How to Crochet a Bird's Nest
Crochet Nest Instructions
Materials: 6mm US H-8 hook. Worsted Weight (4) yarn.
Use two strands of yarn and tight tension to create a rigid nest. The nest needs to sit up on its own and support a small bird on the edge. Crochet tightly to prevent holes or gaps where claws can get caught.
Abbreviations: ch = chain, sc = single crochet, sl st = slip stitch, st(s) = stitch(es), r = round(s), ( ) = work these instructions the number of times specified.
We start with a small nest and build larger nests from there. Each larger nest uses the instructions from a smaller nest.
3 inch nest
R 1: Ch 1. 6 sc in first chain. Alternatively, you may use a magic loop or ring to start the circle. Instructions can be found on the Internet.
Join with slip st to first sc. This allows you to tighten and make the hole as small as possible.
R 2: Ch 1. 2 sc in each sc around. Join with sl st to first sc.—12 sc.
R 3: Ch 1. (2 sc in next sc. 1 sc in next sc) 6 times. Join with sl st to first sc.—18 sc.
R 4: Ch 1. (2 sc in next sc. 1 sc in each of next 2 sc) 6 times. Join with sl st to first sc.—24 sc.
R 5: Ch 1. (2 sc in next sc. 1 sc in each of next 3 sc) 6 times. Join with sl st to first sc.—30 sc.
R 6: Ch 1. (2 sc in next sc. 1 sc in each of next 4 sc) 6 times. Join with sl st to first sc.—36 sc.
Continue working rows even. Ch 1, then 1 sc in each sc, joining with sl st to first sc on each row. After a few rows, make certain the nest sits flat. Continue until the nest is 3” deep. Tie off.
4 inch nest
For this nest and each larger nest, we start with the instructions from the 3 inch nest; make a larger circle for the bottom, and deeper sides.
R 1-6: use instructions from the 3 inch pattern.
R 7: Ch 1. (2 sc in next sc. 1 sc in each of next 5 sc) 6 times. Join with sl st to first sc.—42 sc.
R 8: Ch 1. (2 sc in next sc. 1 sc in each of next 6 sc) 6 times. Join with sl st to first sc.—48 sc.
Continue working rows even. Ch 1, then 1 sc in each sc, joining with sl st to first sc on each row, until the nest is 4” deep. Tie off.
5 inch nest
R 1-8: use instructions from the 4 inch pattern.
R 9: Ch 1. (2 sc in next sc. 1 sc in each of next 7 sc) 6 times. Join with sl st to first sc.—54 sc.
R 10: Ch 1. (2 sc in next sc. 1 sc in each of next 8 sc) 6 times. Join with sl st to first sc.—60 sc.
Continue working rows even. Ch 1, then 1 sc in each sc, joining with sl st to first sc on each row, until the nest is 4” deep. Tie off.
6 inch nest
R 1-10: use instructions from the 5 inch pattern.
R 11: Ch 1. (2 sc in next sc. 1 sc in each of next 9 sc) 6 times. Join with sl st to first sc.—66 sc.
R 12: Ch 1. (2 sc in next sc. 1 sc in each of next 10 sc) 6 times. Join with sl st to first sc.—72 sc. Continue working rows even. Ch 1, then 1 sc in each sc, joining with sl st to first sc on each row, until the nest is 5” deep. Tie off.
7 inch nest
R 1-12: use instructions from the 6 inch pattern.
R 13: Ch 1. (2 sc in next sc. 1 sc in each of next 11 sc) 6 times. Join with sl st to first sc.—78 sc.
R 14: Ch 1. (2 sc in next sc. 1 sc in each of next 12 sc) 6 times. Join with sl st to first sc.—84 sc.
Continue working rows even. Ch 1, then 1 sc in each sc, joining with sl st to first sc on each row, until the nest is 5” deep. Tie off.
Materials: 6mm US H-8 hook. Worsted Weight (4) yarn.
Use two strands of yarn and tight tension to create a rigid nest. The nest needs to sit up on its own and support a small bird on the edge. Crochet tightly to prevent holes or gaps where claws can get caught.
Abbreviations: ch = chain, sc = single crochet, sl st = slip stitch, st(s) = stitch(es), r = round(s), ( ) = work these instructions the number of times specified.
We start with a small nest and build larger nests from there. Each larger nest uses the instructions from a smaller nest.
3 inch nest
R 1: Ch 1. 6 sc in first chain. Alternatively, you may use a magic loop or ring to start the circle. Instructions can be found on the Internet.
Join with slip st to first sc. This allows you to tighten and make the hole as small as possible.
R 2: Ch 1. 2 sc in each sc around. Join with sl st to first sc.—12 sc.
R 3: Ch 1. (2 sc in next sc. 1 sc in next sc) 6 times. Join with sl st to first sc.—18 sc.
R 4: Ch 1. (2 sc in next sc. 1 sc in each of next 2 sc) 6 times. Join with sl st to first sc.—24 sc.
R 5: Ch 1. (2 sc in next sc. 1 sc in each of next 3 sc) 6 times. Join with sl st to first sc.—30 sc.
R 6: Ch 1. (2 sc in next sc. 1 sc in each of next 4 sc) 6 times. Join with sl st to first sc.—36 sc.
Continue working rows even. Ch 1, then 1 sc in each sc, joining with sl st to first sc on each row. After a few rows, make certain the nest sits flat. Continue until the nest is 3” deep. Tie off.
4 inch nest
For this nest and each larger nest, we start with the instructions from the 3 inch nest; make a larger circle for the bottom, and deeper sides.
R 1-6: use instructions from the 3 inch pattern.
R 7: Ch 1. (2 sc in next sc. 1 sc in each of next 5 sc) 6 times. Join with sl st to first sc.—42 sc.
R 8: Ch 1. (2 sc in next sc. 1 sc in each of next 6 sc) 6 times. Join with sl st to first sc.—48 sc.
Continue working rows even. Ch 1, then 1 sc in each sc, joining with sl st to first sc on each row, until the nest is 4” deep. Tie off.
5 inch nest
R 1-8: use instructions from the 4 inch pattern.
R 9: Ch 1. (2 sc in next sc. 1 sc in each of next 7 sc) 6 times. Join with sl st to first sc.—54 sc.
R 10: Ch 1. (2 sc in next sc. 1 sc in each of next 8 sc) 6 times. Join with sl st to first sc.—60 sc.
Continue working rows even. Ch 1, then 1 sc in each sc, joining with sl st to first sc on each row, until the nest is 4” deep. Tie off.
6 inch nest
R 1-10: use instructions from the 5 inch pattern.
R 11: Ch 1. (2 sc in next sc. 1 sc in each of next 9 sc) 6 times. Join with sl st to first sc.—66 sc.
R 12: Ch 1. (2 sc in next sc. 1 sc in each of next 10 sc) 6 times. Join with sl st to first sc.—72 sc. Continue working rows even. Ch 1, then 1 sc in each sc, joining with sl st to first sc on each row, until the nest is 5” deep. Tie off.
7 inch nest
R 1-12: use instructions from the 6 inch pattern.
R 13: Ch 1. (2 sc in next sc. 1 sc in each of next 11 sc) 6 times. Join with sl st to first sc.—78 sc.
R 14: Ch 1. (2 sc in next sc. 1 sc in each of next 12 sc) 6 times. Join with sl st to first sc.—84 sc.
Continue working rows even. Ch 1, then 1 sc in each sc, joining with sl st to first sc on each row, until the nest is 5” deep. Tie off.