Kico the Cockatoo Crochet Pattern

Small cockatoo, big crochet fun!

Thanks to his compact size, Kico the Cockatoo is quick to crochet and makes a perfect gift, bag charm, or decoration. I’ve crocheted him in white here, but you can easily turn him into any kind of parrot you like by using your favorite color combination!

The crochet pattern for Kico the Cockatoo is ideal for crafters of all skill levels, from beginners to advanced crocheters.

The step-by-step instructions below guide you through the entire process of creating your new feathered friend. With detailed explanations and clear photos, crocheting this cute cockatoo is a real pleasure.

You can crochet the adorable Kico the Cockatoo using a wide variety of yarns, colors, and sizes, allowing your creativity to run wild.

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The "Kakadu Kico" pattern is for personal use only. It may not be sold, forwarded, reproduced, published, translated into other languages, exchanged for other patterns, or altered and passed off or sold as your own pattern. Selling the finished cockatoo made using this pattern is permitted on a small scale, provided the designer (Gutherz – Doreen Goedhart) is credited and current toy safety regulations are followed.

Thank you, and happy crocheting!

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This pattern is suitable for: beginners and intermediate crafters (depending on the choice of yarn)

Abbreviations: (You should be familiar with these basics.)

Rnd      = continuous round
Row     = row
CC       = Color change
sc         = single crochet
ch         = chain (stitch)
slst       = slip stitch
inc        = increase (2 sc in 1 stitch)
dec       = decrease
FLO      = front loop only
BLO     = back loop only
hdc       = half double crochet
dc         = double crochet
tr           = treble crochet
tch        = turning chain
(…) x?  = everything within the brackets is repeated as many times as specified after the x
{…}       = everything intoide the bracket is crocheted into one stitch

At the beginning, you will find the number of the respective round/row.
The number in parentheses at the end indicates the stitch count for the completed round/row.

Required material:

Crochet hook:
NS 2 mm (If you use different needles and/or yarn, the size and proportions of the finished stuffed animal may change.)

Yarn:
Cotton yarn in white and dark grey; scraps in black, yellow, and pink (125 m/50 g, e.g., Schachenmayr Catania)

Eyes:
safety eyes in 11 mm

Additional:
Scissors, needle for embroidery and sewing, stuffing, stitch marker

PATTERN:

Using the specified materials, the finished cockatoo measures approximately 10.5 cm.
It is crocheted in the round, working from the beak to the back. The wings and tail feathers are crocheted in rows, with a turning chain at the end of each row; this chain does not count as a stitch and is skipped at the beginning of the next row.

Schwanzfedern in Weiß:

1. Row:      5 ch, 1 tch    (5)

2. Row:      5 sc, 1 tch    (5)

3. Row:      5 sc, 1 tch    (5)

4. Row:      inc, 3 sc, inc, 1 tch    (7)

5. Row:      7 sc, 1 tch    (7)

6. Row:      inc, 5 sc, inc, 1 tch    (9)

7. Row:      9 sc, 1 tch    (9)

8. Row:      into 1 stitch: {1 hdc, 1 dc}, 1 hdc, 1 slst, into 1 stitch: {1 hdc, 1 dc}, 1 tr, into 1 stitch: {1 dc, 1 hdc}, 1 slst, 1 hdc, into 1 stitch: {1 dc, 1 hdc}

Cut the yarn, pull it through the last loop, tighten, and weave in the ends.

Body

Starting with the dark gray beak:

1. Rnd:      5 ch, starting from the 2nd chain from the hook: 3 sc, 3 sc into the last chain, continue along the other side of the chain: 2 sc, inc    (10)

2. Rnd:      3 sc, inc x3, 4 sc    (13)

3. Rnd:      3 sc, inc, 1 sc, inc x3, 1 sc, inc, 3 sc    (18)

4. Rnd:      3 sc, inc, 2 sc, inc x2, 1 sc, inc x2, 2 sc, inc, 4 sc    (24)

5. Rnd:      (3 sc, inc) x2, (2 sc, inc) x3, 3 sc, inc, 3 sc    (30)

6. Rnd:      30 sc    (30)

7. Rnd:      30 sc    (30)

8. Rnd:      30 sc    (30)

9. Rnd:      1 sc, CC to white: 12 ch, starting from the 2nd chain from the hook: 11 sc, further along the beak: 29 sc    (52)

10. Rnd:    1 sc, continuing along the main chain: 10 sc, 3 sc into the last chain, 11 sc, dec, 27 sc    (53)

11. Rnd:    12 sc, (inc, 1 sc) x3, 35 sc    (56)

12. Rnd:    11 sc, (inc, 2 sc) x3, 36 sc    (59)

13. Rnd:    14 sc, inc, 3 sc, inc, 40 sc    (61)

14. Rnd:    17 sc, inc, 29 sc, CC to yellow: 1 slst into FLO, 10 ch, starting from the 2nd chain from the hook: 9 sc, 1 slst into the FLO of the stitch on the body, CC to white: 12 sc    (62)

