Plush Cross Crochet Pattern

When my kids were baptized, I gave them personalized crosses to hang on the wall above their beds. They are wooden and quite beautiful, but a bit costly. I recently realized I could use my newfound crochet skills to make a three-dimensional plush crochet cross to hang on the wall that would be quite adorable for a baby or young child's room. So I set out to design a simple cross that is flat on the front and back and can be easily hung on a wall.

Plush Cross Crochet Pattern

Supplies

• Worsted weight yarn in two colors 
• I used Caron Simply Soft (100% acrylic) in White and Pagoda and only needed small amounts
• Hook size 3.5mm (E)
• Stuffing (I used polyester fiberfill, but there are more eco-friendly stuffing options out there...)
• Tapestry needle for weaving in ends
• Stitch markers

Gauge and dimensions

   Gauge

• 5 sc stitches = 1 inch
• 5 sc rows = 1 inch

   Final dimensions

• Arm/head length = 2 inches
• Body length = 4 inches
• Total length (height) = 7 inches
• Total width = 5 inches
• Depth = 1 inch
  

 Abbreviations

• MC: main color (white)
• CC: contrasting color (pagoda)
• sl st: slip stitch
• sc: single crochet
• ch: chain
• st(s): stitch(es)

• sc 3 means single crochet in each of the next three stitches
• 3 sc means place 3 single crochet stitches in the next stitch  

Notes

• This cross is made of three separate pieces joined using a single crochet border, then stuffed 
• When joining to the side with the foundation chain, place hook under both the foundation chain loop and the bottom loop of the single crochet stitch below it (see photo below)

Place hook under two loops (not just the chain) when adding border to foundation chain

 

Pattern

Front and back pieces of cross (make two identical pieces)

Vertical piece

• Ch 38



Front and back pieces

• Row 1: sc in 2nd ch from hook and to the end, ch 1, turn (37 sts)
• Row 2: sc in 1st st and to the end, ch1, turn (37 sts)
• Rows 3-5: repeat row 2
• Fasten off at end of row 5 and weave in ends

Arm of cross*

• In 11th stitch from one end of vertical piece, join a new strand of MC yarn by pulling new strand through and ch 1
• Row 1: (working over loose end), in same stitch that you joined the yarn, sc 1 and in next 4 sts, ch 1, turn (5 sts)
• Row 2: sc 5, ch 1, turn (5 sts)
• Rows 3-10: Repeat row 2
• Fasten off at end of row 10 and weave in loose ends

*Make an identical arm on opposite side
Note: when adding arm to the side with the foundation chain, pull yarn through two loops, the chain loop and bottom loop of sc (see photo above)

Center strip (joins front and back pieces)

Note: one continuous piece will go around the entire cross

• Ch 125
• Row 1: sc in 2nd ch from hook and to the end of chain, ch 1, turn (124 sts)
• Row 2: sc in 1st st and to the end of row (124 sts)
• Row 3: repeat row 2 (124 sts)
• Fasten off and weave in one of the loose ends, but leave enough length on the other loose end for sewing the two edges of the strip together (will do this later)
• Mark the following stitches from one end: 

• 10, 15, 25, 35, 40, 50, 60, 65, 75, 97, 102 (end of strip is stitch 124)

Center strip with stitch markers separating sections that will be each segment of the finished piece. See photo below for corresponding labels on front piece of cross

 Assembly

• Line up center piece and front face of cross so that the outside of the cross is facing up,the cross face is closest to you, and the joining center strip is behind the cross face (this arrangement will ensure that the sc border faces to the front of the cross)
• Starting at the bottom inside corner of the right arm (see photo), join CC yarn through both pieces and ch 1 (Note: loose ends of front face of cross should be facing away from you)

• General instructions for joining border
• Join the two pieces together with sc evenly around in both pieces: be sure to place hook through both loops of sc sts or in loop of chain plus bottom loop of sc st for the sides with the foundation chain (see above photo)
• When adding a sc stitch to the end of a row, each row gets one sc
• Crochet over the loose end of CC yarn for several stitches when the strand is first joined
• Place 3 sc in each outside marked corner and one sc in each inside marked corner
• Place one sl st in the stitch immediately following each inside marked corner
• Specific pattern for joining border
• Beginning at the inside corner marked in the photo below (between sections A and L), sl st, sc 8, 3 sc in next st, sc 4, 3 sc in next st, sc 10, sl st, sc 8, 3 sc in next st, sc 4, 3 sc in next st, sc 10, sl st, sc 8, 3 sc in next st, sc 4, 3 sc in next st, sc 10, sl st, sc 21, 3 sc in next st, sc 4, 3 sc in next st, sc 21 (140 sts)
• Fasten off,  join to first sc by weaving under front post and weave in end along the CC border 

