African Grey Parrot Amigurumi

After I gave my friend the amigurumi raichu, another friend decided he wanted an amigurumi too.  We scoured Ravelry for something he might like, but couldn't find anything.  He has an African Grey parrot, so I decided to make one.  After looking around on Ravelry, no such parrot pattern exists.  The only patterns I found looked way too cartoony, so I decided to make my own.  That was at the end of June.  It took me six months, lots of iterations, and lots of "frustration breaks" to finish this bird.  I'm happy to announce she is complete and I'm going to share my first ever crochet pattern so others can make less cartoony parrots.  Here she is:

You Need:

• Size G crochet hook
• Yarn needle
• Worsted weight yarns in:
• Gray  (I used Vanna's Choice in silver grey)
• White  (I used Red Heart Super Saver)
• Red  (I used Vanna's Choice in scarlet)
• Black  (I used Vanna's Choice)
• Black eyes (I think they're called shank back eyes)
• Stuffing
• Craft wire  (I used Darice black colored copper wire in 16 gauge)
• Black or gray pipe cleaner

This is my first pattern and I admit that it doesn't follow correct crochet practices(I'm learning, though!).  I couldn't stand the thought of having a seam down the back(even though I now realize it would be covered by the wings) so the increases and decreases are kind of random, but I did my best to make it look mostly even.  I hope this turns out readable to anyone who wants to make one.  If not, please let me know and I'll do my best to decipher.

Please note:  This pattern is my original design and is meant for personal use only.  Feel free to print a copy for yourself to use and to give a parrot you crocheted as a gift.  Please do not reproduce or sell my pattern, sell a parrot made from my design, or otherwise try to claim this design as your own.

Body(beginning with the rear end)
Using gray yarn:

1. Ch11, sc across starting in 2nd ch from hook (10)
    continue to sc across other side of original chain(see photo above for help) (10)(total 20 in round)
2 – 4. Sc around (20)
5. Sc in first 12 sc, 2sc in next sc, sc in next 5 sc, 2sc in next sc, sc in last sc (22)
6. Sc in first 13 sc, 2sc in next sc, sc in next 6 sc, 2sc in next sc, sc in last sc (24)
7. Sc in first 14 sc, 2sc in next sc, sc in next 2 sc, 2sc in each of the next 2 sc, sc in next 2sc, 2sc in next sc, sc in last 2 sc (28)
8. Sc around (28)
9. Sc in first 15 sc, hdc in next sc, dc in next 8 sc, hdc in next sc, sc in last 3 sc (28)
10. Sc around (28)
11. Sc in first 16 sc, hdc in next sc, dc in next 3 sc, 2dc in each of the next 2 sc, dc in next 3 sc, hdc in next sc, sc in last 2 sc (30)
12. Sc around (30)
13. Sc in first 16 sc, hdc in next sc, 2dc in next sc, dc in next 8sc, 2dc in next sc, hdc in next sc , sc in last 2 sc (32)
14. Sc around (32)
15. Sc in first 16 sc, hdc in next sc, dc in next 4 sc, 2dc in next sc, dc in next 3 sc, 2dc in next sc, dc in next 4 sc, hdc in next sc, sc in last sc (34)
16. Sc around (34)
17. Sc in first 17 sc, hdc in next sc, dc in next 4 sc, 2dc in next sc, dc in next 5 sc, 2dc in next sc, dc in next 4 sc, hdc in last sc (36)
18. Sc around (36)
19. Sc in first 18 sc, hdc in next sc, dc in next 16 sc, hdc in last sc (36)
20. Sc around (36)
21. Sc in first 18 sc, hdc in next sc, dc in next 16 sc, hdc in last sc (36)
22. Sc around (36)
23. Sc in first 18 sc, hdc in next sc, dc in next 16sc, hdc in last sc (36)
24. Sc around (36)
25. Sc in first 18 sc, hdc in next sc, dc in next 16 sc, hdc in last sc (36)
26. Sc in first 17 sc, sc2tog, sc in next 15 dc, sc2tog (34)
27. Sc in first 23 sc, sc2tog, sc in next 3 sc, sc2tog, sc in last 4 sc (32)
28. Sc in first 22 sc, sc2tog in the next 4 sets of sc, sc in last 2 sc (28)
29. Sc2tog, sc in next 15 sc, sc2tog, hdc in next sc, dc in last 8 sc (26)
30. Hdc in first sc, sc the rest of the way around (26)
31 – 32. Sc around (26)
33. Sc in first 16 sc, sc2tog, sc in last 8 sc (25)
34. Sc in first sc, Sc2tog, sc the rest of the way around (24)
35. Sc in first 17 sc, switch to white, sc in last 7 sc (24)
36. Sc in first sc, switch to gray, sc in next 14 sc, switch to white, sc in last 9 sc (24)
37. Sc in first 3 sc, change to gray, sc in next 11 sc, switch to white, sc in last 10 sc (24)
38. Sc in first 4 sc, switch to gray, sc in next 10 sc, switch to white, sc in last 10 sc (24)
39. Sc in first 4 sc, switch to gray, sc in next 10 sc, switch to white, sc in last 10 sc (24)
40. Sc in first 4 sc, switch to gray, sc in next 12 sc, switch to white, sc in next 8 sc (24)
41. Sc in first 3sc, switch to gray, sc in last 21 sc (24)
42. Sc in first 4 sc, sc2tog, sc in next 2 sc, sc2tog in next 2 sets of sc, sc in next 2 sc, sc2tog, sc in last 8 sc (20)
43. Sc in first 3 sc, sc2tog, sc, sc2tog in next 2 sets of sc, sc, sc2tog, sc in last 7 sc (16)
44. *Sc2tog, sc in next 2 sc, repeat from * a total of 4 times (12)
45. *Sc, sc2tog, repeat from * a total of 4 times (8)
FO
Note:  Begin stuffing body as you go along because it will be difficult to stuff if you wait until you get to the top of the head.  Also, insert eyes into the appropriate place in the white part of the face before finishing stuffing and finishing off.

