This adorable toy can be either a soft toy or a rattle, and it's a great gift for a baby as the ring is small enough for them to hold on to.
If you want to make the toy a rattle, you will need a rattle insert. You can find them in craft shops. But make sure that the rattle insert is washable! Or else the toy won't be washable, which isn't very baby-friendly.
The rattle inserts I've used for this rattle is 24 mm or 1 inch. I recommend to use either this size or smaller inserts.
Although this pattern is beginner friendly, the last stitches after adding the inserts (especially if you use as big inserts as I did) can be a bit tricky. But not impossible! Just a friendly heads-up.
Pattern
As always, the colours are just a suggestion. I used a 3 mm needle, and that made the ring about 6.5 cm or 2.5 inches in diameter and the duck is 4 cm or 1.5 inches.
Ring
Make 12 chain stitches and close the circle with a slip stitch in the first chain stitch. Each round is 12 single stitches, and the stripes are:
Round 1-3: Yellow
Round 4: White
Round 5-7: Orange
Round 8: White
Round 9-11: Yellow
Round 12: White
Round 13-15: Orange
Round 16: White
Round 17-19: Yellow
Round 20: White
Round 21-23: Orange
Round 24: White
Round 25-27: Yellow
Round 28: White
Round 29-31: Orange
Round 32: White
Round 33-35: Yellow
Round 36: White
Round 37-39: Orange
Round 40: White
Round 41-43: Yellow
Round 44: White
Round 45-47: Orange
Round 48: White
Round 49-51: Yellow
Finish with a slip stitch. Keep enough yarn to sew the ends of the rings together
Stuff the ring before sewing the ends together. Do not use too much stuffing, or the ring will be uneven and not very round.
Tip!
Make the last round of each orange stripe one extra stitch. That will prevent the centre back from twisting round to the front of the ring.
Tip 2!
Don't cut the yarn between the stripes. The stripes are short enough to leave the threads on the inside. Just don't pull to hard for the first stitch with each new stripe, or the ring will be distorted.
Tip 3!
Use the back of the crochet needle to push down the stuffing. But only add a little stuffing at a time, or it will be uneven.
Tip 4!
You can finish the ring after round 48 too, if you prefer that pattern for the stripes.
Duck
Head
Yellow
Start with 2 chain stitches. Make 6 single stitches in the first chain stitch. (6)
Round 1: Increase 6 times (12)
Round 2: *1 single crochet stitch (s), increase (inc)* 6 times (18)
Round 3: *2 sc, inc* 6 times (24)
Round 4: *3 sc, inc* 6 times (30)
Round 5: *4 s, inc* 6 times (36), fasten loose end
Round 6-8: 36 sc (36)
Round 9: *4 sc, decrease (dec)* 6 times (30)
Round 10: *3 s, dec* 6 times (24)
Round 11: *2 sc, dec* 6 times (18)
Round 12: *1 sc, dec* 6 times (12)
Stuff the head. Add rattle insert if you want. Note! Depending on the size of the rattle insert, you may need to start stuffing the head after round 11, and then add the last stuffing after round 12.
Round 13: dec 6 times
Finish with a slip stitch. Keep enough yarn to attach the head to the ring.
Tip!
You can make a bigger head by increase up to 42 instead, and make 4 rounds of 42 before decreasing.
Eyes
White
Start with 2 chain stitches. Make 6 stitches in the first chain stitch. (6)
Round 1: Increase 6 times (12)
Finish with a slip stitch. Keep enough yarn to attach the eye.
Make two.
Beak
Orange
Start with 2 chain stitches. Make 6 stitches in the first chain stitch. (6)
Round 1: Increase 6 times (12)
Round 2-3: 12 sc (12)
Finish with a slip stitch. Keep enough yarn to attach the beak.
Final steps
Attach the eyes and beak to the head, and the head to the ring. Sew half circles in black on the eyes.
And your little duck rattle is done!
You can easily adapt the pattern to give the duck a friend, such as this panda.
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