Hey everyone! I know, it's been a while. I've been pretty busy lately (surprisingly), but now that I'm here let's get right into the post for today!
First I have a super quick message and the link to this pattern. You can find the pattern on Ravelry here. I am not receiving a commission for suggesting this pattern, but as an Amazon Associate, Love & Crochet may earn commissions (at no extra cost to you) from qualifying purchases from Amazon.com. This does not affect the products we recommend. We only suggest good products that we have tried in the past. Please know that purchasing through some of the links below will support us. We also display advertisements on this article and others that you will encounter throughout the post. With that said, enjoy the article!
A few weeks ago, I was pondering what I should crochet for my dad as a present on his birthday. The first thing that popped up in my mind was something related to his alma mater, but I thought against it because I had already given him many presents in the past related to that. I thought about some of my dad's other interests; football, grilling, Star Wars... and then it came to me!
Shortly after the first Mandalorian season was released, I had a request from a friend for me to make two Baby Yodas for their family. I had watched most of the episodes by then with my dad and sister, so I was excited to crochet a character of the show that my family and I enjoyed. It was a complicated pattern at the time, but I forged through it and produced two adorable stuffed animals for my friend and her family when I was finished. So, when I thought about a Star Wars theme as an option for a crochet birthday present, I recalled this project first. Not but a minute after, I began the project once again.
As I was working the first few rounds, my thoughts drifted over to Love & Crochet. I thought again about how hard this pattern was to make as a beginner, and I thought about how others could use the lessons I've learned to make crocheting this pattern easier. Then, another thought formed. Maybe I should start a blog.
The idea caused a bubble of excitement to form inside of me. Idea after idea came rushing through my head, and I had a hard time writing everything down before the ideas vanished. When I continued crocheting, I took notes about everything that helped me make this pattern, from the smallest tips to the biggest helpers. In the rest of this post, I'll share with you these precious details, along with other helpful tid bits of information like the time it took and the tools I used. Now that you have the backstory, lets jump right into the meat of this article!
Materials I Used Versus the Materials the Pattern Calls For
Yarn
The first material they call for is yarn. I'm assuming that because the pattern creator is from Brazil, they are using the Brazilian yarn brand, "Brazilian brands' cotton yarns". As an American writing this, I used Joaan's Big Twist Value Worsted Yarn in the colors cream and light green. The first time I made the Baby Yoda I believe I used a different color green from the Red Heart brand, but only use that color if you're looking for a brighter green.
You can get the yarn I used here:
Fabric Glue
The next material on the list, fabric glue, is optional. The writer did not specify what that would be for, but I would guess that if you plan on gluing the eyes or attaching the various parts with fabric glue, then you would use that material. I chose not to apply glue on my Baby Yoda- instead I used washers to secure the eyes and yarn to sew the doll together. For the projects that I need glue for, I always go with either Tacky Glue (fabric glue) or this hot glue. These two materials have worked for all of the projects I've completed that require some form of adhesive, and they work for this pattern as well.
Here are the links to my favorite fabric glues. Check them out if you're interested!
Acrylic Fiber (Stuffing)
Acrylic fiber, also known as stuffing, is the next material the pattern calls for. I use Poly Fil for the majority of my projects, and I stuffed this one with that stuffing also. You can find a variety of stuffing package sizes on Amazon, or you can get what's available at your local craft store.
If you're looking to buy it online, here's the Amazon link:
Plastic Eyes
Next up are the 13 mm black plastic safety eyes. I bought a collection of plastic eyes not too long ago which I would recommend to anyone hands down. The price is amazing for the superior quality of each eye. There is a multitude of colors and sizes ranging from 6-20 mm. Each pair comes with a set of plastic washers to secure them in. I used the 12 mm eyes from here because I like the look, but you can choose whatever size you wish.
You can get this great product here:
Crochet Hook
After the pair of plastic eyes you'll need a crochet hook, specifically a 3.0 mm one. I used US size E/4 (3.5 mm) because I had it on hand and it still works great even with the slight size difference. The hook I crocheted with was a gift I was given a few years ago, so I'm not familiar with the brand.
Tapestry Needle, Scissors and Pins
Now we're on the last material, which is actually three materials in series :) First is the tapestry needle. I highly recommend that you not only gather the standard ~2 inch embroidery needle, but you also get a specific 6.8 inch long embroidery needle which makes a certain step A LOT easier. The first time I followed the pattern I didn't have this tool, and there was a significant change in the time it took to make and the quality of the doll when finished too. The link below takes you to these wonderful time savers.
Finally, you'll want a pair of scissors and some pins on hand (the pins are optional. Use them if you find it easier to sew the various parts on). Now that I've discussed the materials, lets get into the tips for this pattern!
Pattern Tips and Suggestions
These bits of advice are sequenced in order from the tip you would use at the beginning of the pattern to the last tip you would put to action. It's a great idea to read this section as you work through the pattern yourself. Also, in case you were wondering, this project takes about four hours to complete.
Eye Placement
My first suggestion has to do with the eyes. In my opinion, the Baby Yoda looks better with five points in between each eye instead of 6 points in between each. To quote the pattern directly, it says, "separated by about 6 points" so they don't give a set number anyway. five in between is what I think looks right. Here is an up close picture of the eyes:
Feel free to judge the placement of your Baby Yoda's eyes based on this photo and the others throughout this post.
