Charted Chicken Chart

Just a few weeks ago, I made and entered this chicken in a local knitted chicken contest at Renaissance Yarns, for LYS Tour 2009. Guess what? It won! All of the chickens were so wonderful, and I really had fun. Thanks to Renaissance Yarns and everyone who voted, and congrats to our local knitters for their beautiful entries.

(Update September 2009: it also won a ribbon at the Puyallup Fair!)

Blue Sky Alpacas “Knit Chickens” pattern by Susan B. Anderson, with chart modification by yours truly

Interestingly enough, the chicken has also become quite popular on Ravelry. As of this writing, its project page has had 2600 views and it’s been favorited 831 times. I’m a bit mystified, but I’m glad people like it. There has been some interest in the chart, so, as promised, I’m now making the chart available to the public.

Download the chart from Flickr

The chart is for personal use only. Please do not sell the chart or finished objects based on it.

Notes:

• This is the chart for my colorwork modification to the chicken body only. For the chicken pattern itself, you must purchase the printed Blue Sky Alpacas “Knit Chickens” pattern from a store. (Update: a PDF is now available for purchase at that link.)
• The chart is 105 stitches wide and 41 rows high, which will work with the small chicken in the Knit Chickens pattern, or any item of similar size.
• The chart assumes that the start of the round is in the back. If you do apply this to the chicken pattern, you’ll have to knit some extra stitches to move the start of the round to the back, then move it again to its original location when you get to the neck.
• The front and back center stitches are noted by green lines in the chart.
• If you are knitting this in the round (as you would for the chicken pattern), you can try some jogless joins in the back as you move to each new row. It won’t line up perfectly, but it should smooth it out. Can you find the heart?
• Some of the floats may be long, which can affect tension. You may have to experiment to keep them under control.

That’s it. If you have any questions, feel free to send them to me at ellemennop (at) live (dot) com. Enjoy!

Note to shop owners, teachers, knitalong organizers, and others:
If you want to use my chart for your activity, please do the following:

• First credit Susan B. Anderson for the Blue Sky Alpacas pattern, with instructions or suggestions about how to buy it.
• Then credit me, Michelle Mooney, for the charted colorwork, and link to this post to obtain the chart.
• If you use images, I prefer that you use a picture of your own charted chicken, and include a picture of a chicken from the base pattern (BSA stock photo, if permitted, or your own).
• If you want to use my photo, or distribute printed copies of my chart directly, please contact me at ellemennop (at) live (dot) com.
• Any of my photos must be credited to me, and the chart must remain as-is, with notices intact.

Thanks very much!

see this project on ravelry