Free Crochet Cute Graduate Swinging Chick Car Pendant Pattern

Ever looked at your car’s rearview mirror and thought, “This space desperately needs a tiny, educated bird swinging effortlessly as I navigate traffic”?

You are in luck! Today, we are stitching up the most adorable travel companion ever: a chubby little chick wearing a graduation cap, perching happily on a leafy rope swing.

Whether you want to brighten up your daily commute or craft a memorable gift for a new driver or graduate, this delightful project brings maximum charm with simple stitches.

Materials and Preparation

Materials:

• Yarn: Medium weight yarn in Yellow (Chick body & wings), Orange (Beak & feet), Brown (Swing board), Dark Green (Vine ropes & leaves), and Black (Graduation cap).
• Safety Eyes: 1 pair of 6 mm black safety eyes (or black beads/embroidery thread).
• Stuffing: Premium polyester fiberfill.

Tools:

• Crochet Hook: 2.5 mm – 3.0 mm hook (keep stitches tight so fiberfill stays hidden).
• Yarn Needle: Tapestry needle for assembly and weaving in loose ends.
• Stitch Marker: Essential for tracking continuous rounds.
• Scissors: Craft scissors.

Preparation Notes:

• Master basic amigurumi fundamentals like the Magic Ring (MR), single crochet (sc), increases (inc), and invisible decreases (dec).
• Keep a firm, consistent tension throughout to ensure the chick maintains a smooth, rounded shape on its swing seat.

Abbreviations and Notes

Abbreviations:

• MR: Magic Ring
• ch: Chain stitch
• sc: Single Crochet
• inc: Single Crochet Increase (2 sc in the same stitch)
• dec: Single Crochet Decrease (sc2tog / invisible decrease)
• hdc: Half Double Crochet
• dc: Double Crochet
• sl st: Slip Stitch
• BLO: Back Loop Only
• FLO: Front Loop Only

Pattern Notes:

• The Chick Body and Graduation Cap are worked in continuous spiral rounds without joining. Do not chain 1 or slip stitch at the end of rounds unless specified.
• The Swing Seat is worked in rows, while the Vine Ropes are created using chain loops and decorative leaf picot clusters.

Gauge, Approximate Size, and Pattern Notes

Gauge:

Gauge is not critical for this decorative item. However, stitching tightly prevents stuffing from poking out between stitches.

Finished Size:

The completed chick stands approximately 2.5 inches (6.35 cm) tall, with an overall hanging swing length of about 8.5–10 inches (21.59–25.4 cm).

Special Techniques:

• Invisible Decrease (dec): Insert hook into FLO of next 2 stitches, yarn over, pull through 2 loops, yarn over, pull through remaining 2 loops.
• Leaf Cluster Stitch: Worked directly along the hanging chain rope using a combination of sc, hdc, dc, and sl st to form realistic foliage.

Step-by-Step Pattern

Part 1: Chick Body

Worked in Yellow yarn in continuous rounds:

• R1: MR 6 sc (6)
• R2: 6 inc (12)
• R3: (1 sc, inc)*6 (18)
• R4: (2 sc, inc)*6 (24)
• R5: (3 sc, inc)*6 (30)
• R6–R12: 30 sc (30) (7 rounds)
• R13: (3 sc, dec)*6 (24)
• Attach safety eyes between R8 and R9, leaving 4 to 5 stitches between them.
• R14: (2 sc, dec)*6 (18)
• Stuff the body firmly with fiberfill.
• R15: (1 sc, dec)*6 (12)
• R16: 6 dec (6)
• Fasten off, weave yarn through FLO of remaining 6 stitches, pull tight to close, and hide the tail.

Part 2: Wings, Beak, and Feet

Wings (Make 2)

Worked in Yellow yarn:

• R1: MR 6 sc (6)
• R2: (1 sc, inc)*3 (9)
• R3–R5: 9 sc (9)
• Flatten and do not stuff. Fasten off, leaving a tail for sewing.

