Mini St. Josephine Bakhita Pattern

Materials:

• 2.5 mm hook

• Cotton Weight 4 Yarn: brown, black, red, gold

• Polyester fiber stuffing

• Stitch marker (to keep track of rows)

• Finishing/tapestry needle (to sew parts together, embroider nose, and weave in ends)

• Black embroidery thread

• Glue (I used Tacky glue)*

• Optional: Sewing pins (for placing parts together before sewing), blush

• Also optional: I used polybeads in little nylon socks to weigh down the body so it stands up properly.

Skills:

• Basic understanding of how to complete amigurumi and follow patterns

• Working in a spiral

• Working in distinct rounds

• Working in rows

• Color changing

• Sewing amigurumi parts together

• Basic embroidery skills

• Finishing off (f.o.) and weaving/tucking in ends

• Chain (ch)

• Single crochet (sc)

• Double Crochet (dc)

• Triple Crochet (tr)

• Increase (inc.)**

• Invisible decrease (dec.)***

• Crocheting in front loops only (FLO)

• Crocheting in back loops only (BLO)

• Slip stitch (sl st)

*I used glue to attach the hair onto the head. Sewing these items together would also be fine if you do not have glue or wish not to use glue. I don’t recommend using glue if this doll is going to a small child.

**An increase is 2 scs in 1 stitch.

*** An invisible decrease is completed by following these instructions: 1. Identify the next two stitches you wish to combine into one. 2. Insert your hook into the front loop of the first stitch. 3. Insert your hook into the front loop of the second stitch. You should have 3 loops on your hook. 4. Yarn over and pull through 2 loops. 5. Yarn over and pull through the remaining 2 loops.

This pattern is written in US crochet terms.

I choose to begin by chaining two and then completing 6 sc starting in the 2nd ch from the hook. Of course, you may alternatively do a magic ring if you prefer.

Before beginning, set aside a piece of black yarn that is about 6 inches in length. You will use this to embroider an upside down “V” to separate the white and black parts of the body (the gown and the shawl) later.

Body

Begin with black worsted weight yarn and a 2.5 mm hook. Stuff as you go.

Round 1: ch 2, 6 sc in the 2nd chain from the hook (6)

R 2: inc. x 6 (12)

R 3: inc. x 12 (24)

For rounds 4-9, black text means use black yarn while red text indicates a color change to red yarn. All of round 4 is completed in the back loops only.

R 4: BLO 7 sc, 10 sc, 7 sc (24)

R 5: 8 sc, 8 sc, 8 sc (24)

R 6: 9 sc, 6 sc, 9 sc (24)

R 7: 10 sc, 4 sc, 10 sc (24)

R 8: 11 sc, 2 sc, 11 sc (24)

R 9: 12 sc, sc, 11 sc (24)

Change to using only black yarn.

R 10: 24 sc (24)

Thread your 6 inch piece of black yarn through your tapestry needle and embroider an upside down “V” on the body in order to more neatly distinguish the white gown from the black shawl.

Take a small piece of told yarn or embroidery thread to embroidery a cross on the body.

If you’re adding polybeads, this is a good time to take a small nylon sock, fill it with some polybeads, tie a knot, and place it inside the doll. If there is room, you can add a little stuffing to the body. Continue to stuff with polyester fiber fill as you go.

R 11: (2 sc, dec.) x 6 (18)

R 12: (sc, dec.) x 6 (12)

Change to beige yarn.

R 13: BLO inc. x 12 (24)

R 14-18 (5 rounds): 24 sc (24)

Embroider closed eyes and eyelashes near round 16 about 2.5 stitches apart. Each of the eyes I created is about 2.5 stitches wide (not including eyelashes). Add a nose in between and slightly below the eyes (mine is between round 15 and 16): insert a little bit of yarn into your tapestry needle and wrap around a stitch or two several times and tie your two yarn ends in the back (on the inside of the head).

R 19: (2 sc, dec.) x 6 (18)

R 20: (sc, dec.) x 6 (12)

R 21: dec. x 6 (6)

F.o. and weave in any loose ends.

Arm (Make 2)

Begin with worsted weight beige yarn. Stuffing is not necessary.

R 1: ch 2, 6 sc in the 2nd chain from the hook (6)

R 2: 6 sc (6)

Change to black yarn.

R 3: FLO 6 sc (6)

R 4-9 (6 rounds): 6 sc (6)

R 10: Fold the arm half and close together with 3 sc (3)

F.o. and leave a long tail for sewing. Sew the arms onto the body so that they stick out forward a little bit (so that you can later position and sew the arms onto the body more easily). I sewed them near rounds 10 and 11. Sew arms together in a prayer position.

Hair Covering

R 1: ch 2, 6 sc in 2nd ch from the hook (6)

R 2: inc. x 6 (12)

R 3: (sc, inc.) x 6 (18)

R 4: (2 sc, inc.) x 6 (24)

R 5-6 (2 rounds): 24 sc (24)

• 5 sc

• ch 4, starting from the 3rd ch from the hook complete 2 hdc back down chain

• 5 sc

• (All in one stitch: ch 2, dc, tr, dc, ch 2, sl st) x 5

• 5 sc

• ch 4, starting from the 3rd ch from the hook complete 2 hdc back down chain

• 4 sc

• Sl st to the next stitch (to even it out)

Bow

R 1: ch 10, starting from the 4th ch from the hook, complete: 2 tr, dc, sc, dc, 2 tr

Finish off and leave a long tail. Use the tail to weave your yarn to the middle using your tapestry needle and wrap around the middle several times. Tie tightly

Tie

R 1: ch 17, starting from the 2nd ch from the hook complete 16 sc (16)

F.o. and weave in ends. With a new piece of black yarn, sew the top corner down when folding it in half. Sew it behind the bow.

Sew the bow onto the hair covering and either glue or sew the hair covering onto the head of the doll.

The end!

Thanks for trying my pattern! I’d love to see your finished result on instagram. Tag me at @Lindsey_Crochets

You may not copy or distribute any part of this pattern. You are welcome to sell the finished product, but please credit Lindsey Crochets as the pattern’s creator. Find me at Instagram at @lindsey_crochets and at Facebook.com/Lindseycrochets.