There are some cars that even those of us who aren't interested in cars know about, and the classic Volkswagen bus is one of them. It's retro, it's round, and I just had to make one.
Pattern
This bus is made with a size 3 needle and is 17 cm or about 7 inches long. The colours are always suggestions, and the bus would be adorable in a dark red too, or a yarn with mixed colours.
Before we get to the actual pattern, I wanted to say a few things about the windows. To make the windows, you need to change colour and yarn several times per row. It can be a bit intimidating if you're a complete beginner, so I have a few tips. But first, I have a video about how to change colour.
If you find the windows difficult, you can always skip them and make the entire upper part white. Use the grey yarn to sew on the edges or frames for the windows instead. Or the opposite, make the rows grey and use the white to frame the windows. Either way, it will be easier to make and you'll still have windows.
I recommend that you don't cut off the yarn when changing colours, but instead let the yarn hang loose behind the other colour (see image below). It wastes less yarn, and is a bit quicker once you get the hang of it. However, make sure not to pull the yarn too tightly when picking it up again! That will distort the piece. Instead, leave it a bit loose. It won't be noticeable, and it won't unravel.
However, if the loose yarn becomes very long, it's better to cut it off (such as for row 13 on the right side).
…but if leaving the yarn makes it too complicated, just cut off the yarn every time you change colour. Tie a knot with the two ends (one for each colour) to secure them and cut off the excess (but leave enough for the knot to stay knotted).
Regardless of how you change colour, make sure the ends or loose yarn are on the back side/the inside of the bus.
Left side
Make a foundation chain with 47 stitches in blue (or your choice of colour). Start in the second stitch from the needle. Unless otherwise stated, begin every new round with a turning chain (1 chain stitch).
Row 1-10: 46 single crochet stitches (sc) (46). Change to white
Row 11-12: 46 sc (46). Change to grey
Row 13: This is the back side. Skip the turning chain, and therefore skip the first stitch (to decrease 1). Make 3 sc in grey, 1 s white, *6 sc grey, 1 sc white* 4 times, and lastly 12 sc in grey. Decrease 1 the last stitch (2 stitches together) (44)
Row 14: 44 sc, with the colours the same as the previous round (but reversed of course)
Row 15: Skip the turning chain to decrease 1. 41 sc, 1 decrease (42)
Row 16: 42 sc (42). Change to white
Row 17: 42 sc (42)
Row 18: Skip the turning chain to decrease 1. 39 sc, 1 decrease (40)
Row 19: Skit the turning chain to decrease 1. 37 sc, 1 decrease (38)
Cut off the yarn and pull through the loop.
Right side
Make a foundation chain with 47 stitches in blue (or your choice of colour). Start in the second stitch from the needle. Unless otherwise stated, begin every new round with a turning chain (1 chain stitch).
Row 1-10: 46 single stitches (sc) (46). Change to white
Row 11-12: 46 sc (46). Change to grey
Row 13: This is the back side. Skip the turning chain, and therefore skip the first stitch (to decrease 1). Make 12 sc in grey, 1 sc white, *6 sc grey, 1 sc white* 4 times, and lastly 3 sc in grey. Decrease 1 the last stitch (2 stitches together) (44)
Row 14: 44 sc, with the colours the same as the previous round (but reversed of course)
Row 15: Skip the turning chain to decrease 1. 41 sc, 1 decrease (42)
Row 16: 42 sc (42). Change to white
Row 17: 42 sc (42)
Row 18: Skip the turning chain to decrease 1. 39 sc, 1 decrease (40)
Row 19: Skit the turning chain to decrease 1. 37 sc, 1 decrease (38)
Cut off the yarn and pull through the loop.
Front and back
All the rest of the body of the bus is made in one piece. Start in blue (or your selected colour). Make a foundation chain with 20 stitches. Start in the second stitch from the needle. Start every row with a turning chain unless otherwise stated.
Row 1-10: 19 sc (19). Change to white
Row 11-12: 19 sc (19). Change to grey.
