Verb: pootle
poo-t(u)l To move in a leisurely unhurried way,
with no real purpose


Thursday 14 November 2013

A tweet or a blog post ?

 
My post today quite possibly should actually be a tweet - tee hee, sorry couldn't resist that one... because it's all about some little Christmas robins that I made a couple of Christmas' ago and gave to friends and family instead of Christmas cards.
They were all sent through the post wrapped up in brown paper, and inside each little red box...
 
 
there was one of these.
 

Before they were all sent on their way ... or flew the nest, sorry, sorry, can't help myself today ...
I lined them all up for a little photoshoot.

 
They looked like a little Christmas choir,


all ready to burst in to a bit of carol singing.


They really were a lot of fun to do.

 
I can't remember exactly where I found the pattern but I managed to track it down again this year through Flickr as I wanted to make some more. Not robins this time but little coloured songbirds to match the facecloths I've made as Christmas presents.
 
 
The pattern is soooo simple to follow.
I used DK wool and a size 4 hook.
DC 6 into a circle.
DC2 into each st (12sts)
DC1, DC2 into next st*around (18sts)
 

DC2,DC2 into next st*around (24sts)
DC around
 



DC3,DC2 into next st* around (30sts)
DC around for 10 rounds.


DC3,DC2 tog* around (24sts)
DC2, DC2 tog* around (18sts)
DC1, DC2 tog* around (12sts)
I tend to stop here to leave a hole big enough for stuffing but allow a long tail of wool for the last row.


DC2 tog around (6sts)

 
To make the wings:
DC 6 into a circle
DC2 into each st (12sts)
DC3, DC2 into next st* around (15sts)
DC around for 3 rounds


And that's the crochet bit done.
Next add two safety eyes,

 
a loop of ribbon if you want the bird to hang,
 
 
stuff with soft toy filling and sew up.
 As soon as you add the beak and wings - it stops looking like a blob with eyes and becomes a little bird !
( For the robins I sewed on a little red breast made from red felt.)

 
I have added my birds to two face cloths and a little jar of body scrub and they will soon be winging ( promise I'll stop now ) their way to my three nieces in America, hopefully arriving in time for Christmas.
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 
Anyway, must fly ... truly the last one ... as I have to get started on my Christmas decoration swap so brilliantly organised by Marianne at Ladybird Diaries.
I am more than a little excited to be involved in this and I have been paired up with Gilly from
Busy, busy, busy...

18 comments:

  1. What a lovely idea and I;m sure the recipients are going to love them. But I note that there are dishclothes in the guise of faceclothes with each of these gifts and I thought you had got over this addiction?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ooops - Not quite over it yet. :)
    Kate x

    ReplyDelete
  3. Those robin photos made me smile ... they look like they're all chatting to one another before the performance begins!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Sooo much cute-ness! Love all the little tweety birds and the face cloths too.
    Help - can't find your GFC to follow?
    Xx

    ReplyDelete
  5. Lovely Kate!!! Oh the swap sounds good fun, I shall look forward to seeing what you and Gilly create. Sarah xo

    ReplyDelete
  6. Oh my these are beyond cute! I love them all - the little robins with jingle bell feet are darling! And I can see me whipping up a flock of songbirds...thanks so much for sharing the pattern! :) Chrissie x

    ReplyDelete
  7. Kate, what a lovely post - the little robins are great! Thank you for sharing the little songbird pattern. Hope you enjoy your Christmas decoration swap with Gilly.
    Jane x

    ReplyDelete
  8. Well now I don't know how I haven't dropped in here before - to be honest not sure quite how I got here now - but very glad I have! These little birdies are too cute - your nieces are in for a treat. I'm off to have a little nosey around the rest of your blog - lovely to meet you x Jane

    ReplyDelete
  9. Aaargh - not sure how to follow - I usually use Google friend connect thingy - is it by email?

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hello Jane
    Lovely to meet you too - LOVE your blog too !
    Oh gosh I'm all in a bit of a flap about the Google Friend thingy, Gilly from Gilly Makes was asking me that too - help, I don't know ! Any ideas ? I think there may be something on my BlogSpot layout about it so I shall investigate. In the meantime I think you can just follow me on the email link on the sidebar of my blog or by putting my blog on your sidebar so that you know when I've posted - gosh, its all so high tec !
    Thanks for popping by,
    Kate x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Not sure how I added mine - I think it was a gadget on the layout page???? Can't quite remember now but I'll fill in the email details - good luck!

      Delete
    2. I use bloglovin and I have added Kate's blog url there. I think there's lots of ways to follow as I also have a google+ profile too. It's all very tech to me too, my son-in-law (a computer code writer who knows all things techy) actually helped me add my blog to my page in google+. Though if you asked how he did it I would have no idea. I guess as long as you can find the blog again somehow it doesn't really matter 'how' you follow.

      Delete
  11. Hi There,
    What a fantastic idea to make facecloths, little birds and scrub for Christmas gifts. You are very clever.
    I also love your Christmas robins too.
    I will have to get organised next year and make some Christmas gifts for family and friends.
    Thanks for sharing,
    Lisa
    www.wallacecraftcupboard.blogspot.co.nz

    ReplyDelete
  12. Your little birds are so cute Kate!...love the pic of them having a photo shoot on the shelves...a little choir of robins ....It must have been such a lovely surprise to receive one in the post!
    Happy Sunday!
    Susan x

    ReplyDelete
  13. Those little birdies look particularly proud of their facewashers!!

    ReplyDelete
  14. I just love this little bird pattern and I so have to give the little fellows a try. The robins look amazing all lined up for the photo shot and the pastel songbird's are a delight as a gift with the wash cloths. Thanks for taking the time to write out the pattern Kate.

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for dropping by - I LOVE receiving your comments and get really excited when I see a new one has been added. I read every single one and try to send a reply whenever I can. ♥