It's always fun to make something a bit more realistic, and I tried to make the proportions and parts similar to a real truck. I think it turned out very cute!
Pattern
This truck is made with 8/4 cotton yarn and crochet needle size 3 mm. It is approximately 19 cm/7.5 inches long and 9 cm/3.5 inches tall.
It is optional to use interfacing. With interfacing, the truck will have flat sides (like the pictures). Without interfacing, the sides will be round. Neither is better.
Trailer sides
The trailer is purple and grey, and the sides are made from top to bottom.
When crocheting in rows, every new row starts with a turning stitch (1 chain stitch).
Side 1
Start by making a foundation chain with 43 stitches in purple. The last stitch counts as the turning stitch.
Row 1: Skip the stitch closest to the needle and make 42 single crochet stitches (sc) [42]
Since both sides of the foundation chain will be used, it doesn't matter if you use one or two loops from it.
Row 2-16: 42 sc [42]
Row 17: Change colour to grey for the turning stitch, and then 42 sc [42]
Now you will make space for the wheel. The last two rows will be made in two sections.
Row 18, first half: 25 sc before turning [25]
Row 19, first half: 1 sc, decrease (2 sc together), 19 sc, decrease, 1 sc [23]
Finish the first half by cutting of the yarn and pulling the end through the loop.
Row 18, second half: Start in the same direction as you made the first half of row 18. After the 25 sc, skip 4 stitches. In the 5th stitch, pick up the yarn and then make 13 sc (including in the 5th stitch) [13]
Row 19, second half: 10 sc, decrease, 1 sc [12]
Side 2
The second side is made the same as the first for the first 17 rows.
Now you will make space for the wheel. The last two rows will be made in two sections.
Row 18, first half: 13 sc before turning [13]
Row 19, first half: 1 sc, decrease, 10 sc [12]
Finish the first half by cutting of the yarn and pulling the end through the loop.
Row 18, second half: Start in the same direction as you made the first half of row 18. After the 13 sc, skip 4 stitches. In the 5th stitch, pick up the yarn and then make 25 sc (including in the 5th stitch) [25]
Row 19, second half: 1 sc, decrease, 19 sc, decrease, 1 s [23]
Front
Chain 15 in purple
Row 1-16: 14 sc [14]
Leave end to sew the front piece to the top piece (14 stitches)
Top
Chain 15 in purple
Row 1-42: 14 sc [14]
Leave end to sew the top piece to the back piece (14 stitches)
Back
Chain 15 in purple
Row 1-16: 14 sc [14]
Change to grey.
Row 17-19: 14 sc [14]
Leave end to sew the back piece to the bottom (14 stitches)
Bottom
Chain 15 in grey
Row 1-54: 14 sc [14]
Cab
So far, the pattern has been pretty simple. Although the shape continues to be fairly simple for the cab, the colour changes makes this part more difficult, especially for a beginner. However, there are two ways to simplify:
Instead of looping the thread on the back, you can cut off the yarn with every colour change. More ends to weave in (or tie together) but simpler colour changes.
Ignore most colour changes, for example the windows. They can be added later by sewing on the shapes.
Side 1
To make it easier to read, the shape and the colour changes are written separately.
Shape
Chain 11 in purple
Row 1: 10 sc [10]
Row 2: 8 sc, increase (inc, two stitches in the same loops), 1 sc [11]
Now the colour changes start, see below for details.
Row 3: This is the backside. 1 sc, inc, 9 sc [12]
Row 4-13: 12 sc [12]
Row 14: Cut off the yarn. Skip 4 stitches and pick up the yarn again (alternatively, loop it on the backside). 8 sc [8]
Row 15: 5 sc, dec, 1 sc [7]
Colours
Row 1-2: Purple
Row 3: 1 black, 1 purple, 6 black, 4 purple
Row 4: 4 purple, 6 black, 1 purple, 1 black
Row 5: 1 black, 1 purple, 6 black, 4 purple
Row 6: 6 purple, 4 black, 1 purple, 1 black
Row 7: 1 black, 1 purple, 2 black, 8 purple
Row 8-11: Purple
Row 12: 4 grey, 6 purple, 2 black
Row 13: 2 black, 5 purple, 5 grey
Row 14: 2 grey, 4 purple, 2 black
Row 15: 2 black, 3 purple, 2 grey
Side 2
Same as side 1, but mirrored.
