Difficulty Rating -

Inspired by the Christmas Carroll 'The Twelve days of Christmas', this easy knitting pattern shows you how to make a Three French Hens tea cosy.

Don't be fooled into thinking this tea cosy must be difficult to make, because it is really very quick and easy with minimal shaping.

To make the three French hens, tea cosy you will need...
5.5 mm, UK size 5 or US size 9 knitting needles,
3.25 mm, UK size 10 or US size 4 knitting needles,
50g White double knitting wool,
50g Lemon double knitting wool,
25g Dark Brown double knitting wool
25g Red double knitting wool
Other oddments of hen coloured double knitting wool and scraps of felt for the beak.

Knit the Front and Back of the tea cosy to match.
Using the white wool and the lemon wool as double thickness yarn and size 5 knitting needles, cast on 28 stitches and work 38 rows in straight garter stitch (Knit each row)

Leave the stitches on a spare needle until later.

Shaping the top...
Using white and lemon wool as a double yarn proceed to knit across the tea cosy front and then tea cosy back as follows...

Shaping the top Row 1: *K5, K2 tog* repeat to end

Next and every alternate row Knit.

Row 3: *K4, K2 tog* repeat to end.
Row 5: *K3, K2 tog* repeat to end.
Row 7: *K2, K2 tog* repeat to end.
Row 9: *K1, K2 tog* repeat to end.
Row 11: *K2 tog* repeat to end.

Thread the end of the yarn through the remaining stitches and through the loop of the yarn itself and draw up the knitting tightly and Finnish off.

With the front and back right sides together, sew about 9.5cm from the finishing off point down the side seam towards the cast on edge.

At the bottom of each side seam, sew about 3cm upwards. The holes are left for the teapot handle and spout.

Knitting the hens...
Using a hen coloured double knitting wool and with size 10 needles, cast on 16 stitches and work 16 rows in stocking stitch (knit a row, purl a row)

Cast off.

To make up the hen...
Fold the square of knitting in half diagonally (with the right sides of the work facing) to form a triangle. Sew along one edge, turn and stuff lightly and neatly over-sew up the opening. With the thread still attached, sew small running stitches half way along the folded side of the triangle. Then insert the needle into the middle of this side and come out at the opposite corner, passing the yarn through on the inside of the hen. Draw up the stitching tightly to the hen's tail and head a bird like shape, and finish off.

The Hen's Comb (The red crest on the top of its head)...

With red double knitting wool and sized 10 knitting needles, cast on 7 stitches.

Row 1: Knit
Row 2: K1 *Bring the wool round the needle to the front of the work and K2 tog* repeat to end.
Row 3: Purl
Cast off.

To make up the Comb...
Fold the red knitting in half so that the holes form a little scallop edging. Over-sew the long straight edges together and sew into position on the hen's head.

Finishing off...
Finish off the hen by sewing an eye on either side of its head in dark brown wool. Cut a diamond shape from black felt, fold in half to create a triangle and sew into place. With red wool sew a couple of loops just below the beck for the hen's wattles.

Make three hens in this way for the top of the tea cosy.

The Nest...
Using dark brown knitting wool and size 5 knitting needles cast on 60 stitches and then cast off.

Sew this long length of knitting to the tea cosy to form four loops, a bit like a flower. These loops make the hen's nest.

Sew the three hens into position on the nest at the top of the tea cosy.