You, Me and the ABCs : Crochet ABC Toys: B is for Bird

If you are a crocheter and have a baby or toddler, play room or nursery, and love organization and helping your child learn – this post is for you!  I am posting new patterns for each letter many times per week so keep checking back.

Want a fun way to use your scraps? Want to make a lot of little projects/toys that are great for little ones? Want to custom a special piece for a wee one? – and then end with one big finale? This project is for you! (And you can skip the big finale if it’s not for you and still have all the little toys and ABCs.)

I have compiled the first letters of this event in a convenient downloadable PDF if you prefer to print them out and have them all in one place.  And my printable paid patterns contain a lot more photo tutorials to help you if you need.  You can find the letters A-F HERE ON MY ETSY.

And NOW since I have finished the Letter M, you can get Part 2 HERE IN MY ETSY.  Part 2 contains the Letters G-M and you get a 39-page PDF plus my Hedgehog PDF pattern.

This project was in my head as I was designing all of these letters and I’m so excited to get this started! Won’t you join me? Here is the latest new pattern to go with the others already linked.  If you prefer to shop on Ravelry for your patterns I also have the entire alphabet PDF over there.

You can begin by deciding what colors you want to use for your letters – I’ll be using them all! – and make up the alphabet  or save this post and wait for the end and make it all at once.

I’m gonna give you some options at the end to make the final part right for you/your space.  Here are some of the previous toys so make sure to check out THE ORIGINAL POST to link hop to them all.

Here are the latest patterns – all free on my blog – some are being posted next so stay tuned for Nest and Ninja.

I will using some of the patterns that I’ve already made for this ABC project and you will see those linked below at the end of this post.  You can go ahead and get started today! I can’t wait to share this with you. I’m planning on at least a weekly update, but I’m going to shoot for two per week. I’m gonna try. It is now gardening season and on the nice days that is where you might find me – so, my work may slow down just a wee bit until I can get everything in the ground.  I hope not – I still have night time 🙂

So, join me. Save this post. Let’s get started!

This post does contain affiliate links.  I will get a small percentage from any purchase made through my page here, but your price remains the same.  I appreciate any purchase made through my page as I can continue to offer free patterns here on my blog.

UPDATE: B is for Bird: May 20, 2020

I want to say thank you for all who stop by to support my patterns and my blog.  I have chosen to NOT do ads on my blog (with the exception of my affiliate links) and offer FREE patterns, but please – if you love my patterns and want to say a little thank you- or just have some good small business karma support points- a purchase now and then or a visit to any of my affiliate links really helps.  It keeps this blog going so I can continue to offer free patterns for all to enjoy.  I also purchase a pattern now and then or visit an affiliate link from my favorite blogs and designers.  Thank you

I have compiled the first half of the alphabet from this event in two a convenient downloadable PDFs if you prefer to print them out and have them all in one place.  You can find the letters A-F HERE IN MY ETSY.

and also now the Letters G-M IN MY ETSY. 

I will be doing two more downable PDFs including N-S and T-Z once they are all finished – and that is very soon!  And then at the end ALL OF THE TOYS will be available in a bundle with savings.

This pattern is intended for personal use only. This pattern -and all my patterns- are offered for free or a small fee to help support my family so please do not redistribute, sell, copy or use them in any way not in accordance with fairness.

You may sell products made from this pattern, but please give me credit as the designer. Please do not use my photos as your own work, but you may use my photos to reference back to my blog, Etsy, Pinterest, IG or FB, but please link back to me.

If you find any problems with this pattern please let me know and if you have any problems with any of it feel free to message me and ask for support.

Kristi Bergin-Smith and The Burgundy Basket, 2020. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to me, Kristi Bergin-Smith and The Burgundy Basket with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Pin this post and come back for all of the A-Z toys!

B is for Bird is an extra pattern for this series that was designed as part of a Woodland Themed Baby gift, so I did not blog it back when I worked on ‘B is for Ball’ and ‘B is for Bunny,’ but how can you have a Nest without a bird?  So, B for Bird is below and N is for Nest is coming up tomorrow.

Materials:

Hook: Size G/4mm hook

Yarn: Loops & Threads Impeccable in Barley, Putty, Misty Blue, and Plum was used for the birds to go with the baby set that I made and some scrap yellow, but any #4 worsted weight yarn will do. You will only use the smallest amounts. This is a great scrap yarn project. Impeccable is 285 yds/4.5oz*260m/127.5g. It is a #4 Yarn. I’ve also used only the smallest bit of yellow/orange for the beak.

But, for the nesting bird, I used two strands of yarn held together and my size J/6mm hook.  You can see the size difference in the two birds.

-Safety Eyes or buttons (or yarn to embroider if you choose) and needle to embroider face. For the eyes, I had these two matching buttons so that is what I used. You can embroider them for a smaller child or baby or use safety eyes if you don’t want to do buttons. I’ve chosen buttons for this large bird and safety eyes in the smaller one.   I also used a large wooden oval bead for the nose of the large one.

-Stuffing. I have used Poly-Fill brand stuffing, but feel free to use what you prefer.

These are the hooks I use now – only these – but, if these are a little too high priced for your budget, I have the large set of these – and aside from the fact that they letters/size has smudged from use – they are just as nice I think.

This is like all the patterns previously; I work in the round in a continuous spiral and do not join and chain up.

Reminder: sc 2 means single crochet in the next two stitches, but 2sc means make 2 sc in the same next stitch.

