The Nutcracker Story: Ballerina Marie Amigurumi Pattern

Inspired by the Nutcracker ballet! As Marie follows the Nutcracker to the beautiful Land of Sweets, her crocheted prototype appears after the Nutcracker pattern in my blog 🙂 By the way, this cute couple might be a perfect last minute Christmas gift for someone who loves the romantic story of Nutcracker.

You will need:

3,5 mm crochet hook
2,5 mm crochet hook
light blue, brown, beige yarn (I have chosen the yarn in the way, that the blue yarn is thiner (matches to the 2,5 mm hook), and the beige yarn is one size thicker. This makes the waist proportions nicer)
red yarn leftovers for the mouth
a small piece of wire or a small scrunchy (for the hair bun) and a short decoration inkle
sewing needle
scissors
fiberfill

Abbreviations:

ch – chain
st – stitch
sl st – slip stitch
sc – single crochet
dc – double crochet
inc – 2 sc in one st (used to increase the number of stitches)
dec – crochet 2 sc together (used to decrease the number of stitches)
X N – repeat N times
at the end of every round total number of stitches is shown

If it is your first amigurumi attempt ever, you might want to have a look at my tricks for crocheting amigurumi . I am sure you will find it helpful! Have fun crocheting!

The Pattern:

Start with the light blue yarn.
Round 1: 6 sc in magic ring (6)
Round 2 – 3: sc in all st (6)
Change to the beige yarn.
Rounds 4 – 8: sc in all st (6)
Round 9: (sc in next st, inc) X 3 (9)
Rounds 10 – 12: sc in all st (9)
Round 13: (sc in next 2 st, inc)X 3 (12)
Round 14: sc in all st (12)
Change to the light blue yarn.
Round 15: in back loop only: sc in all st (12)
Rounds 16 – 19: sc in all st (12)
Round 20: sc in next 3 st, 3 sc in next st, sc in next 5 st, 3 sc in next st, sc in next 2 st (16)
Rounds 21-22: sc in all st (16)
Stuff
Round 23: sc in next 2 st, 2 ch, skip 4 st, sc in next 4 st, 2 ch, skip next 4 st, sc in next 2 st (12)
Round 24: (sc in next 2 st, dec) X 3 (9)
Change to the beige yarn.
Round 25: sc in all st (9)
Round 26: (sc in next 2 st, inc) X 3 (12)
Rounds 27-29: sc in all st (12)

Embroider the mouth (on the Round 26, red yarn) and eyes (between the Rounds 27 and 28, brown yarn) one stitch apart from each other. Stuff the head.

Round 30: (sc in next 2 st, dec) X 3 (9) Do not fasten off, cut the yarn leaving a tail for sewing.

Sew the last round. Fasten off, weave in the end.

The hairs (brown yarn): I have decided to not crochet the hairs but to use the yarn. For that I have prepared 12 yarn sheafs: each consists of three yarn pieces 10 cm long, knotted together on one end. Pull each sheaf through the head on the hair line (described below) in the way that the knots stay inside and the hairs look out. Use the crochet hook for that.

The hair line:

I started from the stitch above the left eye between the Rounds 28 and 29. And then we go from the left to the right. Then put the hair bunches in 4 more stitches of the round to. Afterwards we go 1 Round down and one stitch to the right, place the hairs (6 hair bunches are used until now). Then we again go 1 Round down and one stitch to the right, place the hairs (7), as well as to the three next st to the right (10). After that we move 1 Round up and 1 stitch to the right (11), again 1 Round up and 1 stitch to the right. And now the line is joined, we take all the hairs and shape them in a bun on the top of the head (using the wire or the scrunchy). Place the decoration inkle on the bun.

Skirt (light blue yarn):

Crochet in the front loops of the last beige round. Insert the hook in the first loop, make 3 ch. Make it also in the beginning of the second round. Both rounds end with a sl st.
Round 1: 4 dc in all st
Round 2: keep crocheting this block until the round ends: (3 dc in next st, dc in next st).

Arms (start with light blue yarn):
Place the crochet hook in the middle of a hole for the left arm, crochet around it (5 stitches: 4 st outside and 1 st at the neck), sl st, make 15 chain, cut the yarn.

The right arm make in the same way but do not cut the yarn. Join with the last ch of the left arm, change to the beige yarn, make 50 chain and join to the 1st beige ch with a sl st. Fasten off, cut the yarn and weave in all ends.

Marie is finished! If you want her to get the love story she deserves, do not forget to crochet the brave charming Nutcracker (tutorial here)! Do not they look cute together?