A lovely project for Christmas, this cheerful robin clip is quick to make, so why not make several for your holiday decorating?
10g dark brown merino roving
2 × size 40 triangular needles, for shaping
1–2 × size 42 triangular needles, for surface finishing
Small amounts of red, white and yellow roving
2 × 4mm black glass eyes or seed beads
4cm crocodile clip
Red thread
Finished size: 6cm from beak to tail
1 Take a length of dark brown roving measuring 20 × 4cm. Fold it over and pop a little ball of extra wool inside. Pull the outer wool around to enclose it.
2 Shape the body into a fat, curved teardrop using one or two size 40 needles.
3 Cover it with very thin layers of wool to tidy the surface. Where possible, make sure the covering fibres follow the same direction as the body fibres. The body should feel soft but firm when you squeeze it.
4 For its tummy, layer an oval bib of red wool to the front of the robin.
5 Add an edging of white wool around the back end of the red bib.
6 Sew in the eyes, using the sideways method. Then, with one size 42 needle and a scrap of yellow wool, add a beak (see here).
7 Make two tiny wings from equal-sized scraps of brown wool and add to each side of the body using one needle.
8 Sew the clip securely underneath (see here) and patch over it with scraps of red wool to hide the stitching and neaten the finish.