Flora the Flamingo

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 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 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.

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

Pattern

Head

With MC, CO 8 sts.

Rnd 1: Knit 1 rnd to the end, then divide the sts roughly equally over 3 DPNs. Join in the rnd and knit as follows:

Rnd 2: Pm for beg of rnd, kfb to end. (16 sts)

Rnds 3, 5, 7, 9, 11: Knit.

Rnd 4: (K1, kfb) to end. (24 sts)

Rnd 6: (K2, kfb) to end. (32 sts)

Rnd 8: (K3, kfb) to end. (40 sts)

Rnd 10: (K4, kfb) to end. (48 sts)

Rnd 12: (K5, kfb) to end. (56 sts)

Rnds 13-24: Knit.

Rnd 25: K10, PM for eye, k10, PM for eye, knit to end.

Rnds 26-32: Knit.

Before shaping the neck, use black embroidery thread, to stitch eye lashes coming out from around the markers placed for the eyes. Make sure you stitch the lashes long enough so that when the eyes are in place, they cover the lashes slightly so the lashes look as though they are attached to the eyes.

Once you are happy with how your lashes look, fasten the tail ends of the lashes together on the inside of the work. Fasten the safety eyes at the markers.

Stuff Head with toy filling and continue to stuff your flamingo as you knit.

Neck

Rnd 33: (K5, k2tog) to end. (48 sts)

Rnds 34, 36: Knit.

Rnd 35: (K4, k2tog) to end. (40 sts)

Rnd 37: (K3, k2tog) to end. (32 sts)

Rnds 38-45: Knit.

Rnd 46: (K4, m1l) to end. (40 sts)

Rnds 47-49: Knit.

Rnd 50: (K5, m1l) to end. (48 sts)

Rnds 51-53: Knit.

Rnd 54: (K6, m1l) to end. (56 sts) 

Body

Rnds 55-74: Knit.

Rnd 75: (K5, k2tog) to end. (48 sts)

Rnds 76, 78, 80, 82: Knit.

Rnd 77: (K4, k2tog) to end. (40 sts)

Rnd 79: (K3, k2tog) to end. (32 sts)

Rnd 81: (K2, k2tog) to end. (24 sts)

Rnd 83: (K1, k2tog) to end. (16 sts)

Rnd 84: (K2tog) to end. (8 sts)

Finish stuffing Body. Break the yarn and pull the tail firmly through rem 8 sts to close the loop. Weave in any tail ends and bury them inside the toy.

Beak

Note: The Beak of Flamingo is picked up and knitted directly from Head and is then worked in the round. The stitches for Beak are picked up in the shape of a diamond. Refer to diagram on where to start the round as this will affect the orientation of the beak. Use crochet hook and C1, to pick up 16 sts for Beak in a clockwise direction, (4 sts on each needle). The 5th needle will be your working needle.

Rnds 1-3: Knit.

Change to C2 and cont as follows:

Rnds 4-8: Knit.

Rnd 9: K2, (k2tog) twice, knit to end. (14 sts)

Rnds 10, 12, 14: Knit.

Rnd 11: K1, (k2tog) twice, knit to end. (12 sts)

Rnd 13: (K2tog) twice, knit to end. (10 sts)

Rnd 16: K2tog, knit to end. (9 sts)

Finish stuffing Beak. Break the yarn and pull the tail firmly through rem 9 sts to close the loop. Weave in any tail ends and bury them inside the toy.

Legs (repeat on each side)

The Legs of Flamingo are picked up and knitted directly from Body and are then worked in the round. The stitches for Legs are picked up in the shape of a diamond. Refer to diagram on where to start the round as this will affect the orientation of the feet. Use crochet hook and C1, to pick up 16 sts for Leg in a clockwise direction, (4 sts on each needle). The 5th needle will be your working needle.

Rnds 1-30: Knit.

Rnd 31: K8, m1l, k8, m1r. (18 sts)

Rnd 32: K9, m1l, k8, m1r, k1. (20 sts)

Rnd 33: K10, m1l, k8, m1r, k2. (22 sts)

Rnd 32: K11, m1l, k8, m1r, k3. (24 sts)

Keeping the beg of rnd correct, re-distribute sts roughly equally over DPNs, cont to knit as follows:

Rnds 35-41: Knit.

Rnd 42: Knit 22 sts, pm for new beg of rnd.

Keeping the new beg of rnd correct, cont to knit as follows:

Rnd 43: (K2tog, k8, k2tog) twice. (20 sts)

Rnd 44: Knit.

Rnd 45: (K2tog, k6, k2tog) twice. (16 sts)

Finish stuffing Leg. Once you are happy with how the leg is stuffed, divide rem 16 sts equally over 2 DPNs (8 sts on each needle), so the needles are parallel with the front and back of the foot. Graft the rem 16 sts together.

Wings (repeat on each side)

The Wings of Flamingo are picked up and knitted directly from the side of Body, below Neck, and are then worked in the round. The stitches for Wings are picked up in two horizontal parallel lines. Refer to diagram at the end of pattern on where to start the round as this will affect the orientation of the wings. Use crochet hook and C3, to pick up 20 sts for Wing in a clockwise direction, (10 sts on needle one, 5 sts on needle two, and 5 sts on needle three). The 4th needle will be your working needle.

Rnds 1, 3, 5: Knit.

Rnd 2: (K1, m1r, k8, m1l, k1) twice. (24 sts)

Rnd 4: (K1, m1r, k10, m1l, k1) twice. (28 sts)

Rnd 12: (K1, m1r, k12, m1l, k1) twice. (32 sts)

Rnds 7-12, 14, 16, 18, 20: Knit.

Rnd 13: K14, (k2tog) twice, knit to end. (30 sts)

Rnd 15: K13, (k2tog) twice, knit to end. (28 sts)

Rnd 17: K12, (k2tog) twice, knit to end. (26 sts)

Rnd 19: K11, (k2tog) twice, knit to end. (24 sts)

Rnd 21: K10, (k2tog) twice, knit to end. (22 sts)

Rnd 22: K9, (k2tog) twice, knit to end. (20 sts)

Rnd 23: K8, (k2tog) twice, knit to end. (18 sts)

Rnd 24: K7, (k2tog) twice, knit to end. (16 sts)

Rnd 25: (K2tog, k4, k2tog) twice. (12 sts)

Rnd 25: (K2tog, k2, k2tog) twice. (8 sts)

Finish stuffing Wing. Once you are happy with how Wing is stuffed, divide rem 8 sts equally over 2 DPNs (4 sts on each needle), so the needles are parallel with Front and Back of Wing. Graft the rem 8 sts together.

Finishing

For Wings, using C3 and tapestry needle, sew Wings to side of Body so that they stay in place.

For Feet, using C1 and tapestry needle, stitch two lines down Front and Back of Feet to pinch in the toes and give them definition.

Weave in any tail ends and bury inside the toy.