Erratum:

There is a discrepancy between the charted and written instructions for the square and the triangle.
For the square, when I say in the instructions for round 2
“continue with the same color”…you can either do just that (which will give you a three color square) or ignore that and start with a new color in the next-along chain space (this will give you a four color square, which is how I made it in the pattern).
The above applies similarly to the triangle.
Sorry for the error folks!

Please note: This listing is for a downloadable PDF of the pattern instructions for making the Bluebirds …there is no hard copy of the pattern available, nor a finished item. The pattern is available only in English :)

The Bluebird of Happiness is the tenth of my patterns that makes use of the African Flower hexagon crochet motif and variations thereof, joined in a specific order to make a recognizable 3D item. I love this African Flower pattern and the creative possibilities of using it to make adorable toys :) This birdie is made using different African Flower motifs and is an excellent stash buster project, as you only need to use very small amounts of leftover sock yarn to make a motif.

So, let’s take a look at the important points and how you will start to make your own Bluebird of Happiness :)

:: Steps to making your own Bluebird of Happiness ::

1. First read the whole pattern through properly, so you have a good overview.

2. Make sure you are able to crochet an African Flower Pentagon, Square and Triangle… for clarity: the pentagon has five petals and five sides, the square has four petals and four sides and the triangle has three petals and three sides. The difference is simply the number of “petal” repeats that you crochet…pentagons, squares and triangles are therefore equally easy to crochet. I have included written and charted instructions in this pattern on how to crochet an African Flower pentagon, square and triangle. I have also posted a fully explained pentagon tutorial, on my blog, which can be found here:

http://heidibearscreative.blogspot.com/2011/09/african-fl...

1. Either choose specific yarn for this project or use the sock yarn that you have left over from other projects. Make all the required motifs for your birdie in full and sew in any loose ends.

2. Know how to crochet basic stitches : chain stitch, single crochet, half double crochet, double crochet, slip stitch, joining to finish the round, Magic Ring start to a round.

3. Make all of your motif up to the last round and sew in any ends. Then use spare yarn and a tapestry needle to sew the motifs together as instructed in the pattern.

: : Materials Requirements : :

This birdie that has been crocheted for this pattern, was made using sock weight/fingering/#1 weight yarn. Using this weight yarn will give you a bird measuring approximately 12cm beak to tail, and approximately 10cm measured from the top of the head to the belly.

ALL THE CROCHET STITCHES USED IN THIS PATTERN ARE BASED ON AMERICAN CROCHET TERMS

Sock weight / Fingering weight yarn/ #1 in colors of your choice…

I USED YARNS INDIE DYED BY THE FOLLOWING AMAZING DYER:
Dana Biddle : www.colourspun.com

This little bird is a great stash busting project as you can use small amounts of sock yarn for each motif. I used four set colors, but you can make a colourful birdie instead… I can’t tell you exactly how much yardage of each color I used but I can tell you that the total weight of yarn for the bird was around 50g (unstuffed).

The yardage for the sock yarn I used is around 320m/100g (350yds/100g). It is a superwash merino yarn, but you can use any alternative fingering weight yarn you like…I suggest that animal fibre yarns would be preferable, as they have more stretch, making the stuffing and shaping of the bird easier. Try to use a yarn with a similar yardage / 100g.

Crochet Hook 1.75mm If you are planning to make your project in a heavier weight yarn, adjust your hook size accordingly…however, use the smallest hook size possible for the weight of yarn that you can manage. Since the toy is stuffed, your stitch density will need to be tighter than usual to prevent the stuffing from popping out. Make a test motif in your chosen yarn and hook to see which would be the best size to use.

Polyester toy stuffing Haemostats (optional for stuffing)
Scissors Tapestry Needle used for sewing in ends Sewing Pins
Sewing needle Curved sewing needle (optional)
Eyes (plastic safety eyes or glass looped eyes). PLEASE NOTE THAT ATTACHED EYES ARE NOT RECOMMENDED FOR TOYS CREATED FOR CHILDREN! They can be a suffocation hazard. If you are making this toy for a child, rather embroider the eyes using embroidery thread! I would still suggest sculpting the eye sockets before embroidering the eyes…it adds a lovely realistic element :) I have used 7mm wire looped glass eyes. These can easily be sourced from sellers on eBay and Etsy.

: : Skills Requirements : :

Basic Crocheting Skills: Chain stitch (ch) , Single Crochet (sc), Double Crochet (dc), half double crochet (hdc), Slip Stitch (sl st), joining in a new color yarn, Magic Ring (MR)

Basic sewing skills Sewing the motifs together, Sewing the wings to the body, the beak to the head and the tail to the body.

I have tried very hard to make sure that there are no errors in the pattern…however, if you do find an error or have a question, please pm me on Ravelry…thanks folks! Happy crocheting :)