Nativity crochet: basic shapes

Here are the basic shapes we are going to use for most of the characters of this free nativity crochet patterns. Vai allo schema in italiano. Before starting, I ask you to follow my Facebook Page and share the nativity crochet patterns with your friends. Thank you! :) Remember to check the head article to see if new patterns have being addeed and to see which colors you need to buy to complete the entire nativity. Here we go! Attention: you may find some translation mistakes here and there. I'm so sorry for them! Please, if you find some just leave a message below and I'll fix them. Thank you!

Abbreviations

ch – chain sc – single crochet inc – increase dec – decrease bl – back loops sl st – slip stitch About the patterns: work in continuous Rounds unless differently specified

Head pattern

Round 1: with skin color, magic ring, 8 sc inside the ring, work in continuous round using a stitch marker (8) Round 2: 2 sc around (16) Round 3: (1 inc, 1 sc) around (24) Round 4: (1 inc, 2 sc) around (32) Round 5: (1 inc, 3 sc) around (40) Giri 6-18: sc around (40) Round 19: (1 dec, 3 sc) around (32) Stuff Round 20: (1 dec, 2 sc) around (24) Round 21: (1 dec, 1 sc) around (16) Round 22: dec around (8) Cut the yarn leaving a 15cm long tail. Do not close the last 8 sc.

Body pattern

Round 1: with specific character primary color, magic ring, 8 sc inside the ring, work in continuous round using a stitch marker (8) Round 2: 2 sc around (16) Round 3: (1 inc, 1 sc) around (24) Round 4: (1 inc, 2 sc) around (32) Round 5: (1 inc, 3 sc) around (40) Round 6: (1 inc, 4 sc) around (48) Round 7: bl sc around (48) Giri 8-20:  sc around (48) Insert the cardboard disk on the body bottom Round 21: (1 dec, 4 sc) around (40) Round 22: sc around (40) Round 23: (1 dec, 3 sc) around (32) Round 24: sc around Stuff Round 25: (1 dec, 2 sc) around (24) Round 26: (1 dec, 1 sc) around (16) Round 27: dec around (8) Cut the yarn leaving a 15cm long tail. Do not close the last 8 sc.

Harms and hands pattern

Before starting to work, I'd suggest you to watch a little video I made to better explain how this pattern should be made. I'm sorry, the video is in italian language only, but I'm sure you'll understand even from just the images ;)   Round 1: Round 1:with skin color, magic ring, 8 sc inside the ring, work in continuous round using a stitch marker (8) Giri 2-4: sc around (8) Round 5: ch 2, work 4 treble crochet closed together on the same stitch where the last sc has been worked, 8 sc (8) Round 6: Totally skip the 2 cats and the 4 treble crochets and work on next sc, sc around (8) Round 7: 3 sc, 1 dec, 3 sc (7) Round 8: sc around (7) Giri 9-13: change color, with specific character primary color, sc around (7) Cut the yarn leaving a 15cm long tail. Do not close the last 8 sc. Lightly stuff the arm or use pipe cleaners in order to allow sort of articulation movements.

Assembling

I asked you to do not close the last 8 sc of both head and body, this because I like the little neck shape that gives some more personality to my characters, it allows head movements and you know how it can be helpful in organizeing your nativity scenes. Everything seems more real! Unfortunately, this makes the neck part less stable and it will need some help to stay in place as the characters have very big heads... I use to put some cotton fioc between head and body. If you don't like it, just close the stitches and attack the heat to the body as like :) Sew arms between first and second decreases rounds.