Why in the world do we need another pattern for crocheted gingerbread people? Because I’m terrible at crocheting into the sides of rows. Read the whole story on this Flashback Friday on my other blog, Suzann’s TextileFusion.
The Gingerbread Kids of Cute Crochet World are worked in the round, so when you finish, you have an easy time adding icing trim. Here are step-by-step photos of the Gingerbread Kids in progress.
Complete written instructions for the Gingerbread Kids are on pages 80-82 of Cute Crochet World: A Little Dictionary of Crocheted Critters, Folks, Food & More.
Both Gingerbread Kids are made in two rounds of gingerbread and one round of icing. For clarity, the book’s instructions for each gingerbread round are divided into sections for arms, legs, and head. As you work, observe how the stitches look and where they are.
Here is the first arm, head, and second arm of Rnd 1, to the point after “sc in each of the next 4 ch.” The yellow marks show where to draw up lps for the next stitch: draw up two loops, yo, then draw up the third.
And here are the loops on the hook, ready for the last yo and pull through. This joins the arms and head.
Create the body- and leg-shaping by increasing or decreasing sts. When it’s done, Rnd 1 looks like a curled up stick figure.
Rnd 2 is worked in every single st, foundation ch, and ch-2 lp of Rnd 1. A helpful hint: after stitching the ends of the legs, head, and arms in the ch-2 lp, the instructions say to “skip the first sc” or “hdc.” That st is probably already obscured by the sts in the ch-2 lp.
At the last st of Rnd 2, cut the yarn and pull the final loop up, up, and out of the last st, as in the photo above.
Thread the yarn end into a tapestry needle, and skim the needle under the top two loops of the first st of the rnd, as in this photo. Take the needle back down into the last st of the round, tighten and adjust the new loop, weave in end. This is a needle-join or invisible join, which you can read more about here.
Start the round of icing trim by drawing up a loop with the icing color yarn. Sl st in each st around, making sts looser or tighter to fit the outline of the gingerbread.
When you’ve slip stitched around, cut yarn and draw the last loop completely out of the final st. Thread yarn end into tapestry needle.
Skim the needle under the two “legs” of the loop you drew up at the beginning of the round.
Take the needle back down into the final st of the round, where the yarn end emerges. Pull the yarn end through to the wrong side, adjust it to the size of the sl sts nearby, weave in end. Another needle join complete!
The icing trim on the gingerbread girl is slightly different. Sl st around her right leg first and pull the yarn ends to the wrong side. Following the complete instructions in the book, sl st around the second leg and around the edge until you come to the second corner of the skirt. Hold the yarn in back as you sl st across the tops of the legs/bottom edge of the skirt.
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When you’re to the last possible stitch before the opposite corner of the skirt, cut yarn and draw the end up and out of the final stitch. This photo shows the loop in the process of being drawn out.
Thread the yarn end into a tapestry needle. Skim the needle under the first stitch of the skirt.
Take the needle back down into the final sl st of the trim. Adjust the loop, weave in the end on the wrong side. Another needle join complete!
Make a Gingerbread Kid Ornament
To make ornaments, crochet two each of the gingerbread boy and gingerbread girl. Make a hanging loop for each ornament. from the instructions here. I used a length of No. 10 crochet cotton, but you can use embroidery floss or the yarn you used to make the gingerbread motifs.
For each ornament, sew the hanging loop to the wrong side of one motif, centering it at the top of the head. I used a contrasting color thread here, so you can easily see it. You can use whatever yarn or thread works.
Line up two matching motifs, wrong sides together. Use yarn to sew the motifs together, stitching each loop of the final round of the gingerbread kid to the matching stitch on the other motif. Basically, you will whip-stitch the pieces together. Weave the final end between the motifs.
Sewing the matching motifs together, back to back, tames the tendency of the crochet to curl. Best of all, your ornament will look nice from both sides. And you made it!
