With adorable wing and beak details, this felted chick basket is perfect for Easter morning. With just a bit of felt and feathers, you can easily create a unique basket that your kids will cherish for years to come.
Skill Level: Intermediate
Size: Top edge 9” diameter x bottom edge 6.5” diameter x 6.5” tall
Gauge: 11 sts and 14.5 rows= 4″ [10 cm] in St st using larger needles with yarn held doubled, before felting
13.75 sts and 17.85 rows= 4″ [10 cm] in St st using larger needles with yarn held doubled, after felting
16 sts and 20.5 rows= 4” [10 cm] in St st using smaller needles and yarn held single, before felting
18.26 sts and 42 rows= 4″ [10 cm] in St st using larger needles with yarn held single, after felting
Materials
Yarn: Cascade Yarns Cascade 220 (100% Peruvian Highland Wool: 220 yards [200 meters]/100 grams): 7827 Goldenrod (MC, 2 skeins), 7826 California Poppy (CC, 1 skein)
Needles: US size 13 (9mm) DPNs; US size 13 (9mm) 16” circular; US size 10 (6mm) DPNs
Notions: Tapestry needle, sewing needle, black shank buttons for eyes or plastic safety eyes, felt for beak and wings with coordinating sewing thread, feathers for wings
Pattern Notes
This pattern is not suitable as written for babies and children that still put things into their mouths.
This basket is worked from the top down, then the feet are worked and sewn on. After felting, the wings and beak are attached. Eyes are added where preferred, as noted in the pattern.
Pattern
Basket
With larger needles and MC held double, CO 108 sts. Join in the rnd, being careful not to twist. PM to denote the end of the rnd.
Knit 7 rnds.
Next Rnd: Dec 5 sts evenly across rnd. (103 sts)
Rep last 8 rnds 3 more times. (88 sts)
Knit 7 rnds even.
Purl 2 rnds.
Knit 4 rnds.
Next Rnd: *K2tog; rep from * to end of rnd. (44 sts)
Knit 3 rnds.
Next Rnd: *K2tog; rep from * to end of rnd. (22 sts)
Knit 2 rnds.
Next Rnd: *K2tog; rep from * to end of rnd. (11 sts)
Knit 1 rnd.
Next Rnd: K1, *k2tog; rep from * to end of rnd. (6 sts)
Next Rnd: *K2tog; rep from * to end of rnd. (3 sts)
Cut yarn and pull through all live sts. Weave in ends.
Feet
With smaller needles and CC held single, CO 10 sts, leaving an 8” / [20.3 cm] tail.
Knit 1 row.
Purl 1 row.
Next Row: Kfb, k to last 2 st, kfb, k1. (12 sts)
Rep last 2 rows 3 more times. (18 sts)
Purl 1 row.
Knit 1 row.
Purl 1 row.
Toes
Each Toe is completed separately across 6 sts.
Work 4 (8, 4) rows even in St st.
Next Row: K2tog, k2, k2tog.
BO all 4 sts. Weave in ends for Toes.
Finishing
Use the 8” / [20.3 cm] CO tail from each Foot to sew Foot to the base of the Basket, along the purled row, where desired. If using shank buttons for eyes, use a length of MC yarn to attach where desired along front of Basket.
Using a top-loading washing machine, wash basket in hot water, preferably with several towels or pairs of jeans. Check often for length, as the machine is going through its agitation cycle. Do not allow the washer to go through the spin cycle. When the Basket has felted down to 6.5” / [16.5 cm] or to desired length, rinse with cold water, squeeze excess water out, and shape and dry.
Embellishment
Cut Beak and Wings from felt using the template as a guide. Glue feathers to inside of Wings. Sew Wings and Beak to Basket with coordinating thread along the folding line of each.
Glue Wing edges together.
Glue Beak edges together.
If eyes have not been added, attach plastic safety eyes where desired.