Wings(make 4)
Using gray yarn:

1. Ch8, sc 7 starting in 2nd ch from hook, ch1, turn (7)
2. 2sc in first sc, sc in in next 5 sc, 2sc in last sc, ch1, turn (9)
3. 2sc in first sc, sc in next 7 sc, 2sc in last sc, ch1, turn (11)
4. Sc across, ch1, turn (11)
5. 2sc in first sc, sc in next 9 sc, 2 sc in last sc, ch1, turn (13)
6 – 14. Sc across, ch1, turn (13)
15. Sc in first 11 sc, sc2tog, ch1, turn (12)
16 – 18. Sc across, ch1, turn (12)
19. Sc in first 10 sc, sc2tog, ch1, turn (11)
20 – 22. Sc across, ch1, turn (11)
23. Sc in first 9 sc, sc2tog, ch1, turn (10)
24 – 26. Sc across, ch1, turn (10)
27. Sc in first 8 sc, sc2tog, ch1, turn (9)
28. Sc across, ch1, turn (9)
29. Sc in first 7 sc, sc2tog, ch1, turn (8)
30. Sc across, ch1, turn (8)
31. Sc in first 6 sc, sc2tog, ch1, turn (7)
32. Sc in first 6 sc, 2sc in last sc, ch1, turn (8)
33. Sc in first 6 sc, sc2tog, ch1, turn (7)
34. Sc across, ch1, turn (7)
35. Sc in first 5 sc, sc2tog, ch1, turn (6)
36. Sc across, ch1, turn (6)
37. Sc in first 4sc, sc2tog, ch1, turn (5)
38. Sc across, ch1, turn (5)
39. Sc in first 3 sc, sc2tog, ch1, turn (4)
40. Sc across, ch1, turn (4)
41. Sc in first 2 sc, sc2tog, ch1, turn (3)
42. Sc in first 2 sc, 2sc in last sc, ch1, turn (4)
43. Sc in first 2 sc, sc2tog, ch1, turn (3)
44. Sc in first sc, sc2tog, ch1, turn (2)
45. Sc2tog (1)
FO

Tail(make 2)
Using red yarn:

1. Ch9, sc 8 across starting in 2nd ch from hook, ch1, turn (8)
2 – 15. Sc across, ch1, turn (8)
16. Sc2tog, sc in next 4 sc, sc2tog, ch1, turn (6)
17. Sc2tog, sc in next 2 sc, sc2tog, ch1, turn (4)
18. Sc2tog in next two sets of sc (2)
FO

Beak
Using black yarn:

1. Ch2, work 4sc in 2nd chain from hook (4)
2. Sc around (4)
3. Sc in first sc, 2sc in each of the next 2 sc, sc in last sc (6)
4. Sc in first sc, hdc in next sc, dc in each of the next 2 sc, hdc in next sc, sc in last sc (6)
5. Sc in first sc, 2hdc in next hdc, dc in each of the next 2 dc, 2hdc in next hdc, sc in the last sc (8)
6. Sc in the first 2 stitches, hdc in next stitch, dc in each of the next 2 stitches, hdc in next stitch, sc in the last 2 stitches (8)
7. Sc in the first 2 sc, 2hdc in next stitch, dc in each of the next 2 stitches, 2hdc in next stitch, sc in the last 2 sc (10)
8. Sc in each of the first 2 sc, hdc in next stitch, 2hdc in next stitch, dc in each of the next 2 stitches, 2hdc in next stitch, hdc in next stitch, sc in each of the last 2 sc (12)
FO

Assembly

• Sew two wing pieces together around the edges so you have a thicker wing.  Repeat on the other pair of wing pieces.
• Sew the two tail pieces together around the edge for to create a thicker tail.
• Sew the pieces to the body starting with the tail.  I recommend sewing the wings next and ending with sewing the beak to the white part of the face.
• For legs, I cut a long piece of craft wire(probably at least 2 feet long) and put it through the body where the legs should attach.  I bent each side into a leg shape and checked to see if it would stand.  I then sewed around the meeting of the wire and the body for stability.  To cover my poor bending job, I wrapped each leg with pipe cleaner.  I didn't take great pictures during this process, so you  may need to use your imagination a little.

Annnnd... you're done!  You should now have a finished African Grey parrot!  Please let me know if you try my pattern and how it comes out.  Again, this is all new to me so please be gentle. :)