This low sew little imp is an adaptation of the No Sew Basic Chicken crochet pattern. It adds two wicked horns, an extra set of bat-like wings, as well as a simple colour change and two bobble stitches to give the chicken Old Nick’s goat legs. Chickens, bats, goats? We’re getting into some Dr Moreau weirdness here…

Before we move on, I just want to thank the amazing people who helped me work on this pattern by pattern testing and advising on changes. Check out their creations via Instagram;

dollys_crochet_shop_mk
cakecate261
goldilocks_ftw
no_name__crochet

Find the pattern, written and with lots of pictures, over at Ko-Fi, Ravelry or Lovecrafts for £2.50, about $3.10. Below are some notes on hook sizes, yarn weight and colour recommendations, techniques and stitches used. This pattern is suitable for confident/advanced beginners, or beginners looking to try some new techniques.

Yarn Colours

• Body, demon wings; Red
• “Legs”/Lower Body; Brown
• Eyes, comb, goatee, hooves; Black
• Horns; White
• Beak; Orange

Notes

• Hook and yarn weight; for a small, key chain size bird, I use DK and a 3mm hook. Specifically Sirdar Happy Cotton DK 43m/20g/47yds. The pattern scales well using heavier yarn, or using two or three strands held together, and larger hooks. There is a slight adjustment for heavier yarns but this is explained in the pattern.
  
• This pattern is worked in joined rounds. Working in continuous rounds will result in a slightly different appearance. Stitch counts do not include the “slst, ch1” join.
  
• Add a key chain to the top, or attach a loop of ribbon or chain crochet for a bauble. I suggest leaving the demon wings off if it’s going to spend a lot of time in a pocket or bag.
  
• Colour changes on bobble stitches: change to Black on the first yarn over, then to Brown on the last yarn over before pulling through 5 loops. That way you have a round, Black bobble, with a Brown outline, and no Black creeping into the Brown.
  
• Surface crochet: using the posts of stitches, or where the bottom and top of two rows meet, as if they were the loops of stitches to crochet into.
  
• Securing tails: pass tails at least three times through the body. For extra security, take the starting and ending tails out through the same stitch, tie with a double knot and push the knot and remaining tails back into the body.
  
• Pattern written using US terminology:
  BLO = BACK LOOP ONLY. Working into the loop furthest from you.
  bo4 = BOBBLE. [Yarn over, insert hook, yarn over and pull up a loop, yarn over, pull through 2 loops] x 4, yarn over, pull through all 5 loops, chain 1.
  ch = CHAIN.
  dc = DOUBLE CROCHET (UK treble crochet).
  dec = DECREASE, also called sc2tog, SINGLE CROCHET TWO TOGETHER. Insert hook into next stitch, yarn over and pull up a loop, insert hook into next stitch, yarn over and pull up a loop, yarn over, pull through all three loops on the hook (UK dc2tog).
  FLO = FRONT LOOP ONLY. Working into the loop closest to you only.
  hdc = HALF DOUBLE CROCHET (UK HALF TREBLE CROCHET).
  inc = two single crochet in the same stitch.
  invdec = INVISIBLE DECREASE. Insert hook through front loops of next two stitches, pull through two. Two loops on the hook. Yarn over, pull through two.
  MR = MAGIC RING (or chain 2 and work the stitches into the second chain from the hook).
  picot 2/3/4 = PICOT STITCH made from 2, 3 or 4 chains (ch2/3/4, slst in 2nd/3rd/4th chain from the hook).
  sc = SINGLE CROCHET (UK double crochet).
  sk = SKIP. Ignore the next stitch and crochet into the one after it.
  slst = SLIP STITCH.
  tr = TRIPLE/TREBLE CROCHET (UK double treble crochet).
  tr inc = 2 triple/treble crochet in the same stitch (UK 2 double treble crochet in the same stitch).
  yo = YARN OVER.