Read an Excerpt
Crochet Stories: L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
By Pat Olski, Charles Young Dover Publications, Inc.
Copyright © 2017 Pat Olski
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-0-486-81252-6
CHAPTER 1
The Cyclone
Dorothy lived in the midst of the great Kansas prairies, with Uncle Henry, who was a farmer, and Aunt Em, who was the farmer's wife. Their house was small; its one room contained a rusty cooking stove, a cupboard, table, three or four chairs, and two beds. There was no garret, and no cellar — except for the cyclone cellar, a small hole dug into the ground and reached by a trap-door in the middle of the floor, where the family could go in case one of those great whirlwinds arose.
Not a tree nor a house broke the broad sweep of flat country. The sun had baked the plowed land into a gray mass, and even the grass had been burned gray. The house had once been painted, but the sun blistered the paint, and now the house was as dull and gray as everything else.
When Aunt Em came there to live she was a young, pretty wife. The sun and wind had taken the sparkle from her eyes and left them a sober gray. She was thin and gaunt, and never smiled now. When Dorothy, who was an orphan, first came to her, Aunt Em had been so startled by the child's laughter that she would scream and press her hand upon her heart whenever Dorothy's merry voice reached her ears. Uncle Henry was also gray, and worked from morning to night. It was Toto that made Dorothy laugh. He was a little black dog, with small black eyes that twinkled merrily. Dorothy played with him all day, and loved him dearly. Today, however, they were not playing. Uncle Henry sat upon the doorstep and looked anxiously at the sky. Dorothy stood in the door with Toto in her arms. Aunt Em was washing the dishes.
From the far north they heard a low wail of the wind, and the long grass bowed in waves before the coming storm. Suddenly Uncle Henry stood up. "There's a cyclone coming," he called; "I'll go look after the stock."
Aunt Em dropped her work. "Quick, Dorothy," she screamed, "run for the cellar!" Toto jumped out of Dorothy's arms and hid under the bed, and the girl started to get him. Aunt Em threw open the trap-door and climbed down into the cellar. Dorothy caught Toto and started to follow her aunt, but the house shook so hard she lost her footing and sat down on the floor.
A strange thing then happened. The house whirled around two or three times and rose slowly through the air. The north and south winds met where the house stood. Now in the center of a cyclone the air is generally still, but the pressure of the wind forced the house to the very top. The wind howled horribly, but Dorothy found she was riding quite easily.
Toto did not like it. He ran around the room barking loudly, and once he fell through the open trap-door, but Dorothy crept to the hole, caught him by the ear, and dragged him into the room again.
Slowly she got over her fright. As the hours passed and nothing terrible happened, she stopped worrying, crawled over the swaying floor to her bed, and fell fast asleep.
She was awakened by a severe shock that might have hurt her if she had not been lying on the soft bed. She sat up and noticed that the house was not moving; nor was it dark, for bright sunshine came in at the window. She opened the door and gave a cry of amazement.
The cyclone had set the house down, very gently — for a cyclone — in the midst of a country of marvelous beauty. There were lovely patches of green sward all about, with stately trees bearing luscious fruits. Birds with brilliant plumage sang amidst banks of gorgeous flowers. A small brook nearby sounded very cheerful to the little girl who had lived so long on the dry, gray prairies.
Dorothy
SKILL LEVEL
Intermediate
FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Height = 8in/20cm
MATERIALS
* Cascade® 220 Superwash™ 3½oz/100g, 220yds/200m (100% superwash wool) — one skein: # 910A Winter White (MC)
* Cascade® 220 Superwash™ Sport 1#190;oz/50g, 136.5yds/125m (100% superwash merino wool) — one skein each: #845 Denim (A), #897 Baby Denim (B), #818 Mocha (C)
* Small amounts gray yarn for the bottom of the feet
* Silver metallic yarn for the shoes — 10yds/10m
* Size G-6 (5mm) crochet hook
* Tapestry needle
* Fiberfill stuffing
* Small amounts embroidery floss in black, brown, white, and pink
* Pink powder blush or paint for cheeks
* Stitch markers and holders
Note: Stuff the doll as it is worked to make stuffing easier. Do not stuff the arms.
