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[Note: the original Easter chicken was another’s creation; this written pattern was derived from that completed item.]
Materials
[This project is perfect for getting rid of your scrap yarns, as it requires quite small amounts.]
- sportweight yarn in colors A [chicken] and B [coxcomb]
- #10 crochet cotton OR a small triangle of felt [for the beak]
- small amount of black #5 crochet cotton or sportweight thread or yarn OR two small googly eyes
- crochet hooks in sizes E, F (or sizes required to fit egg), and steel hook 7 (or size necessary to make beak firm)
- plastic egg (5-3/8" at widest part x 6-1/2" at longest part)
- tapestry needle
Gauge: 4 dc and 2 rows per inch stretched over egg (the Easter chicken is designed to fit over a plastic egg 5-3/8" around at widest part x 6-1/2" around at longest part)
BODY
Foundation: with Color A and size E hook, ch 26, join with sl st to form a ring.
Round 1: ch 3 (counts as 1st dc here and throughout), dc in each ch around; join with sl st in top ch of beg ch 3 (26 dc’s).
Round 2: changing to size F hook, ch 3; working in back loops of st’s of previous round, dc in each st around; join with sl st in top ch of beg ch 3.
Round 3: repeat Round 2.
Round 4: ch 3. Working in back loops of st’s of previous round: dc in next 5 sts; sc in next 14 sts; 6 dc in last 6 sts. Join with sl st in top ch of beg ch 3.
HEAD
Round 5: ch 3. Working in back loops: dc in next 4 sts; dc in next st
and in 21st st, leaving the 14 sc of the previous round unworked, dc
in last 5 sts of the round. Join with sl st through top ch of beg ch 3 and
back loop of final dc just made.
Joining Row: ch 1. With beg ch 3 of previous rounds to the right, hold together the two sides of the chicken, assuring that the sc’s to the left line up 7x7. Working through back loops of front and back dc’s, sc in next 4 sts held together; sc in back loop of next dc; Working through back loops of front and back sc’s, sc in next 7 sts held together. Do NOT finish off.
TAIL
Row 1: ch 4, sc in 13th st¹ of Round 4; ch 4, sc in 13th st¹ of Round 3 (¹that is, in the st nearest the chicken’s derriere).
Row 2: ch 4, turn; sc in 2nd ch 4 loop of Row 1; ch 4, sc in 1st ch 4 loop of Row 1; ch 4, sl st in last sc of Joining Row. Finish off.
COXCOMB
Row 1: with Color B and size E hook, join with sl st in 1st sc of head (farthest from tail). Working under both loops, sc in next sc; 2 sc in next sc; sc in next sc.
Row 2: ch 3, turn; sc in next sc; ch 3, sk 1 sc, sc in next sc; ch 3, sl st in beg sc of Row 1. Finish off.
[Note: for the original chicken’s comb, the 2nd row sts were worked into the front loops of the 1st row – and looked fine – but when I did the same the sts looked ragged.]
EYES
With black thread or yarn on tapestry needle, insert needle from inside chicken to outside, work French knot or cross-stitch on one side of head near front, going all the way through the head to other side; work French knot or cross-stitch on opposite side of head, re-inserting needle only through to inside of chicken. Tie ends together.
[Note: the original chicken used googly eyes glued to the head, and sides of head glued together.]
BEAK
Row 1: with #10 thread and size 7 hook and working with last dc and beg ch 3 of Round 5 held together, attach with sl st at upper side of dc/ch 3. Work 6 sc along length of dc/ch 3.
Row 2: ch 1, turn; sc dec in 1st two sc’s, 2 sc, sc dec in last 2 sts.
Row 3: ch 1, turn: work 2 sc dec’s.
Row 4: ch 1, turn: work sc dec. Finish off.
[Note: the original chicken used a small triangle of felt glued between the last dc and beg ch 3 as the beak.]
March 23, 2002 All Rights Reserved.
