Some days it’s all too much: the endless to-dos, the tangled skeins, the sleeves you knit twice only to realize they still don’t match. What you need is not another spreadsheet or self-help podcast, you need a chicken (or two). A plump, squishy, garter-stitched chicken that stares into your soul with soft, safety-eyed understanding and says: “You’re doing great, sweetie.”

And sometimes, that’s exactly what we need: permission to just BE.

Thanks to Janice, our endlessly creative Class Coordinator, we’ve discovered the ultimate balm for modern life: the Emotional Support Chicken. Equal parts ridiculous and therapeutic, this knitty little companion is based on a lovingly modified pattern by Annette Corsino (itself a riff on the original Henrietta and Family by the late, great Bev Galeskas of Fibertrends).

These 2 adorable chickens don’t squawk, don’t molt, and most importantly – don’t judge. You hug them. They hug you back (emotionally, at least).

Here’s what you’ll need to hatch your own:

• 200 yds of worsted-weight yarn for the main body (we love Malabrigo Rios)

• 100 yds of contrast colour

• 10 yds each for wattle, crown, and beak yarns

• Size US 7 / 4.5mm knitting needles

• Optional: US 9 / 5.5mm needles and chunky or doubled worsted for a giant chicken friend

• 12–15mm safety eyes, Polyfil stuffing, tapestry needle. All available in store.

Whether you want to knit your way through a tough week, this project is for everyone. It’s stash-busting, heartwarming, and weirdly empowering to BE surrounded by a few woolly friends who are just here for emotional support.

They don’t do much, really.
They just 🥚BE. And that’s more than enough.