The Little Yellow Duck Project

Posted in Amigurumi, Crochet, Free Patterns, Inspiration by Keep Calm and Crochet On UK

Back in February 2015 I blogged about The Little Yellow Duck Project which I had just learnt about. If you haven’t heard about the project before it involves people around the world handcrafting little yellow duck gifts as random acts of kindness that are then left in public places for others to find. A special tag on each one of the ducks invites the finder to take their gift home to brighten their day and to visit the The Little Yellow Duck Project website to register where they found their gift. The Little Yellow Duck Project is a global initiative highlighting the life-saving donation of blood, bone marrow, and organ and tissue.

I made ten little ducks to support the project and hid them all over everywhere – even taking some with me to hide when I went away for a couple of weekends so that they would be spread out far and wide. You can see all the ducks I made in my original post here.

Excitingly a couple of months later someone posted a photo to say that they had found one of my ducks which had prompted them to fill in an application form to be a blood donor! What an amazing feeling that was! And so nice to find out what had happened to a duck that had been hidden.

After I had finished making and hiding my pledge of little ducks I offered my services as a designer to The Little Yellow Duck Project to create a new free duckling crochet pattern which they could use…and not long after Doodle the Duckling was born!

Well one of the lovely people at the project contacted me this week to say that the pattern had never gone live on their website (although they thought it had). Needless to say they were mortified – but I know only too well how technology can be a fickle mistress (as I find out ever time I schedule a post when I’m on holiday…every. single. time!). All is now fixed however and you can now find Doodle the Duckling under the Crochet Pattern section of their website. If you want to add Doodle the Duckling to your Ravelry queue or favourite him so you can make him later then use this link here.

I hope you do check out The Little Yellow Duck Project when you get a moment – as well as crochet patterns they have knitting, sewing and machine embroidery patterns you use to support them if you fancy a different craft.

And just to finish off I’ll end with a photo of Little G from a year or so ago when she got to meet some real life little yellow ducklings…because too cute right!

Until next time, happy hooking and keep calm and crochet on my friends xx

21Feb2015

Little Yellow Duck Project (Part 2) / Doodle Zoo No.1 Doodle Duck

Posted in Amigurumi, Crochet, Doodle Zoo, For Child, Free Patterns, Pattern Release by Keep Calm and Crochet On UK

Let me introduce to you Doodle the Duckling. Created especially for the Little Yellow Duck Project he’s a duckling that likes to get out and about and meet new people. Or you can just use the pattern to make some cute gifts for family and friends.

A great little stash buster you can work up a Doodle in less than an hour and he is oh-so-addictive to make – before you know it you will have oodles of Doodles!

This is an easy pattern suitable for beginners looking to learn some new crochet techniques.

Click here to add this pattern to your Ravelry library and favourites or click here to access on Craftsy.

Yarn:

Double Knit (8ply / Yarn Weight #3 / Light #4)
30g / 90 yards of yellow double knit yarn
10g / 40 yards of orange double knit yarn

Hook: 4mm (US size G)

You will also need:

Yarn needle
Stitch marker
2 x 9mm black safety eyes
Polyester toy stuffing

Gauge:
4 dc/sc = 1 inch / 2.5 cm

Size:

Finished duckling measures = 3 inches high /8 cm high

These measurements are approximated, and actual subjects may vary. Pattern will work in other yarns though gauge/size will be different.

Abbreviations:

Pattern is written in UK and US terms.

st(s) = stitch(es)
sp = space
sl st = slip stitch
ch(s) = chain
dc/sc = UK double / US single crochet
dc/sc2tog = UK double Crochet / US Single Crochet 2 sts together
popcorn (PC) = see specialist stitch guidance (below)

Popcorn Stitch (PC): Work 5 tr/dc in st indicated, remove hook completely, insert hook in 1st tr/dc (1st tr/dc of the 5), insert hook in loop that you just removed your hook from (5th tr/dc of the 5), yarn over and pull through both loops on hook.

Pattern Guidance:

Working without joining:
All the parts of the duckling are worked without joining using a stitch marker to keep track of the rounds. Place the stitch marker in the top of the first st to mark start of round.

Pattern:

Body:

Rnd 1: With yellow yarn; either make a magic ring (adjustable ring) to start or ch 2, crochet 6 dc/sc into the ring / 2nd ch from hook, use tail yarn to tighten centre ring closed if necessary (6 sts).

