Voodoo anyone?

It is time when most of us are preparing for the end of the month and Halloween. Time of pumpkins and bats, ghosts and walking skeletons; flying witches and black cats. For those brave enough to try something more, I have created voodoo dolls 🙂

Not just plain and simple voodoo dolls! These are very special! They are lovable, huggable, kissable, simple irresistible voodoo dolls that will melt your heart on first sight. And above all they are dolls with feelings, so please take it easy when using pins on them!

These simple voodoo dolls are simple and easy to make and will make great addition to your doll collection or as fun companion for your little ones.

Materials needed to make your voodoo doll:

• any yarn of of your choice (any color and any weight), in addition to basic yarn for yoru doll you will need scraps of different color yarns to sew the parts together, scraps for hair, and some black for eyes and stitches lips
• crochet hook to go well with your yarn (usually size or size and a half smaller from what yarn recommendation is)
• darning needle or any other needle that will make your sewing easy
• stuffing of your choice

Abbreviations:

In the pattern US terminology is used

St(s) – stitches

Ch – chain stitch

Sl st – slip stitch

Sc – single crochet stitch

Inc – increasing stitch (two stitches made in one stitch)

Dec – decreasing stitch (one stitch made out of two stitches – invisible decrease used in the pattern)

Pop-corn – pop corn stitch used to make a thumb on dolls hands (I used pop corn stitch made out f three double crochet stitches; you can also use cluster stitch here-whichever you find easier to make this little thumb popping out, will be fine).

R – round or row

Doll is made in continuous rounds.

Body with the opening n front (if you decide to make one) has part with 10 rows (instead of continuous rounds), that will be indicated under open body part of the pattern given below.

For any questions, please feel free to contact me.

Voodoo doll pattern

Head

R1 sc6 in magic ring

R2 inc6 (12 sts)

R3 *inc1, sc1* x6 (18 sts)

R4 *inc1, sc2* x6 (24 sts)

R5 *inc1, sc3* x6 (30 sts)

R6 *inc1, sc4* x6 (36 sts)

R7 *inc1, sc5* x6 (42 sts)

R8 *inc1, sc6* x6 (48 sts)

R9 *inc1, sc7* x6 (54 sts)

R10-R19 sc54

R20 *dec1, sc7* x6 (48 sts)

R22 sc48

R23 *dec1, sc4* x8 (40 sts)

R24 *dec1, sc2* x10 (30 sts)

R25 *dec1, sc1* x10 (20 sts)

Fasten off. Stuff the head nice and firm.

Body

(closed body)

R1 sc6 in magic ring (6 sts)

R2 inc6 (12 sts)

R3 *inc1, sc1* x6 (18 sts)

R4 *inc1, sc2* x6 (24 sts)

R5 *inc1, sc3* x6 (30 sts)

R6 *inc1, sc4* x6 (36 sts)

R7 *inc1, sc5* x6 (42 sts)

R8 *inc1, sc6* x6 (48 sts)

R9-R18 sc48

R19 *dec1, sc4* x8 (40 sts)

R20 sc 40

R21 *dec1, sc2* x10 (30 sts)

R22 sc30

R23 *dec1, sc1* x10 (20 sts)

R24sc20

Fasten off and stuff the body.

Open type body (will try to add photo, describing the whole process on how it is done soon)

Repeat R1 to R9 as from the above, for the closed body type

R10 ch1, turn (starting to work rows here (each row finish with ch1 and turn) sc47 (47 sts)

R11-R19 sc47

As you have finished R19, ch1 and single crochet the side of rows. When reaching bottom or single crochet left on R9 slip stitch that one and continue single crocheting other side of your rows.

R20 ch1, do not turn but continue crocheting as you would in any other round. Sc47, ch1 and sl st to chain made when starting this round. From now on continue working in spiral as we sis with the bottom part of the body.

R21 *dec1, sc4* x8 (40 sts)

R22 sc40

R23 *dec1, sc2* x10 (30 sts)

R25 sc30

R26 *dec1, sc1* x10 (20 sts)

R27 sc20

Fasten off , hide end, On the opening we made at the belly part you can lace as lacing the shoe, or you can sew little zipper on. You can add one or two buttons to it. My idea was making little treasures keeping doll out of one of my voodoos and think children will like this idea too.

Arms (make2)

R1 sc6 in magic ring (6 sts)
R2 inc6 (12 sts)

R3 *inc1, sc1* x6 (18 sts)

R4-R5 sc18

R6 pop-corn 1^st sts, sc17 (18 sts)

R7-R8 sc18

R9 *dec1, sc1* x6 (12 sts)

R10-R24 sc12

Fasten off, hide end. Stuff the arm nicely, leaving top part of the arm empty or stuffed very light (so the arms can fall over the body nice way).

Legs (make2)

R1 sc6 in magic ring (6 sts)

R2 inc6 (12 sts)

R3 *inc1, sc1* x6 (18 sts)

R4 *inc1, sc2* x6 (24 sts)

R5 bpsc24

R6 sc24

R7 dec1, sc1, dec1, sc1, dec1, sc16 (21 sts)

R8 dec3, sc15 (18 sts)

R9-18 sc18

R19 *dec1, sc1* x6 (12 sts)

R20 sc12

Fasten off hide end

Before sewing the parts together you might want to add some decorative stitches on the legs and arms. Use colors of your choice. When it comes to decorating your voodoo doll it has to be something you like or your children would like you to add. If your children are big enough you can add buttons, beads, sequins…. The rule, less is more is not a rule to follow for your voodoo, so go crazy on this one 

When adding hair to your dolls:

For boy I added few strings of yarn I attached on the very first round of the head. For the girls used two strings I waved around several stitches and then tided them together in little pig tails.

For your girl dolls you can ad braids instead or make tassels, or one bigger pony tail on top or back of the head.

Eye(s):

If you decide to crochet your eye(s) they are done this simple way:

R1 sc6 in magic ring

R2 inc6 (12 sts)

Tie off leaving long end for sewing (when making eye lashes sew the eye as the eye lashes are holding it)

With white yarn embroider two tiny little dots to make doll’s eye(s) alive.

On girl voodoo the heart I made on her chest was done using pattern you can find here. Pattern was created by Lucy from Attic24. It is very easy and beautiful tiny heart to make.

At the end, let me tell you about staining the doll, or making it look dirty as I did with two of my voodoo dolls.

I crocheted them in white cotton yarn and I used 2,5 mm hook for boy and 2 mm hook for girl. Liked the idea on making them white, but didn’t like the idea on keeping them so clean and so new 

I took some crayons (oil based) that I applied directly on doll. Then with my fingers I tried to smudge the crayon I applied as much as I could all around the toy.

Boy was the first one I made and he ended up too dirty (also the brown I used was too dark and I am not 100% satisfied with the look, but still think both are better than very clean white).

With girl was little bit more careful and she ended up better.

I suggest you try it. Dirty little voodoo it looks great and it is fun to do!

Wishing you all lots of fun making your little voodoo dolls. Hope they bring you lots of joy! And remember to go easy on them when using pins as voodoo dolls have feelings too 😀

Wishing you all wonderful end of the week and blessed weekend to come.

Vanja