From crochet.about.com - Cardinal Bird Ornament and Pillow
An original, designed by Sandi Marshall
You can work the chart either of two ways:
Crochet The Colors In As You Go
Cross-stitch the Design on a Crocheted Background
A few suggestions for ways to use this chart:
Ornament
Gauge is not important for this project. Just to give you an idea
of approximate finished size:
Size 10 crochet thread with a size 8 steel hook will make an ornament
about 3 inches wide.
To make a cardinal ornament, crochet two pieces (for a front and a back).
The chart is 30 stitches across and 30 rows high.
To make an extra stitch on each side
of the design, make a starting chain of 33 chains (for 32 single crochet).
If crocheting a background in afghan stitch, starting chain is 32 chains
(there is no turning chain in afghan stitch).
Crochet 32 rows.
When crocheting the colors in, as you go, or when
cross-stitching the design on the finished crocheted background, begin
to add colors from the chart at the second row and begin on
the second stitch in, so that you will have a plain border one stitch wide all the
way around the cardinal design. When cross-stitching is completed, place
the two pieces, wrong side together and work a round of single crochet
around three sides, working through both thicknesses, to join the two
pieces. Do not end off. Stuff lightly. Now crochet across the
fourth side to close. End off. Weave in ends. Sew a loop of ribbon to the
center of the top, to use for hanging.
Pillow
Crochet two pieces in the yarn weight of your choice.
Follow same directions as for the ornament but
stuff firmly, instead of lightly or stuff with a pillow form
(also, omit the loop of ribbon
at the end of the directions).
Afghan Square
Crochet with the yarn weight of your choice. Work one round of
single crochet around the outside edges of the finished piece,
working (sc, ch 1, sc) in each corner.
These instructions
copyright 
2000 Sandi Marshall. Free
for your own personal use only.
You may print out this page and chart for your own personal use (not for profit) only. Please do not copy further, post anywhere on the Internet or otherwise redistribute the contents of this page (this includes the chart), as you would be taking traffic away from my site by doing so. If others would like to have the instructions, please give them the URL of the main page for this pattern or the Free Charts Index page URL (listed on the chart), so that they may come here for themselves. This will make a difference in my continuing to create new patterns and charts and posting them as free patterns on the Internet. Main page for this pattern is http://crochet.about.com/library/weekly/aa120100.htm Thank you. Copyright FAQ
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