Row 13: This is the back side. 3 sc in grey, 1 sc white, 11 sc grey, 1 sc white, and 3 sc grey (19)
Row 14: 19 sc (19). The colour pattern is the same as the previous row
Row 15: Skip the turning chain to decrease 1. 16 sc, decrease 1 (17)
Row 16: 17 sc (17). Change to white
Row 17: 17 sc (17)
Row 18: Skip the turning chain to decrease 1. 14 sc, decrease 1 (15)
Row 19: Skip the turning chain to decrease 1. 12 sc, decrease 1 (13)
Row 20-57: 13 sc (13)
Row 58: Increase 1 (two stitches in the same loops), 11 sc, increase 1 (15)
Row 59: Increase 1 (two stitches in the same loops), 13 sc, increase 1 (17)
Row 60: 17 sc (17)
Row 61: 1 sc in white, 7 sc in grey, 1 sc white, 7 sc grey, and 1 sc white (17)
Row 62: 17 sc (17). Colours same as previous row.
Row 63: 1 s, increase 1 in grey, 6 sc grey, 1 sc white, 6 sc grey, increase 1 in grey, 1 sc white (19)
Row 64: 19 sc (19). Continue in just white
Row 65-66: 19 sc (19). Change to blue
Row 67: 1 sc blue, 17 sc white, 1 sc blue (19)
Row 68: 2 sc blue, 15 sc white, 2 sc blue (19)
Row 69: 3 sc blue, 13 sc white, 3 sc blue (19)
Row 70: 4 sc blue, 11 sc white, 4 sc blue (19)
Row 71: 5 sc blue, 9 sc white, 5 sc blue (19)
Row 72: 6 sc blue, 7 sc white, 6 sc blue (19)
Row 73: 7 sc blue, 5 sc white, 7 sc blue (19)
Row 74: 8 sc blue, 3 sc white, 8 sc blue (19)
Row 75: 9 sc blue, 1 sc white, 9 sc blue (19). Continue with only blue
Row 76-122: 19 sc (19)
Cut off the yarn and pull through loop. Leave the end long enough to sew the shorts sides together, but don't sew yet!
Wheels
Start with 2 chain stitches in grey. Make 6 single stitches in the first chain stitch. (6)
Round 1: Increase 6 times (12). Change to black
Round 2: *1 sc, increase (inc)* 6 times (18)
Round 3: *2 sc, inc* 2 times (24). Fasten the ends
Round 4: Use only the back loops. 24 sc (24)
Round 5: Use both loops again. 24 sc (24)
Round 6: Use only the back loops. *2 sc, decrease (dec)* 6 times (18)
Round 7: Use both loops again. *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 8: dec 6 times (6)
Finish with a slip stitch. Leaving enough yarn to attach the wheel to the bus. Sew one stitch through the middle of the wheel (through the wheel hub) to make the wheel keep its shape with flatter sides.
Make four wheels.
Big front lights
Start with 2 chain stitches in white. Make 8 sc in the first chain stitch. Finish with a slip stitch (6).
Leave enough yarn to attach the lights to the bus.
Bumpers
Make a foundation chain with 28 stitches in white. Start in the second stitch from the needle. Begin every row with a turning stitch.
Row 1-2: 27 sc (27)
Leave enough yarn to sew around the edges on all four sides.
Make two bumpers.
Construction
Start by sewing together the three parts that make up the body of the bus. Sew from the front side, and make sure to match up the pieces exactly. For the roof and the floor of the bus, there are as many rows on the top and bottom pieces as there are stitches on the side pieces.
Sew with the same yarn and an embroidery needle. Match the colour of the yarn to the pieces you're sewing. For the front windows, where one side is grey and one is white, I used the white yarn.
Once the body of the bus is done, sew on the bumpers. They should match up with the last/first two rows of the front and back. The width of the bumper are the front/back + 4 stitches on each side. Make them symmetrical.
Next, attach the wheels. There should be a small, approximately 1 stitch wide, gap between the wheels and the bumpers.
And lastly, add the details. Start with the larger front lights. Then add the smaller lights, two in yellow at the front and two red at the back. I also added the emblem in grey. It's not perfect, but at least round-ish.
There are lots of more details you can add if you want, such as the doors and handles, a white line between the wheels (height would be the middle of the bumpers), and a grey line across the white under the windows. You can always search for images of VW buses to make yours just they way you want it. I kept mine fairly simple as I plan to improve the pattern.
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