Sparrow’s Nest

My love affair with spring is in full bloom this year and is evidenced here by this quick little knit. A fuzzy nest of pale blue eggs is exactly what spring is about, delicate beauty and budding life. Unlike all of our practical knitting concerns, like warm hats and machine washable baby blankets, this project is perfectly frivolous. Perched on a mantel or a windowsill, it will simply make you smile.

To achieve a nest-like fuzziness, I used Lorna’s Glory, a blend of wool and mohair. Its hand dyed color sways from a rosy copper to a greenish lichen, just like the wild medley of a real nest. For the eggs I used three different light weight yarns (Manos del Uruguay’s Serena, Blue Sky Alpaca’s Silk Alpaca, and The Fibre Company’s Canopy) in delicate shades of blue and teal.

Yarn lovers, if you adore the yarn used in this project, you’ll love exploring all of our other yarn collections! Discover over 45 thoughtfully designed yarns in nearly every natural fiber and in every spectacular color you can imagine. Only available here at Purl Soho’s online yarn store, where every skein is created with care and your creativity in mind!

Designed by Purl Soho designer, Whitney Van Nes.

Share your progress and connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho, #PurlSohoBusyHands, and #PurlSohoSparrowsNest. We can’t wait to see what you make!

The Materials

Nest

• 1 skein of Lorna’s Glory, a Mohair/Wool blend. I used the color “Chino”. (You can make two or three nests with one skein.)
• A set of US 8 (5 mm) double-pointed needles

Eggs

• Small amounts of fingering weight and/or sport weight yarn. I used (from the top):
  • Manos del Uruguay’s Serena, 60% Baby Alpaca and 40% Pima Cotton (fingering weight). This color is “Glacier 2318”.
  • Blue Sky Alpaca’s Silk Alpaca, 50% Alpaca and 50% Silk (sport weight). This color is “Plume 103”.
  • The Fibre Company’s Canopy Fingering, 50% Baby Alpaca, 30% Merino and 20% Bamboo (fingering weight). This color is “Fern”.
• If you’re using fingering weight yarn, a set of US 2 (3 mm) double pointed needles, and if you’re using sport weight yarn, a set of US 3 (3.25 mm) double pointed needles
• Stuffing

Shop our wonderful collection of fingering-weight yarn to find a suitable substitute for this project, and remember that it’s always a good idea to check your gauge before you cast on… Our All About Gauge Tutorial shows you how!

Gauge

Nest: 16 stitches = 4 inches in stockinette stitch

Eggs: 30 stitches = 4 inches in stockinette stitch

SIZE

Nest: 4¾ inches in diameter and 2 inches high

Eggs: About 1¼ inches tall

Nest Pattern

First Half

Cast 8 stitches onto US 8 double-pointed needles. We used a basic Long Tail Cast On.

Join for working in the round, being careful to not twist the stitches.

Round 1: Knit into the front and back (kfb) of every stitch. (16 stitches)

Round 2: Knit.

Round 3: *K1, kfb, repeat from * to end of round. (24 stitches)

Round 4: Knit.

Round 5: *K2, kfb, repeat from * to end of round. (32 stitches)

Round 6: Knit.

Round 7: *K3, kfb, repeat from * to end of round. (40 stitches)

Round 8: Knit.

Round 9: *K4, kfb, repeat from * to end of round. (48 stitches)

Round 10: Knit.

Round 11: *K5, kfb, repeat from * to end of round. (56 stitches)

Knit 8 rounds.

Purl 1 round.

Second Half

Rounds 1-5: Knit.

Round 6: *K5, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. (48 stitches)

Round 7: Knit.

Round 8: *K4, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. (40 stitches)

Round 9: Knit.

Round 10: *K3, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. (32 stitches)

Round 11: Knit.

Round 12: *K2, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. (24 stitches)

Round 13: Knit.

Round 14: *K1, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. (16 stitches)

Round 15: Knit.

Round 16: *K2tog, repeat from * to end of round. (8 stitches)

Cut the yarn and sew it through the remaining stitches.

Finish

Fold the second half into the first half and tack the centers together. Weave in the ends.

EGG PATTERN

With US 2 double pointed needles and fingering weight yarn, cast on 8 stitches.

Join for working in the round, being careful to not twist the stitches.

Round 1: *K1, kfb, repeat from * to end of round. (12 stitches)

Round 2: *K2, kfb, repeat from * to end of round. (16 stitches)

Round 3: *K3, kfb, repeat from * to end of round. (20 stitches)

Round 4: Knit.

Round 5: *K4, kfb, repeat from * to end of round. (24 stitches)

Rounds 6-10: Knit.

Round 11: *K4, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. (20 stitches)

Round 12: Knit.

Round 13: *K3, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. (16 stitches)

Round 14: Knit

Round 15: *K2, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. (12 stitches)

Round 16: Knit.

Round 17: *K1, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. (8 stitches)

Cut the yarn and thread it through the remaining stitches, but do not pull it tight yet. First fill the egg with stuffing, then you can pull the tail tight and weave in the ends.

Make a bunch of eggs, enough to fill the nest and to sprinkle around. I made six…

Looking for more inspiration? Explore all of our free knitting patterns and knitting tutorials, buy one of our many knitting kits and yarn bundles, and shop for beautiful yarn. We have over 35 gorgeous natural fiber yarns in 100’s of magnificent colors, designed to bring integrity, beauty, and joy to your next knitting project and only available at Purl Soho!