Session 5: The Makings of a Join!

Joining the legs together takes a bit of trial and error and I can't give you exact stitch counts, but it isn't complicated. The key point is that your join should be perpendicular to the front edge of the toes. If your join slants to one side, your toes will veer to the side as well.

Setting up your pieces

1. Hold your legs side by side (toes facing you) with the leg still attached to the yarn ball on the left, and the first leg you made on the right. I tried to break down the stitches in a diagram.

2. To locate the two center stitches (on the inside edge of each leg that need to be slip stitched together:

a.) flatten your legs front to back.

b.) Lay them on a flat surface with the toes pointing up. If the toes angle to one side, adjust how you have flattened them until the toes face straight up.

c.) Place the legs side by side on the table (touching) with Leg #1 on the right and Leg #2 on the left. The pair of stitches on each leg that touch are the ones you will be slip stitching together in the next step.

d.) It is important to take your time - double check step c.) and ensure that you have located the correct center stitches or your feet will not point straight ahead.

e.) you may have to undo a stitch or two on your first leg before starting (depending how far to the back of the leg you crocheted) so that your set up looks like the image below. Your loop should be one stitch away from your center stitch #1 to start the join.

(If you are a visual learner and just need to see this in action, I have added a video after the following graphic)

Joining them together

1. Start this round with the loop from Leg 1 on your hook. Insert your hook into the previous stitch marked #1 and then into stitch #2. on Leg 2.

2. Yarn over (with the tail from leg 1) and pull through both stitches and the loop on your hook (first slip stitch made).

3. Insert hook into stitch #3 and stitch #4.

4. Yarn over and pull through both stitches and the loop on your hook (second slip stitch made) if you are happy with your join (everything looks straight and toes are pointed forwards) fasten off (pull up on your loop until the tail comes through the last slip stitch).

Easy peasy! You can drop your working yarn here. We will crochet over it in the next step and then secure it.

Joining the legs (a rookie video tutorial!)

One more thought to add:

Hips

Pick up the loop we left off with the second leg. Continue to sc around, placing one sc in each stitch. Pay close attention when you get to the join.

As mentioned in the video, DO NOT sc into the slip stitches. You will be short two stitches if you do. Sc into the original stitches on the legs. Refer to the graphic below.

1. When you reach the join, sc into stitch #2., and then sc into stitch #1.

(You may find it easier to see these stitches from underneath the join.)

2. Sc in the next 12 stitches. You have now reached the tail from your join. Pull on the tail to tighten up the last slip stitch and hold it tight while you Sc into stitch #3. Again, tighten up the tail and Sc into stitch #4.

3. Working over your tail, Sc in the next 6 stitches. Drop your tail behind your work (do not cut it). Place a stitch marker here.

Shaping the bum

4. [Sc in next 2 st, 2sc]. [Sc in next 2 st, 2Sc] [Sc in next 2st, 2SC,] [Sc in next 2st, 2sc] sc in next 16 stitches. [32sc].

Even with all of my fancy diagrams, your stitches may line up differently than mine, and that is ok! The key to round 4 is that the 4 increases are centered on the back of the doll and that you aren't increasing in the join. Increasing in the join will result in spaces that show stuffing.

The photo below demonstrates how your increases should be spread out if your stitch counts don't seem to match mine. It is really an easy fix.

*Find the two stitches that make up the center of your bum (one on each side of my white arrow).

* Count 5 stitches towards your working yarn and this is where you will place your first increase. If you aren't at that stitch yet, just sc until you get to it and complete your first increase.

* Continue the pattern from Round 4 until you reach the side of your doll again. Exactly where you finish round 4 doesn't matter.

5. (move your stitch marker to the first stitch of this round.*[Sc x 3, 2Sc] *. Repeat from *[..]* around. (40sc). Do not fasten off.