Mother Hen Keepsake Stuffie: Crochet Pattern

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Mother Hen Keepsake Stuffie

A Pattern for Everyone

We’ve all seen photos on Pinterest and Facebook of these cute little stuffed chickens – they’ve become the latest in crochet trends – but it’s nearly impossible to find a free version of a pattern that is simple to follow. Reading reviews of other people’s paid patterns only left me more frustrated. I’m an experienced crocheter, but I still like a simple, quick-to-finish pattern every now and then. After all, who doesn’t crave some instant gratification once in a while? In my pursuit to create one of these little beauties for each of my great nieces for Christmas, I decided to just figure it out on my own. In a little over an hour, I had all the steps written down, and the cutest little chubby hen was sitting on my stove (fear not, it’s the kind of pellet stove that doesn’t get hot on top). In all honesty, I loved how she came out so much that I made two, right then and there…I also made each hen a baby to match, but that’ll be another post. Anyway, I’m slightly obsessed with this little lady, and she was so easy to reproduce. Beginners and advanced crocheters can all experience success with this design! It really is a pattern for everyone, so let’s get started!

Here’s What You’ll Need:

Wool Ease brand Thick & Quick Yarn in 3 colors: Hudson Bay (the light-colored hen) or Bedrock (the dark-colored hen), Mustard (beak), and any red color (comb). I used scraps of Mustard and Spice because you only need a tiny amount of these colors, and I already had some scraps on hand.
Size K, 6.5mm Crochet Hook
Scissors, yarn needle, buttons or safety eyes, stuffing (the stuffed animal kind, not the yummy Thanksgiving kind), sewing needle & thread (if using buttons for eyes)

34%

Lion Brand Yarn Wool-Ease Thick & Quick Yarn, Soft and Bulky Yarn for Knitting, Crocheting, and Crafting, 1 Skein, Hudson Bay

$10.59 ($0.04 / Foot)

30%

Lion Brand Yarn 640-158 Wool-Ease Thick & Quick Yarn , 97 Meters, Mustard

$9.99 ($0.03 / Foot)

Lion Brand Yarn Wool-Ease Thick & Quick Hometown, Quick Bonus Bundle Yarn, Cranberry

The Language of Crochet:

MC: Magic Circle
DC: Double Crochet
SL: Slip Stitch
SC: Single Crochet
Dec.: Decrease
CH: Chain
(#): Stitch Count

Notes:

This design is NOT worked in a continuous round. Each round is joined by a slip stitch through the first stitch of that round for a clean, level finish.
Weaving in the Magic Circle tail before finishing all 12 rounds makes it an easier task.
Dec. is simply, DC 2 together.
Finished body dimensions are, roughly, 6.5″ H x 8″ L x 6″ W.
Keep your old pillows to re-use the stuffing in projects like this!

Mother Hen’s Body:

Round 1: 10 DC in a MC. Connect with SL to 1st DC. CH 2 (does not count as DC). (10)

Round 2: 2 DC in CH stitch. 2 DC in each of the next 8 stitches. 4 DC in the last stitch. SL to join, Ch 2. (22)

Round 3: 2 DC in CH stitch. 2 DC in each stitch around. SL to join, Ch 2. (44)

Rounds 4-8: DC in CH Stitch. DC in each stitch around. SL to join, Ch 2. (44)

Round 9: DC in CH stitch. DC in the next 3 stitches, Dec. *DC in next 4 stitches, Dec.* Repeat * to * 5 more times. 1 Dec. SL to join, Ch 2. (36)

Round 10: DC in CH stitch. DC in next 3 stitches, Dec. *DC in next 4 stitches, Dec.* Repeat * to * all the way around. SL to join, Ch 2. (30)

Round 11: DC in CH stitch. DC in each stitch around. SL to join, Ch 2. (30) Fasten off, leaving roughly 18 inches for stitching.

Finishing: Using the fastened-off end, whip stitch 2/3 of the way across the opening.

Stuff the body, adding more stuffing at one point to make the head higher. Close the opening with whip stitches. Tie off and weave in the end.

Mother Hen’s Beak:

The beak is done with the mustard color.

Work a strand of yarn (approx. 8 inches) through and around a stitch in the 3rd round down, from the tip of the tallest whip-stitched end.

Work the yarn around and around that stitch, tying off the ends. Poke ends into the body and twist the beak, hiding the knot inside.

Mother Hen’s Comb:

The comb is done with the red yarn.

Row 1: CH 6. Turn.

Row 2: SC, DC in next stitch from hook. CH 2, connect to next stitch with SL. SC, 2 DC in next stitch. CH 2, connect to next stitch with SL. SC, DC, CH 2, SL in last stitch. Fasten off, leaving several inches for stitching the comb to the body.

Sew the comb to the body at the tip of the head, keeping the comb sewn-in across the first 4 whip stitches of the head.

Fasten off, weave in the ends.

Mother Hen’s Eyes:

You’ll need 2 buttons or safety eyes for this step.

Attach the eyes using a sewing needle and thread – 1 eye on each side of the head, towards the front of the face.

Always be mindful of the fact that small pieces can detach from the finished product with regular use. Small pieces can be harmful to children, so be sure to send that warning on to any recipient of this super cute Mother Hen.

The Finished Product

There, that wasn’t so bad, was it? In about an hour, you’ve got yourself a pretty little hen to add to your farmhouse decor or wrap up as a last-minute gift for a little one in your life. The best part…it’s a keepsake that will last the test of toddlerhood! Go ahead and play with this mother hen, sleep with her, snuggle away…she’s pretty sturdy and super easy to replace if Fido gets ahold of her.

Be sure to send me pics of your finished product – I love seeing my designs in other colors, too!

Happy crocheting!