how to knit a duck for beginners

Knitting a simple duck is a fun project for beginners. Here’s a basic pattern to help you create a knitted duck:

Materials You’ll Need:

• Worsted-weight yellow yarn for the body
• Small amounts of orange and black yarn for the beak and eyes
• Knitting needles (size US 7 or 4.5 mm)
• Polyester fiberfill or stuffing
• Yarn needle for sewing and weaving in ends
• Scissors

Instructions:

Body:

1. Cast On:
   • Start by casting on stitches. You’ll cast on 14 stitches for the body.
2. Knit Rows:
   • Knit every row in the garter stitch pattern until your work measures approximately 5 inches (13 cm) in length. This will form the body of the duck.
3. Bind Off:
   • When your knitting reaches the desired length, bind off all stitches. Cut the yarn, leaving a tail of a few inches.
4. Head and Beak:
   • With the yellow yarn, cast on 8 stitches.
   • Knit every row in garter stitch for about 2 inches (5 cm). This forms the head.
   • Bind off all stitches, leaving a tail of yarn.
   • Use the same yarn tail to create a beak. Fold the head piece in half to form a triangle shape, with the cast-on edge as the base of the beak. Use the yarn tail to sew the sides of the triangle together, leaving a small opening at the tip for stuffing.
5. Eyes:
   • With black yarn, create two small French knots or use small pieces of black felt to make the eyes. Sew them onto the head.
6. Assembly:
   • Fold the body piece in half lengthwise, with the right sides facing each other. Sew the side seam, leaving an opening at the bottom for stuffing.
   • Stuff the body with polyester fiberfill to your desired level of plumpness.
   • Sew the bottom opening closed.
   • Attach the head to the top of the body, sewing it in place securely.
7. Wings (Optional):
   • With yellow yarn, cast on 6 stitches.
   • Knit every row in garter stitch for a few rows, creating a small rectangular piece.
   • Bind off all stitches, leaving a tail of yarn.
   • Fold the rectangle in half, and sew the sides together to create a wing shape.
   • Attach the wings to the sides of the body.
8. Finishing:
   • Weave in all loose ends securely.

And there you have it—a cute, knitted duck! Feel free to customize your duck by adding details like a ribbon around its neck or by using different colors of yarn for a unique look. This pattern is great for practicing basic knitting techniques and creating a charming little duck friend.