Tips for finishing your Stick Man and family crochet toys

Our new Stick Man toy and family crochet patterns are just so sweet.

To help you complete your Stick Man, Stick Lady and their Stick Children Three we've put together some useful crochet tips.

Stick Man, Stick Lady and Stick Children Three are all made using the same techniques.

We've broken down the tricky bits for putting them together piece by piece, starting with Stick Man himself.

In our video guide, we're using a bright colour so you can see what we're up to, but make sure you use colours to match the pieces you're sewing.

1. Gather Row Ends (Legs)

Anchor your yarn to one of the corners and make a row of running stitches along the row end edge. Pull tight, and the row ends will gather up and tighten. Work a couple of stitches over one another to secure, if needed. Always use a blunt-ended needle to make sure there aren't any nasty snags or splits.

2. Joining Seams (Legs)

Oversewing or 'whip stitch' does not take one stitch from the row-end edge into the seam. For this reason, it's good to use for small pieces of double crochet fabric, where you do not want to lose any of the fabric to chunky seaming. Simply insert the needle into the bottom layer of fabric two loops of yarn from the edge, and bring up through both pieces. Repeat, moving up one stitch each time.

3. Pipe Cleaners

If you're making these for children, it's probably best to omit the pipe cleaners completely. But if you're going for a bendy, opposable Stick Man for display, it's a fun idea to add them. Cut each pipe cleaner to the correct length as specified in the instructions. It's best to use wire cutters to save blunting your scissors.

4. Binding Off Ends

If using pipe cleaners, each wire end will need to be secured to prevent them poking through your crocheted fabric. Fold the tips over and wrap a length of Chocolate around until the tip no longer feels sharp or pointy. Fasten off with a single knot, and trim.

5. Insert Head Top

After the body and head have been stuffed, place the head top in position over the circular opening. Anchor your yarn with a couple of stitches at the top of the head, body and legs piece and stitch in place using the over sewing technique. If the head top moves around while you're working, use a couple of glass-headed pins to hold in place.

6. Happy Families

Each member of the stick family are made using basic double crochet stitches, and these simple techniques. Save endless ends - leave long strands of yarn when finishing the leaves and face details, and use these to stitch the pieces in place. Thread any ends through the body as you fasten off.

Avoid funny faces by pinning all your pieces in place before you stitch them down.

Watch our video for all your Stick Man toy finishing touches...