This project is taken from Knitted Birds by Nicky Fijalkowska

Copyright © Search Press Ltd. 2015 - Knitted Birds by Nicky Fijalkowska

Woodpecker

Copyright © Search Press Ltd. 2015 - Knitted Birds by Nicky Fijalkowska

Woodpecker

Materials 10g (1⁄3oz) green 8–ply (DK) yarn

10g (1⁄3oz) cream 8–ply (DK) yarn

Small amounts of 8–ply (DK) yarn in charcoal grey (for tail), lighter grey (for feet), yellow–grey, red–grey and black

Small amounts of black and white felt

Black cotton

Chenille stem

Two 4mm (1⁄8in) black beads

76cm (30in) piece of 20 gauge craft wire

Toy stuffing

Needles

4mm (UK 8, US 6) knitting needles

Tension 6 sts and 7 rows per 2.5cm (1in)

Size

20cm (8in) from top of head to tip of tail

Here’s the opportunity to welcome a woodpecker in your home without having to put up with endless holes appearing in all of your wooden furniture.

NotesThe colours in parentheses indicate the yarn you should use for the stitches that follow.

The pattern contains notes on working with two balls of yarn for certain sections. Doing so makes your working easier because you do not have to carry the yarn across the back of the section.

Body and head (make one)Worked in st st. Using 4mm (UK 8, US 6) needles and charcoal yarn, cast on 24 sts.

Row 1: knit.Row 2: purl.Row 3: K4, K2tog, K2tog, K8, K2tog, K2tog, K4 [20 sts].Row 4: purl.Row 5: (green) K3, K2tog, K2tog, K6, K2tog, K2tog, K3 [16 sts].Row 6: (green) purl.Row 7: (grey) K2, K2tog, K2tog, K4, K2tog, K2tog, K2 [12 sts].Row 8: (grey) purl.Row 9: (green) knit.Row 10: (green) purl.Row 11: (grey) knit.Row 12: (grey) purl.From this point on, work with two balls of green and charcoal yarn.

Row 13: (green) K5, (yellow) K2, (green) K5.Row 14: (green) P4, (yellow) P4, (green) P4.Row 15: (green) K3, (yellow) K6, (green) K3.Row 16: (green) P2, (yellow) P8, (green) P2.From this point on, work with two balls of cream yarn.

Row 17: (cream) K2, (yellow) K8, (cream) K2.Row 18: (cream) P2, (yellow) P8, (cream) P2.Row 19: (cream) inc 1, K2, (yellow) K2, inc 2, K2, (cream) K2, inc 1 [16 sts].Row 20: purl, keeping colour sequence.Row 21: (cream) inc 1, K3, (yellow) K3, inc 2, K3, (cream) K3, inc 1 [20 sts].Row 22: purl, keeping colour sequence.Row 23: (cream) inc 1, K4, (yellow) K4, inc 2, K4, (cream) K4, inc 1 [24 sts].

Copyright © Search Press Ltd. 2015 - Knitted Birds by Nicky Fijalkowska

Row 24: purl, keeping colour sequence.Row 25: (cream) inc 1, K5, (yellow) K5, inc 2, K5, (cream) K5, inc 1 [28 sts].Row 26: purl, keeping colour sequence.Row 27: (cream) inc 1, K8, (yellow) K4, inc 2, K4, (cream) K8, inc 1 [32 sts].Row 28: purl, keeping colour sequence.Row 29: (cream) K10, (green) K12, (cream) K10.Row 30: purl, keeping colour sequence.Row 31: (cream) K10, (green) K12, (cream) K10.Row 32: purl, keeping colour sequence.Row 33: (cream) K10, (green) K12, (cream) K10.Row 34: purl, keeping colour sequence.Row 35: (cream) K10, (green) K12, (cream) K10.Row 36: purl.Row 37: (cream) K10, (green), K12, (cream) K10.Row 38: purl.Row 39: (cream) K1, K2tog, K8, (green) K10, (cream) K8, K2tog, K1 [30 sts].Row 40: (cream) P11, (green) P8, (cream) P11.Row 41: (cream) K1, K2tog, K8, (green) K8, (cream) K8, K2tog, K1 [28 sts].Row 42: purl, keeping colour sequence.Row 43: (cream) K1, K2tog, K7, (green) K8, (cream) K7, K2tog, K1 [26 sts].Row 44: purl, keeping colour sequence.Row 45: (cream) K1, K2tog, K6, (green) K8, (cream) K6, K2tog, K1 [24 sts].Row 46: purl, keeping colour sequence.Row 47: (cream) K1, K2tog, K6, (green) K6, (cream) K6, K2tog, K1 [22 sts].Row 48: purl, keeping colour sequence.Row 49: (cream) K1, K2tog, K5, (green) K6, (cream) K5, K2tog, K1 [20 sts].Row 50: (cream) P7, (red) P6, (cream) P7.Row 51: (cream) K7, (red) K6, (cream) K7.Row 52: (cream) P7, (red) P6, (cream) P7.From this point on, work with two balls of black yarn.

