theconnectionsnj.com HOLIDAY CHEER PAGE 20 50 amwellautobody@gmail.com Tesla Certified Delivering Beautiful Experiences… Weddings · Events · Every Occasion “Your Neighborhood Florist” Serving Somerset, Hunterdon, & Warren County • Holidays & Seasonal Florals • Weddings & Events • Birthdays & Anniversaries • Congratulations & Baby Celebrations • Get Well Soon / Speedy Recovery • Sympathy & Funeral Tributes 908-208-8712 www.whitepeacockflowers.com info@whitepeacockflowers.com 1293 State Route 28 | Branchburg $10 OFF your first order of $75+ Expires: 1/31/26 CREATIVECORNER Emotional Support Chicken By Carolyn Hanson or rice and place it into the base before adding the stuffing and final stitching. Your chicken will be just as cuddly without toppling over.] There are many variations in size and construction. The original Emotional Support Chicken pattern (2023) was knitted. A crochet version was added in 2024. There are now variations with wings and legs, smaller versions, even chick size. There are crochet chicks made from 2 granny squares. The design gives the impression of wings. Don’t forget to name your chicken and make it personal. Annette has created names such as Lindsey LoHEN, BEAK-on-say, and CHICK-Kira. An attorney friend gifted one to a new judge and called her Ruth Bader GinsBIRD. There is just something about an Emotional Support Chicken that makes it comforting to young and old. It’s a gift you didn’t know you needed. Find the patterns on Ravelry at: www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/emotional-support-chicken. Kits are also available from: www.theknittingtreela.com Granny Square Chick: www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/granny-square-chicken e all need a little support now and then. Could an Emotional Support Chicken be the solution? I’m not speaking of a live chicken, but the DIY kind (do it yourself). This one does not require legal considerations such as Fair Housing, City Ordinances, Travel Restrictions, or Documentation. This kind travels well and is even accepted by TSA and fellow passengers. Believe it or not, this is a thing. The trend to knit or crochet a chicken has been going strong since 2024. Annette Corsino of The Knitting Tree, L.A., designed the pattern based on an earlier version by the late Beverly Galaskas, called Henrietta and Family. Annette designed the pattern during COVID when we were all locked down and searching for a cozy home craft. The pattern became so popular that the shop conducted KnitAlongs (a group activity where many knitters each work on the same pattern at the same time) and has since sold over 30,000 copies worldwide with availability in 5 languages - English, Danish, German, Portuguese, and Spanish. The step-by-step instructions are easy to follow, including many progressive photos and a video tutorial. Choose a main color and a contrasting color for the breast and tail stripes, then a bit of red and yellow for the comb, wattle, and beak, respectively. The chicken is knit flat in several sections: tail, body including neck and head, beak, wattle, comb, and base. The shaping uses short rows. A short row is a row that is not fully knitted; the work is turned before reaching the end of the row and then goes back to the beginning of the row. This creates a rounded shape. All is explained in the video tutorial. Stitch all together, add safety eyes or buttons, and Polyfil stuffing. Finish with a hug. [Note: Add a bit of weight for balance and stability. Fill a 4” x 4” pouch with beans W
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