John Darling Hand Puppet

Next up in our Read Across America Crochet-a-Long is the John Darling Hand Puppet! Poor John, is the perpetual middle child. He has to take orders from Wendy, and gets overshadowed by Michael’s cuteness. I believe this is why he is often found bickering with Michael, and trying to put him in his place, calling him a ninny at times. I have a soft spot for John, though this design did give me fits, as middle children often do! 😉

If you’re interested in a printer-friendly PDF of the John Darling Hand Puppet Pattern, you can find the design in my Ravelry or Etsy shops! If you prefer to use the free blog copy below, I still appreciate you being here! And another great way to support my blog is simply by sharing! Thank you for supporting my business!

*This post contains affiliate links (clickable text below). If you purchase anything through them, I will get a small referral fee and you will be supporting me and my blog at no extra cost to you, so thank you!

Materials:

Worsted Weight (4) Yarn

Red Heart Super Saver Yarns

Black for the hat and eyes (A)
Buff for the skin (B)
White for the nightgown stripes (C)
Light Blue for the nightgown stripes (D)
Cafe (light brown) for the hair (E)

Crochet hook, size H – 5mm

Stitch marker

Tapestry needle

Scissors

Terms and abbreviations to know:

magic ring

rnd, rnds – round, rounds

st, sts – stitch, stitches

ch, chs – chain, chains

sl st – slip stitch

sk – skip

sc – single crochet

inc – increase, 2 sc sts in same st

FLO – front loop only

invsc2tog – invisible single crochet 2 together; this is essentially a decrease, but done in such a way as to make the continuous stitching smoother, and the decrease not as noticeable.

Insert hook into front loop only of next stitch, DO NOT yarn over.
Insert hook into front loop of second stitch.
Yarn over. Pull through 2 loops.
Yarn over and pull through last 2 loops.

Dc bobble – double crochet bobble

Yarn over, and insert hook into designated st.
Pull up a loop.
Yarn over, and pull through 2 loops, leaving 2 loops on hook.
Yarn over, and insert hook into same st.
Pull up a loop.
Yarn over, and pull through 2 loops, leaving 3 loops on hook.
Yarn over, and insert hook into same st.
Pull up a loop.
Yarn over, and pull through 2 loops, leaving 4 loops on hook.
Yarn over, and insert hook into same st.
Pull up a loop.
Yarn over and pull through 2 loops, leaving 5 loops on hook.
Yarn over and pull through all 5 loops.

Notes:

The body of the John Darling Hand Puppet is worked from the top down, beginning at the hat, in the rnd, with no joining. After the making of the head, the body is made in rows, to create the striped effect of the pajamas he’s wearing. The arms, hair, and collar are made separately and sewn on. The eyes and nose are sewn on.

Size: This is one size, fitting child through adult, but if you wish to make it smaller for a smaller child to play with, simply tighten the gauge or go down a hook size.

Gauge: 6 sts across and 7 rnds down = approximately 2 inches

John Darling Hand Puppet

Body – beginning at the hat, with A

Begin with a ch, and work the first rnd around both side of the ch.

Ch 12

Rnd 1: turn and inc in 2nd ch from hook, sc in next 9 chs, 3 sc in last ch and turn work work on the underside of the ch, sc in next 10 chs, do not join, but continue in continuous rnds; 24 sts

Rnds 2-4: sc in each st around; 24 sts

Rnd 5: sc in next st, invsc2tog, sc in next 10 sts, invsc2tog, sc in next 9 sts; 22 sts

Rnd 6: sc in each st around; 22 sts

Rnd 7: (invsc2tog, sc in next 9 sts)2x; 20 sts

Rnd 8: sc in each st around; 20 sts

Pull color D (blue) through to complete the last st of rnd 8. Continue in blue for the hat band, but do not fasten off black yet.

Rnd 9: (invsc2tog, sc in next 8 sts)2x; 18 sts

Rnd 10: sc in each st around; 18 sts

Pull color A (black) back through to complete the last st of rnd 10 and fasten off blue. Continue in black.