Color Changing
When you reach the bottom of the head, you'll have to color change to a cream color yarn (the robe). Don't worry about making the perfect seamless change of color here- it will be covered by the collar anyway. The first time I crocheted this pattern I was stressing over this tiny detail, only to realize that it was going to be covered up anyway! Also, don't worry about hiding the tails in any special way, because they'll be buried deep within the stuffing later. Just make sure to cut them short so they don't get in the way.
Dealing With the Head while Crocheting the Robe
I have to admit, it's a bit hard to make the robe part with the head in the way of your hand. If you don't know what I mean, you'll understand completely when you reach the robe part. It's an awkward way to crochet, and I have some advice on where to place your hands to keep control of the piece. Check out the picture below to see my hand placement just after the color change was performed.
With my left hand in that spot, I can easily move the project around as my right hand crochets. But as the robe grows longer, your hand placement needs to adjust accordingly. Take a look at the next image to see my hand position after a few more rows.
Also notice that as the robe gets longer, I put more of the fingers which were previously wrapped around the head, into the robe. This helps to create an even stronger grip.
Here is what it should look like when you reach the end of the robe- a curved, bowl-shaped crochet piece. As you get closer to finishing off the piece, you'll be able to push in the last few rows to form a cave-like bottom. This is good- a crucial step to making sure the doll can stand up properly. Take a look at the pictures below to get a visual of what I'm writing about.
Okay, now that we're finished discussing the robe and its complexities, let's move on to the stuffing the concave base. This is another important step that I had a hard time with while creating my first Baby Yoda, so listen carefully!
Building the Best Base
This is a hard thing to do, especially if it's your first time performing this technique. Lucky for you, I have to tips for this one! To start, you must use as little stuffing as possible. My first time creating a concave base did not go so well. I had this mentality to add more stuffing again and again, even when it was already enough. The result was a bulging effect that pushed the arms outwards. To tell you the truth, it could have been worse. Anyway, here is the batch of Baby Yodas that I made a few months ago. Compare it to the other pictures on this post to get a feel for what's different.
My second tip for the base is to use a long metal needle to pull up the center. Doing this forms the concave base. I strongly recommend that you get these needles. I've had tons of success with them, and the difference is noticeable when you compare projects that use them and projects that don't. They're not expensive at all, but are still very high quality and will last you forever. Don't use them for closing up the hole- have a tapestry needle for that. What will really make your life easier is when you need to pull yarn in a straight line through a space longer than two inches. In this pattern's case, you'll use the long needle to pull the yarn ending (after closing up the hole) through the Baby Yoda and out of the back of its head. The mild sharpness and length of the needle makes this as easy as 1, 2, 3! Check out the picture below to see where the knot should go. Make sure to pull the yarn tight and tie a good knot.
That's it for the base! Now we can move on to the arms.
Arms, Sleeves, Stuffing, Oh My!
I have quite a few suggestions for the Baby Yoda's arms, all sure to make the pattern making process easier for you. There are a handful of unnecessary and unexplained steps in the pattern that I will explain here, so listen carefully!
I'd like to begin with discussing the arms (the green part). I have two important time savers involved with this part. First, you really don't need to change from the green yarn to the cream yarn when crocheting the arm. the collar covers the top bit of each arm anyway, so the extra hassle is not necessary.
My second tip is about stuffing the arm. You need so little stuffing for this piece, that you might as well fill it with the beginning yarn tail. It's practically right where it needs to be already, you may just have to push it in slightly. The length should not be terribly long, maybe a few inches. That's it for the arms — now onto the sleeves.
For this, I'm going to walk you through attaching the sleeves to the arms. The pattern is vague in its explanation for this part, so I thought it would be helpful to provide an outline. Let's start with placing. Leave about one row of the arm above where the sleeve is. It should wrap completely around the arm. Using the well known "straight stitch" secure the top row of the sleeve to the arm. After you get all the way around, use the whip stitch to connect the two ends lining the middle. Fix the lower row of the sleeve to the arm by using the straight stitch once again. Repeat the previous instructions for the next side. Also refer to the picture below for a placement visual.
When you have these two finished pieces, sew them on the opposite sides of your doll. Here is what that looks like:
With the arms set and ready to go, let's discuss the collar.
Collar
My first suggestion for the collar is to make it five stitches longer. At the original length, the collar is hard to sew together and appears tight on the body, giving it an unpleasant and strained appearance. Adding the extra few single crochets to each row makes both the creation process and the finishing look much better.
I also have a handful of tips for sewing it on the doll. Use the whip stitch to connect the two ends of the collar, like the sleeves. Use the straight stitch to attach the top and bottom to the head and robe, respectively. Instead of stitching around the entire circumference of the bottommost round, only sew a few stitches in these specified spots: the front center, on both arms, and the back center. Doing this gives Baby Yoda a more natural, comfortable look, as seen below.
And now, our final three details...
Ears, Chain and Nose
I don't have much to say about these last three items. For the ears, you should know to place them directly above the arms and that they look cuter when they're slightly wider than what the pattern shows. It's hard to explain in words how exactly to position them, so refer to the photo below for a clearer idea.
I don't have any specific pointers about the 5 point chain. Just a closeup visual for you to reference.
Last but not least, there's the nose. I looped over the same stitch 3 times to achieve the correct look. Check out the picture below for the placement.
Congrats! You've finished crocheting a Baby Yoda, and it probably looks absolutely adorable. If you have any remaining questions, don't hesitate to ask me in the comments down below. Enjoy your little creation!
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