Blue Bird of Happiness

Last weekend, I took advantage of Craftsy's flash sale and enrolled in a crochet class called Amigurumi: Woodland Animals. Now I am hooked! (Ha ha ha! That's crochet humor.) I have been crocheting for about as long as I can remember, but most of my projects have been functional things like afghans and sweaters. I never though much about making stuffed animals before.

The basic process of creating crocheted Amigurumi animals isn't that different from the crocheted bean bag balls I have made in the past. So, I decided to make up my own pattern for a bird (in miniature) because the only thing cuter than an Amigurmi animal, is a tiny Amigurumi animal. I created my Blue Bird of Happiness in teal because it is one of my favorite colors, but this is a great project to use up some of the super fine weight yarn that's in your stash. These little guys are so fun to make you may decide to crochet a whole flock in all the colors of the rainbow.

And a bit of common sense: This pattern contains very small pieces and is not intended for use by small children.

Materials

• Aunt Lydia’s Fashion Crochet Thread in Warm Teal (or other super fine weight yarn)
• Aunt Lydia’s Fashion Crochet Thread in Bridal White (or other super fine weight yarn)
• US size 9 crochet hook
• dried navy beans
• 2 - 4mm round, black beads
• yarn or tapestry needle
• needle and thread

Stitches

sc - single crochet
sl st - slip stitch by inserting hook into next st, yarn over and draw through both loops on the
hook
dec - insert hook into next sc, draw up a loop, insert hook into next sc, draw up a loop (there
are now 3 loops on your hook), yarn over and draw through all three loops.

Directions

This project is worked with a much smaller crochet hook than you would normally use for this thread. It may seem a little odd at first, but you want your stitches to be very close together so the beans don't spill out later.

Body

With Warm Teal thread, chain 4. Join with a slip stitch in the first chain to form a loop. Ch1.

	Round 1: 6 sc in loop From this point you will be working in a continuous spiral. Your next stitch will be in the first sc of Round 1. Keep working around and around without turning your work.
	Round 2: *2 sc in next sc* 6 times (for a total of 12 sc) Round 3: *sc in next sc* 12 times Round 4: *2 sc in next sc, sc in next sc* 6 times (for a total of 18 sc) Round 5: *sc in next sc* 18 times Round 6: *2 sc in next sc, sc in next 2 sc* 6 times (for a total of 24 sc) Round 7: *sc in next sc* 24 times Round 8: *2 sc in next sc, sc in next 3 sc* 6 times (for a total of 30 sc)
	Round 9-16: *sc in next sc* 30 times Round 17: *dec, sc in next 3 sc* 6 times (for a total of 24 sts) Round 18: *dec, sc in next 2 sc* 6 times (for a total of 18 sts)
	Carefully fill the body with dried navy beans. You may want to crochet the last two rounds with your work setting on a table so the beans don’t spill out.
	Round 19: *dec, sc in next 1 sc* 6 times (for a total of 12 sts) Round 20: dec 8 times so the hole at the top is closed Finish off. Use a yarn needle to pull the tail through your wok and trim so the knot and tail are inside the body.

Wings/Tail (make 3)

With Warm Teal thread, chain 4. Join with a slip stitch in the first chain to form a loop. Ch1.

Round 1: 6 sc in loop Round 2: *2 sc in next sc* 6 times (for a total of 12 sc) Rounds 3-5: *sc in next sc* 12 times Round 6: dec 6 times, sl st in next st, finish off leaving a long tail for attaching the wings/tail to the body

Beak

With Bridal White thread, chain 4. Join with a slip stitch in the first chain to form a loop. Ch1.

Round 1: 6 sc in loop Round 2: sc in next 6 sc Round 3: sc in next 3 sc, dec, sc in next sc, dec, sc in next sc, dec, sl st in next sc, finish off leaving a long tail for attaching the beak to the body.

Finishing

	Attach the wings to each side of the body between Rounds 8 and 9
	Attach the tail to the back of the body between Rounds 14 and 15
	With a yarn needle pull the tail of the yarn through the beak and attach the beak to the body at Round 7 being careful not to pull the yarn too tight or the beak could lose its conical shape.
	Attach bead eyes to the body above the beak at Round 5 with a needle and thread.

Winter, spring, summer or fall, I hope this little bird brings you much happiness!