FREE PATTERN: Small owl

I first wrote a pattern for this little owl three years ago, but I decided to take new photos and update the pattern a bit, making the wings simpler.

You don't need much yarn for this owl, which makes it a great project to use up any scrap yarn. It doesn't include any complicated stitches or techniques, but the small details can be a bit fiddly to make.

Size

About 6cm (2 1/3") tall, when crocheted with DK weight linen and cotton blend (50g = 100m) and a 2,50 mm crochet hook (US size 2/C).

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Skills required

• Magic ring
• Crocheting in spiral
• Single crochet stitch (double crochet stitch in UK and Australia)
• Half double crochet crochet stitch (half triple crochet stitch in UK and Australia)
• Increasing 
• Decreasing 
• Finishing an open piece
• Sewing an open piece to a closed piece

You will need

• Yarn. I used Katia 'Linen', a sport weight cotton-linen blend and Alize 'Cotton Gold', a sport weight cotton-acrylic blend. You will need about 10g of beige and a couple of grams of pink, purple and white yarn.
• 2,25 - 3,50 mm crochet hook (US hook size 2/C - 4/E) or according to the yarn. 
• Polyester fiberfill, wool, wadding etc. for stuffing.
• Cotton embroidery floss. 
• 9 mm safety eyes or buttons, beads, felt etc.
• Yarn needle, scissors, stitch marker.

Abbreviations

• mr, sc n = magic ring – crochet n single crochet stitches into the adjustable loop.
• ch = chain stitch.
• sl st = slip stitch.
• sc = single crochet stitch (double crochet stitch in UK and Australia). 
• hdc = half double crochet stitch (half triple crochet stitch in UK and Australia).
• sc (or ch, hdc) n = crochet n single crochet stitches (or ch, hdc), one in each stitch. 
• inc = increase – crochet two single crochet stitches in the same stitch.
• inc3 = double increase – crochet three single crochet stitches in the same stitch. 
• dec = decrease – crochet two stitches together using the invisible decrease method. 
• (sc 4, inc) x n = repeat the pattern between parentheses n times. 
• [36] = number of stitches in a round after finishing round.

Notes

• Work in a continuous spiral, do not join rounds or turn your work, unless instructed otherwise in the pattern.
• Use a stitch marker or a piece of yarn to mark the end or the beginning of a round. Move the marker up after completing each round.
• All stitches are worked into both loops, unless instructed otherwise in the pattern.

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Eye patch – safety eye

With white yarn:

Round 1: mr, sc 7, sl st in first sc = [7]

Insert the safety eye into the loop and draw the loop tightly closed around it.

Round 2: ch 1, inc x 7 = [14]

Cut the yarn, leaving a long yarn tail for sewing, and fasten off cleanly.

Eye patch – embroidered eye

With white yarn:

Round 1: mr, sc 7, sl st in first sc = [7]
Round 2: ch 1, inc x 7 = [14]

Cut the yarn, leaving a long yarn tail for sewing, and fasten off cleanly.

Body

With beige yarn:

Round 1: mr, sc 6 = [6] 
Round 2: (sc 1, inc3 x 2) x 2 = [14] 
Round 3: sc 3, inc x 3, sc 4, inc x 3, sc 1 = [20] 
Round 4: sc 4, inc x 3, sc 7, inc x 3, sc 3 = [26] 
Round 5: sc 5, inc, (sc 1, inc) x 2, sc 8, inc, (sc 1, inc) x 2, sc 3 = [32]
Rounds 6-10: sc in each stitch = [32]

Place a stitch marker (or a piece of yarn) between the 18th and 19th stitch on round 11 and leave it there. This marks the center of the face, use it as a guide when placing the eyes.

Rounds 11-12: sc in each stitch = [32]
Round 13: sc 10, dec, sc 14, dec, sc 4 = [30]
Round 14: sc 14, dec, sc 4, dec, sc 8 = [28]
Round 15: sc 6, dec, sc 18, dec = [26]
Round 16: sc 3, dec, sc 11, dec, sc 8 = [24]

Attach the eyes to either side of the stitch marker. Sew the eye patches to the head.

Embroider the eye(s) and beak.

Tip! Sew the eye patches to the head, embroider the eye(s) and beak and add any other embellishments before you start stuffing the body – this way you can fasten all yarn tails securely with a knot inside the body.

Round 17: sc 11, dec, (sc 3, dec) x 2, sc = [21]
Round 18: sc 5, dec, sc 1, leave the rest of the stitches unworked = [20]

Slip stitch in next stitch. Before you fasten off, flatten the opening and make sure the last stitch is at the corner. You may need to add or skip a single crochet stitch or two.

Cut the yarn, leaving a long yarn tail for sewing, and fasten off. Stuff the body firmly and sew the opening closed.

Wings

With pink yarn:

Round 1: ch 6, starting in 2nd chain from hook: sc 3, hdc, 6 hdc in first ch, rotate and work into the chains from the other side: hdc, sc 3, sl st in 1st sc with purple yarn = [14]

Tutorial: Crocheting the first round around a chain

With purple yarn:

Round 2: ch, sc 5, inc, (sc 1, inc) x 2, sc 4, sc in sl st at the end of the last round = [18]

Fasten off cleanly and weave in the yarn tails. Sew the wings to the body, making a few stitches around the round end.

Cut a few pieces of yarn and draw them through the corner. Make a knot and push it close to the body. Cut off the extra yarn.

And done!

If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact me or leave a comment below, I am always happy to help.

I would love to see how your little owls turn out, so do post a photo to my Facebook page or tag me in your social media posts, I'm @kristitullus on Instagram and Facebook.

Please do not post this pattern to your website or blog, instead post a link to https://kristitullus.com/blogs/blog/free-patterns-small-owl. You MAY use this pattern as a teaching aid in any free class or e-course, or as part of a free crochet pattern, provided you credit me as the designer (Kristi Tullus, http://kristitullus.com).

Feel free to sell items made with this pattern.

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