This week marks the start of Christmas month at Cosy Crochet and what better way to start the Christmas celebrations than with an elf. Elves work hard all year round for Santa making the children's toys so I think its only right that in the run up to December the elves get to come out and have a bit of fun with the children, if you have ever done Elf on the Shelf you will know what I mean! Last year I published a pair of Elf patterns, Candy & Jingle, and you can read all about them here. I loved the design of these elves and they were really fun, but for doing Elf on the Shelf they were some restrictions. Last years elves were made like rag dolls, perfect for cuddling, but difficult for getting them to sit up and read, or slide down a Bannister since they just couldn't hold up their own shape and their arms and legs were all floppy. This year I decided to redesign the pattern to combat these issues and that is how Cookie the Elf came to be.
Cookie is made from the exact same colours and principals as his predecessors, however instead of making him in aran yarn with a 4mm hook, he is actually made with chunky yarn instead and also uses a 4mm hook. This means he is much more stiff and less floppy enabling him to be able to sit up himself without always needing to be leaning against something. Another benefit Cookie has is posable arms and legs and the ability to move his head. I have read about people using doll joints in their toys and I wanted to experiment using them. After watching a couple of videos on how the joints work I set out to adapt last years elf patterns to make them work with the doll joints. Like last year where the elves had their limbs made first to use the join as you go technique, I also made the limbs first for Cookie, however they use the doll joints instead. Cookie's head is also different and is not crocheted directly on to the body, but instead uses a doll joint to make it movable. Once these parts are all made then the body is worked and the limbs and head are attached almost at the end. Other additions Cookie has is a slightly different finish to his top with a more triangular pointed edge instead of a straight one. This is
also echoed in Cookie's collar which is a new addition to the elves. Cookie's hat and hair, stripy legs and belt are all kept the same as Candy and Jingle, although he does have a slightly different skin tone to his friends.
The best part about all these additions however, is Cookie's maneuverability. With the added stiffness and the doll joints, cookie can sit up unaided, he can stand (although he does need to lean against something to do this), he can put his arms up and down to hold things or lift things, he can move his head in different directions and he can even do the splits if needed! This increases the range of ideas for using him for the Elf of the Shelf this year, Cookie can, I'm sure, get into even more mischief than Candy and Jingle did last year without us always having to find something to surround the elves to keep them in their position. Cookie is slightly bigger than Candy and Jingle at 40cm tall and 28cm wide when standing, and this may even help him to be able to climb along with his posable joints!
If you would like to make your own Cookie the Elf to play Elf on the Shelf with, or just as a fun decoration for Christmas time, the you can find the pattern for him below. He only took me two evenings to make and with 2 months to go until the start of December there is plenty of time to get in made in time for all the fun. I'll be sharing some pictures of some of the mischief that Cookie will get up to throughout December on my social media channels and if you decide to make your own crochet elf then I would love for you to share your pictures too.
Join me next week for some crochet gingerbread as we continue with Christmas month,
Vicky x
Cookie the Elf (with
posable joints)
Below is a list of everything you will need to make Santa
· Painbox Simply Chunky – 100g balls in any colours you choose – I used the following colours;
o Rose Red (313)
o Paper white (300)
o Light Caramel (308)
o Soft Fudge (309)
o Odd amount of black for sewing belt buckle, laces and mouth
· 4mm hook
· Stuffing
· 2 x 10mm safety eyes in black
· 5 x 25mm doll joints
· Tapestry needle
· Scissors
· Stitch marker
2. Stitch List
Below is a list of all the stitches (and
their abbreviations) featured in this series of patterns. All terms used are American.
·
Sc – single crochet
·
Ch – chain
·
Sc inc – sc increase
·
Sc dec – sc decrease
·
m/c – magic circle
·
sl st – slip stitch
·
s-sc – surface single crochet
·
sk – skip
·
b/l – back loops
3. Notes
Here are a few handy tips to help you with the pattern.
·
There is no specific gauge for Cookie, just work as tightly
as possible.
·
Cookie’s Legs, arms and head are worked first with part of
the doll joint. These are all attached
to the body as it is made.
·
Cookie uses s-sc to add some of his details.
·
This pattern is worked in the round, do not sl st together
unless stated, use a stitch marker to make note of where your round begins.
·
The finished Elf is 40cm tall when stretched out and 28cm
wide. His arms, legs and head are fully
posable.