DOROTHY
Feet
Rnd 1: Using gray, ch 1, 8 sc in magic ring, sl st to join, tighten magic ring, turn — 8 sts. See Abbreviations, page v, for explanation of Magic Ring.
Rnd 2: Ch 1, sc in next sc, 2 hdc in each of next 2 sc, sc in 2 sc, 2 hdc in each of next 2 sc, sc in next sc, sl st to join, turn — 12 sts.
Rnd 3: Ch 1, sc in next sc, hdc in next st, 2 hdc in each of next 2 sts, hdc in next st, sc in 2 sts, hdc in next st, 2 hdc in each of next 2 sts, hdc in next st, sc in next st, sl st to join, turn — 16 sts.
Rnd 4: Ch 1, sc in 4 sts, 2 hdc in each of next 3 hdc, sc in 2 sts, 2 hdc in each of next 3 hdc, sc in 4 sts, sl st to join, turn — 22 sts.
Rnd 5: Ch 1, sc in 3 sts, [2 sc in next st, sc in 2 sts] 6 times, sc in next st, sl to join, turn — 28 sts.
Rnd 6: Using metallic silver, ch 1, BLsc in each sc, sl st to join — 28 sts.
Rnds 7-8: Ch 1, sc in each sc, sl st to join — 28 sts.
Rnd 9: Ch 1, sc in 9 sc, sc2tog, sc in next sc, sc2tog, ch 1, sc2tog, sc in next sc, sc2tog, sc in 9 sc, sl st to join — 24 sts.
Rnds 10 and 11: Using A, ch 1, sc in each sc, sl st to join — 24 sts.
Rnd 12: Ch 1, sc in 9 sc, 2 sc in next sc, sc in next sc, 2 sc in next sc, ch 1, 2 sc in next sc, sc in next sc, 2 sc in next sc, sc in 9 sc, sl st to join — 28 sts.
NOTE: Both Rnd 13 and Rnd 14 are worked in the stitches of Rnd 12.
Rnd 13 (ruffle): Ch 1, working in FL of sc of Rnd 12, work [sl st, ch 1, sl st] in each sc, sl st to join.
Body
Rnd 14: Using MC, ch 1, working in BL of sc of Rnd 12, sc in each sc, sl st to join — 28 sts.
Rnds 15-27: Ch 1, sc in each sc, sl st to join — 28 sts.
Rnd 28: Ch 1, [sc in 5 sc, sc2tog] 4 times, sl st to join — 24 sts.
Rnd 29: Ch 1, [sc in 4 sc, sc2tog] 4 times, sl st to join — 20 sts.
Rnd 30 (armhole): Ch 1, sc in 3 sc, ch 3, sk next 3 sc for armhole, sc in 8 sc, ch 3, sk next 3 sc for armhole, sc in 3 sc, sl st to join.
Rnd 31: Ch 1, sc in 3 sc, 3 sc in ch-3 sp, sc in 8 sc, 3 sc in ch-3 sp, sc in 3 sc, sl st to join — 20 sts.
Rnd 32: Ch 1, sc in each sc, sl st to join — 20 sts.
Head
Rnd 1: Ch 1, [sc in 3 sc, 2 sc in next sc] 5 times, sl st to join — 25 sts.
Rnd 2: Ch 1, [sc in 4 sc, 2 sc in next sc] 5 times, sl st to join — 30 sts.
Rnd 3: Ch 1, [sc in 4 sc, 2 sc in next sc] 6 times, sl st to join — 36 sts.
Rnd 4: Ch 1, [sc in 5 sc, 2 sc in next sc] 6 times, sl st to join — 42 sts.
Rnds 5-11: Ch 1, sc in each sc, sl st to join — 42 sts.
Rnd 12: Ch 1, [sc in 5 sc, sc2tog] 6 times, sl st to join — 36 sts.
Rnd 13: Ch 1, [sc in 4 sc, sc2tog] 6 times, sl st to join — 30 sts.
Rnd 14: Ch 1, [sc in 3 sc, sc2tog] 6 times, sl st to join — 24 sts.
Rnd 15: Ch 1, [sc in 2 sc, sc2tog] 6 times, sl st to join — 18 sts.
