Crochet Rooster Egg Cozy

This design was shown to me by an older lady from former Yugoslavia. She was describing her family traditions and mentioned Easter Roosters she usually crochets for Easter. Naturally I got quite curious about those cute creations, and she kindly let me take a few photos of the little rooster she made.

Of course, she didn't have a pattern or at least notes on how to make it, she knew the pattern by heart and every Easter she would just "whip up" those adorable egg cozies for the whole family. To figure out how to make this rooster I had to spend some time looking at the photos I took, counting the stitches and trying to understand the techniques used in this project. After a few attempts, I made a rooster that is very similar to the original.

To make sure the pattern isn't lost, and the tradition to crochet egg cozies spread to other families, I made a detailed step-by-step tutorial. Here it is:

Step 1: Materials

Yarn - Knitca Cotton yarn in White, Crimson and two complementing colours of your choice. For the project shown in the tutorial, I used Eggplant and colour A and Lotus as colour B. You will also need a small piece of Saffron for the beak and a piece of Black for the rooster's eye.

Tools - 3mm crochet hook

Notions - sewing needle or a small wool needle for embroidery

Step 2:

We'll start with rooster's head: With white yarn make a magic ring and chain 3.

Step 3:

Round 1: Make 19 double crochet stitches into the ring

Step 4:

Close the ring and join the round with a slip stitch into the 3rd chain of chain 3.
Round 2: chain 1, make 1 single crochet into each double crochet of the previous round, join with a slip stitch into chain 1. Crochet the tail in as you go.

Step 5:

Round 3 (rooster's neck): chain 3, make 2 double crochets into same stitch, [3 double crochets into next stitch], work brackets 3 times = 12 stitches

Step 6:

Turn your work, and make 3 double crochets into the other side of same single crochet stitch from the previous round. To do that, insert the hook under one leg of the single crochet stitch. If it's hard to get into the stitch, use a wool needle to ease up the stitch before inserting the hook in it.

Step 7:

[Make 3 double crochets into the other side of next single crochet stitch from the previous round], work brackets 3 times = 12 stitches on this side of the rooster's neck and 24 stitches in the round.

Step 8:

Cut white yarn, and attach colour A by joining round 3 with a slip stitch into the 3rd chain of chain 3.

Step 9:

Round 4 (top part of the body): chain 1, then make 1 single crochet into each double crochet stitch of the previous round = 24 stitches. Crochet tails in as you go. Join with a slip stitch into chain 1.

Step 10:

Round 5: make a slip stitch into each of the next 7 stitches, chain 2, crochet 2 double crochets together, chain 2, crochet 4 double crochets together (these stitches should be at the center of the front), chain 2, crochet 2 double crochets together, chain 2, and make a slip stitch into each stitch to the end of the round.

Step 11:

Cut colour A yarn and attach colour B.
Round 6 (main part of the body worked in colour B): chain 3, make 2 double crochets in same space, [make 3 double crochets in 3rd stitch from the hook], work brackets twice, then make 3 double crochets in each space created by chain 2 in the previous round, then work brackets again 2 times. Crochet the tails in as you go. Join with a slip stitch into the 3rd chain of chain 3.

Step 12:

Round 7: chain 3, make 2 double crochets in same space, [make 3 double crochets into next space between groups of 3 double crochets of the previous round], repeat brackets to the end of the round. Join with a slip stitch into the 3rd chain of chain 3.

Step 13:

Round 8: chain 3, [make 3 double crochets into next space between groups of 3 double crochets of the previous round], work brackets 8 times, make 2 double crochets into next space, join with a slip stitch into the 3rd chain of chain 3.

Step 14:

Round 9: chain 3, make 2 double crochets in same space, [make 3 double crochets into next space between groups of 3 double crochets of the previous round], repeat brackets to the end of the round. Join with a slip stitch into the 3rd chain of chain 3.

Step 15:

Now let's make the tail. Lay the rooster flat on its side and with slip stitches move to the center of rooster's back (it would be some place between rounds 6 and 7).

Step 16:

Then chain 3

Step 17:

Row 10 (rooster's tail worked in colour B): make 10 double crochets into same space, join to rooster's neck (into the bottom of round 3) with a slip stitch.

Step 18:

Then chain 3 and join to the top of rooster's neck (between rounds 2 and 3) with a slip stitch. Turn your work.

Step 19:

Row 11: Make 2 double crochets into each double crochet of the previous row = 20 double crochets. Cut colour B, and attach crimson yarn by joining the tail to the bottom of rooster's body with a slip stitch. Turn your work.

Step 20:

Row 12 (worked in crimson): chain 1 [make a single crochet into next stitch, chain 3], repeat brackets to decorate the tail and the top of rooster's head. Stop when there are only 5 stitches left on the front part of rooster's face (I am not sure of a correct word to name a rooster's face, but I guess you understand what this pattern instruction means).

Step 21:

Make a slip stitch into the next stitch. Cut the yarn leaving a small tail. Pull the tail through the stitch on your hook and pull tight to secure.
Now let's make rooster's beak: attach saffron colour yarn to the center of rooster's face, chain 1, then make 1 double crochet into next stitch, cut and secure the yarn.

Step 22:

Thread a piece of black yarn into a sewing needle or a small wool needle, and embroider rooster's eye on top of the hole left when we closed magic ring after round 1. Then turn the rooster and make same embroidery on the other side of the magic ring hole.

Step 23:

Now weave in loose ends and enjoy your very own Rooster Egg Cozy.

Or make him a friend ...

Happy crocheting!