Segments corresponding to marked center strip (see photo above)

Cross (inside view) after joining front face to center strip and sewing ends of strip to one another

• After completely joining the center piece to the front side of the cross, use the long end of yarn that you left to sew the two ends of the strip together (white)**. Next, line up the back face of the cross with the center strip and join a new strand of CC (pagoda) on this side as described above (stitch markers are helpful to ensure placing the corners in the correct spots). I joined the second strand of CC yarn at the opposite corner (between sections I and J)  in order to minimize bulkiness from the join

• **Alternatively, after joining the center piece to one side, continue with the same strand of yarn (do not fasten off), arrange the two ends of the center piece so that you are working on the inside, sl st to join the ends (seam will be on the INSIDE), join with a sl st to the first st at the corner and sc around as above. (This just eliminates some of the loose ends that you otherwise need to weave in.)

• When about 10 stitches are left, stuff, then stitch closed; bind off at last stitch, then sew to connect to front post of 1st stitch of CC (pagoda), weave in loose end and hide end in stuffing

Opening used to stuff the cross

Tips

This is a very simple pattern, but even something this easy can pose challenges. My first tip is to make sure the two faces (front and back) are identical, including leaving the loose ends sticking out just a little from the same side after weaving them in (I recommend this to ensure the ends don't slide out and end up on the wrong side). When you assemble the front and back pieces, place them as mirror images so that the foundation chain of one is opposite of the foundation chain of the other. This just keeps everything more balanced and the loose ends will end up on the inside for both pieces.

My other tips are noted above, but just to reiterate, make sure the side that you want the pretty border to face (e.g., the front piece) is facing up and closest to you when working the border; otherwise, the top loops of the border will face towards the center strip and not be as pretty. Stitch markers are extremely helpful to make sure the corners are in the right spots and also make sure you don't have too much or too little of the center strip left over when you reach the end. I ran out of stitch markers, so I just used pieces of red yarn (see photo above). I originally marked one side, then recounted and marked the second side of the strip when I was ready to add the second contrasting color border. To be honest, the stitch markers that I used are so cheaply made that several broke in a row. This was very annoying, but for $1, maybe it's still worth it. When they don't break, they are very nice to have for a project like this. 

A final note: when I used a  contrasting border for the edging, the white poked through slightly at the corners. This was mostly a problem at the spots where there was a knot (i.e., beginning or end of a piece). To completely avoid this issue, consider making the entire cross using only one color. 

So there you have it, an adorable plush crochet cross to hang on the wall of a child's room!

I have more plans for adorning this cross, so stay tuned for a follow-up blog post. Until then, what adornments would you add?
 

Crochet Baby Boy Baptism Outfit

I am so happy that I learned to crochet in time to make my young son's baptism outfit. When I originally started this project, I only intended to make a bonnet and booties, but after finishing the adorable bonnet, I was inspired to crochet the entire outfit. My inspiration was based on the following:

• The colors of every item should match. Incidentally, all whites are not created equal, so the only way to ensure that everything matched perfectly was to make each piece using the same yarn.

• Every piece should fit my son well
• My son was already in size 12-24 months and it was a bit more difficult to find an outfit in his size.
• Even if I found something in his size, there was no guarantee it would fit. I wanted something that I could tailor make to fit him perfectly. 

•  The outfit would be a family heirloom
• Baptism outfits are one of the few clothing items that become automatic family heirlooms. I was enchanted by the idea that my son could look at this outfit when he's older and say, "My mom made this!"

Thus began my search for the perfect baptism outfit pattern. It needed to be something within my skill level that I could complete in a reasonable amount of time. Most of the crochet patterns listed as "baptism" or "Christening" outfits that I found were written for sizes too small for my son. Additionally, although I found many cute dresses in his size that could pass as baptism outfits, it was challenging to find the perfect outfit for a baby boy. This meant I'd have to be a bit creative in assembling the perfect baptism outfit for my son.
 

I ended up combining four separate patterns to make my baby boy's baptism outfit.

Pattern Links:

• Baptism Bonnet by Pretty Prudent (free pattern)
• Ribbed Peasant Top by Holland Designs (on Etsy for $5.50)
• Pants ("Longies") by Look at What I Made (free pattern)
• Little Mister Loafers by The Lovely Crow (on Etsy for $5.95) 

Supplies: 

Yarn 

• I made the entire outfit using Comfy Sport yarn (#2 weight) from KnitPicks (white, SKU: 24794). I absolutely love this 75% pima cotton / 25% acrylic yarn. It is very soft and high quality. The only caveat is that it is not a pure snow white like the picture and description suggest. It looks more like a light ivory, antique white, or off-white. But it is so beautiful. I actually prefer this color over stark white. I used about seven balls (218 yards/50 grams per ball) for the entire outfit (size 12-24 months). Final measurements of the pieces are included below for reference (apparently my baby had a stocky square body shape).

