The swallow is a much loved bird in the UK, arriving at the start of spring. This pattern is to make a knitted model swallow to be used as a decorative item such as in a mobile. The bird is not suitable for young chidren to play with if it is made as instructed with wire supports in the wings.
Knitted on straight needles in 11 individual pieces, the seams help to give your bird structure. The work is in stocking stitch or rib, often using two yarns held together. The body and head are made in one piece using intarsia colourwork and stocking stitch. The wings are made in rib with a picot hem to create the look of feathers. Thin wire such as florist’s wire or pipecleaners are inserted into casings on the wings to give support. The knitting, sewing and embroidery skills required are not extensive but there are knitted increases and decreases in this pattern that make the shaping of the bird that require attention to detail. This means the pattern is unsuitable for beginners unless they are very patient.

One size, noted above.

Materials Needed

1 x 100g Fyberspates Scrumptious 4 ply in midnight (309)
1 x 100g Fyberspates Scrumptious 4 ply in natural (310).
Very small oddment of black or dark grey 4 ply or lace weight yarn, e.g. Rico Essentials Crochet in black (12) or mouse grey (11) or Yarn and Colours mini 4 ply cotton in black (100) or graphite (098).
2.75 mm straight needles
2.0 mm double pointed or single pointed needles for the tail and beak.
wool or polyester toy stuffing
6 mm safety eyes (optional) or use an oddment of black yarn to make French knots for the eyes.
Large and small eyed tapestry needles for stitching the wool pieces together and for the embroidery
Embroidery cotton in rust red (eg, DMC stranded cotton in colour 919)
Wire, eg florist’s wire or pipecleaners or folded kitchen foil as supports for the wings and tail streamers.
Piece of scrap plastic, clean, eg a yoghurt pot or milk carton.