4. Pattern
Arms
–
work 2 starting in brown
|
Row |
Instruction |
Stitches |
|
1 |
6 sc in magic
circle |
6 |
|
2 |
(sc inc) x 6 |
12 |
|
3 |
(sc, sc inc) x 6 |
18 |
|
4 |
(sc inc, 2 sc) x6 |
24 |
|
5-8 |
Sc around |
24 |
|
9 |
(2 sc, sc dec) x 6 |
18 |
|
10 |
Sc around |
18 |
|
11 |
(sc, sc dec) x 6 |
12 |
|
|
Switch to red |
|
|
12 |
Sc around |
12 |
|
13 |
(sc, sc inc) x 6 |
18 |
|
14 |
Sc around |
18 |
|
|
Switch to green |
|
|
15-26 |
Sc around |
18 |
|
27 |
13 sc, ch 1 , sk 1,
4sc |
17 & ch 1 |
|
28 |
13 sc, sc in ch 1
gap, 4 sc |
18 |
|
29 |
Sc around |
18 |
|
|
Stuff arm and put pointed part of doll joint through ch 1
gap created in row 27 |
|
|
30 |
(sc, sc dec) x 6 |
12 |
|
31 |
(sc dec) x 6 |
6 |
|
|
Sl st, cast off
and sew shut. Sew in end. |
|
Legs
–
work 2 starting in black
|
Row |
Instruction |
Stitches |
|
1 |
6 sc in magic
circle |
6 |
|
2 |
(sc inc) x 6 |
12 |
|
3 |
(sc, sc inc) x 6 |
18 |
|
4 |
(2 sc, sc inc) x 6 |
24 |
|
5 |
(3 sc, sc inc) x 6 |
30 |
|
6-8 |
Sc around |
30 |
|
9 |
(sc, sc dec) x 4,
18 sc |
26 |
|
10 |
(sc dec, sc) x 3, 5
sc, (sc dec) x 4, 4 sc |
19 |
|
11 |
3 sc, sc dec, 14 sc |
18 |
|
12-13 |
Sc around |
18 |
|
|
Switch to red |
|
|
14-17 |
Sc around |
18 |
|
|
Switch to white |
|
|
18-21 |
Sc around |
18 |
|
22-29 |
Repeat rows 14-21 |
18 |
|
30 |
17 sc , ch 1, sk 1, ** |
17 & ch 1 |
|
31 |
17 sc, sc in ch 1
gap ** |
18 |
|
32 |
Sc around |
18 |
|
|
Stuff leg and put pointed part of doll joint through ch 1
gap created in row 29 |
|
|
33 |
(sc, sc dec) x 6 |
12 |
|
34 |
(sc dec) x 6 |
6 |
|
|
Sl st, cast off
and sew shut. Sew in end. |
|
**note that you cannot use this round for both
legs. To create the opposite leg work
as follows; row 30- 9 sc, ch1. Sk 1, 8
sc, row 31, 9sc, sc in ch1 gap, 8 sc
|
Row |
Instruction |
Stitches |
|
1 |
6 sc in magic
circle |
6 |
|
2 |
(sc inc) x 6 |
12 |
|
3 |
(sc, sc inc) x 6 |
18 |
|
4 |
(2 sc, sc inc) x 6 |
24 |
|
5 |
(3 sc, sc inc) x 6 |
30 |
|
6 |
(4 sc, sc inc) x 6 |
36 |
|
7 |
(5 sc, sc inc) x 6 |
42 |
|
8-15 |
Sc around |
42 |
|
16 |
(5 sc, sc dec) x 6 |
36 |
|
17 |
(4 sc, sc dec) x 6 |
30 |
|
18 |
(3 sc, sc dec) x 6 |
24 |
|
19 |
(2 sc, sc dec) x 6 |
18 |
|
20 |
Sc around |
18 |
|
|
Add eyes between rows 9 and 10, 7 stitches apart |
|
|
|
Stuff head switch to red |
|
|
21-22 |
Sc around |
18 |
|
23 |
(Sc, sc dec) x
6 in b/l |
12 |
|
|
Add any extra stuffing and pointed part of doll joint so
the point will come out of the centre of the next round. |
|
|
24 |
Holding doll joint
in place work (sc dec)x 6 around edge |
6 |
|
|
Sl st and cast off and sew around so doll joint is in
securely. |
|
·
Sew a nose across 2 stitches and 2 rows 1 row down in the
centre of the eyes in skin pink using a few stitches.
·
Sew a mouth in black centrally under the nose.
