) the end. P1 row
Next row: K1, (k2tog, k1), repeat to (_) the end. P1 row
Next row: K1, (k2tog, k3), repeat to (_) the end.
Cut yarn and pull it through the remaining stitches. Sew the back seam. If you use safety eyes (like I did) insert the eyes before stuffing. Then stuff.
Body (make 1) with yellow yarn
Cast on 13 sts. P1 row.
Next row: K1, (m1, k3), repeat (_) to the end. P 1row.
Next row: K1, (m1, k4), repeat (_) to the end. P1 row.
Next row: K1, (m1, k5), repeat (_) to the end. Beginning with P row st-st 3 rows.
Next row: K1, (m1, k6), repeat (_) to the end. Beginning with P row st-st 3 rows.
Next row: K1, (m1, k7), repeat (_) to the end. Beginning with P row st-st 3 rows.
Next row: K1, (m1, k8), repeat (_) to the end. Beginning with P row st-st 7 rows.
Next row: K1, (k2tog, k7), repeat to (_) the end.
Next row: P1, (p2tog, p6), repeat to (_) the end.
Next row: K1, (k2tog, k5), repeat to (_) the end.
Next row: P1, (p2tog, p4), repeat to (_) the end.
Next row: K1, (k2tog, k3, repeat to (_) the end.
Next row: P1, (p2tog, p2), repeat to (_) the end.
Next row: K1, (k2tog, k1), repeat to (_) the end.
Cut of yarn and pull it through remaining stitches. Sew the back seam and stuff. Sew head to the body.
Legs (make 2) with yellow and orange yarn
Cast on 13 sts with orange yarn. P1 row
Next row: K1, (m1, k3), repeat (_) to the end. P1 row.
Next row: K3, k2tog twice, slip 1 stitch, k2 tog and pass slipped stitch over, k2 tog twice, k3
Beginning with P row st-st 13 rows (if you want longer legs, then 17 rows)
Change colour to the yellow yarn:
Next row: K1, (m1, k2), repeat (_) to the end. Beginning with P row st-st 3 rows.
Next row: K1, (m1, k3) repeat (_) to the end. Beginning with P row st-st 3 rows.
Cast off knitwise.
Sew the back seam of the leg and stuff very lightly.
Toes (make 8 in total), with orange yarn
Cast on 6 stitch, I used i-cord method and knitted 4 rows with double pointed needles.
Next row: k2 tog to end. Cut yarn and pull yarn through remaining stitches.
I made 6 toes with 4 rows and 2 with 3 rows.
Note: You can knit toes in flat with knit and purl rows or with knit rows.
Sew three toes to the legs (the longer ones) to point forward and the shorter one to point backward to look like a chicken feet. For me this was the hardest part so I used pins to help and hopefully the picture helps.
Wings (make 2) with yellow yarn
Cast on 18 sts. Beginning with p row st-st 3 rows.
Next row: K2tog, knit to the last 2 stitches, k2 tog. Beginning with P row st-st 3 rows.
Next row: K2tog, knit to the last 2 stitches, k2 tog. P 1 row. Repeat these two rows until you have 4 stiches remaining. Then k2tog twice, cut yarn and pull it through remaining 2 stitches.
Fold the wing and sew the side seam of the wing. Attach wings to the body and sew them in place, folded seam is facing forward.
Beak (make 1), with orange yarn
Cast on 8 sts. P 1 row. K1 row.
Next row: P2tog, p4, p2tog.
Next row: K2tog, k2, k2tog. Cut yarn and pull it through remaining stitches. Sew the seam of the beak and attach beak to the head.
Worm (make 1), with green yarn
Cast on 5sts. P1 row
Next row: K1, (m1, k1), repeat (_) to end P1 row
Next row: K1, (m1, k2), repeat (_) to end
Beginning with P row st-st 7rows
Next row: K1, k2tog to end. P1 row
Next row: K1, (m1, k1), repeat (_) to end.
Beginning with P row st-st 7rows.
Next row: K1, (m1, k1), repeat (_) to end P1 row
Next row: K1, (m1, k3), repeat (_) to end
Beginning with P row st-st 5rows.
Next row: K1, k2tog to end. P row
Next row: K1, k2tog to end.
Cut yarn and pull it through remaining stitches. Sew the side seam and stuff. I made from head to the bottom and when there was about 2cm remaining on and then stuffed and sew the rest. After stuffing, if you want your worm to look more lika a caterpillar, you can roll yarn around decreasing rows and then tighten the yarn and then use a needle to insert the loose ends to the worm and then cut the yarn.
Embroider or make felt eyes. I crocheted the antennas: Join yarn to the side of the head, ch 4, 3sc to the 2nd ch from the hook, 1 slip stitch to rest of ch, join yarn to the other side of the head and make the other just like the first one. Bind off yarn.
Hat (make 1) with red yarn
Ch2, 6sc to second ch from the hook
Ch 2, 6sc to the 2nd ch from the hook.
1) 2sc to the every 2sc (12sc)
2)(2 sc in first sc, sc in next sc) repeat around (18 sc)
3) (2sc in next sc, sc in next 2sc) repeat around (24 sc)
4) (2 sc in next sc, sc in next 3sc) repeat around (30 sc)
5) (2 sc in next sc, sc in next 4sc) repeat around (36 sc)
6) sc in every sc
7) (2 sc in next sc, sc in next 4sc) repeat around (42sc)
8) sc in every sc
9) (2 sc in next sc, sc in next 5sc) repeat around (48sc)
10-11) sc in every sc
12) with orange yarn sc in every sc
13) change back to red yarn, with BLO (2sc in next sc, sc in next 2sc) repeat around
14) (2 sc in next sc, sc in next 3sc) repeat around
15) (2 sc in next sc, sc in next 4sc) repeat around
16) sc in every sc
Cast off.
Basket:
With brown yarn cast on 11 sts. P1 row
Next row: K1 (m1, k1) to end. Beginning with P row st-st 3rows.
Next row: K1, (m1, k2), repeat (_) to end. St-st 3rows
Next row: K1, (m1,k3), rpeat (_) to end. G-st 2 rows. Cast off knitwise.
Sew the seam. I corcheted the handle bar: Join yarn to the basket ch 12, join yarn to the other side and make 1 sc, turn, sc to every ch. Bind off yarn.