Hooks

• 3.5 mm (aka "E") for peasant top and booties
• 4.5 mm for pants
• 5.5 mm (aka "I") for bonnet

Embellishments

The color of the ribbon and buttons matched the yarn perfectly. 

• Antique white ribbon (1/4 in x 18 ft spool - I had extra leftover)
• I used the same satiny ribbon in every piece except the booties. It was the perfect color to match the yarn, and was the perfect embellishment to make this outfit special. I made sure to heat seal the edges to prevent fraying.
• Two antique white shank buttons for booties (11 mm).

Modifications:

Bonnet

Final measurements: top of crown to bottom = 8 in
The only modification I made to this pattern was using a sport weight (#2) yarn, rather than the worsted weight suggested in the pattern.

Note: top of head is on the left (the ribbon frames the face)

Peasant Top

Final measurements: neckline to bottom of shirt = 9 in, bottom border 1.5 in (total length = 10.5 in), width at waist = 12 in, arm width = 4 in, arm length = 5 in 

The piece that really made the outfit was the top. It's a peasant top that has a combination of simplicity and embellishments to be perfect for a little boy's baptism. I tailored it to fit my son, which was easy because the pattern is based on measurements. The only "modification" was a mistake I made on the edging. 

 

My mistake was that I crocheted the edging on the wrong side (the side farthest away from me when crocheting in the round). Consequently, the beautiful part that was supposed to be facing the outside ended up on the inside. I could have just turned the top inside out, but I didn't want the seams to show, so I just kept it the "wrong" way, which was still quite beautiful. I included seven rows of edging, partly to add some length because my original measurement only went to my son's waist and I should have made it a bit longer. I added a row of edging to the arms to match.
 

Edging on arm

Tip: when crocheting in the round, make sure that the side you are working on is closest to you to ensure that the right side of the stitch is facing out. This is particularly an issue when joining yarn to add edging or start a second leg in the pants (I also made this mistake in the pants and had to redo a huge section).

I used ribbon to cinch the top. My son had very pudgy arms, so I had to make the top wide enough to accommodate them. Consequently, due to the pattern design, I had to cinch the top quite a bit to fit him. It was a bit bulky around his shoulders, but was still absolutely adorable. However, if I make this top again, I will err on the side of snug-fitting arms rather than adding rows for "moving room."

Pants

Final measurements: waist = 11.5 in, inseam = 6 in, length including waistband = 13 in, waistband width = 1 in

I followed the 18-24 months longies pattern, but tailored it to match my son's measurements, substituted half double crochet (hdc) in place of single crochet, and used a different pattern for the waistband. I chose this pants pattern because it includes an extra space between the legs (the "gusset"), which is a great feature to allow for more movement.

I made the waistband following this ribbed boot cuffs pattern at Inspired Nest. I followed the pattern up through the foundation row, which is the connection between the ribbed waistband and the rest of the piece. After the foundation row, I continued with the longies pattern for the rest of the pants. Once the legs were approximately ankle length, I finished by adding a single row of the same edging from the peasant top at the bottom of the pant legs.

I made these pants using a 4.5 mm hook in order to allow for stretching, in addition to getting it done more quickly. The finished piece was a bit too stretchy. I would probably use a smaller hook next time I crochet these pants.

Booties

Final measurements: sole length = 5 in
I searched far and wide for baptism booties, and finally decided to use the beautiful pattern I already had (see last week's post for more pictures of these adorable loafers). This was a decision based partly on saving time and money. If I had more time to try a new pattern, then I may have used this pattern, which is a perfect match to the ribbed peasant top. In the end, I was happy with the way the booties turned out. 

Since I was using sport weight yarn and the pattern was written for worsted weight, I had to modify the pattern slightly to fit my son's foot. He was already wearing the 6-12 months size (largest size provided in the pattern), so I increased the size by adding stitches to the main pattern. See my Tips and Techniques page for a description of how I did this.

In addition to adding stitches to increase the size, I added one extra row at the top and a wide strap (2 hdc rows) to try to help the booties stay on better. In the end, they were a bit too small (I underestimated the necessary size increase and didn't have time to start over). The smallness made them fall off more easily, despite the addition of the strap, but they stayed on long enough for cute photos. 

Look how perfectly the button matches the yarn!

In the end, I had a beautiful crocheted baptism outfit for my son. The top took by far the longest time to make (several weekends). The bonnet and booties only took a few hours total, and I finished the pants in a single weekend. Although the outfit was only worn once, it was well worth the time to make this special family heirloom.

This would have been a much faster project if it had been for a newborn baby. If you are planning to crochet your child's baptism outfit, what size will you make?