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Writer's pictureKaren Edwards

How to Crochet the Essential Hero Applique

Updated: May 7, 2022

Many of you have family members and/or friends who are nurses or doctors and are looking for something special to do for them during the holiday season or for Nurse Appreciation Week. This Essential Hero Applique is a wonderful pattern that you can use to show them your love and appreciation.

This applique can be used on a stocking, bag/tote, pillow, cardigan, blanket and more! There are endless possibilities for what you can do with this applique!

 
 

Note: This post contains affiliate links in which I may earn a small commission on for clicks and or purchases at no extra cost to you. This helps me provide the blog, website, and pattern free to you. Without your support, I could not provide these services and products! Myy family and I thank you!

 

If you are looking for an idea to do something for an entire nurses station or hospital unit you could purchase (or make) stockings and put this applique on it and fill the stockings with treats!


Can you imagine the stockings hanging up on the nurses station with these appliques on them! It would be so precious for Christmas!


I know this applique looks like it is only one gender but do not fear, in the pattern I have written instructions for how to make it also have a female look!


One of my testers even crocheted a ponytail for hers! You can have fun customizing this applique any way that you desire!



This pattern works up quickly and easily! I think you will enjoy this and I look forward to all the nurses and doctors that are going to feel your love and appreciation with the projects that you create with this applique!


Here is how you make this applique:


Crochet Pattern

Material:

  • Worsted 4 weight yarn

  1. Skin tone of choice

  2. White

  3. Red

  4. Choice of color for scrubs

  5. Choice of color for shoes

  • Hook G or 4mm, D or 3mm/3.25mm

  • Needle

  • Scissors

  • Hot Glue/Fabric glue *optional


Stitches:

  • MR - Magic Ring

  • Ch(s) - chain(s)

  • St(s) - stitch(es)

  • Sp - space

  • Hdc - half double crochet

  • Dc - double crochet

  • Sc - single crochet

  • Sc3tog - single crochet 3 stitches together

  • Hdc2tog - half double crochet 2 stitches together

  • Sk - skip

  • * * - repeat *to* around

  • #st - complete # number of sts in same space

  • St # - complete stitch in next # number of spaces

  • ( ) - work all in the same space/stitch

Skill Level / Language - Beginner. If you are unsure of any stitches, Youtube is a great resource! American Standard Terms are used throughout the pattern.


Pattern Info - This pattern is quick and easy to make and is perfect for using up scrap yarn! This essential hero works up to be about 6 inches tall by about 4 inches wide. It is a great applique for bags, backpacks, totes, blankets and more!


Thank you - I appreciate your support! If you need anything, please reach out to me and I will be happy to help! You can find “Orchid & Bee’s” on Facebook! Be sure to join the VIP group for early access to patterns and even get free exclusive patterns! Also please share your photos with us in the VIP group! We love seeing one another's final projects!



Pattern Instructions

Note: Beginning/turning chains do not count as a st unless otherwise noted

Note: Use G Hook 4mm unless otherwise noted

Scrub Hat:

  • Begin: Choice of scrub color, ch 10.

  • Row 1: Hdc in 2nd ch from hook, hdc next 8, ch 1. (9st)

  • Row 2: Turn, hdc2tog, hdc 5, hdc2tog, ch 1. (7st)

  • Row 3: Turn, sc, hdc 5, sl st, fasten off. (7st)


Head:

Begin: With skin tone yarn, MR, ch 1.

  • Round 1: Hdc 10 in MR, pull tight to close, sl st to join, ch 1. (10st)

  • Round 2: 2Hdc in each st around, sl st to join, ch 1. (20st)

  • Round 3: *Hdc, 2hdc*, repeat *to* 9 more times, sl st to join, ch 1. (30st)

  • Switching to rows.

  • Row 4: Hdc 4, ch 1. (4st)

  • Row 5: Turn, hdc 4, fasten off. (4st) Neck made


Mask:

  • Begin: With white yarn, ch 6.

  • Row 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc next 4, ch 1. (5st)

  • Row 2: Turn, sc 5, fasten off. (5st)


Mask straps: D hook 3mm/3.5mm - make 4

  • Begin: With white yarn, ch 6, fasten off. Repeat 3 more times for a total of 4 straps. Note: I glued mine at an angle from each of the four corners at assembly. As an option you could join and chain 6 from each corner but I wanted mine to have a less bulky feel.


Arms: Make 2

  • Begin: With skin tone color yarn, ch 4.

  • Row 1: Hdc in 2nd ch from hook, hdc next 2, ch 1. (3st)

  • Row 2 - 4: Turn, hdc 3, ch 1. (3st)

  • Row 5: Turn, sc3tog, fasten off. (1st)


Scrub Top:

  • Begin: Choice of scrub color, ch 5.

