Cluck-over! (free crochet pattern)

As you all know, I just LOVE chickens!!!! I use any excuse, to crochet one! But speaking seriously, battery farming, is subject which breaks my heart.
These poor, beautiful, and above all, intelligent creatures, are kept in absolutely VILE conditions. If dogs or cats were subject to the same torture, there would be a global out-cry. But, because these amazing, unique ladies, provide us with cheap eggs, a blind eye is turned.
After a short and brutal life, confined in a tiny metal cage (they never see/feel sunshine or daylight, or ground beneath their poor crippled feet) they are sold for a pittance, to the meat market, for mass slaughter.
A few of the lucky ones, get saved, by chicken charities, and are re-homed. These ladies are in dire condition. Most are almost, if not totally featherless.
My little cluck-over is a crochet woolly top, which a hen can wear, while she is waiting to re-grow her feathers.

As I'm not blessed with any live chickens, my little artificial Frizzle has agreed to model the cluck-over, for me!

Henrietta, looking lovely!

                                                                         

Please note, diagram is not to scale.

Pattern notes:
This pattern is graded as easy, but some prior knowledge of crochet, and crochet stitches is required.
The garment is worked from the neck down, and consists of two identical pieces, sewn together, at the "shoulders".

Some stitches are skipped. in the centre, to create the neck hole. The sides are left open, to accommodate the wings.
It is secured at the base (on each side) with a button. The pattern is written in British crochet terminology. The turning chain counts as a stitch.

Abbreviations:
ch: chain
t-ch: turning ch
st: stitch
dc: double crochet
tr: treble crochet
hk: hook
slst: slip stitch
RS: right side
WS: wrong side


Materials:
DK yarn (100 gm ball should make 3 to 4 garments) you may use yarn oddments, crocheted together. The possibilities/variations are endless!

Notions:
2 buttons
Tapestry needle /bodkin
4.5 mm hk (feel free to use any size hook, which you would use with DK weight yarn, for me, it is 4.5mm)
Tape measure
Scissors


Pattern starts: (make 2)

Row 1: RS With DK yarn, and 4.5mm hk/hk of your choice, 22ch, tr in 4th ch from hk, tr in each ch to end. Turn (20tr)
Row 2:WS 3ch, 2tr in next st, tr in each st, till last 2sts, 2 tr in next st, tr in top of t-ch. Turn (22tr)
Row 3: 3ch, tr in each st to end. Turn.
Repeat rows 2 & 3, 5 times ( 13 rows in total, including row 1)
Rows 14-16 : Repeat row 3.

At the end of the last row, 4ch, slst to base of last st on this row . Button loop created.  Fasten off. Cut yarn.
On opposite side, attach yarn with slst, at base of 1st on this row, 4ch, slst to top of this st. Button loop created. Fasten off. Cut yarn.

Turn the piece, so that the top (5" end) is facing you. Attach yarn with slst, in 1st st,  dc in same st, dc  in each of next 4sts (5dc). Cut yarn. Skip 10 sts. Attach yarn with slst in next st, dc in same st, dc in each of next 4sts. Fasten off.


With RS facing inwards (not strictly necessary!) place both pieces together, matching up the corners at the top, sew inwards, across 5dc , skip 10 sts for neck, sew across last 5dc.

Designate one side as the "front". Sew a button on each end of the "back". Be sure, to use a button, which fits the loop, snugly, otherwise, it will come undone.

I hope you enjoy using this pattern, and that, the hens wearing their little cluck-overs, are nice and snug :) xxxxx

P.S. I would really appreciate any feedback, good or bad, about this pattern. So, please leave a comment. Also, I would love to see pics of your ladies modelling their garments! Please feel free to send your pics to me at
woolly77@gmail.com

A lovely website, with gorgeous chicken art items for sale www.janegrayartist.co.uk