Stitch Legend:

Chain: Ch

Single Crochet: SC

Inc Sc: make two single crochet stitches in the same stitch as indicated

Invisible Decrease: inv. dec – this is an invisible single crochet decrease

HDC: half-double crochet

HDC Inc: increase in HDC

DC Inc: increase in DC

DC: double crochet

Tr: treble crochet

Picot: chain 3 and slip stitch into the 3^rd chain from the hook *US Terms apply

 

This pattern starts at the bottom and works up to the top of the head.

Ch 2 (you can also use a magic ring if that is your preferred method of starting a circle or amigurumi)

Round 1: 6 sc in second chain from hook (6)

Round 2: 2 sc in each stitch around (12)

Round 3: *1 sc in next sc, 2 sc in next sc** repeat around (18)

Round 4: *1 sc in next two sc, 2 sc in next sc** repeat around (24)

Round 5: *1 sc in next three sc, 2 sc in next sc** repeat around (30)

Rounds 6-17: sc in each stitch around (30)

Round 18: *1 sc in next three sc, inv dec over the next 2 sc* repeat around (24)

Round 19: 1 sc in each stitch around (24)

Round 20: *sc in next 2 sc, inv dec over next 2* repeat around (18)

Rounds 21-22: 1 sc in each stitch around (18)

*stop here and do whatever eyes you are doing and to embroider the beak so you can tie off all the ends on the inside. Stuff.

Round 23: *sc in next sc, inv dec over next 2* repeat around (12)

Round 24: sc dec around and end with a long tail to make “loops” on the top of the head.

To make the little head loops you chain anywhere from 6-12 and slip stitch back to the head. So, chain, slip stitch, chain again, slip stitch etc. I have 3-6 loops on my examples, but this is up to you. You can chain loops as long or as short as you want. After you finish tie and secure your end and hide it inside.

Wings:

I moved up a hook size to my H/5mm for the wings. *for the nesting bird, I have used my K/6.5 mm hook.  You don’t want the wings to be crocheted too tight.

Chain 8. Sc 7, ch 1 and turn

Sc 7, chain, ch 1 and turn

Sc 7, ch 1 and turn

*you will now crochet around the rectangle on 3 sides:

Sc 2, hdc 3, dc 1, 3dc in corner, in the center of row end make a dc, 3dc in next corner, dc, hdc 3, sc 2, slip stitch in next at the top of wing – finish with a tail to sew.

The little tail feathers are made just like the head loops almost. Chain 6-12, slip stitch to the first chain, chain again (make the middle chain longer), slip stitch to the same stitch as before and chain one more time. If you leave a tail at the start and end you can tie the tail on and pull the ends inside.

Stay tuned tomorrow for the Nest part of this pattern.  <3

 

 

I realized after I started this project that I would never be able to update every new post with every new link – once I got down to the end of the alphabet, I would have to update about 20 post with all the links to all the new patters – So, I will be keeping THIS ORIGINAL POST updated with all the new links for all of the new toys.  <3

In addition to the alphabet patterns, below you will find a list of toys that will be linked right here starting now. *these are not set in stone and I may decide to switch them as I work if I am inspired in a different direction. So, pin or save this post and come back and follow along with me or subscribe to my blog and get email updates when I make a new post.

I highly recommend the monthly Bark Box.  We have been getting this since last year for our Blue Heeler, Ruger, that is our big couch companion.  This year we got him a girlfriend, Rebel, and she also approves!  This is our latest box from May and I wish I could show you the video – I have it over on my Faceboook page.  They love their boxes and have so much fun “opening” them.

Ball – for the ball toys in this project, I refer you to this post to make one – or many – crochet balls using your scrap yarns.  The more textures the better.  You can also add rattle boxes, squeakers, stress balls as filler and more.

Bunny – I have made a few bunnies in the past and  I will be making another version of my Clover the Baby Bunny Pattern

Dinosaur – here on my blog you will find an entire Dinosaur Family.  For this ABC event, I will be making a different version of Scrappy.  He’s the perfect size and uses up some assorted scrap yarns.  If you want a different option, Baby Pea is also a nice small size and also Pinky the Dezzy Inspired DRAGON is a good choice for D is for Dragon.

Eye – I will be using the eyeball pattern from my Halloween Bag of Balls for this project, but if you find it too weird or spooky for a baby let me know and I’m sure I can whip up a different one.  This one would be super cute with some crinkle paper inside.  *Also, when you visit this post there is a Zombie ball that would make a cute Z word  and I will most likely be altering the colors on this Zombie ball and making a few additions to do a Ninja toy for N.

Goat – here on my blog you will find Ginger the Goat in my Farm Series.  She is a bit large for this project so she will get a few modifications to be a bit smaller.  Feel free to make her if you want a larger goat.

Lamb– another make from my Farm Series is Lonny the Lamb.  Lonny is a  nice, small size so I will be using this pattern here for the  Lamb, but will switch up the colors I’m sure. Maybe bright? Maybe a girl?

Octopus – in my opinion this octopus squeeze ball is the perfect baby toy when made from cotton so this is the pattern that I will be using right here.  I like to use 100% cotton and the stress/squeeze balls on the inside of the head and it makes these the perfect baby toy with teether capabilities.  And they are so quick to make you can make a handful.

 

Will you be joining in the fun? I’d love for you to make all of this with me, but if not pick a few and make it with me.

I’d love to see all your work or catch up with your progress so connect with me over on IG @theburgundybasket

#youandmeabccrochet

 

XOXO,

Kristi