advent calendar. day six. robin

I looked and looked for a robin I liked that someone had already written a pattern for but couldn't find anything for free so I made my own pattern for this little guy. He turned out quite cute! Here is the pattern:

 












Materials:
4 size 3 dpn needles
fingering or sport weight yarn (I used this yarn for the body and this for the red breast) 
embroidery thread for the eyes
yarn needle
embroidery needle
polyester stuffing


 Abbreviations:
k = knit
m1b = make 1 back (right-leaning increase),  from the back, lift loop between stitches with left needle, knit into front of loop
kf&b = knit into the front and back loop of the stitch
pf&b = purl into the front and back loop of the stitch
dpn = double pointed needle 
yfon = yarn forward over needle (makes an extra stitch)


Body:
cast on 9 stitches, move onto 3 dpns (3 stitches per needle). Join to work in the round being careful not to twist the stitches. Place a stitch marker on the first stitch.

Rnd 1: knit
Rnd 2: k1, (m1b, k1) repeat to the end of the round (17 stitches)
Rnd 3. knit
Rnd 4: k1, (m1b, k2) repeat to the end of the round (25 stitches)
Rnd 5: knit
Rnd 6: k1, (m1b, k3) repeat to the end of the round (33 stitches)
Rnds 7-14: knit
Rnd 15: k8, kf&b twice, k23 (35 stitches)
Rnd 16: k9: kf&b twice, k24 (37 stitches)
Rnd 17: k10, kf&b twice, k25 (39 stitches)
Rnd 18: k11, kf&b twice, k26 (41 stitches)
Rnd 19: k12, kf&b twice, k27 (43 stitches)
Rnd 20: k13, kf&b twice, k28 (45 stitches)
Rnd 21: (k3, k2tog) repeat to the end of the round (36 stitches)
Rnd 22: (k2, k2tog) repeat to the end of the round (27 stitches)
darn in the cast on thread and stuff firmly
Rnd 23: (k1, k2tog) repeat to the end of the round (18 stitches)
Rnd 24: (k2tog) repeat to the end of the round (9 stitches)
Finish any stuffing, cut the yarn, thread it on a yarn needle and draw it through the remaining stitches, pulling tight to close the hole. Darn in end. 

Red breast:
cast on 3 stitches, work back and forth on two needles
Row 1: knit
Row 2: pf&b, p1, pf&b (5 stitches)
Row 3: kf&b, k3, kf&b (7 stitches)
Row 4: pf&b, p5, pf&b (9 stitches)
Row 5: knit
Row 6: purl
Row 7: k, k2tog, k3, k2tog, k (7 stitches)
Row 8: p, p2tog, p3 p2tog, p (5 stitches)
Row 9: k, k2tog, k2tog (3 stitches)
cast off purlwise.

Wings:
cast on 3 stitches, work back and forth on two needles
Row 1: knit
Row 2: pf&b, p, pf&b (5 stitches)
Row 3: kf&b, k3, kf&b (7 stitches)
Row 4: pf&b, p5, pf&b (9 stitches)
Rows 5-8: knit in stockinette stitch (knit on front, purl on back)

Beak:
cast on 2 stitches
Row 1: k1, yfon, k1
Row 2: purl
Row 3: knit
Row 4: slip 1, p2tog, pass slipped stitch over
thread yarn through remaining stitch, fold to make a beak shape and sew together.

Finishing off:
Sew wings onto the side of body, after sewing them on thread the yarn tail up through the top of the head and cut off to make hair strands. Sew breast and beak on according to the picture. Use black embroidery thread to make two french knots for eyes.