This is one of a set of Canberran parrot Christmas decorations I made for my brother’s family (galah, gang-gang cockatoo, sulphur-crested cockatoo, king parrot and rainbow lorikeet).

This pattern uses a 2.5 mm hook and blue, light green, green, orange and yellow 8 ply wool. You also need red 4 ply (I didn’t have any 4 ply so I just separated some 8 ply out, the point is it should be a bit thinner than 8 ply). The finished rainbow lorikeet is about 10 cm tall, including the tail. You can add a wool hanger to make it into a Christmas decoration. The pattern is written in American crochet notation.

 

Head

With blue wool

Round 1: 6sc in a magic ring (6 stitches)

Round 2: increase in every stitch (12 stitches)

Round 3: sc in the first stitch, increase in the next stitch – repeat (18 stitches)

Round 4: sc in each stitch (18 stitches)

Round 5: sc in the first stitch, decrease the next two stitches together – repeat (12 stitches) (4 blue, 4 light green, 4 blue – the light green is the back of the head)

Round 6: decrease around (6 stitches) (2 blue, 2 light green, 2 blue)

 

Body

Round 7: increase in each stitch (12 stitches) (4 orange, 4 green, 4 orange – the green is the back)

Round 8: sc in the first stitch, increase in the next stitch – repeat (18 stitches) (6 orange, 6 green, 6 orange)

Round 9: sc in the first two stitches, increase in the next stitch – repeat (24 stitches) (6 orange, 12 green, 6 orange)

Round 10: sc in the first 9 stitches, increase in the next 6 stitches, sc in the final 9 stitches (30 stitches) (6 orange, 18 green, 6 orange)

Round 11: sc in each stitch (30 stitches) (6 orange, 18 green, 6 orange)

Round 12: sc in each stitch (30 stitches) (6 blue, 18 green, 6 blue)

Round 13: sc in each stitch (30 stitches) (6 blue, 18 green, 6 blue)

Round 14: (decrease two stitches together) x 3, sc in the next 18 stitches, (decrease two stitches together) x 3 (24 stitches) (3 blue, 18 green, 3 blue)

Round 15: (decrease two stitches together) x 3, sc in the next 12 stitches, (decrease two stitches together) x 3 (18 stitches) (1 blue, 16 green, 1 blue)

Round 16: (decrease two stitches together) x 3, sc in the next 6 stitches, (decrease two stitches together) x 3 (12 stitches) (1 blue, 10 green, 1 blue)

Stuff

Now with just green

Round 17: decrease until the hole closes.

Fasten off, weave in the end.

 

Wings (make two)

With green 8 ply wool

Round 1: 6sc in a magic ring (6 stitches)

Round 2: sc in each stitch (6 stitches) (half green, half orange)

Round 3: increase, sc 2, increase, sc 2 (8 stitches) (half green, half orange)

Round 4: increase, sc 3, increase, sc 3 (10 stitches) (half green, half orange)

Round 5: increase, sc 4, increase, sc 4 (12 stitches) (half green, half orange)

Round 6: increase, sc 5, increase, sc 5 (14 stitches) (half green, half orange)

Round 7: increase, sc 6, increase, sc 6 (16 stitches) (half green, half orange)

Rounds 8 – 9: sc in each stitch (16 stitches) (half green, half orange)

Round 10: decrease the first two stitches together, sc 4, (decrease two stitches together) x 2, sc 4, decrease the last two stitches together (12 stitches) (half green, half orange)

Round 11: decrease the first two stitches together, sc 2, (decrease two stitches together) x 2, sc 2, decrease the last two stitches together (8 stitches) (half green, half orange)

Round 12: decrease until the hole closes, don’t stuff, leave a long tail for sewing (half green, half orange)

 

Tail

With green 8 ply wool

Round 1: chain 7 (one of which is a turning chain), sc 5 along the chain, increase, (now change to yellow) then on the other side of the chain sc 4, increase

Rounds 2 – 4: sc in each stitch (one side green, one side yellow)

Round 5: decrease the first two stitches together, sc 4, decrease the next two stitches together, sc 4 (one side green, one side yellow)

Round 6: sc in each stitch (one side green, one side yellow)

Round 7: decrease the first two stitches together, sc 3, decrease the next two stitches together, sc 3 (one side green, one side yellow)

Round 8: sc in each stitch (one side green, one side yellow)

Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing.

 

Beak

With red 4 ply wool

Round 1: 4sc in a magic ring (4 stitches)

Round 2: decrease the first two stitches together, increase for the next two stitches (5 stitches)

Round 3: decrease the first two stitches together, increase for the next three stitches (7 stitches)

 

Assembly

Sew the wings and tail onto the body. Sew the eyes and beak onto the head. Sew a loop of wool for hanging onto the back.