Braaaains…! Does it get any more creepy-cute than this? I’m pleased to add this zombie friend to my other Halloween patterns. (Check out the Vampire, Frankenstein’s Monster, Sugar Skull Ami, and my Pumpkin Keychain for more fun Fall patterns).

As usual, this pattern is made in the same style as my Ragdoll patterns; separate pieces worked in flat rows and then joined together to give them that unique 2-D look. Our undead friend has 9 separate pieces. This pattern incorporates the tapestry (or intarsia) crochet technique and has a fair bit of colour-work involved so please be sure to read the “Reading this Pattern” section!

His finished measurements are approximately 28cm/11″ from top to bottom.

Let’s get started! (Or Pin/Shop for later!)

If you’d prefer a downloadable or printable version of this pattern, an inexpensive, formatted, and ad-free PDF can be purchased HERE or through the “Shop It” button above!

Materials:

• 3.25mm hook for main (I use THESE hooks!);
• 2.75mm hook for leg bone;
• Needle Crafters Yarn in Moss Green (50g);
• Bernat Premium Tweeds in Chocolate Tweed (small amounts);
• Bernat Super Value in White (less than 50g);
• Patons Canadiana in Oatmeal (small amounts);
• Bernat Super Value in Black (very small amounts);
• Caron Simply Soft in Plum Wine (less than 50g);
• Red Heart Super Saver in Cherry Red (super teeny tiny amount);
• 12mm and 10mm safety eye;
• Stuffing;
• Tapestry needle.

Reading this Pattern and Colour Changes:

Everything is worked in single crochet stitches, unless otherwise specified. So, in order to indicate the colour-changes, I have omitted the usual “sc” in front of the stitch counts in lines with colour-changes and I’ve used the associated colour letter instead. For example, “Ginc” means to work a sc increase in green yarn. “G10, P7” means to work the next 10 sc in green and the next 7 sc in Pink. “Bdec, G8, Bdec” means to work a regular sc decrease in black, then work the next 8 stitches in green, then work another sc decrease in black, and so on.

Due to the colour-changes, you will have several skeins or balls of yarn attached to your project at once. I simply carried my yarn on the back (not inside the stitch).

When changing colours, you will insert your hook into the stitch for the last stitch of Colour A and pull up a loop. Then, with Colour B, yarn over and complete the stitch by pulling through both loops with Colour B. Drop your working yarn in Colour A and continue with Colour B. You will pick your Colour A working yarn back up again on the way back in the next row when you need it.

*Make sure to always drop your yarn on the WRONG side of your panel!* This will be different depending on whether you’re working an odd or even row. So, for the front panel, whenever you are working an odd-numbered row (row 1, 3, 5, etc), the right side of your panel will be facing you. When you’re working an even-numbered row, the wrong side will be facing you.

This will be the opposite for the back panel. This will ensure that all the yarn ends are facing the inside when the panels are matched up.

Colour legend:

G – Green

B – Black

W – White

P – Pink

Terms and Stitches:

MR – Magic Ring

Ch – Chain

Slst – Slip stitch

Sc – Single Crochet (again, in rows with colour changes, sc stitches will be indicated with the Colour Legend letter instead of “sc”)

Inc – Increase. Work a regular sc increase

Dec – Decrease. Work a regular sc decrease

Dc – Double crochet

Dc2tog  – Double crochet two stitches together. Work a regular dc decrease.

Pattern

Front Body Panel:

You will make 1 panel using a 3.25mm hook. Start with Green. The panel is worked from the bottom up. Ch 1 and turn at the end of each row unless specified otherwise.

Left Leg:

Row 1: Ch 12, starting in second ch from hook, sc across (11 sts)

In the next row, we will start the colour-work for the pants.

Row 2: G1, B1, G5, B1, G3 (11 sts)

Row 3: Ginc, G1, B3, G3, B2, Ginc (13 sts)

Row 4: G1, B4, G1, B5, G2 (13 sts)

Tie off.

Right Leg:

Start in Green.

Row 1: Ch 6, starting in second ch from hook, sc across (5 sts)

Row 2: Inc, sc 3, inc (7 sts)

Row 3: Sc across (7 sts)

Row 4: Inc, sc 5, inc (9 sts)

In the next row, we will start the colour-work for the pants.

