Kerry Lord - A Partridge in a Pear Tree: Crochet the 12 birds of Christmas

PROJECTS The Twelve Days of Christmas is a song that many of us will have learned at school, and my children love nothing more than belting out five gold rings for the whole of December. There is much research and discussion over the symbolism and meaning of the song, and I have chosen to interpret the twelve gifts of true-love as birds. From the obvious Partridge in a Pear Tree through to the drumming of the Woodpecker, you can crochet your own way through the verses and create your own collection of birds. Enjoy making them to give as gifts, for a stunning festive mantelpiece decoration or even to hang on wreaths, trees and shelves around your home. Edwards Menagerie has been a large part of my life for the last eight years, with daily inspiration provided by the stories of people learning to crochet it feels like my crochet animal patterns are spreading some happiness all over the world. I am as hooked as everyone else on crocheting the next animal pattern in the collection and Christmas is one of the best times of year to share some joy with what you can make with, and for, others.

The patterns in this book are designed for you and your friends and family to enjoy and are for private use only. I cant wait to see photos once you start making these so please dont forget to share them and use the #edsanimals tag so that I can enjoy seeing them, and you can share in everyone elses crochet adventures too. Wishing you and your families a very Merry Christmas, and may you have lots of fun making and playing with these birds. Enjoy.

All the birds in this book are made using TOFT pure wool in a double knitting weight and a 3mm hook. Each bird weighs around 6080g, and the colours are written on the project pages in order of quantity used within that pattern.

To make all of the birds in this book in TOFT double knitting you would need: Cream 200g Charcoal 150g Oatmeal 125g Chestnut 100g Shale 100g Camel 100g Stone 50g Black 50g Ruby 50g Orange 50g Yellow 50g Fudge 25g Silver 25g Steel 25g Green 25g

YARN in appropriate colours and quantities (see individual patterns) CROCHET HOOK in an appropriate size to match the yarn and your tension STUFFING material SEWING needle EYES use black yarn as shown or safety eye alternative SCISSORS I have had the pleasure of selecting, designing and manufacturing luxury yarns for the past twelve years, and these birds have been crocheted entirely in TOFT yarn. TOFT yarns are luxury, quality, natural fibres manufactured to my distinctive specifications here in the UK. When crocheted in TOFT yarns the projects are supple and soft but with a closed fabric to hide the stuffing inside. The patterns in this book are arranged in order of the song, but each has a SKILL LEVEL to indicate the complexity of the techniques involved. Level one (beginner) birds are the easiest with the biggest challenge being the splitting technique used for the feet, but everything else should be straightforward once youve learned your double crochet stitch. Level three (intermediate) patterns will require more concentration and include disciplined colour changing moving backwards and forwards between the yarns. Level three (intermediate) patterns will require more concentration and include disciplined colour changing moving backwards and forwards between the yarns.

Mastering loop stitch will also be required for some of the more advanced projects. The levels are intended to be encouraging, not off-putting, and serve to ensure that as a newbie to this fun craft, you pick something that will be a bit easier going as you master counting your stitches, holding your yarn and remembering to keep track of where you are in the pattern at the same time. I must emphasise that all of the techniques used are easy the only thing that makes some of them very demanding is the discipline involved in accurately counting your way through the pattern. I know when learning to do a new thing it is nice to be reassured you are not accidentally trying to run before you can walk (but by all means if you are one of those people who are happy to push themselves then flick the pages and dive in!).

The patterns all use British English crochet terms, primarily the double crochet (US single crochet) stitch. Your bird will only be as child-safe as you make it, so dont skimp on the stitches when sewing up. Your bird will only be as child-safe as you make it, so dont skimp on the stitches when sewing up.

I sew all the way around the edges of any part I am sewing into position. If opting to use safety eyes, buttons or beads please be aware that these should not be used on a toy for a child under five years of age. For these young children you should always embroider the eyes on.

For further help learning to crochet, see videos at www.toftuk.com. Edwards Menagerie was inspired by TOFT yarn, and all of the animals in this book have been created in TOFTs pure wool double knitting (DK) yarn and a 3mm hook, but all the patterns will also work with thinner and thicker yarns. The required quantity of yarn needed in the projects is based on using TOFT DK yarns.

If using other brands of yarn, the quantities may vary significantly depending on the fibre composition and spinning specifications of the yarn. If you are seeing holes in your fabric when working the patterns, swap your hook size down half a millimetre. Likewise, if your work is too solid and you are finding the stitches hard to work then swap up by half a millimetre. The standard tension of TOFT DK yarn on a 3mm hook is 3 x 3cm = 6 sts x 7 rnds.

I always view stitch marking as a bit of a lifeline when I crochet. I recommend using a piece of contrast yarn, approximately 15cm long, positioned after the end of Round 2; once you have 12 sts it is easier to see where to place it.