(This tutorial was originally published on my old blog in April, 2014. I realize these old photos are not great, and I'll replace them as soon as I can).
While my Silly Duck pattern is not a difficult design to knit, there are a couple key places where your finishing skills make all the difference in the final look of the toy. I've put together two photo tutorials to show you how I attach the duck's beak, and how I finish the feet (below).
Step 1: Sew together the cast-on edge, then part-way up the back seam. To sew the cast-on edge neatly, I used a horizontal to horizontal seam type stitch.
Step 2: Add a small amount of stuffing to the leg. There should be no stuffing in the foot, so it can be flattened. Finish sewing the back seam, and weave in this yarn end.
Step 3: Flatten the foot, so the leg is towards the back, and the foot is symmetrical. Use a safety or straight pin to hold the two layers of the foot together.
Step 4: Cut a 25 cm (10") length of yarn the same colour as the foot and thread it onto your needle (I'm using a contrasting colour so you can see my stitches). Insert the needle at the centre-bottom of the foot, and exit slightly to one side of the centre-top of the foot. Leave about 7 cm (3") of yarn where you started.
Step 5: Using a running-stitch, make 2 short stitches towards the edge of the foot, following a column of stitches to keep your line straight. End on the underside of the foot.
Step 6: Make a stitch around the front edge of the foot, then work back towards the centre of the foot, making a stitch between your first 2 stitches. Exit on the other side of the centre-top.
Step 7: Repeat the last two steps, stitching a line on the other side of the foot. End the line of stitches by bringing the yarn to the centre-bottom of the foot.
Step 8: On the underside of the foot, knot your yarn ends together. Weave the ends through the foot 2-3 times, pulling on the knot so it slips inside the foot. Your yarn ends should now be secure. (I'll replace this image with one showing the bottom of the foot, as soon as I can).
Here is the finished foot, with the stitching done in the correct colour. You can see that it's nearly invisible, and the foot now has the right shape. Maybe they're a bit rounder than real duck feet, but perfectly cute for a silly toy duck!
This is the only photo of the finished duck made for the original tutorial in 2014. I have no idea what I did with the toy - I suppose I must have given it to someone. The shawl was an improvised accessory. I think it might be time to knit a new silly duck!