Body – in green
|
Row |
Instruction |
Stitches |
|
1 |
6 sc in m/c (do not pull tight head will be secured
through here) |
6 |
|
2 |
(sc inc) x 6 |
12 |
|
3 |
(sc, sc inc) x 6 |
18 |
|
4 |
Sc around |
18 |
|
5 |
(sc inc, 2 sc) x 6 |
24 |
|
6 |
Sc around |
24 |
|
7 |
(3 sc, sc inc) x 6 |
30 |
|
8 |
(sc, ch 1, sk 1, 13
sc) x 2 |
28 & 2 ch 1
gaps |
|
9 |
(sc, sc in ch 1
gap, 2 sc, sc inc, 4 sc, sc inc, 4 sc, sc inc) x 2 |
36 |
|
10-21 |
Sc around |
36 |
|
|
Switch to brown |
|
|
21 |
Sc around |
36 |
|
|
Switch to green |
|
|
22-35 |
Sc around |
36 |
|
|
Add head and arms to the body – insert the doll joint
through the gaps in round 1 & 8 and then secure through the body |
|
|
25 |
(4 sc, sc dec) x 6 |
30 |
|
26 |
(3 sc, ch1, sk 1,
11 sc) X 2 |
28 & 2 ch 1
gaps |
|
27 |
(3 sc, sc in ch 1
gap, 11 sc) x 2 |
30 |
|
28 |
(3 sc, sc dec) x 6 |
24 |
|
29 |
(2 sc, sc dec) x 6 |
18 |
|
|
Add legs through gaps in round 26 and secure doll joints
through body. Stuff body |
|
|
30 |
(sc, sc dec) x 6 |
12 |
|
31 |
(sc dec) x 6 |
6 |
|
|
Sl st and sew
shut. Sew in ends |
|
·
Sew belt buckle on to centre of belt.
Bottom
of Coat – in green
|
Row |
Instruction |
Stitches |
|
1 |
s-sc around the
edge of the elf under the belt |
36 |
|
2-3 |
Sc around |
36 |
|
4 |
7sc, turn |
7 |
|
5 |
Sc dec, 3 sc, sc
dec, turn |
5 |
|
6 |
Sc dec, sc, sc dec,
turn |
3 |
|
7 |
3 sc dec, turn |
1 |
|
8 |
sl st down side of
point |
|
|
|
Repeat steps 4-8
around edge of coat and sl st to join |
|
|
9 |
Sc around edge of
points, sl st and cast off, sew in ends |
|
Neck
collar – in red
|
Row |
Instruction |
Stitches |
|
1 |
s-sc around the
edge of round 23 using f/l |
18 |
|
2-3 |
Sc around |
18 |
|
4 |
5sc, turn |
|
|
5 |
Sc dec, sc, sc dec,
turn |
|
|
6 |
3 sc dec, turn |
|
|
7 |
sl st down side of
point |
|
|
|
Repeat steps 4-8
around edge of coat and sl st to join, |
|
|
8 |
Sl st around edge
of collar, cast off and sew in ends |
|
Hat
& hair – start in green
|
Row |
Instruction |
Stitches |
|
1 |
3 sc in magic
circle |
3 |
|
2 |
(sc, sc inc) x 2 |
6 |
|
3 |
Sc around |
6 |
|
4 |
(2 sc, sc inc) x 2 |
8 |
|
5 |
Sc around |
8 |
|
6 |
(3sc, sc inc) x 2 |
10 |
|
7 |
Sc around |
10 |
|
8 |
(4 sc, sc inc) x 2 |
12 |
|
9 |
Sc around |
12 |
|
10 |
(5 sc, sc inc) x 2 |
14 |
|
11 |
Sc around |
14 |
|
12 |
(6 sc, sc inc) x 2 |
16 |
|
13 |
Sc around |
16 |
|
14 |
(7 sc, sc inc) x 2 |
18 |
|
15 |
Sc around |
18 |
|
16 |
(8 sc, sc inc) x 2 |
20 |
|
17 |
Sc around |
20 |
|
18 |
(9 sc, sc inc) x 2 |
22 |
|
19 |
(10 sc, sc inc) x 2
|
24 |
|
20 |
(11 sc, sc inc) x 2
|
26 |
|
21 |
(12 sc, sc inc) x 2 |
28 |
|
22 |
(13 sc, sc inc) x 2
|
30 |
|
23 |
(14 sc, sc inc) x 2
|
32 |
|
24 |
(15 sc, sc inc) x 2
|
34 |
|
25 |
(16 sc, sc inc) x 2
|
36 |
|
26 |
(17 sc, sc inc) x 2
|
38 |
|
27 |
(18 sc, sc inc) x 2
|
40 |
|
28-30 |
Sc around |
40 |
|
|
Switch to white |
|
|
31-33 |
Sc around |
40 |
|
|
Switch to brown |
|
|
34 |
Sc around in f/l,
sl st, ch 1 and turn |
40 |
|
35 |
Work loop stitch
around, sl st, ch 1 |
40 |
|
36 |
Work loop stitch
for 30 stitches, sl st and cast off with a long tail to sew hat to head |
|
·
Make a 2” pom pom in white and sew to the end of the hat.
© All patterns on this page
belong to www.cosycrochet.co.uk You may not sell this pattern. Please feel free
to sell the items you make using this pattern, however please acknowledge me in
your listing.
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