This is one of a set of Canberran parrot Christmas decorations I made for my brother’s family (galah, gang-gang cockatoo, sulphur-crested cockatoo, king parrot and rainbow lorikeet).

This pattern uses a 2.5 mm hook and red, green and dark blue 8 ply wool. You also need orange 4 ply (I didn’t have any 4 ply so I just separated some 8 ply out, the point is it should be a bit thinner than 8 ply). The finished king parrot is about 10 cm tall, including the tail. You can add a wool hanger to make it into a Christmas decoration. The pattern is written in American crochet notation.

Head

With red wool

Round 1: 6sc in a magic ring (6 stitches)

Round 2: increase in every stitch (12 stitches)

Round 3: sc in the first stitch, increase in the next stitch – repeat (18 stitches)

Round 4: sc in each stitch (18 stitches)

Round 5: sc in the first stitch, decrease the next two stitches together – repeat (12 stitches)

Round 6: decrease around (6 stitches)

 

Body

Round 7: increase in each stitch (12 stitches) (4 red, 4 dark blue, 4 red – the dark blue is the back)

Round 8: sc in the first stitch, increase in the next stitch – repeat (18 stitches) (6 red, 6 green, 6 red)

Round 9: sc in the first two stitches, increase in the next stitch – repeat (24 stitches) (8 red, 8 green, 8 red)

Round 10: sc in the first 9 stitches, increase in the next 6 stitches, sc in the final 9 stitches (30 stitches) (8 red, 14 green, 8 red)

Round 11: sc in each stitch (30 stitches) (8 red, 14 green, 8 red)

Round 12: sc in each stitch (30 stitches) (8 red, 14 green, 8 red)

Round 13: sc in each stitch (30 stitches) (8 red, 14 green, 8 red)

Round 14: (decrease two stitches together) x 3, sc in the next 18 stitches, (decrease two stitches together) x 3 (24 stitches) (5 red, 14 green, 5 red)

Round 15: (decrease two stitches together) x 3, sc in the next 12 stitches, (decrease two stitches together) x 3 (18 stitches) (2 red, 14 green, 2 red)

Round 16: (decrease two stitches together) x 3, sc in the next 6 stitches, (decrease two stitches together) x 3 (12 stitches) (1 red, 10 green, 1 red)

Stuff

Now with just red

Round 17: decrease until the hole closes.

Fasten off, weave in the end.

 

Wings (make two)

With green 8 ply wool

Round 1: 6sc in a magic ring (6 stitches)

Round 2: sc in each stitch (6 stitches)

Round 3: increase, sc 2, increase, sc 2 (8 stitches)

Round 4: increase, sc 3, increase, sc 3 (10 stitches)

Round 5: increase, sc 4, increase, sc 4 (12 stitches)

Round 6: increase, sc 5, increase, sc 5 (14 stitches)

Round 7: increase, sc 6, increase, sc 6 (16 stitches)

Rounds 8 – 9: sc in each stitch (16 stitches)

Round 10: decrease the first two stitches together, sc 4, (decrease two stitches together) x 2, sc 4, decrease the last two stitches together (12 stitches)

Round 11: decrease the first two stitches together, sc 2, (decrease two stitches together) x 2, sc 2, decrease the last two stitches together (8 stitches)

Round 12: decrease until the hole closes, don’t stuff, leave a long tail for sewing

 

Tail

With dark blue 8 ply wool

Round 1: chain 7 (one of which is a turning chain), sc 5 along the chain, increase, then on the other side of the chain sc 4, increase

Rounds 2 – 4: sc in each stitch

Round 5: decrease the first two stitches together, sc 4, decrease the next two stitches together, sc 4

Round 6: sc in each stitch

Round 7: decrease the first two stitches together, sc 3, decrease the next two stitches together, sc 3

Round 8: sc in each stitch

Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing.

 

Beak

With orange 4 ply wool

Round 1: 4sc in a magic ring (4 stitches)

Round 2: decrease the first two stitches together, increase for the next two stitches (5 stitches)

Round 3: decrease the first two stitches together, increase for the next three stitches (7 stitches)

 

Assembly

Sew the wings and tail onto the body. Sew the eyes and beak onto the head. Sew a loop of wool for hanging onto the back.