Session 6: Bum/Torso

1. Securing your yarn tails

If you think back to session 5, we crocheted over the tail from our slip stitches and left it at the left side of the doll ( with toes facing you)and hopefully you haven't cut it yet.

This side of your doll will be the start of your rounds from this point on.

There are many different ways of hiding a yarn tail:

- working over them;

- knotting on the outside and pulling the knot though the stitches and out the opposite side of the doll;

- weaving in ends; etc.

But sometimes, for example joining the legs and closing up the the head, you need to really be sure your finish is secure. Watch the video and then secure your tail!

How to secure your tail:

To get our bearings, here is the last two row you completed from Session 5:

5. *[Sc x 3, 2Sc] *. Repeat from *[..]* around. Start this round wherever you finished round 4. (40sc). Do not fasten off.

Bum/Torso

1. Using the first three stitches of this round (marking the first stitch), change colors to your hoodie color. If you need to review colour changes, there is a video tutorial in session 4. Be sure to sc over your tails for a stitch or two. Sc around until you reach your stitch marker (40 stitches).

***There is no need to move your stitch marker every row, it it is just there to keep track of how many rows of 40sc you have completed. Keep it in the first stitch of your color change or count from your new color and ditch the stitch marker!

2. Complete a second round of 40sc. (after you pass your color change you can knot your tails together and trim them with about an inch or two of excess to tuck inside.

3-5. 40sc.

You will have completed 5 rounds of 40sc.

Discussion on shaping the lower back

The curve of the lower back is made by centering 8 decreases (sc2togx 8) above the bum. Where you placed your stitch marker may be different than where I placed mine, so again you have a bit of counting to do.

Spread out your cylinder, pretend your doll is full of stuffing, and find the two stitches that makeup the center of the back, they will be on either side of your join. This does not have to be exact, but you do want it to be as close to centred as possible.

We are going to be making 4 decreases on each side of center. Starting with the center stitch closest to your working yarn, count back 8 stitches. The 8th stitch is where you will start your first sc2tog. Mark this stitch and sc until you reach it.

To double check that you are happy with your placement, you can count 16 stitches across from your marked stitch and see if they are centered on the back of your doll. If you need to, adjust where you will begin decreasing.

6. Sc until you reach your marked stitch. Sc2tog x 8. Do these tightly. Sc around until you reach the side of your doll (Remember that the left side of the doll with toes facing you is the end of a round.) Place a stitch marker here and leave it for the rest of the torso. (32sc)

7. Continue crocheting around and around (don't move the stitch marker) until you have completed 16 rounds of 32sc. Stuff your doll as you go. Make sure you stuff the tops of the legs before going too much further, as it gets difficult to reach into them. You can work quite a bit up the torso before stuffing the bum. Stuff it well and press in on the lower back a bit to make it curve in.