Early bird gets the worm - Updated version - free knitting pattern

 This is a pattern for a little chicken and a worm it has caught early in the morning. I made this pattern back in 2016 and to be honest I already began knitting my updated version a few months ago, but I finally got this ready. I redid the shape of the body and redid the feet. I also noticed that I had a mistake in the original where I had forgotten one of the decrease rows of the worm. I also used size 2,5mm needles and fingering-weight yarn, instead of DK yarn. And I skipped the basket and the hat this time.

 

 

 

 

 

You need:

Knitting needles (and 2 DPNs) size 2,5mm

Filling

Safety eyes

For the chicken: Yellow and orange cotton yarn

Worm: a little bit of green yarn

 

Body and Head, make 1 with yellow.

Cast on 26sts. P1 row.

Next row: K1, [m1, k1], repeat [_] 3 times, m1, [k3,m1], repeat [_] 6times, [k1,m1] 3times, k1. P 1row.

Next row: K1, [m1, k2], repeat [_] 3 times, m1, [k4,m1], repeat [_] 6times, k2, m1,  [k1,m1] twice k1. 

P1 row.

Next row: K1, [k2tog, k1] 3 times, k32, [k1, k2tog] 3 times, k1. P1 row. 

Next row: K1, [m1, k5], repeat [_] to the end. P1 row

Next row: K1, k2tog 3 times, knit to last 7sts, k2tog 3times, k1. 

St-st 15 rows. 

Next row: [k2tog, k5] repeat [_] to the end. P1row. 

Next row: [k2tog, k4] repeat [_] to the end. P1 row. 

Next row: [k2tog, k3], repeat [_] to the end. P1 row.

Next row: [k2tog, k1] repeat to the end. P1 row.

Next row: k1, [m1, k1] repeat [_] to the end. P1row

Next row: K1, [m1, k2] repeat [_]to the end. P1row.

Next row: K1, [m1 k3] repeat [_] to the end. St-st 15rows.

Next row: K3, [k2tog, k3], repeat [_] to the end. P1 row. 

Next row: K3, [k2tog, k2], repeat [_] to the end. P1row.

Next row: [k2tog, k1], repeat [_] to the end.  

 

Bottom (make 1 with yellow)

Cast on 8sts. P1 row.

Next row: Increase 1 st on both ends of the row. P1row. 

Repeat these two rows until there are 14sts on the needle. Beginning with K row, st-st 4rows.

Next row: K1, skpo, knit to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1. P1 row. Repeat these two rows until 8sts remain.

Cast off knitwise.

 

Wings (make 2, knit 2 with yellow)

Cast on 24sts. P1 row.

Next row: k1, skpo, knit to last 3sts, k2tog, k1. St-st 3rows.

Repeat the last 4 rows teice more. 

Next row: k1, skpo, knit to last 3sts, k2tog, k1. P1 row.

Repeat the last two rows, until 4sts remain.

Next row: k2tog twice.

 

Cut yarn and pull it through the remaining stitches. Fold the wing in half and sew the edges together.

 

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 11 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.

 

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.

 

Feet

Make 2 longer toes and 4 shorter toes, with orange. Knitted with DPNs in an i-cord style.

Longer toe: Cast on 5 stitches and with i-cord style knit 10 rows.

Shorter toe: Cast on 5 stitches and with i-cord style knit 5 rows.

Next row: K2tog, k1, k2tog. Cut yarn and pull it through the remaining stitches.

 

Worm (body, make 1 with green)

Cast on 5sts. P 1row

Next row: K1, (m1, k1), repeat (_) to end P 1row

Next row: K1, (m1, k2), repeat (_) to end

Beginning with P row st-st 7rows

Next row: K1, k2tog to end. P 1row

Next row: K1, (m1, k1), repeat (_) to end.

Beginning with P row st-st 7rows.

Next row: K1, k2 tog to end. P 1row

Next row: K1, (m1, k1), repeat (_) to end. P 1row

Next row: K1, (m1, k3), repeat (_) to end.

Beginning with P row st-st 5rows.

Next row: K1, k2tog to end. P 1row

Next row: K1, k2tog to end.

 

Cut yarn and pull it through remaining stitches.

Sew the bottom seam and stuff, I did from head to the bottom and when there was about 2cm remaining, I stuffed the worm and sewed 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 use a needle to insert the loose ends to the worm, cut the yarnendings.

 

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.

 

Assembly

 Sew the back seam of the head and body. Sew the beak to the middle front of the head and Attach safety eyes (or embroider the eyes) to the lower middle part of the head, on the both sides of the beak. Stuff the head and body firmly enough. Sew the bottom piece to the bottom of the head and body, so that the middle of the cast off edge aligns with the centerback of the body and the middle of the cast on edge aligns with the center of the body.

Sew wings to the both sides of the body, below the neck. Sew the legs to the bottom piece, the back seam facing backwards.

Feet: Sew the shorter toes to the sides of the longer toes, so that the feet has three toes facing forward and the cast on edge of the longer toe becomes the toe facing backwards. Sew both feet to the legs. if needed, use a yarn and roll it around the neck and tighten to give the head more shape.

Secure all the yarnendings and the toy is finished.