Easter Chicks

​These little chicks are quick and easy to knit, they are just the right size to hide an egg inside of.
I used doubled Lanett baby yarn, just because that was what I had on hand that was the right colour. Any double knitting or light worsted weight yarn would work, and 3.5 mm needles. You will also need a small amount of wool roving for stuffing the head and some brown or black yarn to embroider the eyes and orange yarn to knit a beak (or you could cut one out of felt and sew it on)

Cast on 26 sts and knit 2 rows.
Next row knit one, make one knit to the end of the row.
Repeat this last row until you have 36 sts.
Knit 4 more rows.
Shape the tail:
Row 1: Knit 3 sts, bring yarn to front between the needles, slip next st to rt hand needle, take yarn to the back of the work, slip st back to left needle and turn your work.
Row 2: Knit 3 (to end of needle)
Row 3: Knit 2 and repeat the wrapping and turning of the next st just as you did above,
Row 4: Knit 2 to end of needle.
Row 5: Cast off 10 sts, knit to the end of the needle.
Row 6 to 10, repeat the last 5 rows.
You will have 16 sts left in the center of the knitting.
Shape head:
Rows 1-4 knit
Row 5: K1 k2tog, knit to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1
Rows 6-8 same as row 5
This will leave you with 8 sts.
Knit 2 rows.
Cut yarn and leave about a 12 “ tail, thread it through the stitches as you remove them from the knitting needles and draw the stitches tight. Continue with this yarn to sew up remainder of head and body leaving an opening at the bottom large enough to slip an egg into.
Stuff the head lightly and run a length of yarn around the neck of the chick in a running stitch and cinch it in slightly to shape the neck. The egg gives the body it’s shape.
The eyes are French knots made with yarn and if you want to knit a beak instead of cutting one out of felt, here is how you do it.
Cast on 3 sts with dk or light worsted wt yarn. Knit 2 rows. Next row, k2tog, k1, next row k2tog, cut yarn and thread through remaining st, use the ends of the yarn to sew the beak to the chick’s face.
Happy Easter! - Heather Tunnah

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