Rnd 11: sc in each st around; 18 sts

Rnd 12: FLO inc in each st around; 36 sts

Rnd 13: sc in each st around; 36 sts

Sl st to the first st of the rnd to join, and fasten off. Weave in ends.

Continue on to the head by attaching color B (skin color) to the first unworked BACK LOOP from rnd 11. Continue with skin color in those back loops all the way around.

Rnd 12a: beginning in the same st you joined to, (inc, sc in next 2 sts)6x; 24 sts

Rnd 13a: (3 inc, sc in next 9 sts)2x; 30 sts

Rnds 14-22: sc in each st around; 30 sts

Rnd 23: (3 invsc2tog, sc in next 9 sts)2x; 24 sts

Rnd 24: sc in each st around, sl st into the first st of the rnd and fasten off your skin color; 24 sts

In the 5th st from the last sl st, attach C (white) with a sl st, and ch 16.

This is where you will begin working in turning rows, perpendicular to the head, for the pajama stripes. The pattern will be worked as such: 2 rows of white to begin, and then, you will be alternating a sl st row of blue with 3 rows of sc in white. During your blue sl st rows, you will be carrying the white behind your sts, however; due to the nature of the sl st, the white you are carrying will NOT be crocheted over. It will just be lying along the last white row. This is fine! When you get to the end of the blue sl st row, make sure the white you’ve been carrying is lined up with the row and not pulled too tightly, or hanging too loosely. You will be crocheting OVER that strand AND the blue strand when you head back with the white, as pictured.

Row 1: turn and sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc in each ch across, sl st into the next st of rnd 24; 16 sts

Row 2: ch 1 and turn, sk sl st, sc in each st across, pulling blue through to complete the last st; 15 sts

Row 3: in blue ch 1 and turn (carrying white behind your sts, taut with previous row), loosely sl st into each st across, sl st into next st of rnd 24, pulling white through to complete the sl st; 16 sts

Row 4: in white ch 1 and turn, (carrying blue behind your sts, AND crocheting over the taut white strand), work this row into the tops of the previous white row, NOT the blue sl sts, sk sl st, sc in each st across, drop blue to be picked up later; 15 sts

See the video below for additional information about creating this striped pajama look!

Row 5: in white, ch 1 and turn, sc in each st across, sl st into next st of rnd 24; 16 sts

Row 6: in white, ch 1 and turn, sk sl st, sc in each st across, pull blue through to complete last st; 15 sts

Rows 7-14: repeat rows 3-6 twice

Row 15: in blue ch 1 and turn (carrying white behind your sts, taut with previous row), loosely sl st into each st across, DO NOT join to rnd 24 as this is where the arm begins, pull white through the blue loop for your ch 1 of the next row; 15 sts

Row 16: in white, turn (carrying blue behind your sts, AND crocheting over the taut white strand), work this row into the tops of the previous white row, NOT the blue sl st, sc in each st across, drop blue to be picked up later; 15 sts

Row 17: in white, ch 1 and turn, sc in each st across, do NOT join; 15 sts

Row 18: in white, ch 1 and turn, sc in each st across, pull blue through to complete last st; 15 sts

Rows 19-21: repeat rows 15-17, at the end of row 17, sk next 4 sts of rnd 24 and sl st into the 5th sts, creating a hole for the arm.

Row 22: ch 1 and turn, sk sl st, sc in each st across, pull blue through to complete last st; 15 sts

Rows 23-34: repeat rows 3-6 three times

Rows 35-40: repeat rows 15-20, you do NOT need to carry the blue back to the bottom on row 40. Fasten off after row 40, leaving a long white tail for sewing.

Sew the last row to the beginning ch, skipping over 4 sts of rnd 24 for the other arm. Weave in ends.

Arms, Make 2

In skin color B.

Begin with magic ring.

Rnd 1: 6 st in magic ring; 6 sts

Rnd 2: (inc, sc in next st)3x; 9 sts

Rnds 3-4: sc in each st around; 9 sts

Rnd 5: dc bobble, sc in next 8 sts; 9 sts

Rnd 6: sc in each st around; 9 sts

Pull C (white) through to complete the last st of rnd 6, and fasten off skin color.

