Lu lu Loopy Locks

Lu lu Loopy Locks by Phoenixknits

What is Being Made

Lu lu Loopy Locks is a knitted doll designed by Phoenixknits, featuring a charming character with distinctive loopy hair. This intermediate-level knitting project creates a finished doll approximately 10 inches tall to the top of the head, excluding the hair. The doll is a complete project suitable for crafters with some knitting experience who want to create a decorative or play doll with personality and detailed construction.

Techniques Used

This knitting pattern employs several intermediate techniques to bring the doll to life. The construction involves increasing and decreasing stitches strategically throughout the pattern to shape the doll's body and head. Yarn overs are used to create decorative loopy elements, particularly for the distinctive hair feature that gives the doll its name. The pattern requires working with both flat needles and double-pointed needles, allowing crafters to create different sections using appropriate needle styles. Stuffing and assembly techniques are incorporated to construct a three-dimensional toy, and the pattern includes options for attaching embellishments and facial features.

Stitches Used

The pattern utilizes fundamental knitting stitches combined with shaping techniques. Knit and purl stitches form the foundation of the construction. Yarn overs (yo) are a key stitch element, created by wrapping the yarn once anticlockwise around the needle to form loops that become stitches on the next row—these are essential for creating the loopy hair characteristic of the design. Toggling stitches together (tog) is used to decrease by knitting or purling a stated amount of stitches together to reduce the stitch count and shape the doll's form. These techniques work together to create both the structured body and the decorative loopy elements.

Materials and Tools

Yarn: The pattern calls for DK weight yarn in multiple colors. Main color yarn is needed in less than 25 grams, with additional scraps of flesh tone, bright pink, medium pink, white, and black for various doll components and details.

Needles and Tools: The project requires 3mm knitting needles in both normal straight needles and double-pointed needles (optional). A very large-eyed yarn sewing needle is essential for assembly and finishing work.

Embellishments and Notions: The doll is completed with 7mm black plastic toy eyes, or alternatively black buttons or black felt for facial features. Plastic drinking straws (4 pieces each of 9cm and 8cm lengths) provide structure. Optional finishing touches include scraps of trimmings and small bows to personalize the finished doll.