Rnd 16: Ch 1, [sc in next sc, sc2tog] 6 times, sl st to join — 12 sts.
Rnd 17: Ch 1, [sc2tog] 6 times, sl st to join — 6 sts. Fasten off, leaving a tail. Stuff and sew the opening closed.
ARMS (make 1)
Hand
Rnd 1: Using MC, ch 1, 6 sc in magic ring, tighten magic ring, sl st to join — 6 sts.
Rnd 2: Ch 1, [sc in next sc, 2 sc in next sc] 3 times, sl st to join — 9 sts.
Rnds 3-5: Ch 1, sc in each sc, sl st to join — 9 sts.
Sleeve
Rnd 6: Using B, ch 1, BLsc in each sc, sl st to join — 9 sts.
Rnds 7-35: Ch 1, sc in each sc, sl st to join — 9 sts.
Hand
Rnd 36: Using MC, ch 1, BLsc in each sc, sl st to join — 9 sts.
Rnds 37-39: Ch 1, sc in each sc, sl st to join — 9 sts.
Rnd 40: Ch 1, [sc in next sc, sc2tog] 3 times, sl st to join — 6 sts.
Rnd 41: Ch 1, [sc2tog] 3 times. Fasten off, leaving a tail. Stuff and sew opening closed.
Dress
Using B, ch 43. Sl st in first ch to form ring, being careful not to twist ch.
Rnd 1: Ch 1, sc in each ch around, sl st to join — 42 sc.
Rnd 2: Ch1 [sc in next sc, ch 1, sk next sc] 21 times, end with sl st in first sc to join — 42 sts.
Rnd 3: Ch 1, [ch 1, sk next sc, sc in sc below next ch-1 sp] 21 times, sl st in first ch-1 to join — 42 sts.
Rnd 4: Using A, ch 1, [sc in sc below next ch-1 sp, ch 1, sk next sc] 21 times, end with sl st in first sc to join — 42 sts.
Rnd 5: Using A, ch 1, [ch 1, sk next sc, sc in sc below next ch-1 sp] 21 times, sl st in first ch-1 to join — 42 sts.
Rnd 6: Using B, ch 1, [sc in sc, below next ch-1 sp, ch 1, sk next sc] 21 times, end with sl st in first sc to join — 42 sts.
Rnd 7: Ch 1, [ch 1, sk next sc, sc in sc below next ch-1 sp] 21 times, sl st in first sc to join — 42 sts.
Rep Rows 4-7, two times.
Bodice
Rnd 1: Using A, ch 1, [sc in sc below next ch-1 sp, sc in next sc] 21 times, sl st in first sc to join — 42 sts.
Row 2: Ch 1, sc in each sc, sl st to join — 42 sc sts.
Row 3: Ch 1, [sc in 5 sc, sc2tog] 6 times, do not join, turn — 36 sts.
Row 4: Ch 1, [sc in 4 sc, sc2tog] 6 times, turn — 30 sts.
Rnd 5: Ch 1, [sc in 3 sc, sc2tog] 6 times, turn — 24 sts.
Rnd (armhole): Ch 1, sc in 5 sc, ch 3, sk next 3 sc for armhole, sc in 8 sc, ch 3, sk next 3 sc for armhole, sc in 5 sc, turn.
Rnd 7: Ch 1, sc in 5 sc, 3 sc in ch-3 sp, sc in 8 sc, 3 sc in ch-3 sp, sc in 5 sc, sl st to join — 24 sts. Fasten off, leaving a tail.
Shoe Bow (make 2)
Using metallic yarn, ch 6. Sc in second ch from hook and in each ch across — 5 sts. Fasten off, leaving a tail. Sew down and tie in middle.
FINISHING
Using A, stitch a vertical line from the hip area to the top of the shoes to create legs. Using metallic silver, stitch a line to separate the shoes. Pull the arm piece through the armholes of the body, centering it so the arms are of equal length. Sew in place. Dress the doll and sew the back seam on the dress. Weave in all ends.
