sweater_chicken

You guys are fiends for animals in sweaters. You like penguins in sweaters. You like ponies in sweaters. To satisfy your insane critter-in-knitwear lust, we’re being forced to put sweaters on increasingly far-afield animals, like snakes and, now, chickens. So, HERE. HERE IS YOUR BLOOD SWEATER CHICKEN, YOU MONSTERS.

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This well-dressed hen resides at SASHA Farm Animal Sanctuary in Michigan, a refuge for abused and neglected farm animals. She was “baldish,” according to the farm, so knitter and farm fan Aletha Oberdier took it upon herself to make a nice snuggly jumper.

Even better, she provided a link to the chicken sweater pattern, designed by the U.K.’s Little Hen Rescue. So if you know a chicken with goosebumps, or you just want to provide a little warmth and comfort to rescued farm birds, get out your needles and let’s cover those chickens in sheep.

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Double knitting yarn (100g makes approximately 3 jumpers)

2 buttons or 10cm Velcro

1 pair of number 8 (4mm) knitting needles

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4mm crochet hook

Knitted in stocking stitch with garter stitch borders

Cast on 41 sts,

Work 4 rows K

Increase for tabs;

Cast on 10 sts at beginning of next row, k14, p to last 4 sts, k4.

Cast on 10 sts at beginning of next row, k14, p to last 14sts, k14.

Work buttonholes; (work these 2 rows straight if using Velcro).

(K2, yf k2tog) 3 times, work to end keeping edges in garter st.

Repeat this row for buttonholes on the other tab.

Cast off 10 sts at beginning of next row.

Next row – cast off 10 sts, k4, p2 tog, p to last 6 sts, p2tog, k4.

Dec 1 st at each end on every fol 6th row until 25 sts remain.

Divide for neck;

Work 11 sts, cast off 3, work to end – complete this half first.

1) k4, p to end

2) cast off 2, k to end

3) k4, p to end

4) k2tog, k to end

5) k4, p2tog, p to end

Work 4 rows straight

10) K to last 5 sts, inc in next st, k4.

11) K4, p to last st, inc in next st.

12) Cast on 2 sts, k to end, (11sts)

13) K4, p to end

14) K

Break yarn and rejoin to the other side of neck.

Work to match, reversing shaping’s and ending at winghole edge.

Next row – k, cast on 3, k across sts from other side of neck.

Next row , k4 inc in next st, p to last 5 sts, inc in next st, k4.

Inc 1 st at each end of every fol 6th row until there are 41 sts on the needle.

Work 6 rows straight.

Change to gst and knit 4 rows.

Cast off.

Sew on buttons or Velcro as desired.

Work double crochet around neck.