Who’s ready for a voyage into Untested Pattern Land? I’ve opened a bottle of wine and found my notes, and I’m eager to try to get this down. It’s my very first time writing down a pattern, so please bear with me. This is my basic pattern for figures, how I have made almost every member of my Star Wars family, mostly by varying the colors to make the clothes (black boots and navy pants for Han, gold Glitterspun yarn for C-3PO, etc). Add some embroidery or other details, and you’re set.
I’m not entirely sure I have these stitch counts right. If it starts to feel wrong, go with your gut. If anyone has any advice at all on writing up patterns, I would LOVE to hear it!
FOOT/LEG
Make two of these:
If you can do the magic loop thing, then rock on! I can’t, so I start by chaining 3, slip stitching into the first stitch, and then using that little ring I’ve just made as my not-so-magic loop. Also, I work in spirals because I can never join a round without it looking stupid. So do it however you like.
1: 6 sc into the loop (total: 6 stitches)
2: 2 sc into each of the 6sc (total: 12 stitches)
3: [1 sc into the 1st sc, 2 sc into the next sc] x 6 (total: 18 stitches)
4: Work 18 sc
5: [2sc dec] x 2, 1sc into each of the next 15 sc
6: [2sc dec] x 2, 1sc into each of the next 13 sc.
7: [2sc dec] x 2, 1sc into each of the next 11 sc
8 - 15: Work 13 sc. (more for taller guys, like Chewbacca)
If you’re going to change color for boots, this is a good time to do it. I always switch at the back of the leg so it’s less noticeable. So change colors, then make another 10 rounds for the thigh. Leave a long enough tail so that you can sew the leg onto the body. Stuff.
HAND/ARM
Make two of these:
Chain 3 and join into a ring, or use a magic ring.
1: 6 sc into the loop (total: 6 stitches)
2: 2 sc into each of the next 6 sc (total: 12 stitches)
3: Work 12 sc
4: [2sc dec] x 6 (total: 6 stitches)
5: Work 6 sc
If you’re going to change color from skin to clothing, this is a good time to do it. Then make another 8 rounds for the arm. Maybe one or two more for Chewbacca. Leave a long enough tail so that you can sew the arm onto the body. Stuff.
HEAD/SHOULDERS/TORSO
Chain 3 or make the ring.
1: 6 sc into the loop (total: 6 stitches)
2: 2 sc into each of 6 sc (total: 12 stitches)
3: [1 sc into the 1st sc, 2 sc into the next sc] x 6 (total: 18 stitches)
4: Work 18sc
5: Work 18 sc
6: Work 18 sc
7: [2 sc dec, 5 sc] x 3 (total: 15 stitches)
8: [2 sc dec, 2 sc] x 6 (total: 12 stitches)
9: [2 sc dec] x 6 (total: 6 stitches)
10: Work 6 sc
11: 2 sc into each of 6 sc (total: 12 stitches)
Now here’s where you have to endure my inability to figure out exactly what I did. The head needs to be bigger than the body, but if we increase evenly around the shoulders/torso, then we’re going to end up with sort of tubular-looking figure. Imagine a ping-pong ball for a head, and a cardboard tube for the body. I love tubular as much as the next person, but let’s try to give this figure shoulders. This means we only increase at the sides. See how Han Solo below has shoulders:
I usually figure that I end a round at the back of the figure, which means I’m working across the figure’s back from left side to right side, then from right to left across the front, and then across the back again. (Imagine the figure lying down on the table in front of you, face up. You are lined up to look at the top of the figure’s head. I work counter-clockwise from that view.) So to get us around to the first shoulder area (the right shoulder), we need to make 2 sc.
Now 2 sc into each of the next 2 sc. This is the beginning of the right shoulder area.
Now work 4 sc. This takes you across the front of the chest and over to the figure’s left shoulder area.
Now 2 sc into each of the next 2 sc. This is the beginning of the left shoulder area.
Now work 6 sc. This will get you across the back and at the right shoulder area again.
2 sc into each of the next 2 sc. If my counting is right (dear God, please let it be right, amen), we are now increasing into the stitches that we had increased in the last round, making the shoulders spread out.
Okay, my notes stopped making sense right here, but can you see how it is? Work sc into sc all across the front at the back, and when you reach the sides (where you’ve increased the previous round), you sort of figure out the two stitches that are on the outermost edges, and make 2 sc into each of those.
I think I only did this for three full rounds. Once you’re happy with the broadness of the shoulders, stuff the head, and then just work sc into sc for the length of the torso, or about 17 rounds. Chewbacca is going to be taller, so another round or two for him. Leave a long tail. Stuff and sew shut at the bottom.
NOTE: One thing you might notice is that the figure seems a little barrel-chested. Eventually I decided to do one decrease on the front of the chest (think sternum) and one decrease on the back (think spine) in the round right after I finished broadening the shoulders. You might want to try that.
Holy crap! That’s it! Sew it all together and add some details like hair, face, belt, etc. Darth Vader’s details include a small square on the front with some colored lines, and a belt (which was just a long chain, then sc’d into each loop) with some colored lines.
DARTH VADER’S HELMET:
This I did NOT work in spirals. I tried, but then it turns out all lopsided. So for this, slip stitch to join the rounds. (Again … I’m just not positive I’ve got the stitches counted correctly. If it seems wrong, it most assuredly is.)
Chain 3
1: 6 sc
2: 2 sc into each of 6 sc (total: 12 stitches), sl st to join
3: [1 sc into the 1st sc, 2 sc into the next sc] x 6 (total: 18 stitches), sl st to join
4: Work 18 sc, sl st to join
So far we’ve made the top of the helmet. Now we need the back part that flares out.
5: Work 10 sc, ch 1, turn (this is not a round; now you’re working in rows)
6: [2 sc into first sc, then 1 sc into next sc] x 5. (total: 15 stitches) (This row makes it fan out.)
7: [1 sc into next sc, then 2 sc into next sc] x 10 (total 20 stitches). Ch 1, turn.
8: Work 20 sc.
Sc around the entire thing. Try it on your Vader’s head. If you like it, sew it on. If you don’t, try putting a little bit of stuffing or yarn between Vader’s head and the helmet. I found that helpful. If you totally hate the helmet, try to figure out where I led you astray, and adapt the pattern accordingly. It’s pretty easy to remake the helmet, and that’s the coolest part of the figure, so you want it to turn out well.
DARTH VADER’S CAPE:
This was totally trial-and-error-and-rip-it-out-and-try-again. See how his cape is attached around the back and sides of the neck, but then sort of sweeps back to follow the shoulders and reveal the chest panel.
I wish I could find a simple way to do this, but crochet (at least row after row of sc) doesn’t drape very well. So start with a chain that fits around the side, back, and side of his neck, and then start increasing as needed. Once you get down past the belt or so, though, it’s just straight working sc into sc.
Again, I’d really like to hear your advice. And if you end up making one, please post! I’d LOVE to see it!