Beak

Worked in Orange yarn:

• R1: MR 4 sc (4)
• R2: (1 sc, inc)*2 (6)
• Fasten off, leaving a tail for sewing.

Feet (Make 2)

Worked in Orange yarn:

• R1: MR 6 sc (6)
• R2: (ch 2, sl st in first ch, sl st into next stitch on MR)*3
• Fasten off, leaving a tail for sewing.

Part 3: Graduation Cap & Swing Assembly

Graduation Cap (Mortarboard)

Cap Base (Worked in Black yarn):

• R1: MR 6 sc (6)
• R2: 6 inc (12)
• R3: BLO 12 sc (12)
• R4: 12 sc (12)
• Fasten off.

Cap Top Flat Square (Worked in Black yarn):

• R1: Ch 6, start in 2nd ch from hook: 5 sc, turn (5)
• R2–R5: ch 1, 5 sc, turn (5)
• Fasten off. Sew the flat square centered onto the Cap Base. Add a small strand of black yarn to form the tassel.

Wooden Swing Board

Worked in Brown yarn:

• Foundation: Ch 13
• R1: Start in 2nd ch from hook, 12 sc, turn (12)
• R2–R4: ch 1, 12 sc, turn (12)
• Fasten off and weave in ends.

Vine Ropes & Leaves

Worked in Dark Green yarn (Make 2 ropes):

• Foundation: Ch 50.
• Leaf Detail (Near the bottom): In 5th ch from hook: (1 sc, 1 hdc, 1 dc, ch 2, sl st into top of dc, 1 hdc, 1 sc) into same chain to form a leaf.
• Ch 5, repeat Leaf Detail for a second leaf.
• Fasten off, leaving long tails to secure to the swing board.

Part 4: Assembly & Finishing

1. Facial Features: Sew the orange beak centered between the eyes.
2. Attach Wings: Sew one wing to each side of the body at R8–R10.
3. Attach Feet & Cap: Sew the orange feet to the bottom front of the chick. Secure the graduation cap on top of the head slightly angled forward.
4. Swing Setup: Pass the green vine ropes through both ends of the brown swing board and tie hidden knots underneath.
5. Final Mount: Stitch or glue the bottom of the chick securely onto the brown swing seat so it stays balanced while swinging.

Detailed Pattern Breakdown

1. Chick Body Geometry Breakdown:

• The body uses a classic spherical amigurumi construction. It expands uniformly from MR 6 sc up to 30 sc across R1–R5 to form a round base.
• The middle section (R6–R12) maintains a constant 30 sc cylinder, creating the plump, chubby torso of the bird.
• Tapering in R13–R16 uses symmetrical invisible decreases (dec) to close the sphere smoothly without gaps, securing the stuffing inside.

2. Graduation Cap & Swing Construction:

• The Cap Base utilizes a BLO 12 sc round (R3) to create a sharp 90-degree ridge that transitions from the crown to the sides.
• The top mortarboard is crafted as a 5×5 sc square, sewn flat on top of the crown to produce a rigid architectural look.
• The Swing Board employs flat row crochet (12 sc across 4 rows) to build a wide, sturdy platform capable of supporting the amigurumi figure.

3. Leafy Vine Attachment Logic:

• Long foundation chains (ch 50) provide ample length to loop around a car’s rearview mirror.
• Integrated picot leaf clusters on the hanging cords add texture and a natural aesthetic, transforming plain hanging strings into decorative vines.

Pattern Question:

Question: How can I ensure the chick stays balanced on the swing and doesn’t tip over when hanging in my car?

Answer: To keep your chick perfectly upright, ensure you attach the feet flat against the front edge of the brown swing board.

When securing the chick to the swing board, stitch through both the bottom of the chick’s body and the middle two rows of the brown board using matching brown yarn.

Additionally, make sure the two green hanging vine ropes are tied at equal lengths on both sides of the board so the center of gravity remains centered.