Row 5: G1, B1, G7 (9 sts)

Row 6: Ginc, G1, B1, G3, B2, Ginc (11 sts)

Row 7: G1, B4, G1, B3, G2 (11 sts)

Row 8: G1, B10 (11 sts)

Row 9: Binc, B9, Binc (13 sts)

Row 10: B13 (13 sts)

Join both legs together:

In row 11, we will crochet across both legs to join them. Start by chaining 1 and turning the leg already on your hook.

Row 11: B13, join left leg, B13 (26 sts)

Row 12: B21, G3, B2 (26 sts)

Row 13: Binc, B2, G3, B19, Binc (28 sts)

Row 14: B22, G1, B5 (28 sts)

Rows 15-16: B28 (28 sts)

In the next row we will start the colour-work of the shirt.

Row 17: G18, W1, G9 (28 sts)

Row 18: G3, W1, G4, W3, G11, W1, G5 (28 sts)

Row 19: G4, W3, G3, W2, G3, W6, G2, W3, G2 (28 sts)

Row 20: W14, G2, W3, G1, W8 (28 sts)

Row 21: W13, G1, W14 (28 sts)

Row 22: W28 (28 sts)

Row 23: Wdec, W24, Wdec (26 sts)

Row 24: W26 (26 sts)

Row 25: W20, G2, W4 (26 sts)

Row 26: Wdec, W1, G4, W17, Wdec (24 sts)

Row 27: W19, G1, W4 (24 sts)

Row 28: W24 (24 sts)

Row 29: Wdec, W20, Wdec (22 sts)

Row 30: Wdec, W3, G12, W3, Wdec (20 sts)

Now we’ll start the head. Rows 31-41 are worked entirely in green.

Row 31: Dec twice, sc 12, dec twice (16 sts)

Row 32: Inc twice, sc 12, inc twice (20 sts)

Row 33: Inc twice, sc 16, inc twice (24 sts)

Row 34: Inc, sc 22, inc (26 sts)

Row 35: Inc, sc 24, inc (28 sts)

Row 36: Inc, sc 26, inc (30 sts)

Row 37: Inc, sc 28, inc (32 sts)

Row 38: Inc, sc 30, inc (34 sts)

Rows 39-41: Sc across (34 sts)

In the next few rows, we will start the colour-work of the eye and the brain.

Row 42: G9, B2, G23 (34 sts)

Row 43: G22, B4, G8 (34 sts)

Row 44: G7, B6, G19, P2 (34 sts)

Row 45: P4, G17, B6, G7 (34 sts)

Row 46: G8, B4, G17, P5 (34 sts)

Row 47: P6, G17, B2, G9 (34 sts)

Row 48: G28, P6 (34 sts)

Row 49: P7, G27 (34 sts)

Row 50: Gdec, G24, P6, Pdec (32 sts)

Row 51: P7, G25 (32 sts)

Row 52: Gdec, G23, P5, Pdec (30 sts)

Row 53: Pdec, P8, G18, Gdec (28 sts)

Row 54: Gdec, G16, P8, Pdec (26 sts)

Row 55: Pdec, P8, G14, Gdec (24 sts)

Row 56: Gdec, G12, P8, Pdec (22 sts)

Row 57: Pdec, P7, G11, Gdec (20 sts)

Row 58: Gdec, G10, P6, Pdec (18 sts)

Row 59: Pdec twice, P3, G7, Gdec twice (14 sts)

Row 60: Gdec twice, G5, P1, Pdec twice (10 sts)

Tie off.

Back Body Panel:

The back body panel is worked exactly the same as the front panel except you do not need to do the colour-work for the eye in rows 42-47. All black stitches in those rows should be worked in green.

Put aside for assembly later.

Arms:

Start in White yarn, using a 3.25mm hook.

Row 1: Ch 5, sc across (4 sts)

Rows 2-7: Sc across (4 sts)

Switch to Green.

Rows 8-10: Sc across (4 sts)

Row 11: Dec twice (2 sts)

Tie off.

Repeat rows 1-11 for second panel. Tie off second panel. Put both panels together, matching up all sides and colours and sc around the entire piece, starting in White. (Sc, ch, Sc) into each of the bottom corners of the arm. Switch to Green yarn when you get to the hand. Stuff when you’ve crocheted about two-thirds of the way around. Switch back to white where appropriate. Slst to beginning st to close. Tie off. Repeat for second arm.  Set these aside for assembly later.

Bone:

Using 2.75mm hook and Oatmeal yarn. Ch 1 and turn at the end of each row unless specified otherwise. The panels are worked from the bottom up.

