... don't fly away

 - it's one of those strange conundrums in life and a little paradoxical - you nurture, care and - to be analogical - give them wings. You want them to grow, be successful - leave home/ fly the nest but stay with you forever... there is no answer, you've just got to/ I've just got to go with it I guess...
Here's a link to this free 'flying away' pattern - but with a difference - for the wings I used Tyvek - a plant/ fibre based 'paper' although not a paper - but a fabric - it cuts like paper but you can wash it and try as you might - will NOT rip - anyhow - perfect for these little wings...
And the yarn - I used Scheepjes Bonbon crochet cotton on 2.25mm needles which I bought from Loop - I love them - (the yarn, the birds and my children)

Cheap sheep

 - well FREE actually... and a little Spring project for you
P.S I send out a free pattern every month via email - it also appears free for a day on Ravelry and in my Instagram feed - if you'd like to receive one in your inbox first Friday of each month then please feel free to subscribe to my free newsletter (link)
Please find the pattern for this sheepish character in full, written below... baa, baa (not blah, blah!)

SHEEP by Claire Garland ©­­­       
FINISHED SIZE Approx. 26cm/ 10” in height
YARN 1 x 150g/ 90 yards Super Bulky yarn I used Cloudborn Highland Roving
NEEDLES Pair 7mm knitting needles
EXTRAS Toy filling and some sort of ballast (I used a beach pebble) – for the weighted base
Abbreviations at end of pattern

Special instruction - LS - Loop stitch
*Insert RH needle into next st as if to knit, yarn around back (as knit), pul yarn through (as knit) but don’t complete the stitch, i.e don’t take the stitch off the LH needle - instead bring working yarn to the front in between the stitch/ the two needles, wrap the working yarn around your LH thumb from left to right to create a loop then back through the needles/ in between the stitch. Insert the tip of the LH needle k-wise into the stitch on the RH needle, slip the stitch onto the LH needle, then with yarn at the back, knit the two first stitches on the LH needle together through the back of the stitches to lock the loop in place* 1 x  Loop Stitch completed.
Rep from * to * as per loop stitches needed

There is an excellent video on how to do this here - youtu.be/U1RBaqgLD5U - How to Knit Loopy Stitch - The Easy Way, Tutorial by Jessica Joy


Beginning at the nose
Cast on 5sts
Row 1 inc) K2, kfb, k2 - 8sts
Row 2 inc) K2, kfb twice, k2 - 8sts
Row 3 inc) K3, kfb twice, k3 - 10sts
Row 4 K
Row 5 inc) K4, kfb twice, k to the end - 12sts
Row 6 K
Row 7 inc) K5, kfb twice, k to the end - 14sts
Row 8 K
Row 9 inc) K1, kfb, k4, kfb twice, k to the last 2 sts, kfb, k1 - 18sts
Row 10 K
Row 11 inc) K1, kfb, k6, kfb twice, k to the last 2 sts, kfb, k1 - 22sts
Row 12 inc) K9, kfb, k2, kfb, k to the end - 24sts
       ... add fleece effect to the top of the head
Row 13 RS) K7, ML 10 times, k to end
Row 14 K
Row 15 K6, ML 12 times, k to end
Row 16 K
Row 17 inc) K3, kfb, k1, ML 14 times, k1, kfb, k to the end - 26sts

       ... short rows to shape head back
Short row 1 WS) K25, bring yarn to the front of the work, slip next st purl-wise onto the right hand needle, take working yarn to the back, slip the slipped stitch back onto the left hand needle, turn the knitting, take working yarn to the back ready for knitting = W+T (wrap and turn)
Short row 2 K4, ML 16 times, k4, W+T
Short row 3 K23, W+T
Short row 4 K2, ML 18 times, k2, W+T
End short row K24 sts to the end of the row

Row 18 inc) K1, kfb, ML 22 times, kfb, k1 - 28sts
Row 19 K
Row 20 ML 28 times
Rows 21 - 24 Rep last 2 rows until you have reached the size you’d like.
Cast off in rib leaving a long tail end for sewing the seam.

EARS make 2 alike
Cast on 8sts
Row 1 dec) K2 tog, k to end - 7sts
Row 2 dec) K to last 2 sts, k2 tog - 6sts
Cut yarn, thread end through all remaining sts and use both tail ends to sew onto the side of the head.

TO MAKE UP
Have the row ends adjacent and work mattress stitch from the cast off edge up to the cast on edge.
Stuff the sheep inserting the ballast at the base.
Mattress sew the cast on edge to close
Sew the cast on edge of the ears to each side of the head.

Abbreviations:
          K = knit   P = purl
          inc = increase   dec = decrease
          K2 tog = knit two together
                          Rep = repeat  
          RS = right side
                          SKPO = slip, knit, pass slipped stitch over the knitted stitch
                          St/ Sts = stitch/ stitches
                          Kfb = knit into front then into back of stitch to increase 1 stitch

May's #freebeefridayknits

... it's splishy and splashy and very cuddly
... and not only that it's FREE for 24 hours here - its also very straight forward to knit...
However - if you're reading this a few day away as I write - in other words missed its 'free ness' - then don't miss out ever again and sign up here - I'll only send out a newsletter a month with your free pattern attached and a link to its Ravelry page - http://www.instagram.com/dotpebbles/