There is something so charming about a magpie. That bold black-and-white plumage, the long sweeping tail, the clever little face — it translates beautifully into yarn. Whether you love the folklore of magpies collecting shiny treasures or you simply adore monochrome makes, crochet magpie ideas give you a whole flock of projects that look far more expensive than the stash yarn they use up.
I have gathered twenty patterns that all share that magpie spirit, from three true magpie designs to sweet little black-and-white birds, nests, birdhouses, and wall hangings. Every single one is free, and every one works up into something you will actually want to display, gift, or hang on your bag. So grab your black and white yarn, pick your favourite, and let us start stitching.
1. Sussie the Magpie Amigurumi
If you only make one magpie this year, make it this one. Sussie is a tiny amigurumi magpie with a white body, a black head, and a long black tail, and she stands only about three inches tall, which makes her the perfect little shelf friend or bag charm. The pattern uses worsted weight yarn with either a 2.5mm or a 4.5mm hook, so you can size her up or down depending on how chunky you like your toys. She is rated beginner to intermediate, and the simple shaping means you can finish her in a single cosy evening. I love how her neat black-and-white contrast does all the visual work, with no complicated colour changes to wrestle. Do note that Sussie is a fan-inspired design for a character from Kpop Demon Hunters, so she is a treat for fans as much as for bird lovers.
Pattern: Sussie the Magpie by coffee.cow.art — Get the free pattern
2. Classic Magpie Applique
Applique is my favourite way to sneak a magpie onto things I already own, and this classic magpie applique is a beauty. Worked flat in crochet cotton, it gives you a neat little magpie silhouette that you can sew onto a tote bag, a denim jacket, a cushion cover, or a blanket square. The designer offers it in three sizes, from a tiny 8cm wide version up to a 14cm wide statement piece, so you can match it to whatever project you have in mind. It uses simple stitches with a 1mm to 3mm hook depending on the size you choose, and the black, white, and charcoal palette is unmistakably magpie. The full pattern is free to read on the designer's own site, with an ad-free PDF also available for a small fee if you prefer a printable copy.
Pattern: Magpie Applique by Kerri’s Crochet — Get the free pattern
3. Australian Magpie in Tapestry Crochet
This one is for the makers who love a bit of tapestry colourwork. The Australian magpie is a bigger, bolder bird than its European cousin, and this pattern captures it standing about 15cm tall in black and white 8ply wool with a 4.0mm hook. Tapestry crochet sounds fancier than it is — you simply carry the unused colour along inside your stitches — and the result is a beautifully crisp bird with a proper magpie presence. The pattern is written in US notation and walks you through the head, neck, body, and tail in rounds, so you can watch your magpie grow from the beak down. I think this one looks wonderful perched on a bookshelf next to a stack of nature books. The whole pattern is free to read on the designer's own website, which is a real gift for such a detailed design.
Pattern: Australian Magpie by Jazmo Crochet — Get the free pattern
4. Bird and Flower Applique Set
Sometimes a magpie needs a garden to sit in, and this bird and flower applique set gives you exactly that. The set includes a sweet little bird, two flowers, a curving branch, and leaves, all worked in double knitting yarn with a 3.5mm hook, and the finished afghan block measures about 23cm square. I love how the bird itself is made in simple rows of double crochet, so even a confident beginner can manage it, while the flowers add that soft cottage-garden feel. Make the bird in black and white and suddenly it reads as a magpie resting on a blossom branch, which is a lovely way to nod to the theme without a single complicated stitch. The complete pattern, including the branch, leaves, and block border, is free on the designer's site.
Pattern: Bird Flower Applique Set by Creative Crochet Workshop — Get the free pattern
5. Library Amigurumi Bird
Here is a pattern with a lovely story behind it: it comes from a public library's adult craft programme, written as a simple one-page handout for a community crochet evening. The bird is a plump little amigurumi worked in single crochet from a magic ring, with a stitched triangle beak, chain-loop head feathers, and a chain tail, and it is the kind of pattern that forgives wobbly tension beautifully. There are no fancy stitches and no safety eyes to buy, which makes it a wonderful first amigurumi for anyone who has only ever made scarves. I would make a whole parliament of these in black and white for a mantelpiece display, each with slightly different tail lengths for personality. The full handout is free to read on the library's own website, and it is a reminder that the best patterns are often the simplest ones.
