Ladybug

She is a sweet little bug that will be perfect as a stocking filler.

Materials:

Circular needles, I used size 4 mm needles
Black and red Merino yarn, I used left over bits and pieces.
Fleece for stuffing.
Felting needle
Black and white fleece.
Wool needle for sewing up.

Ladybird Pattern:

Cast on 6 stitches and join in the round using the Magic Loop technique.
Round 1: Knit
Round 2: Knit into the front and back of each stitch (12 stitches)
Round 3: Knit
Round 4: Knit into the front and back of every alternate stitch. (18 stitches)
Rounds 5 to 8: Knit
Round 9: Knit 1, increase into next stitch, knit 5, increase into next stitch, finish round (20 stitches)
Rounds 10 and 11: Knit
Round 12: Knit 1, knit 2 together, knit 5 stitches, knit 2 together, knit to the end of the round (18 stitches)
Rounds 13 and 14: Knit
Round 15: (Knit 1, knit 2 together) across the round
Rounds 16 and 17: Change to black yarn, knit 2 rounds
Round 18: Knit 2 together across the round

Take your wool sewing needle and thread it through the remaining stitches and pull tight once you have stuffed your ladybug.

Wings:

With the ladybug's face facing you, pick up 6 stitches just behind the black yarn to the left side for the first wing, (see photo further down)
Knit in stocking stitch for the first wing for 10 rows, on the purl rows, knit the first and the last stitch to stop curling.
Row 11: Cast off 1 stitch at the end of the knit row.
Row 12: Cast off 1 stitch at the beginning of the purl row.
Cast off.

For the right wing, do the same making sure your shaping is on the outside of the wing to make it rounded.

Finishing Off:

First left wing.
Pick up stitches for the right wing. Sew both wings onto the body.

With a felting needle and some black fleece, add your ladybug's spots.