Continue in C (white) and D (blue), in a similar fashion as the body of the night gown, working in turning rows perpendicular to rnd 6.

Ch 7

Row 1: turn and sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc in each ch across, sl st into the next st of rnd 6; 7 sts

Row 2: ch 1 and turn, sk sl st, sc in each st across, pulling blue through to complete the last st; 6 sts

Row 3: in blue ch 1 and turn (carrying white behind your sts, taut with previous row), loosely sl st into each st across, sl st into next st of rnd 6, pulling white through to complete the sl st; 7 sts

Row 5: in white, ch 1 and turn, sc in each st across, sl st into next st of rnd 6; 7 sts

Row 6: in white, ch 1 and turn, sk sl st, sc in each st across, pull blue through to complete last st; 6 sts

Rows 7-14: repeat rows 3-6 twice

Rows 15-16: repeat rows 3 and 4

Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing. Sew the arm closed by sewing row 16 to the beginning ch, and then sew the arm to the arm hole of the puppet with the thumbs pointing in toward the head. Weave in ends inside the puppet.

Collar, in white, made in one piece

Ch 3

Row 1: turn and sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc in last ch; 2 sts

Row 2: ch 1 and turn, inc in first st, sc in next st; 3 sts

Row 3: ch 1 and turn, sc in next 2 sts, inc in last st; 4 sts

Row 4: ch 1 and turn, inc in first st, sc in next 3 sts; 5 sts

Ch 6 to begin other side of the collar.

Row 5: turn and sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc in remaining 4 chs; 5 sts

Row 6: ch 1 and turn, sc in next 3 sts, dec; 4 sts

Row 7: ch 1 and turn, dec, sc in next 2 sts; 3 sts

Row 8: ch 1 and turn, sc in next st, dec; 2 sts

Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing. Sew the collar onto the top of the nightgown, with rows 4 and 5 creating an upside down V. Weave in ends.

Nose, in A (skin color)

Using about 8 inches of yarn and your tapestry needle, sew the nose over two central sts on the face, at about rnd 19. Wrap the yarn around the same sts about 5 or 6 times, then knot and weave in ends inside the puppet.

Eyes, in black

Use about 8 inches of black yarn for each eye. Sew the eyes over rnd 17, about 1 st to either side of the nose, covering the span of about 4 sts, with about 3 sts between them. Knot and weave in the ends inside the puppet.

Hair, in brown, beginning in the back

Ch 9

Row 1: turn and sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc in each ch across; 8 sts

Rows 2-14: ch 1 and turn, sc in each st across; 8 sts

Row 15: ch 1 and turn, sc in next 6 sts, leaving the last 2 sts unworked; 6 sts

Row 16: ch 1 and turn, sc in each st across; 6 sts

Row 17: ch 1 and turn, sc in next 5 sts, leaving the last st unworked; 5 sts

Row 18: ch 1 and turn, sc in each st across; 5 sts

Row 19: ch 5, turn and inc in 2nd ch from hook, sc in next 3 chs; 5 sts

Rows 20-22: ch 4, turn and inc in 2nd ch from hook, sc in next 2 sts; 4 sts

Row 23: repeat row 19; 5 sts

Row 24: ch 6, turn and sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc in each ch across; 5 sts

Row 25: ch 1 and turn, sc in each st across, ch 2; 5 sts, 2 chs

Row 26: turn and sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc in next 5 sts; 6 sts

Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing. Place the hair so that the bangs (the shortest rows) are in the front, rows 18 and 26 are on opposite sides, and the longest rows make up the back of the head, and sew it down under the hat, joining the beginning ch and row 26 together at the side. Fasten off and weave in ends.

John Darling Hand Puppet

I hope you have enjoyed making the John Darling Hand Puppet! If you love this design, be sure to check out some of my other free patterns on the blog! Follow me along on Instagram for more sneak peeks and new pattern releases! If you loved making any of my patterns, and show them off on Instagram, please be sure to tag @ekaygdesigns to let me know, and I will share in my stories!