Mallard Duck Crochet Kit

About the design

A mallard has some of the best colors in the bird world, and this one keeps them all: a deep green head, a thin white collar, a brown chest and body, white wing patches and a yellow bill and feet. The body is one round piece, with the colors changing as you go, so the stripes line up on their own. The bill, wings, tail and feet are small pieces you sew on at the end.

The finished duck is about 2.4 in (6.2 cm) tall and 2.9 in (7.3 cm) wide, a chubby little bird that sits neatly on a shelf, a windowsill or a desk.

How amigurumi works

Amigurumi are small stuffed figures crocheted in the round. Each piece starts with a magic ring, a small adjustable loop, and grows in a spiral of single crochet stitches. Adding stitches, called increases, makes the piece wider; working two stitches together, a decrease, closes it again. Put a stitch marker in the first stitch of every round so you always know where a round begins, and count your stitches at the end of each one.

Most of the shaping happens on its own. Follow the stitch counts in the pattern and the ball, the body or the shell takes shape round by round. Stuff each piece firmly before you close it, then sew the parts together with the yarn needle.

Getting the stripes right

The white collar is only a round or two, so it is worth taking care. Change colors on the last step of the stitch before the new color, and leave a long enough tail to weave in later. Stuff the body as you go, before the opening gets too small, so the round shape stays even.

What is in the kit

• Yarn in green, brown, white and yellow
• A crochet hook
• A yarn needle
• Stitch markers
• Eyes
• Fiberfill stuffing
• Printed instructions
• A zip bag to keep it all together

How long it takes

Plan on about 2 to 4 hours. The body takes most of the time because of the color changes from green to white to brown; the bill, wings and feet are quick. If you have made a simple ball or a turtle before, you will be at the faster end.

Finishing your figure

When every part is done, pin the pieces in place before you sew, so you can check the look from every side. Sew them on with the yarn needle, then pass each yarn tail through the body a couple of times and trim it close, so the ends disappear inside. Fix the eyes the way the instructions show.

Delivery and returns

Delivery is $6.95, and free on orders from $49. The delivery estimate for your address shows on this page and at checkout. You can return the kit within 30 days of delivery; return shipping is yours unless it arrives faulty or wrong. See delivery and returns for the details, or compare the other crochet kits.