Crochet A Kookaburra

Some basic instructions

I am naming the Kookaburra, Kooka.

He now has a friend, Sammy the Koala

You can find the Koala pattern here.

To begin, find a picture of what you wish to make.

Now draw your project. I can't draw for nuts, but it helped me realise what components I will need to make my kookaburra.

Knowing what parts I needed to be making, I made a selection of textures and colours from my yarn stash. I've used a 5.00mm hook and changed to a 4.00mm hook for the facial features. The yarns vary from an 8 ply to a 12 ply.

I first made the body in simple single crochet rounds with out joining the rounds and increasing, working straight, then decreasing. The body began with 8 sc and increased to 40 sc, then reversed with the decrease to 8 sc.

The head was made the same beginning with 6 sc, increasing to 24 sc and ending with 12 sc.

Any stuffing will do. If you use snap on eye's this is the best time to do it.

Then sew head to body.

I made the beak next. The yarns were a different thickness, so I used the thinner one for the top of the beak.

I then weaved thin wire into the sides of the beak, so as I could shape them better.

I deliberately used a lighter shade of yarn to sew the beak parts together, to define the top and bottom parts of the beak.

Now with the embroidery of the face, I sc the sides of the eye's across the beak and across the other eye over the top of the face (not made seperate). I then hand sewed a contrasting yarn into the gaps. I'm not an embroiderer at all, but it just passes. The eye's are small buttons.

This is the beginning of the wings.

Trying the wings for size as I go.

And the finished wings.

The Kookaburra also has a feather tail which I made last and also sewed wire into for shaping.

I would like to thank laughingpurple for her advice on this project, she has a must see blog.