How to Crochet a Papoos

Hand crocheted papooses make meaningful gifts for newborns.

The word papoose is derived from the Algonquin word "papoos" which means "child" but was used in the Native American culture to describe a baby carrying pouch. Today, papooses are commonly known as cocoons and consist of cozy, knit or crochet pods or sacks into which babies are slipped up to their chests. The process for crocheting a papoose is simple, and providing you can do chains and double crochet stitches, you can make one in the space of a couple of hours and for just a few dollars. They make great baby shower gifts and are popular with trendy new moms and dads, alike.

Things You'll Need

• Size I crochet hook
• Worsted-weight yarn
• Scissors
• Darning needle

Instructions

1. Attach your yarn to your crochet hook with a slip stitch. Make a slip stitch by forming a loop with the tail of your yarn and pulling another loop through it and slipping it on the hook. You are going to work in a continuous round.

2. Crochet round one. A round is a row that continues immediately into the next row by working in a circle. Make three chain stitches. Chain stitches are made by wrapping your yarn from the back to the front of the hook and pulling it through the stitch on the hook. Then, make 12 double crochet stitches in the third chain from the hook. Join the round by making a slip stitch in the first double crochet stitch you made. To make a double crochet stitch, wrap the yarn from the back to the front of the hook, slip the hook through the stitch, wrap the yarn around the hook again and pull it back through the stitch, so that there are three stitches on the hook. Wrap the yarn around the hook again and pull it through the front two stitches on the hook and wrap the yarn around the hook a final time and pull it through the remaining two stitches on the hook, so that one stitch is left on the hook.

3. Crochet round two. Make two chain stitches. Then, make two double crochet stitches in each stitch below. Join the round by making a slip stitch in the first double crochet stitch you made.

4. Crochet round three. Make two chain two stitches. Then, work a double crochet stitch in the first stitch and two double crochet stitches in the second stitch. Keep alternating one stitch and two stitches until you are back where you started. Each round forms a row and you will clearly see when you have completed a row. Join the round by making a slip stitch in the first double crochet stitch you made.

5. Crochet round four. Make two chain two stitches. Then, make a double crochet in the first and second stitches and two double crochets in the third stitch. Repeat this pattern of double crochet stitches until you are back where you started. Join the round by making a slip stitch in the first double crochet stitch you made.

6. Crochet round five. Make two chain stitches. Then make a double crochet stitch in the first, second and third stitches and two double crochets stitches in the fourth stitch. Repeat this pattern of double crochet stitches until you finish the round. Join the round by making a slip stitch in the first double crochet stitch you made.

7. Crochet round six. Make two chain stitches. Then, make a double crochet stitch into each of the first four stitches and two double crochet stitches into the fifth stitch. Repeat this pattern of double crochet stitches until you finish the round. Join the round by making a slip stitch in the first double crochet stitch you made.

8. Crochet round seven. Make one chain stitch, followed by a single crochet stitch in the joining stitch. Then, work the following pattern until you finish the round: skip two stitches and make five double crochets in the next stitch. Join the round by making a slip stitch in the single crochet stitch you made at the start of the round.

9. crochet round eight. Make three chain stitches and work four double crochet stitches in the join below. Then, work the following pattern: skip two double crochet stitches, make a single crochet in the next stitch and five double crochet stitches in the next stitch. Finish with skip two double crochet stitches, then make a single crochet stitch in the last stitch. Join the round with a slip stitch in the top of the beginning chain three.

10. Crochet round nine. Make a slip stitch in the second double crochet stitch, make one chain stitch and a single crochet in the same stitch. Then, repeat the following pattern to the end of the round: make five double crochet stitches in the next single crochet and skip two double crochets and make a single crochet stitch in the next double crochet. Join the round with a single crochet stitch in the first single crochet.

11. Repeat rounds eight and nine until your papoose consists of 31 rounds.

12. Work the final round. Make three chain stitches and five double crochet stitches in the same stitch as the join. Then, repeat the following pattern until the end of the round: skip two double crochet stitches, make a slip stitch in the next double crochet and six double crochet stitches in the next single crochet. Join the round with the slip stitch in the top of the three chain stitches.

13. Cut off the yarn and pull the tail through the remaining stitch on the hook. Thread the tail through a darning needle and sew a few stitches to secure it, before trimming off the excess yarn.

References

• "Cuddle Cocoons for Infants"; Sandy Powers; 2010
• Fact Archive; Derivation; Papoose

Resources

• "Baby Blueprint Crochet: Irresistible Projects for Little Ones Baby Blueprint Crochet: Irresistible Projects for Little Ones"; Robin Chachula; 2010