Spring means we will once again get to enjoy birdsong, and there’s no better way to welcome back your feathered friends than working up this textured scarf. The bird appliques rest on a branch made of the same front post and shell stitches as the body of the scarf and are accented by optional puffy white clouds way up in the sky.

Skill Level: Easy

Size: 60” x 8½”, blocked

Gauge: 3 FPtr + 3.5 shells and 6 rows = 4” [10 cm] in patt st for scarf body

Materials

Yarn:

  Universal Yarn Uptown DK (100% Acrylic; 273 yards [250 meters]/100 grams): #145 Baby Blue (A), 2 skeins; #133 Antique Brown (B), 1 skein; #116 Bachelor Blue (C), 1 skein; #144 Navy Blue (D), 1 skein; #102 Lily (E), 1 skein.

Hook: US size G/6 (4.0 mm)

Notions: Tapestry needle

Pattern

Lower Body (make 2)

With C, ch 4, join into ring with sl st in first ch.

Row 1: Ch 1, 6 sc in ring, ch 3 (counts as dc here and throughout), turn – 6 sc.

Row 2: Dc in first sc, 2 dc in each of next 5 sc, ch 3, turn – 12 dc.

Row 3: Dc in first dc, (dc in next dc, 2 dc in next dc) twice, dc in each of next 2 dc, (2 dc in next dc, dc in next dc) twice, 2 dc in last dc, ch 3, turn – 18 dc.

Row 4: Dc in first dc, (dc in each of next 3 dc, 2 dc in next dc) twice, (2 dc in next dc, dc in each of next 3 dc) twice, 2 dc in last dc –24 dc.

Fasten off.

Upper Body (make 2)

With D, rep Rows 1-3 of Lower Body.

Fasten off.

Tail (make 2)

With C, ch 13.

Row 1: Tr in 5th ch from hook, dc in next 2 ch, hdc in next 2 ch, sc in next 2 ch, sl st in last 2 ch, ch 1, turn.

Row 2: Working in front loops only, sl st in first 2 sl st, sc in next 2 so, hdc in next 2 hdc, dc in next dc, (dc, 2 tr) in next dc.

Fasten off.

Head (make 2)

With C, ch 4, join into ring with sl st in first ch.

Rnd 1: Ch 1, 6 sc in ring, join rnd with sl st in first sc, ch 3.

Rnd 2: Work 2 dc in same sc as rnd join, 3 dc in each dc around, join rnd with sl st in top of beg-ch-3 – 18 dc.

Do not fasten off.

Beak (make 2)

Ch 4.

Row 1: Sl st in 2nd ch from hook, sc in next ch, hdc in next ch, sk 1 dc of Rnd 2 of Head, sl st in next dc of Rnd 2.

Fasten off.

Cloud (make 2)

With E, ch 8.

Rnd 1: Work 5 dc in 4th ch from hook, dc in next 3 ch, 6 dc in last ch, working on opposite side of foundation ch, dc in next 3 dc, join rnd with sl st in top of beg-ch – 18 dc.

Rnd 2: Ch 3, dc in same st as rnd join, 2 dc in next 5 dc, dc in next 3 dc, 2 dc in next 6 dc, dc in next 3 dc, join rnd with st st in top of beg-ch – 30 dc.

Rnd 3: Ch 3, dc in same st as rnd join, [(dc in next dc, 2 dc in next dc) twice, dc in next 2 dc, 2 dc in next dc, (dc in next dc, 2 dc in next dc) twice], dc in next 3 dc; rep from [ to ], working instructions in first () 3 times instead of twice, join rnd with sl st in top of beg-ch – 42 dc.

Rnd 4: [Sc in next dc, hdc in next dc, (dc, tr, dc) in next dc, hdc in next dc, sc in next sc, sl st in next dc] 7 times, placing last sl st in same st as first sl st.

Fasten off leaving a long tail for sewing.

First Half

Branch

With B, ch 11.

Row 1: Dc in 4th ch from hook, sk 2 ch, (2 dc, ch 1, 2 dc) in next ch, sk 2 ch, dc in last 2 ch, ch 3, turn.

Row 2: FPtr in next dc, (2 dc, ch 1, 2 dc) in next ch-1 sp, FPtr around last 2 dc, ch 3, turn.

Row 3: BPtr in next FPtr, (2 dc, ch 1, 2 dc) in next ch-1 sp, BPtr around last 2 FPtr, c 3, turn.

Rows 4-14: Rep Row 2-3, 5 times, then Row 2 once more.

Fasten off.

Scarf Body

Turn Branch 90 degrees clockwise.

Row 1: Join A with sl st in top of far-right dc, ch 4, [(2 dc, ch 1, 2 dc) in top of next dc, FPtr around next dc] 7 times, ch 3, turn.

Row 2: [(Work 2 dc, ch 1, 2 dc) in next ch-1 sp, BPtr around next FPtr] 7 times, ch 3, turn.

Row 3: [(Work 2 dc, ch 1, 2 dc) in next ch-1 sp, FPtr around next BPtr] 7 times, ch 3, turn.

Rep Rows 2-3 until 50 rows have been completed.

Fasten off.

Second Half

Rep all instructions of First Half except do not fasten off after Row 50 of Scarf Body.

Joining

Orient the piece to work across Row 50 of Second Half, with First Half lined up directly opposite.

Ch 4, sl st around post of first dc of First Half, (2 dc in next ch-1 sp, sl st in next ch-1 sp on First Half, 2 dc in same ch-1 sp of Second Half, FPtr around next BPtr on Second Half, sl st around next FPtr on First Half) 7 times.

Fasten off.

Edging

Crab st around entire scarf, working in the color of the stitches you are working on.

Finishing

Block.

Stitch Bird parts and clouds into place as shown in photo.

Weave in all ends.