Knitting
These brightly coloured budgies are fun to knit
DESIGN: LOUISE WATLING.
STYLING: EMMA WILTSHIRE. *YARN SUBJECT TO AVAILABILITY
MEASUREMENTS
Approximately 15cm/6in tall, excluding tail
MATERIALS Green budgie
1 x 50g (140m) ball of Sirdar Stories DK (60% cotton, 40% acrylic) in each of Green (Gin Fizz 826) and Yellow (Glow Sticks 827)*. Length of Blue DK yarn for embroidery.
Blue budgie 1 ball in each of Blue (Pool Party 819) and Cream (Invite 836)*
Both budgies 1 ball in Black (Silent Disco 839) and small amount in Natural (Glamping 832). 1 skein of yellow embroidery thread. Pair of 3mm (No. 11) knitting needles; washable toy stuffing. Yarn is available from theknittingnetwork.co.uk
TENSION
26 stitches and 36 rows to 10x10cm, over stocking stitch, using 3mm needles.
ABBREVIATIONS
Dec, decrease; inc, increase (by working twice into the same st); k, knit; k2togb, k2tog through back of sts; p, purl; rss, reverse stocking st (p on right side and k on wrong side); ss, stocking st (k on right side and p on wrong side); st(s), stitch(es); tog, together (decrease by working as many sts together as stated).
NOTES
The original yarn for these patterns is no longer available, so although care has been taken to choose a suitable substitute, colours may not completely match the photos. Yarn amounts are based on average requirements and are approximate.
Figures in square brackets are worked as stated after 2nd bracket.
GREEN BUDGIE HEAD, BODY AND TAIL
Head: With 3mm needles and Yellow, cast on 10 sts. P 1 row.
1st inc row: [Inc knitwise in next st] 10 times – 20 sts. P 1 row.
2nd inc row: [Inc in next st, k1] 10 times – 30 sts. P 1 row.
3rd inc row: [Inc in next st, k2] 10 times – 40 sts. Ss 14 rows.
Body: Change to Green and p 1 row.
Inc row: [Inc in next st, k4] 8 times – 48 sts. Ss 15 rows.
1st dec row: [K4, k2tog] 8 times – 40 sts. Ss 7 rows.
2nd dec row: K7, [k2tog, k3] 5 times, k2tog, k6 – 34 sts. Ss 3 rows.
3rd dec row: K8, [k2tog, k2] 4 times, k2tog, k8 – 29 sts. P 1 row.
4th dec row: K7, [k2tog, k1] 4 times, k2tog, k8 – 24 sts.
Tail: Next row: P7, cast off next 10 sts, p to end – 14 sts. Ss 12 rows.
1st dec row: K4, [k2tog, k3] twice – 12 sts. Ss 5 rows.
2nd dec row: [K3, k2tog] twice, k2 – 10 sts. Ss 3 rows.
3rd dec row: K2, [k2tog, k2] twice – 8 sts. P 1 row.
