Crocheted Love Birds

Love is in the air with these magical kissing love birds!  These adorable love birds are crocheted with magnets tucked inside to make them super smoochy.  You won't be able to stop playing with these darling birdies and testing their magnetic attractions.  The perfect gift for Valentine's Day, or any day you want to inspire your loved one to engage in some smooching too!

I followed this free pattern from Lion Brand, and used two different types of yarn and two different sizes of crochet hooks to create two differently-sized birds:

Lion Brand Wool Ease in Blush Heather
Crochet Hook - Size G-6 (smaller bird)

Lion Wool in Winter White
Crochet Hook - Size H-7 (larger bird)

Scraps of black yarn or 6mm Safety Eyes 

Large-Eye Blunt Needle

Split-ring stitch marker

Stuffing - I didn't have any batting on hand, so I used a cut-up old sock and t-shirt!

Magnets

This pattern from Lion Brand Yarn was simple to follow and crocheted up quickly.  Here it is directly:

STITCH EXPLANATION:

sc2tog (sc decrease) Insert hook into st and draw up a loop. Insert hook into next st and draw up a loop. Yarn over, draw through all 3 loops on hook.

NOTES:

Work in continuous rounds; do not join or turn unless otherwise instructed.

With either yarn, ch 2.
Rnd 1: Work 6 sc in first ch. Place marker in first st for beg of rnd; move marker up as each rnd is completed.
Rnd 2: 2 sc in each st around - 12 sts.
Rnd 3: *2 sc in next st, sc in next st; rep from * around - 18 sts.
Rnd 4: *2 sc in next st, sc in next 2 sts; rep from * around - 24 sts.
Rnd 5: *2 sc in next st, sc in next 3 sts; rep from * around - 30 sts.

Now you've made all of your initial increases and can work on the main body.

Rnds 6-15: Sc in each st around. Following package directions, attach safety eyes if using.  If not, wait until bird is finished to embroider eyes with black yarn.

Rnds 16 and 17: Sc2tog, sc in next 12 sts, 2 sc in next 2 sts, sc in next 12 sts, sc2tog - 30 sts.

Beg stuffing Head and Body firmly.  Again, I didn't have stuffing or batting, so I used a chopped up sock and bits of an old t-shirt.

Slide in magnet on side opposite stitch marker.

Next you're going to shape the tail!

Rnd 18: *Sc2tog, sc in next 3 sts; rep from * around - 24 sts.
Rnd 19: *Sc2tog, sc in next 2 sts; rep from * around - 18 sts.

Finish stuffing Head and Body.

Rnd 20: *Sc2tog, sc in next st; rep from * around - 12 sts.
Rnd 21: (Sc2tog) around - 6 sts. Fasten off.

Sew in Ends.

WINGS (make 2)

With A or B, ch 2.
Rnds 1-3: Work Rnds 1-3 of Body - 18 sts. Fasten off.

Fold Wings in half to form a semi-circle, sew closed. Sew Wings to Body.

Use another magnet to find where the inside magnet is.  This is where you'll make the beak!

With same color yarn as Wings, embroider a beak. Weave in ends.

With black yarn, embroider eyes using french knots (technique here).

Repeat with opposite colors.

*When you're putting in your second magnet, make sure the polarities face to attract, rather than repel the other bird!