15. Rnd:    In this round, the feet are crocheted: 14 sc, CC to grey: 1 slst into FLO, (5 ch, starting from the 2nd chain from the hook: 4 slst back) x3, 1 slst into the FLO with the first slst on the body, continue as normal: CC to white: 6 sc, CC to grey: 1 slst into the FLO, (5 ch, starting from the 2nd chain from the hook: 4 slst back) x3, 1 slst into the FLO with the slst on the body, continue as normal: CC to white: 26 sc, into the BLO of the preliminary round: 2 sc, continue as normal: 12 sc    (62)

16. Rnd:    14 sc, into the BLO of the preliminary round: 1 sc, continue as normal: 6 sc, into the BLO of the preliminary round: 1 sc, continue as normal: 26 sc, CC to yellow: 1 slst into the FLO, 10 ch, starting from the 2nd chain from the hook: 9 sc, 1 slst into the FLO on the body, CC to white: 12 sc    (62)

17. Rnd:    48 sc, 1 sc into each of the two BLOs of the preliminary round, continue as normal: 12 sc    (62)

18. Rnd:    49 sc, CC to yellow: 1 slst into the FLO, 10 ch, starting from the 2nd chain from the hook: 9 sc, 1 slst into the FLO on the body, continue as normal: CC to white: 11 sc    (62)

19. Rnd:    49 sc, 1 sc into each of the two BLOs of the preliminary round, continue as normal: 11 sc    (62)

20. Rnd:    62 sc    (62)

21. Rnd:    3 sc, dec, 13 sc, dec) x2, 26 sc    (58)

22. Rnd:    58 sc    (58)

Insert the eyes, spaced 5 stitches from the beak and 6 stitches from the yellow head feathers.
Stuff the beak firmly with fiberfill. Keep adding more stuffing as you go!

23. Rnd:    2 sc, into the BLO: 10 sc, continue as normal: 11 sc, into the BLO: 10 sc, continue as normal: 6 sc, (2 sc, dec) x3, 7 sc    (55)

24. Rnd:    (3 sc, dec) x11    (44)

25. Rnd:    31 sc, dec x5, 3 sc    (39)

26. Rnd:    12 sc, crochet in the tail feathers using 5 single crochet stitches (the feathers should be positioned exactly in the center between the legs; otherwise, crochet a corresponding number of additional or fewer single crochet stitches beforehand), 14 sc, dec x3, 2 sc    (36)

27. Rnd:    dec, 9 sc, (dec, 1 sc) x3, 11 sc, dec x2, 1 sc    (30)

28. Rnd:    (3 sc, dec) x6    (24)

29. Rnd:    (2 sc, dec) x6    (18)

30. Rnd:    (1 sc, dec) x6    (12)

31. Rnd:    dec x6    (6)

Cut the yarn, thread it through the front loops of the last 6 stitches, pull tight, knot, and weave in the ends.

Right wing in white:

The wings are crocheted directly onto the body.

1. Row:      Turn your cockatoo so that its belly faces down and its head faces right. Reattach your yarn at the front center of round 23, on the outer right side: 10 sc, 1 tch, turn around    (10)

2. Row:      10 sc, 1 tch    (10)

3. Row:      dec, 8 sc, 1 tch    (9)

4. Row:      9 sc, 1 tch    (9)

5. Row:      9 sc, 1 tch    (9)

6. Row:      (into 1 stitch: {1 hdc, 1 dc}, into 1 stitch: {1 dc, 1 hdc}, 1 slst) x3

Cut the yarn, pull it through the last loop, tighten, and weave in the ends.

Left wing in white:

1. Row:      Turn your cockatoo so that its belly faces down and its head faces left. Reattach the yarn in the front loop of the 23rd round, at the outer right side: 10 sc, 1 tch, turn around    (10)

2. Row:      10 sc, 1 tch    (10)

3. Row:      8 sc, dec, 1 tch    (9)

4. Row:      9 sc, 1 tch    (9)

5. Row:      9 sc, 1 tch    (9)

6. Row:      (into 1 stich: {1 hdc, 1 dc}, into 1 stitch: {1 dc, 1 hdc}, 1 slst) x3

Cut the yarn, pull it through the last loop, tighten, and weave in the ends.

Finalize:

The mouth is embroidered using black yarn. It runs exactly from the bottom stitch at the tip of the beak, along the line of stitches, to the start of the white body (Round 9).

You can add pink cheeks to your cockatoo using pink yarn. To do this, embroider over the length of one stitch - repeating the stitch twice - just below and slightly behind the eye (see photo).

If you like, you can further indent the cockatoo's eyes. To do this, pull a thread through the head using a needle. The entry point must be the same as the final exit point (for me, this is at the back of the head). The thread needs to run from one side to the other behind the eyes. Press the eyes together and pull the thread tight. Knot it, trim the ends, and use your crochet hook to pull the knot inside the head.

(Here you can see the process demonstrated using my crochet pattern for Pico the Puffin.)

Your Cockatoo Kico is finished!

I hope you had a lot of fun crocheting.

You can find more crochet patterns on my blog here, and of course in the shop as well. I look forward to your visit!

Doreen Goedhart - Gutherzdesign