Row 53: (black) K2, (cream) K5, (red) K6, (cream) K5, (black) K2.Row 54: (black) P3, (cream) P4, (red) P6, (cream) P4, (black) P3.Row 55: (black) K4, (cream) K3, (red) K6, (cream) K3,

(black) K4.Row 56: (black) P4, (cream) P3, (red) P6, (cream) P3, (black) P4.Row 57: (black) K4, (cream) K3, (red) K6, (cream) K3, (black) K4.Row 58: (black) P4, (cream) P3, (red) P6, (cream) P3, (black) P4.Row 59: (black) K4, (cream) K3, (red) K6, (cream) K3, (black) K4.Work all in red from this point to the end.

Row 60: purl.Row 61: K2tog to end [10 sts].Row 62: purl.Row 63: K2tog to end [5 sts].Cut yarn, thread trailing end through remaining sts on needle.

Copyright © Search Press Ltd. 2015 - Knitted Birds by Nicky Fijalkowska

Making upSew up the body seam from the top of the head to the end of the tail, stuffing as you go. Do not stuff the tail, and do not sew up the seam at the bottom of the tail where you cast on. Squash the tail flat so that it lies horizontal, and then sew up this seam to give the tail the correct shaping. Sew the wings into position.

To create the beak, cut out two identical pieces of black felt using the template. Sew around the edges of the beak, leaving the end that attaches to the head open. Cut a 6.5cm (2½in) piece of chenille stem and insert it into the beak. There should be approximately 1.25cm (½in) sticking out of the beak. Position the beak onto the head, and poke the 1.25cm (½in) of chenille stem into the head stuffing. Sew the beak onto the head using black cotton.

Cut out two circles of white felt which are slightly larger than the black beads. Position the felt circles on the black part of the face where you want the eyes to sit. Secure each piece of felt into position with a small stitch in the middle (you can use black cotton for this as it will not be visible), then sew a black bead into the middle of each white circle using black cotton.

Follow the posable legs instruction on page 15 to make legs using a 76cm (30in) piece of wire to create four toes on each foot, each approximately 2.5cm (1in) in length. Wrap the legs and feet using grey 8–ply (DK) yarn.

Woodpecker beak template

Wings (make two)Worked in st st. Using 4mm (UK 8, US 6) needles and green yarn, cast on 4 sts.

Row 1: K1, inc 2, K1 [6 sts].Row 2: purl.Row 3: K1, inc 1, K to last 2 sts, inc 1, K1 [8 sts].Row 4: purl.Row 5: K1, inc 1, K to last 2 sts, inc 1, K1 [10 sts].Row 6: purl.Row 7: K1, inc 1, K to last 2 sts, inc 1, K1 [12 sts].Rows 8-20: beginning with a purl row, work st st.Row 21: K1, K2tog, K to last 3 sts, K2tog, K1 [10 sts].Row 22: purl.Row 23: K1, K2tog, K to last 3 sts, K2tog, K1 [8 sts].Row 24: purl.Row 25: K1, K2tog, K to last 3 sts, K2tog, K1 [6 sts].Row 26: purl.Row 27: K1, K2tog, K2tog, K1 [4 sts].Row 28: purl.Row 29: K2tog to end [2 sts].Row 30: purl.Cast off remaining sts.