Busy Blue Tit - Chocolate Orange Cover

Busy Blue Tit Chocolate Orange Cover by Needles & Pins

Project Overview

The Busy Blue Tit Chocolate Orange Cover is a charming knitted toy designed by Needles & Pins. This fluffy blue tit figurine is crafted to snugly hug a Chocolate Orange, making it an ideal springtime gift. The finished cover measures 11cm and is knitted as one easy piece, combining decorative appeal with practical function as a chocolate holder.

What Is Being Made

This pattern creates a soft, plush blue tit bird cover that wraps around a Chocolate Orange treat. The design captures the distinctive appearance of a blue tit with its characteristic blue and yellow coloring, complete with detailed facial features. The toy functions both as a decorative knitted accessory and as a protective, huggable cover for the chocolate confection inside.

Knitting Techniques Used

• Color work: The pattern employs intarsia-style color changes, requiring knitters to twist yarn when changing colors to avoid creating holes in the finished fabric
• Increases: Strategic increases at the beginning and end of rows shape the blue tit's form
• Multi-strand knitting: Navy DK yarn is worked in double strands throughout to match the thickness of chunky fluffy yarns, demonstrating yarn weight adjustment techniques
• Stuffing and finishing: The piece is filled with toy stuffing or cotton wool to create a three-dimensional, huggable form

Stitches and Stitch Techniques

• Knit stitch: The primary stitch throughout the pattern
• Increases: Used to shape the toy's structure
• Color changes: Twisted yarn joins prevent holes when transitioning between blue, yellow, white, navy, grey, and black sections

Materials Required

This intermediate-level project uses chunky yarn as the primary material, combined with finer DK weight yarn for details:

• Needles: One pair of 5mm knitting needles
• Chunky fluffy yarn: Small amounts in blue (King Cole Cuddles Chunky in Icicle Sky), yellow (King Cole Cuddles Chunky in Sunshine), and white (King Cole Cuddles Chunky in White)
• DK weight yarn: Oddments in navy, grey, and black for facial features and details
• Filling: Toy stuffing or cotton wool for the head

Difficulty Level

Rated as intermediate, this pattern is suitable for knitters with some experience. The main challenges include managing color changes without creating holes and working with multiple yarn weights simultaneously. The single-piece construction simplifies assembly, making it more accessible than multi-part toy patterns.

Pattern Format

This is a downloadable PDF pattern from Needles & Pins, published in 2021 and available through Love Knitting. The format allows for immediate digital access to complete knitting instructions.