Rnd 2: 2 dc/sc in each st around (12 sts).

Rnd 3: *1 dc/sc in next, 2 dc/sc in next st * repeat from * to * until the end of the rnd (18 sts).

Rnd 4: * 1 dc/sc in next 2 sts, 2 dc/sc in next st, * repeat from * to * until the end of the rnd(24 sts).

Rnd 5: * 1 dc/sc in next 3 sts, 2 dc/sc in next st, * repeat from * to * until the end of the rnd (30 sts).

Rnd 6 – 10: 1 dc/sc in each st around (30 sts).

Rnd 11: PC in the next st, 1 dc/sc in the next 14 sts, PC in the next st, 1 dc/sc in the remaining sts (30 sts).

Rnd 12: 1 dc/sc in each st around (30 sts).

Add your safety eyes in between rows 7 and 8 about 1.25 inches/ 3.3cm apart and in-between the PC wings.

Rnd 13: * 1 dc/sc in the next 3 sts, 1dc/sc2tog over next 2 sts * repeat from * to * until end of rnd, begin to stuff your Doodle (24 sts).

Rnd 14: *1 dc/sc in the next 2 sts, 1dc/sc2tog over next 2 sts * repeat from * to * until end of the rnd (18 sts).

Rnd 15: *1 dc/sc in the next st, 1dc/sc2tog over next 2 sts * repeat from * to * until end of the rnd (12 sts).

Rnd 16: *1dc/sc2tog over next 2 sts * repeat from * to * until end of the rnd, cut thread leaving a long tail (6 sts).

Using your tail end and using your yarn needle sew the last 6 stitches, finish off and weave in ends.

Beak:

Rnd 1: With orange yarn; ch 6, 1 dc/sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each st along until end (5 sts), then working down the other side of your sts work 1 dc/sc until end (10sts).

Rnd 2 – 3: 1 dc/sc in each st around (10 sts).

Rnd 4: 1 dc/sc in the next 2 sts, 1 htr/hdc in the next st, 1 tr/dc in the next 2 sts, sl st to the next st to join but leave a long tail for sewing.

Lightly stuff the beak and sew into place; in-between the eyes with the top of the beak on rnd 8 and the bottom of the beak on rnd 10.

Feet (Make 2):

Rnd 1: With orange yarn; ch 6, 1 dc/sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each st along until end (5 sts), then working down the other side of your sts work 1 dc/sc until end (10sts).

Rnd 2 – 3: 1 dc/sc in each st around, sl st to the next st to join but leave a long tail for sewing. (10 sts).

Sew the sides of the feet together then sew onto the front of your duckling on rnd 13 approximately 0.25 inch / 1.5 cm apart.

And that’s it! Simple and addictive! Can’t wait to see some photos of your finished Doodles.

20Feb2015

Little Yellow Duck Project (Part 1)

Posted in Amigurumi, For Child, Round Up by Keep Calm and Crochet On UK

So in December I was searching the web looking for something to make and I came across The Little Yellow Duck Project . I started to read about the project, which is to spread a bit of happiness and to raise awareness of donating blood, bone marrow, organ or tissue donation, and thought it was just a fabulous idea and something I would really like to be involved in.

So I decided to pledge ten little ducks that I would hook up and hide as part of the project – you can see the little ducks I made below along with a round up of the patterns I used.

I also got in touch with The Little Yellow Duck Project to offer my services to create a brand new free duck crochet pattern which they could use and I was very excited when they said yes! But more about that tomorrow…

So here are the ducks I made up. I made two of each pattern and Little G had great fun playing with all the ducks. Most of the patterns are extremely quick and easy to make – great little afternoon projects.

The duck patterns I used came either from patterns that have been created by designers especially for the Little Yellow Duck Project (click here) or from the other patterns suggested for use as part of the Little Yellow Duck Ravelry Group (click here).

Just Duckie Lovey by Lisa van Klaveren / Holland Designs

Lil’ Duck by Karla Fitch

Cheep cheep the crochet chick by Janette Williams

Yellow Duckling by Justyna Kacprzak

Now I’ve just got to give them some names and hide them all. If you have some good duck name suggestions (besides the obvious Daffy and Donald let me know, I need 10 names!) …and if you find one of my ducks I hope you will add it to The Little Yellow Duck Project map and let me know, I’d love to hear from you.

Don’t forget to pop back for tomorrows post which will have the pattern instructions for my little duckling.