I learned to do some basic crochet from my mom and grandma when I was in junior high. I did the usual scarf and dishrag. I even got fancy enough to do some bookmarks and baby blankets--and then I put it away for a very long time. When the Disney+ series The Mandalorian came out and there were no baby Yodas to be bought anywhere, I started thinking I could make one--and lo and behold, several other folks thought so too. There are many patterns out there for making "The Child"--some were so good and so popular the big corporate Disney sent cease and desist notices. I ended up making about 5 Baby Yoda crochet dolls (aka Amigurumi crochet), and I am finding it very satisfying to make them. I picked up a kit at Sam's Club for Harry Potter and was debating the Disney Princess kit when I came across a pattern online.
These are the only 2 dolls I've made so far, but they sure are fun. If you want to try your hand at Baby Yoda, check out Hooked On Fandom's excellent pattern (free!). I've tried it with a hook a size up as well as a size down and liked both results. I tinkered with the pattern to make a 2/3 size "pocket" Yoda, and it was fun...but I have not developed good pattern making skills yet...too many errors in mine (which I've hidden with clothes). For Baby Yoda, I decided I liked his robe being made out of fleece rather than crochet--which is probably not allowed in amigurumi, but I don't care. It's my craft right?
With Cinderella (which could also be Belle or Tinkerbelle pretty easily), the pattern of stitches is really good, however, the order of the instructions for construction/sewing was not good. It looks like the original pattern was in Russian, and someone translated. Even with some experience with the Yoda dolls, I found Cinderella and some of her construction pretty challenging (the hair band and the white dress flounce were the very hardest part).
For both dolls, you will need to know how to do the Magic Circle--which is how you start any sphere shape. I found the tutorial at Winding Road Crochet to be super easy to follow. As a general tip for any project, make your first row, the chain-on row fairly loose. Not sloppy, just not as tight as you would for any other row. Otherwise its tough to get your hook back into those loops again.
Here is my reorganization of the Cinderella pattern (check out her website for some great pics):
Materials:
- Yarn: dress (blue), trim (white), black, flesh, hair (yellow)
- Safety eyes 6 mm
- Fiberfill
- Beads for a hair band (optional)
- Embroidery needle (long with large eye)
Abbreviations:
R = row
mc = magic circle
ch = chain
st = stitch
sc = single crochet
R = row
mc = magic circle
ch = chain
st = stitch
sc = single crochet
sk=skip stitch
DC = double crochet
TR = treble crochet
hdc = half double crochet
htr = half treble crochet
sl st = slip stitch
inc = 2 sc in the next stitch
dec = single crochet 2 stitches together
BLO = back loop only
FLO = front loop only
( ) = number of stitches you should have at the end of the round/row
( )x6 = repeat whatever is between the brackets the number of times stated
DC = double crochet
TR = treble crochet
hdc = half double crochet
htr = half treble crochet
sl st = slip stitch
inc = 2 sc in the next stitch
dec = single crochet 2 stitches together
BLO = back loop only
FLO = front loop only
( ) = number of stitches you should have at the end of the round/row
( )x6 = repeat whatever is between the brackets the number of times stated
Body
+ legs
With white yarn: First leg
R 1. 6 sc in mc (6)
R 2-6. 6 sc (6)
With white yarn: First leg
R 1. 6 sc in mc (6)
R 2-6. 6 sc (6)
Second leg
R 1. 6 sc in mc(6)
R 2-6. 6 sc (6)
R 1. 6 sc in mc(6)
R 2-6. 6 sc (6)
Don’t cut the yarn! Just leave it hanging so you can pick it up again later in the body.
R 7. Crochet 3 ch from the second leg and join it with the first leg, 6 sc on first leg, sc in next 3ch, 6 sc on second leg, sc in next 3ch (opposite side) (18)
R 8-10. 18 sc (18)
With DRESS yarn color:
R 11-12. 18 sc (18)
R 13. BLO 18 sc (18)
R 14. 18 sc (18)
With BODY color:
R 15. 18 sc (18)
R 16. (dec, 1 sc) х 6 (12)
With BLACK yarn make the necklace (if no necklace, continue with body color):
R 17. 12 sc (12)
Stuff the leg and body and set aside.
R 7. Crochet 3 ch from the second leg and join it with the first leg, 6 sc on first leg, sc in next 3ch, 6 sc on second leg, sc in next 3ch (opposite side) (18)
R 8-10. 18 sc (18)
With DRESS yarn color:
R 11-12. 18 sc (18)
R 13. BLO 18 sc (18)
R 14. 18 sc (18)
With BODY color:
R 15. 18 sc (18)
R 16. (dec, 1 sc) х 6 (12)
With BLACK yarn make the necklace (if no necklace, continue with body color):
R 17. 12 sc (12)
Stuff the leg and body and set aside.
Head
R 1. 6 sc in mc (6)
R 2. inc x 6 (12)
R 3. (inc, 1 sc) х 6 (18)
R 4. (inc, 2 sc) х 6 (24)
R 5. (inc, 3 sc) х 6 (30)
R 6-13. 30 sc (30)
R 1. 6 sc in mc (6)
R 2. inc x 6 (12)
R 3. (inc, 1 sc) х 6 (18)
R 4. (inc, 2 sc) х 6 (24)
R 5. (inc, 3 sc) х 6 (30)
R 6-13. 30 sc (30)
Find eye placement at the level of Rnd 10-11, at the distance of 5 stitches from each other. Don't attach eyes yet, first you should Embroider eyelashes, then put the backing on the eyes. Stuff the head.
R 14. (dec, 3 sc) х 6 (24)
R 15. (dec, 2 sc) х 6 (18)
R 16. (dec, 1 sc) х 6 (12)
Finish stuffing the head. Leave a long tail of yarn for sewing head on much later.