Pattern: Amigurumi Bird by Laconia Public Library — Get the free pattern
6. Folded-Circle Bird Ornament
This clever little bird starts life as a flat crochet circle that you fold into a body, which means there is almost no shaping to worry about and it works up in minutes. Originally designed as a button to close a coat, it has since become a much-loved ornament, keychain charm, and zipper pull, and you can scale it up or down simply by changing your yarn and hook size. The pattern calls for DK yarn and a 3mm hook, and the sample colours of red, grey, and white translate gorgeously into black, white, and grey for a magpie version. I like to make a handful of these in monochrome and hang them from a branch in a vase for a year-round display that never needs watering. The pattern is a free download on Ravelry, and it is one of those designs you will return to again and again whenever you need a quick handmade gift.
Pattern: Bird Ornament by Sophie and Me — Get the free pattern
7. Tuku the Forest Spirit Bird
Meet Tuku, a little forest spirit who happens to be a baby bird, and quite possibly the cutest thing in this whole roundup. Tuku's round body measures about 8.5 to 9cm across, worked in bulky chenille yarn, and the clever part is that his colours change with the seasons — green for summer, orange for autumn, white for winter, pink for spring. For a magpie version, simply work him in black and white chenille and he becomes a soft, squashy monochrome companion that fits right in your hand. I would make him as a desk buddy for anyone who needs a little woodland magic at work. The pattern is a free download on Ravelry, and the designer asks only that you enjoy the seasonal colour play.
Pattern: Tuku the Forest Spirit by RCL — Get the free pattern
8. White-Bodied Bird with a Black Tail
If you love the magpie look but want a straightforward amigurumi, this white-bodied bird with a black tail is made for you. The body is worked in white with a clever skipped-stitch section that becomes the tail, which is then worked in black, so the bird gets its two-tone magpie colouring built right into the construction. The wings are simple flat shapes, the beak is a tiny black piece, and the whole bird comes together with a bit of hot glue or sewing, depending on your preference. It is a satisfying weekend project that uses only small amounts of yarn, which makes it ideal for using up those half balls of black and white that every crocheter seems to accumulate. Display him on a shelf or perch him on a stack of books for an instant touch of monochrome charm. The full pattern is free to read on the designer's site.
Pattern: Crochet Bird by Hookok — Get the free pattern
9. Bird Paper Clip Bookmark
This is the smallest project in the roundup and possibly the most delightful. The bird paper clip is a tiny crocheted bird that grips the top of a page like a paper clip, so it marks your place in a book while looking like it just landed there for a rest. It is worked in sport weight cotton with tiny 2.0mm and 1.5mm hooks, and the pattern is presented as a photo tutorial, which makes every step easy to follow even if you are new to small-scale crochet. Make yours in black and white and it becomes a miniature magpie keeping your page, which feels very on theme for a bird that loves collecting shiny things. I would tuck one into every book I gift from now on. The pattern is listed as free on Ravelry, with the photo tutorial hosted on the designer's own site.
Pattern: Bird Paper Clip by Sabi Meenen — Get the free pattern
10. Lila the Little Bird
Lila is a soft little bird worked in worsted weight yarn with a 4.25mm hook, finishing at about four inches wide and three inches high, which is a lovely palm-sized make. The pattern runs to twenty-five pages, so you get plenty of step-by-step guidance, and it is written in US terms for beginners, which makes it a gentle introduction to amigurumi shaping. Her simple round body and sweet face lend themselves beautifully to a black-and-white magpie colourway, with a black cap and tail against a white belly. I think she would make a wonderful gift for a friend who loves birds but does not want a fussy, fragile ornament. The pattern is a free downloadable PDF, and it is one of those designs that looks far more polished than the effort it takes.
