A note on toy safety: Safety eyes contain small parts, NOT SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN UNDER 3 YEARS.

Flora is knitted in the round using double-pointed needles, which means no fiddly seams. She will make the perfect summer friend for any little girl or fans of all things tropical.

Skill Level: Intermediate

Size: approximately 8.25” / 21 cm tall, in a sitting position.

Materials

Yarn: 4 Seasons Brighton Cotton: (50% Cotton, 50% Acrylic; 103 yards 94 meters/50 grams) Pink (MC, 1 ball), Yellow (C1, 1 ball), Black (C2, 1 ball), Hot Pink (C3, 1 ball).

Needles: US size 2.5 (3.0 mm) set of 5 DPNs

Notions: Tapestry needle, toy stuffing/filling, US size (3.0 mm) crochet hook (no particular size specified in the pattern) for adding limbs, stitch markers, 15 mm coloured safety eyes, black embroidery thread

Pattern Notes: This pattern is designed to be seamless, and is worked in the round from the top down, with the beak, legs, and wings, picked up and knitted. You will need a crochet hook (no particular size specified in the pattern) to easily pick up the stitches. You’ll need to refer to the diagrams on where to pick up the stitches so that the body parts are the correct orientation. You can visit www.hellodollyknitting.com/pattern-support for tutorials relevant to my knitting patterns.

The toy is stuffed as you knit. The overall finish of your Flamingo will depend on how well you stuff and shape it, so be careful not to overstuff. To avoid having a lumpy toy, when adding new stuffing to larger areas, gently push the existing stuffing to the edges and add the new stuffing into the middle.

If not secured properly, the tail ends will unravel, especially after the toy has been washed. For this reason, I weave the tail ends on the inside of the work as I knit. When closing the loops at the ends, you will need to secure the tail end before burying it in the inside of the toy.

Tension gauge: This toy has been designed at a tension of 6 sts over 1” / 2.5 cm in St st. Stuffed toys are generally worked with needles smaller than the recommended needle size for your yarn, for a tighter fabric. This is to prevent seeing any filling through the toy.