Project Notes: Azure Modification for "Blue Tit" Knitted Bird by Lesley Stanfield


The first theme in the 2023 Creative Challenge (and the theme the sparked the whole idea of the challenge with The Savi Squirrel Nest) is "Birds." There are some incredible and also remarkably cute knitted bird patterns. I decided to make Lesley Stanfield's "Blue Tit" pattern, with color modifications closer to an azure tit bird, which looks wonderfully wintery.

When I read through notes from other knitters on Ravelry, there was a common word used to describe this project... fussy. From trying to decipher which way the head faces, to navigating the interesting one-piece structure, to juggling between straight and double pointed needles, it's understandable why. But like others shared, it is a brilliant pattern design and a lot of fun to see the bird come to life.

I want to share a few notes I wish I'd had when first making this, in hope that it will be helpful to other knitters embarking on this pattern for the first time. I've also included some notes on the color modifications I made in homage to azure tit birds.


The notes I wish I'd had:

For the head section, where it says "3rd row Slip first 2 sts of row on to spare yarn," I used a cable needle to slip off the stitches until they're picked up again. These stitches become the front "bib." In future, now that I'm more oriented in the pattern, I would have these stitches be white instead of black, which is more true to azure tit coloring. Oh well, still cute!

Also in the head section, where it says "4th row K9A, (k1, m1, k3, m1, k1)B, k9A. 25 sts," the color B should be C.


My color scheme for the azure tit:
A - white
B - white (cap) or dark blue
C - black
D - light purple, then switch to darker (back)
E - white (stomach)

I switched back to straight needles after using double pointed for the head. I did use double pointed again when picking up side stitches for the wings. I didn't use color D for the first row of the wings, just used color B.

I introduced the darker purple at row 20 of the back, then reintroduced white at row 24. I introduced the dark blue tail color at row 28 and kept white borders for the remaining rows and top of tail.



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