Shape
Chain 11 in purple
Row 1: 10 sc [10]
Row 2: 1 sc, inc, 8 sc [11]
Now the colour changes start, see below for details.
Row 3: This is the backside. 9 sc, inc, 1 sc [12]
Row 4-13: 12 sc [12]
Row 14: 8 sc [8]
Row 15: 1 sc, dec, 5 sc [7]
Colours
Row 1-2: Purple
Row 3: 4 purple, 6 black, 1 purple, 1 black
Row 4: 1 black, 1 purple, 6 black, 4 purple
Row 5: 4 purple, 6 black, 1 purple, 1 black
Row 6: 1 black, 1 purple, 4 black, 6 purple
Row 7: 8 purple, 2 black, 1 purple, 1 black
Row 8-11: Purple
Row 12: 2 black, 6 purple, 4 grey
Row 13: 5 grey, 5 purple, 2 black
Row 14: 2 black, 4 purple, 2 grey
Row 15: 2 grey, 3 purple, 2 black
Front and top
Chain 15 in purple
Row 1-12: 14 sc [14]
Change to black
Row 13-17: 14 sc [14]
Row 18: 1 purple, 12 grey, 1 purple[14]
Row 19-21: 2 purple, 10 grey, 2 purple[14]
Row 22-24: 2 black, 10 grey, 2 black [14]
Row 25: 14 black [14]
Leave end to sew the front to the bottom of the cab (14 stitches)
Back
Chain 15 in purple
Row 1-12: 14 sc [14]
Leave end to sew the back to the top of the cab (14 stitches)
Wheels
Chain 2 in grey
Round 1: 6 sc in the second stitch from the needle [6]
Change to black
Round 2: Inc 6 times [12]
Round 3: *1 sc, inc* 6 times [18]
Round 4: Use only the back loops. 18 sc [18]
Round 5: Use both loops again. 18 sc [18]
Round 6: Use only the back loops. *1 sc, dec* 6 times [12]
Stuff the wheel. Use enough stuffing to keep the shape well, but not too much as that will make the wheel "fat".
Round 7: Use both loops again. Dec 6 times [6]
Finish with a slip stitch. Leaving tail to sew one stitch through the middle of the wheel (through the wheel hub) to make the wheel keep its shape with flatter sides. Weave in the end.
Make four wheels.
Details
Sew on lights with yarn. You can divide the yarn in half to make it thinner, that makes it easier to sew with. The front lights are white and the back lights are red.
Also sew on the cab doors in black. I used half the thickness for the doors too.
Assembly
After you have sewn on all the details, cut out interfacing for all flat pieces. The interfacing should be just a tad smaller than the pieces, to leave space for sewing the pieces together (not critical that the interfacing is exact though). Depending on the interfacing you have, you may want two layers of interfacing for each piece.
Weave in all ends that you won't use for sewing the pieces together.
Before adding the interfacing, sew the front of the trailer to the back of the cab. The two pieces will line up at the bottom. Sew along the bottom and then add a couple of stitches close to the top of the back of the cab. That will prevent the trailer and cab from moving separately.
Iron on the interfacing. Use parchment paper to protect the iron from the glue, and you can use parchment paper to protect the ironing board too. If there's no information on the interfacing, medium heat on the iron usually works fine.
Use whip stitches to assemble the trailer and cab. Sew on the bottom and add stuffing as you go. Be careful not to over-stuff as that will make the flat sides bulge out. You need less stuffing when you use interfacing as the interfacing helps with the shape and structure.
For the bottom piece, you have the option to attach the wheels as you go, or add them as the last assembly step. For the two rounds on the wheels where you only used the back loops, there are stripes of the front loops. Use the back stripe when sewing the wheel to the side pieces, and attach the bottom piece across the centre of the wheel's backside.
And your truck is done!
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