Row 1: Ch 3, sc across (2 sts)

Row 2: Inc twice (4 sts)

Tie off. Repeat rows 1-2 but do not tie off. Ch 1 and turn. Continue to row 3 below to join both pieces together.

Row 3: Sc 3, inc in last st, join second piece, sc 4 (9 sts)

Row 4: Inc, sc 7, inc (11 sts), ch 2, turn

Row 5: Dc2tog, dc, slst, sc 3, place a st marker in last worked st, slst dc, dc2tog (9 sts)

Turn your work. Rejoin yarn into the stitch that you placed the stitch marker (i.e. the first sc st from the right).

Rows 6-10: Sc 3 (3 sts)

Tie off.

Repeat rows 1-10 for second panel. Place both panels together, matching up all sides, and sc around the panels to join them. Stuff the piece when you’ve crocheted about two-thirds of the way around. (Sc, ch, sc) in the top corners. Slst to beginning st and tie off. Put aside for assembly later.

Eye:

The eye is worked with 3.25mm hook and White yarn.

Rnd 1: Sc 6 into MR (6 sts)

Rnd 2: Inc in each st around (12 sts)

Rnd 3: [Sc 2, inc in next st], repeat [ ] around (16 sts)

Rnds 4-6: Sc around (16 sts)

Insert the 10mm safety eye into the eyeball. Stuff.

Rnd 7: [Sc 2, dec], repeat [ ] around (12 sts)

Row 8: Dec around (6 sts)

Top up stuffing. Tie off, leaving a tail for closing. Weave tail through remaining 6 sts and then down through the eye and out the side. Pull tight to close.

Assembly:

Step 1: Brain!

The brain detailing is accomplished by working surface slip stitches along the pink brain area in “back and forth” directions.

For the front panel, start at the bottom of the pink area, insert your hook into a stitch, pull up a loop and make a slst. Then insert your hook into a stitch next to that one and make another slst. Work towards the edge of the panel then turn and work back the other way until you reach the edge of the pink area, then turn and work back the other way again. Keep doing this until you reach the top of the pink area. End you slsts at the edge of the panel. Tie off.

For the back panel, turn the panel so that the head is pointing downward and the feet are pointing up. Start at the bottom of the brain area and work up.

See the photos below and the video for more details!

Step 2: Face

Next, we need to attach and stitch on our facial features to the front panel.

First, insert a 12mm eye into the front panel and stitch on a mouth using black yarn.

With red yarn, make a slip knot, leaving a long starting chain. Chain 3. Tie off, leaving a long tail. Weave one tail through the eye ball and then up through the chains. Weave each yarn tail through a couple of stitches in the middle of the black eye-hole on the front panel and tie a knot in the back to secure.

Step 3: Body and Arms

Okay, here are all the pieces you should now have at this step.

Cut off two lengths of white yarn and a length of green yarn about 30 cms (12 inches) long each. Put them aside for later.

Place the two body panels together, matching up all sides and colours.

**Make sure the front of your zombie is facing you as you crochet around the outside of the piece.**

Starting on the left side of the head, begin attaching the panels together by single crocheting around the outside of the panels starting in Green.

Stop when you get to the bottom of the head.

Now, with your tapestry needle and a length of white yarn that you set aside earlier, place the first arm between the panels and attach it by sewing through all three pieces; the top panel, the arm, and the bottom panel. When finished, tie a knot to secure and hide the yarn tails between the panels of the body.

Continue single crocheting down the side of the head and body, switching to White when you reach the shirt. When you get to the arm, simply sc in the stitches of the front panel only, since this part is already sewn shut. Once you are past the arm, continue single crocheting both panels together as normal.

Switch colours to Green and then to Brown as you crochet down the body. Stop when you get to the bottom of the first leg.

With your tapestry needle and a length of Green yarn that you set aside earlier, place the bone between the panels and attach it by sewing through all three pieces; the top panel, the arm, and the bottom panel. When finished, tie a knot to secure and hide the yarn tails between the panels of the body.

Continue crocheting around the first leg, then down and up the next leg, changing colours as appropriate.

Stuff the body.

Place and attach the second arm the same way you did for the first.

Continue crocheting up the body, switching colours back to Green for the head.

Stuff the body and head.

Continue single crocheting up and around the head, switching to Pink for the brain where appropriate. Top up stuffing as you go as necessary. 

When you are satisfied with the stuffing, close with a slst to first st. Tie off. With your tapestry needle, poke the yarn tail back inside the piece. Finish with some needle sculpting for the eyes and you’re done!

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