  • Row 1: Hdc in 2nd ch from hook, hdc next 3, ch 1. (4st)

  • Row 2: Turn, hdc 4, first sleeve made, ch 7. (4st, 7chs)

  • Row 3: Turn, hdc in 2nd ch from hook, hdc next 5 chains, hdc in next 4 stitches connecting to sleeve, ch 1. (10st)

  • Row 4: Turn, hdc 10, ch 1. (10st)

  • Row 5: Turn, hdc 8, ch 3. (8st, 3chs)

  • Row 6: Turn, hdc in 2nd ch from hook, hdc next ch, this forms the v in the neck, hdc 8 connecting back to shirt, ch 1. (10st)

  • Row 7: Turn, hdc 10, ch 1. (10st)

  • Row 8: Turn, hdc 4, ch 1. (4st)

  • Row 9: Turn, hdc 4, fasten off, second sleeve complete. (4st)



Scrub Pants:

  • Begin: Choice of scrub color, ch 13.

  • Row 1: Hdc in 2nd ch from hook, hdc next 11, ch 1. (12st)

  • Row 2: Turn, hdc 12, ch 1, first pant leg made. (12st)

  • Row 3: Turn, sc 5, ch 8, beginning 2nd pant leg. (5st, 8chs)

  • Row 4: Turn, hdc in 2nd ch from hook hdc next 6 chains, hdc next 5stitches connecting back to pants, ch 1. (12st)

  • Row 5: Turn, hdc 12, fasten off. (12st)


Shoes: Make 2

  • Begin: Choice of color, ch 4.

  • Row 1: Hdc in 2nd ch from hook, hdc, (hdc, sl st) fasten off, tie the two tails together in a knot to finish rounding out the top of the shoe. (4st)


Micro Heart : Red - 3mm hook or D 3.5mm hook *the smaller the hook the better

  • Begin: MR, ch 1.

  • Round 1: All in MR (Sl st, sc, hdc, ch 2, sl st, ch 2, hdc, sc, sl st, ch 1), pull tight to close, sl st to join to 1st sl st of round. (6 st) Massage heart to get help define the shape of the heart more if necessary.

Assembly

Note: I assemble my appliques with hot glue which is a fast and safe method. The glue adheres to the fibers quite well and the applique is very secure. The hot glue packaging that I use says non-toxic so it is safe in my opinion. In addition, you can machine wash on cold and lay flat to dry or tumble dry/lowest heat setting. You may also use other fabric-safe glue or use the traditional method of sewing your pieces together.


How I assembled my Hero :

  1. I lay out all my pieces to get the look I want first. You can use pins to hold it together if you desire and/or take a picture of your layout with your phone to reference as you are putting it together.

  2. I put the head together by gluing the scrub hat on first, then I attached the scrub mask main section to the center of the face. Next, I glued the straps on at the four corners of the mask. Note: I wrapped my straps around the backs of the head.

  3. I then attached the arms to the back of each sleeve of the scrub top. Then I attached the scrub top section to the neck of the completed head section.

  4. I then attached the scrub pants to the back for the scrub top and glued the shoes to the top of each pant leg bottom.

  5. The finishing touch was to glue the heart on and voila the Essential Hero is complete!

  6. To give it a feminine touch you could add a ponytail by cutting some small pieces of yarn and bunching them together in the center back of the head or you could add small braids to the head on the sides.

Photo Assembly Pictures by VIP Tester Margie Leverette

And you are done!


If you enjoyed making this pattern and would like a copy of the pdf that does contain ads you can get a downloadable/printable version here.


I would absolutely love to see the projects that you make with this and hear the stories behind the gifts so please feel free to share in the comment section of this post or in the Orchid and Bee's VIP group!


If you find yourself looking for a new blanket pattern to use this applique on I have a couple of patterns in my shop as well that you may be interested in!



If you are a Ravelry or Etsy only user do not worry! I have both of those shops as well!


If you are new to the Orchid and Bee's blog I would like to invite you to subscribe so that you never miss out on a FREE Pattern, announcement, contest, or crochet along!


If you would like to get early access to new pattern designs, and PDF freebies feel free to join the Orchid and Bee's VIP Group!


Today's post was short and sweet - and a little spontaneous if I might add! This was not on my schedule but I had a spontaneous thought about this particular pattern and decided to just go for it!


I hope you enjoy it! Have a wonderful week and thanks for the opportunity to be apart of thanking an Essential Hero with you this year!


Blessings to each of you!

Karen E.

Orchid and Bee's


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