For the Birds

     Crocheted items are not just for people.  They can also be for the birds.  The South Jersey Crochet Guild recently received a huge amount of donated cotton yarn.  Cotton yarn doesn't lend itself to our usual projects - baby items, hats and scarves, and afghans.  It's great for making dish cloths or wash cloths (and we are filling a request from a shelter for the homeless for wash cloths).
     As I said, we have "a huge amount" of cotton yarn.  We had to find something to make besides wash cloths.  A little googling reveled that wildlife refuges use crocheted nests to rehabilitate birds and other injured or abandoned animals.  Rescues will take cotton nests as an alternative to acrylic.  Yarn nests are soft.  They are superior to the plastic containers sometimes used as nests because animals that might flail around don't aggravate their injuries if they bump into the sides of a crocheted nest.  It's easy to toss cotton nests into the washing machine when they get dirty.  I found two rescues that are thrilled to receive our nests.
     There are free patterns online for bird nests.  Bev's Country Cottage (not me, another crafty Beverly) provides instructions for knitted, crocheted, and loom knitted versions.  Here's the link:

http://bevscountrycottage.com/nest.html

     I just can't resist the urge to tweek a pattern.  Here's my version:

Bird's Nest in Two Sizes

Small Nest

Use two strands of yarn. 

Keep your work tight so birdie toes do not get caught in the nest.

Use H hook 

Don't worry too much about the stitch count.  If, at the end of a round, you don't have exactly 12, 24, or 36 stitches, don't fret.  If you are short on stitches, just increase and go on.  There is no need to decrease if you have an extra stitch.  Being close to the stitch count will produce a nice nest.

R1 : 12 sc into a magic ring.  Join with sl st into the first st. (12 sc)  Pull the ring tightly closed.

R2 : Ch1, do not turn.  2 sc in all 12 sc below for total of 24sc.  Place marker.

NOTE: Do not turn and do not join rounds unless indicated.

R3 : Sc in each sc.  Place marker (24 sc). 

R4 : (2sc in next st, sc in next st) around.  Place marker (36 sc).  Nest bottom should be 3" - 3½" in diameter. 

Rds5-7 : Repeat R3 (36 sc) marking all rounds with the marker.

After R7, turn the nest inside-out.  It is easier to weave in and clip the beginning strands before turning the nest 

Continue making 4 more rounds using your marker or until the nest is 2½ to 3 inches deep.  You can finish off with an edge of slip stitching, but it is not necessary.  Clip yarn and weave ends.   

 For a larger nest: After R4 do another round of 2sc, 1sc to reach a total of 54 sc.  The bottom of the nest will be 4½" - 5" in diameter.  Repeat Rds5-7.  Turn nest inside-out.  Complete 5 rounds of 54sc.  Sides should be about 3" high.  This nest will benefit from a round of slip stitch at the rim to add stability.  Clip yarn and weave in ends.  

Birds don't care about the color.  Making these nests is a great way to use up all your scraps of yarn. 

The most used size has a 3.5 to 4.5 inch bottom diameter, but nests with a bottom diameter of up to 6.5 inches are useful.