Hair
Make a fringe by wrapping yarn 60 times around a 9in / 23cm piece of cardboard. With a separate piece of yarn, sl st across the wrapped yarn, anchoring the strands. Fasten off. Cut the yarns, keeping the two sides separate. Sew the fringe, sl st side down, to the center front of the doll's head. Smooth the hair, and braid one side loosely.
Face
Mark the eye placement. Using a doubled piece of six-strand black embroidery floss, make three straight stitches. Make a lazy-daisy stitch around these stitches, with the anchoring stitch at the inner corner of the eye. Bring the threaded needle up at the outer corner of the eye. Remove the thread from the needle. Separate six of the 12 strands and rethread the needle with these six strands. Insert the needle into the head one row above the outer corner of the eye, bring it to the surface at the outer corner and remove the needle. Knot the two six-strand pieces of floss together to create the eyelashes. Trim. Using three strands doubled of white floss, stitch a straight stitch highlight for the eyes. Make a loose straight stitch with a single doubled strand of floss for the eyebrows. For the mouth, use three strands doubled of pink floss to make a straight stitch secured in the middle with another straight stitch. Make two straight stitches with the face yarn for the nose. Use blush or paint for the cheeks.
Toto
SKILL LEVEL
Intermediate
FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Height = 4in/10cm
MATERIALS
* KnitPicks® Swish DK 1%oz/50g, 123yds/156m (100% superwash merino wool) — one skein each: #24313 Cobblestone Heather (MC) and #27225 Black (A)
* Size E-4 (3.5mm) crochet hook
* Tapestry needle
* Fiberfill stuffing
* Buttons or black and white floss for eyes
* Small amount white yarn for bow
Note: Stuff the doll as it is worked to make stuffing easier.
TOTO
Head
Rnd 1: Using MC, 6 sc in magic ring, sl st to join, tighten magic ring, turn — 6 sts.
Rnd 2: Ch 1, 2 sc in each sc, sl st in first sc to join — 12 sts.
Rnd 3: Ch 1, [sc in next sc, 2 sc in next sc] 6 times, sl st to join — 18 sts.
Rnd 4: Ch 1, [sc in 2 sc, 2 sc in next sc] 6 times, sl st to join — 24 sts.
Rnd 5: Ch 1, sc in each sc, sl st to join — 24 sts.
Rnd 6: Ch 1, [sc in 2 sc, 2 sc in next sc] 8 times, sl st to join — 32 sts.
Rnds 7-12: Ch 1, sc in each sc, sl st to join — 32 sts.
Rnd 13: Ch 1, [sc in 2 sc, sc2tog] 8 times, sl st to join — 24 sts.
Rnd 14: Ch 1, sc in each sc, sl st to join — 24 sts.
Rnd 15: Ch 1, [sc in 2 sc, sc2tog] 6 times, sl st to join — 18 sts.
Rnd 16: Ch 1, [sc in next sc, sc2tog] 6 times, sl st to join — 12 sts.
Rnd 17: Ch 1, sc in each sc, sl st to join — 12 sts.
Body
Rnd 1: Ch 1, [sc in 2 sc, 2 sc in next sc] 4 times, sl st to join — 16 sts.
Rnd 2: Ch 1, [sc in 3 sc, 2 sc in next sc] 4 times, sl st to join — 20 sts.
Rnd 3: Ch 1, [sc in 4 sc, 2 sc in next sc] 4 times, sl st to join — 24 sts.
Rnd 4: Ch 1, sc in each sc, sl st to join — 24 sts.
Rnd 5: Ch 1, [sc in 3 sc, 2 sc in next sc] 6 times, sl st to join — 30 sts.
Rnds 6-8: Ch 1, sc in each sc, sl st to join — 30 sts.
Rnd 9: Ch 1, [sc in 3 sc, sc2tog] 6 times, sl st to join — 24 sts.
Rnd 10: Ch 1, sc in each sc, sl st to join — 24 sts.
Rnd 11: Ch 1, [sc in next sc, sc2tog] 8 times, sl st to join — 16 sts.
Rnd 12: Ch 1, [sc2tog] 8 times, sl st to join — 8 sts.
Rnd 13: Ch 1, [sc2tog] 4 times, sl st to join — 4 sts. Fasten off, leaving a tail. Sew opening closed.