R 14. (dec, 3 sc) х 6 (24)
R 15. (dec, 2 sc) х 6 (18)
R 16. (dec, 1 sc) х 6 (12)
Finish stuffing the head. Leave a long tail of yarn for sewing head on much later.
Dress
Go to the center back of the body – R13:
R1. FLO: 3 ch, (4 DC in next st, 2 DC in next st) x repeat to the end of row, sl st (54).
R2-5. 1 DC in every st to the end of row, sl st (54). 1 hdc, 1 sc to make hem look even. Finish off by slip-stitching around the entire dress.
Go to the center back of the body – R13:
R1. FLO: 3 ch, (4 DC in next st, 2 DC in next st) x repeat to the end of row, sl st (54).
R2-5. 1 DC in every st to the end of row, sl st (54). 1 hdc, 1 sc to make hem look even. Finish off by slip-stitching around the entire dress.
Arms (make
2)
With WHITE yarn:
R 1. 6 sc in mc (6)
R 2-4. 6 sc (6)
With body colour:
R 5-7. 6 sc (6)
Leave a long tail. Don’t stuff arms! Sew onto body.(if your doll doesn't have white gloves, use another color OR just body color)
With WHITE yarn:
R 1. 6 sc in mc (6)
R 2-4. 6 sc (6)
With body colour:
R 5-7. 6 sc (6)
Leave a long tail. Don’t stuff arms! Sew onto body.(if your doll doesn't have white gloves, use another color OR just body color)
Sleeve (make
2)
With WHITE yarn:
Make 9 ch.
From the 2nd ch from hook: 2 sl st, 4 sc in next 4 st, 2 sl st.
F.o., leaving a long tail. Sew sleeves to the body.
With WHITE yarn:
Make 9 ch.
From the 2nd ch from hook: 2 sl st, 4 sc in next 4 st, 2 sl st.
F.o., leaving a long tail. Sew sleeves to the body.
Dress
band
With WHITE yarn:
Make 26 ch
From the 2nd ch from hook: sl st, (2 sc, 1 hdc and 1 DC in next st, 1 DC, 2 htr in next st, 3 TR in next st, 2 htr in next st, 1 DC, 1 DC and 1 hdc in next st, 1 sc), 3 sl st, (2 sc, 1 hdc and 1 DC in next st, 1 DC, 2 htr in next st, 3 TR in next st, 2 htr in next st, 1 DC, 1 DC and hdc in next st, 1 sc), sl st.
With WHITE yarn:
Make 26 ch
From the 2nd ch from hook: sl st, (2 sc, 1 hdc and 1 DC in next st, 1 DC, 2 htr in next st, 3 TR in next st, 2 htr in next st, 1 DC, 1 DC and 1 hdc in next st, 1 sc), 3 sl st, (2 sc, 1 hdc and 1 DC in next st, 1 DC, 2 htr in next st, 3 TR in next st, 2 htr in next st, 1 DC, 1 DC and hdc in next st, 1 sc), sl st.
F.o., leaving a long tail. Sew to the dress.
Hair
R 1. 6 sc in mc (6)
R 2. inc x 6 (12)
R 3. (inc, 1 sc) х 6 (18)
R 4. (inc, 2 sc) х 6 (24)
R 5. (inc, 3 sc) х 6 (30)
R 6. (inc, 4 sc) х 6 (36)
R 7-10. 36 sc
R 1. 6 sc in mc (6)
R 2. inc x 6 (12)
R 3. (inc, 1 sc) х 6 (18)
R 4. (inc, 2 sc) х 6 (24)
R 5. (inc, 3 sc) х 6 (30)
R 6. (inc, 4 sc) х 6 (36)
R 7-10. 36 sc
As you continue to the next round, you will start the flap that will become the bangs:
R 11. (sk st, 5 DC in next st, sk st, 1 sc) x 5, 16 sc, turn.
R 12. 1 ch, 15 sc, turn. (repeat this row 6 times).
Make a roll and sew roll up.
R 11. (sk st, 5 DC in next st, sk st, 1 sc) x 5, 16 sc, turn.
R 12. 1 ch, 15 sc, turn. (repeat this row 6 times).
Make a roll and sew roll up.
Bun
R1. 6 sc in mc (6)
R2. inc x 6 (12)
R3. (inc, 1 sc) х 6 (18)
R4. (inc, 2 sc) х 6 (24)
R5-9. 24 sc (24)
Stuff. F.o., leaving a long tail.
R1. 6 sc in mc (6)
R2. inc x 6 (12)
R3. (inc, 1 sc) х 6 (18)
R4. (inc, 2 sc) х 6 (24)
R5-9. 24 sc (24)
Stuff. F.o., leaving a long tail.
Hair
band
With blue yarn:
Make 25 ch
From the 2nd ch from hook: sl st, 3 DC, 2 sc, hdc, 10 DC, hdc, 2 sc, 4 sl st.
F.o., leaving a long tail. Sew to the hair.
Decorate with 2 beads.
With blue yarn:
Make 25 ch
From the 2nd ch from hook: sl st, 3 DC, 2 sc, hdc, 10 DC, hdc, 2 sc, 4 sl st.
F.o., leaving a long tail. Sew to the hair.
Decorate with 2 beads.
Assemble Hair
Place bun on the top-center of the hair and sew the bun to the hair cap. Now place hair on the head and find the position of the headband. Once you are sure of the headband, remove the entire hair and sew the headband to the hair. Once entire hairpiece is complete, sew to the head.
Attach head to body
This is the most challenging part. Center the head on the body and start sewing it in place. You may need to use stitches that go from the head all the way through the body and then back up. Just keep stitching until the head feels stable.