Pattern: Lila Bird by Arts and Crafts Meraki — Get the free pattern
11. Mama Bird and Chicks Mobile
For a nursery or a craft room, nothing beats a mobile, and this mama bird and chicks design is a whole scene in one project. A calm mama bird sits in a chunky woven nest at the centre, surrounded by five tiny chicks hatching from eggshells, plus butterflies and leaves, all hanging from a wooden hoop about 25 to 28cm across. It is worked in DK cotton with 2.5mm and 3.5mm hooks at an intermediate level, and the pattern covers every element from the nest's crab-stitch rim to the chicks' little beaks. The complete pattern, including the hoop assembly instructions, is free on the designer's site.
Pattern: Mama Bird and Chicks Baby Mobile by Puqqu — Get the free pattern
12. Swallow Applique in Magpie Colours
Now for an honest cousin: this one is a swallow, not a magpie, but swallows share the magpie's sleek shape and love of black-and-white plumage, so it earns its place here. The swallow applique is worked in fine crochet cotton with a 1mm hook for the smallest size, and it comes in three sizes up to 10cm wide, so you can use it on anything from a card to a cushion. The pattern uses electric blue, snow white, charcoal, and hot red in the original, but swap the blue for black and drop the red, and you have a bird that could pass for a magpie's elegant relative. It is an intermediate pattern with a video tutorial to help you along, which makes the fiddly wing and tail shaping much less daunting. I would sew a pair of these facing each other on a tote bag for a lovely symmetrical design. The full pattern is free to read on the designer's site, with an ad-free PDF also available for a small fee.
Pattern: Swallow Applique by Kerri’s Crochet — Get the free pattern
13. Chubby Chick Pincushion
Another honest cousin, this time a chick — and before you ask, yes, it absolutely counts, because the pattern itself invites you to swap the colours and make a chubby version of any bird you like. The chick pincushion is worked around a foam ball, which gives it a satisfyingly solid shape that will not squash flat when you stick pins in it, and it is a brilliant stash-buster for small amounts of yarn. Make it in black and white with a dark head and white belly and you have a magpie pincushion guarding your sewing table, which feels exactly right for a bird famous for collecting shiny objects. The pattern includes both wings and full assembly instructions, and it is quick enough to finish in an afternoon. The complete pattern is free on the designer's site, and it makes a wonderful gift for a sewing friend.
Pattern: Chick Pincushion by Crochet Spot — Get the free pattern
14. A Little Bird Finger Puppet in Magpie Colours
This little fellow keeps the finger-puppet fun of the slot, just from a different designer. 5 Little Monsters' Red Bird is a tiny finger puppet worked with a G hook from a simple tube body — six stitches in a magic ring, increased to twelve, then worked even for eight rounds — with two little wings and a beak stitched on and the eyes simply embroidered. He is a generic little bird rather than a named magpie, so work the body in black, the wings in white, and the beak in black, and he becomes a pocket magpie ready for story time. Because the bird is barely a few inches tall and uses only scraps of yarn, he is a perfect last-minute make for a nursery-rhyme basket or a stocking filler. The full pattern is free on the designer's own site, alongside the rest of her animal finger-puppet set, so you can make a whole cast if the magpie steals the show.
Pattern: Red Bird Finger Puppet by 5 Little Monsters — Get the free pattern
15. Three Little Birds Wall Hanging
If your walls need a little music, this three little birds wall hanging is the answer. The pattern gives you three sweet birds worked from the bottom up in DK yarn with a 4.5mm hook, designed to hang together as a single wall piece that would brighten a child's room or a craft corner. The original birds are made in soft pastel shades, but work them in black, white, and grey and the hanging becomes a monochrome magpie trio that looks surprisingly sophisticated. It is rated intermediate, and the pattern includes the full shaping for the birds, so you can focus on getting your colour placement just right. The pattern is a free downloadable PDF.
Pattern: Three Little Birds Wall Hanging by Addicted 2 The Hook — Get the free pattern
16. Four Birds on a Wooden Rod Wall Hanging
This wall hanging is a little different: four plump birds with whimsical balls on their heads, hung from a wooden rod by strings so they dangle like a cheerful mobile for the wall. The birds are worked in Catania cotton with a 2.2mm hook and 7mm safety eyes, and the original comes in pink, yellow, teal, and white, but a black-and-white set with one grey bird mixed in would look wonderfully magpie-like. The pattern covers the head and body in one piece plus the wings, so there is very little sewing to dread at the end. I would hang this in a hallway where it catches the light and makes everyone smile on their way past. The full pattern is shared free with credit to the designer, and it is a lovely example of how a simple bird shape becomes something special with a bit of presentation.