Front Legs (make 2)
Rnd 1: Using A, 6 sc in magic ring, sl st to join, tighten magic ring — 6 sts.
Rnd 2: Ch 1, [sc in first sc, 2 sc in next sc] 3 times, sl st to join — 9 sts.
Rnds 3-5: Ch 1, sc in each sc, sl st to join — 9 sts.
Rnd 6: Using C, ch 1, sc in each sc, sl st to join — 9 sts.
Rnd 7: Ch 1, [sc in 2 sc, 2 sc in next sc] 3 times, sl st to join — 12 sts.
Rnds 8-13: Ch 1, sc in each sc, sl st to join — 12 sts.
Rnd 14: Ch 1, [sc in 2 sc, sc2tog] 3 times, sl st to join — 9 sts.
Rnd 15: Ch 1, sc in each sc, sl st to join, turn — 9 sts.
Rnd 16: Ch 1, [sc in next, sc2tog] 3 times, sl st to join — 6 sc. Fasten off.
Back Legs (make 2)
Rnd 1: Using A, 6 sc in magic ring, sl st to join, tighten magic ring — 6 sts.
Rnd 2: Ch 1, [sc in first sc, 2 sc in next sc] 3 times, sl st to join — 9 sts.
Rnds 3-5: Ch 1, sc in each sc, sl st to join — 9 sts.
Rnds 6-13: Using C, ch 1, sc in each sc, sl st to join — 9 sts.
Rnd 14: Ch 1, [sc in next sc, sc2tog] 3 times, sl st to join — 6 sts. Fasten off.
Face
Rnd 1: Using A, 6 sc in magic ring, sl st to join, tighten magic ring — 6 sts.
Rnd 2: Ch 1, [sc in first sc, 2 sc in next sc] 3 times, sl st to join — 9 sts.
Rnd 3: Ch 1, [sc in 2 sc, 2 sc in next sc] 3 times, sl st to join — 12 sts.
Rnd 4 : Ch 1, [sc in next sc, 2 sc in next sc] 6 times, sl st to join — 18 sts.
Rnd 5: Ch 1, [2 sc in next sc] 3 times, sc to last 3 sc, [2 sc in next sc] 3 times, sl st to join — 24 sts.
Rnd 6: Ch 1, sc in next sc, [2 sc in next sc] 3 times, sc to last 4 sc, [2 sc in next sc] 3 times, sc in next sc, sl st to join — 30 sts.
Rnd 7: Ch 1, sl st in next sc, [2 sc in next sc] 5 times, sc in 5 sc, sl st in 8 sc, sc in 5 sc, [2 sc in next sc] 5 times, sl st in next sc, sl st to join — 40 sts. Fasten off, leaving a long tail. Center face on head and sew in place.
Snout
Rnd 1: Using MC, 4 sc in magic ring, sl st to join, tighten magic ring — 4 sts.
Rnd 2: Using A, ch 1, [2 sc in next sc] 4 times, sl st to join — 8 sts.
Rnd 3: Ch 1, [sc in next st, 2 sc in next sc] 4 times, sl st to join — 12 sts.
Rnd 4: Ch 1, sc in next sc, 2 sc in each of next 3 sc, sc in 4 sc, 2 sc in each of next 3 sc, sc in next st, sl st to join — 18 sts.
Rnd 5: Ch 1, sc in each sc, sl st to join* — 18 sts. Fasten off.
Forehead Stripe
Row 1: Attach A 2 sts before the * in Rnd 5 of the snout, sc in 4 sc [2 sc on each side of *], turn — 4 sts.
Row 2: Ch 1, sc in each sc, turn — 4 sts.
Row 3: Ch 1, sc in next sc, sc2tog, sc in next sc, turn — 3 sts.
Row 4: Ch 1, sc in each sc, turn — 3 sts.
Row 5: Ch 1, sc3tog — 1 st.
Row 6: Ch 1, sc in next sc. Fasten off, leaving a long tail to sew piece to head.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Crochet Stories: L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by Pat Olski, Charles Young. Copyright © 2017 Pat Olski. Excerpted by permission of Dover Publications, Inc..
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