Pattern: Bird Wall Hanging by Sonnenin.dunyasi — Get the free pattern
17. Pastel Cupcake Bird House
This one is pure whimsy: a birdhouse shaped like a cupcake, complete with frosting, sprinkles, and a tiny bird peeking out of the doorway. The house stands about 20 to 23cm tall and the bird about 7.5cm, worked in DK cotton with 2.5mm to 3mm hooks at an intermediate level, and the pattern walks you through the cupcake wrapper base, the wavy frosting edge, the base plate, the door hole, and the little bird with its wings, beak, and feet. The original is all soft pastels, but imagine it in black and white with a monochrome frosting swirl — a magpie cupcake house, if you like, and honestly the magpie would approve of anything this pretty. The complete pattern, including assembly and hanging instructions, is free on the designer's site.
Pattern: Pastel Cupcake Bird House by Puqqu — Get the free pattern
18. Medium Bird Nest
Magpies are famous nest builders — their big domed nests are landmarks of the hedgerow — so a crocheted nest belongs in this roundup in its own right. This medium nest is worked in Lion Brand Wool-Ease with a size H hook, finishing about four inches high and six inches wide, with a tight gauge so there are no holes for little legs to catch on. It is a simple bowl shape worked in rounds from a magic ring, which makes it a restful, almost meditative project, and it is a wonderful way to use up leftover yarn in mixed colours. Display it on a shelf with a black-and-white bird tucked inside, or use it as a trinket bowl for stitch markers and buttons, which feels very magpie-appropriate for a bird that loves shiny treasures. The full pattern is free on the designer's site.
Pattern: Medium Bird Nest by Tammy Powley — Get the free pattern
19. Birdhouse Hot Pad for the Kitchen
Bring the magpie theme into the kitchen with this birdhouse hot pad, a flat crocheted potholder shaped like a little birdhouse. It is worked in aran weight cotton yarn with a 4.0mm hook, which gives it the thickness a hot pad needs, and the designer even sewed a cotton lining to the back of hers for extra heat protection and a beautiful finish on both sides. The birdhouse shape is charmingly simple, and worked in black and white with a contrasting roof it becomes a monochrome kitchen accent that will make you smile every time you lift a hot dish. It is also a brilliant stash project, since you can shop your leftover yarn for the whole thing. The pattern is free to read on the designer's blog, with an ad-free printable PDF also available in her shops if you prefer.
Pattern: Birdhouse Hot Pad by Raffamusa Designs — Get the free pattern
20. Nixy the Phoenix
We end with a touch of fantasy, because magpies are not the only black birds with magic in them — and because a phoenix, honestly labelled as one, is too wonderful to leave out. Nixy is a curious little phoenix standing about 13cm tall, worked in super fine acrylic yarn in red, yellow, and orange with a 2.0mm hook and 9mm safety eyes, at an intermediate level. Her flame colours are a glorious contrast to the monochrome makes in this roundup, and she is a reminder that a bird collection does not have to stop at realism. The pattern is free to read online with a free account, with a printable PDF also available in the designer's shop.
Pattern: Nixy the Phoenix by Amigurumi Today — Get the free pattern
Conclusion
Magpies remind us that the most striking colour palette is sometimes the simplest one, and these twenty patterns prove how far black and white yarn can take you. From a tiny three-inch amigurumi to a full nursery mobile, from a kitchen hot pad to a cupcake birdhouse, there is a magpie-inspired make here for every skill level, every room, and every scrap of monochrome yarn in your stash. My advice is to start with the smallest project that makes you smile, then let the flock grow from there. Which of these twenty ideas will you stitch first, and will yours be a true magpie or a black-and-white bird of your own invention? Tell me in the comments — I would love to see your flock.
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