Anatomical skull

This skull is the first in a series of blog posts which link together to result in a 1/5 size anatomically correct skeleton. The second installment is for the hands, and this can be pattern can be found here.
 This skull is female (due to the structure of the jawbone and forehead)

Difficulty:

Medium

You will need:

• white Anchor size 8 crochet cotton (use this unless otherwise specified)
• A 0.8mm crochet hook (use this unless otherwise specified)
• Toy stuffing
• A darning needle
• A 0.6mm crochet hook
• regular white sewing cotton
• A regular sewing needle

Note:

• To make my patterns easier to read, in most cases instead of writing'sc in the next ... sts' I have just written 'sc...' Eg. 'sc12' means 'sc in the next 12 sts'
• 'fasten off neatly' refers to a special way of fastening off which is neater and makes it easier to see where you should be crocheting on the next round (also known as invisible fastening off). This involves pulling up your yarn through your stitch, threading the yarn underneath the second stitch from where you pulled your yarn up, then threading your yarn back through the top of this stitch and down through the back of the work. There is a very helpful site that explains it clearly found here. Just make sure when you do this that you thread your needle through the SECOND stitch after the last stitch you made, otherwise you will end up with an extra stitch which may mean that all of the following rounds are out of line with each other.

For the skull:

ch5

Round 1: Sc in the 2nd loop from hook, then sc in each of the next 2 chain sts. Make 3sc in the last chain st (the first one you made), then sc into the backs of the previous 2 chain sts you crocheted into. Finally, make 2sc into the back of the first chain st you crocheted into  (10sc)

Round 2: 2sc in the first st, 2hdc in the next st, sc2, 2sc in each of the following 2 sts, sc2, 2hdc in the next st, 2sc in the next st (16sc) 

Round 3: sc in the first 2 sts, 2hdc in the next st, hdc, sc3, 2sc in each of the next 2 sts, sc3, hdc, 2hdc in the following st, sc, 2sc in the last st (21sc)

Round 4: 2sc in the first st, sc, hdc2, sc5, 2sc in the next st, sc, 2sc in the following st, sc5, hdc2, sc2  (24sts)

Round 5: 2sc in each of the first 2sts, sc, hdc2, sc7, 2sc in the next st, sc7, hdc2, sc2 (27sc)

Round 6: Sc5, hdc2, sc7, 2hdc in each of the next 2sts, sc7, hdc2, sc2 (29sts)

Round 7: 2sc in the first st, sc, 2sc in the next st, sc3, hdc, 2hdc in the next st, hdc, sc6, 2hdc in each of the following 2sts, sc6, hdc, 2hdc in the next st, hdc, sc3 (35sts) 

Round 8: 2sc in each of the first 2sts, sc15, 2hdc in the following st, hdc3, 2hdc in the following st, sc13 (39sts)

Round 9: sc2, 2sc in the next st, sc, 2sc in the following st, sc16, hdc3, sc15 (41sts)

Round 10: sc2, 2sc in the next st, sc3, 2sc in the following st, sc34 (43sts)

 The photos below show the skull after round 10. The red markers show the position of the bumps made at the side and front of the skull. The black yarn is the stitch marker (this is at the back of the head)

This model was made with dk yarn to show it more clearly

generic skull shape

Rounds 11 - 12: (2 rounds) sc in each st

Round 13: Sc24, ch5, skip3, sc2, ch5, skip3, sc11 (47sts)

Round 14: sc22, Sc3tog, sc4, 2hdc in each of the next 2sts, sc4, sc3tog, sc9 (45sts)
Round 15: sc, sc2tog, sc, sc2tog 4 times, sc, sc2tog, sc3, ch6, skip6, sc4, 2sc in each of the next 3sts, sc3, ch6, skip6, sc2, sc2tog, sc (41sts)
Round 16: sc2tog, sc3tog ,sc2tog, sc, sc2tog, sc2, Slip7, sc3, ch3 (these chain sts help to make the nose), skip6, sc3, slip7, sc, sc2tog (32sts) 
Round 17: sc, sc2tog twice, sc, sc2tog, ch2, sc in the first st of the 6sts you skipped on round 15 (as shown in images 1 and 2 below) , then sc in the next 3 of these skipped sts. ch4, sc in the 3rd st you skipped the 2nd time you skipped 6 on round 15, then sc in the next 3sts (all the ones you skipped on the round before last), ch2. Sc in the 2nd st after the slip7 on the previous section, (23sts)

Round 18:  sc5tog, sc3, sc2tog, sc7tog, sc2tog, sc3. Fasten off

Stuff firmly

Images 1 and 2

For the eye sockets (make 2):

Make a magic loop with 4sc

Round 1: sc in each st

Round 2: (sc in the first st, 2sc in the next st) twice (6sc)

Round 3: (sc in each of the first 2sts, then make 2sc in the next st) twice (8sc)

Round 4: (sc in each of the first 3sts, then make 2sc in the next st) twice(10sc)

Round 5: (sc in each of the first 4sts, then make 2sc in the next st) twice (12sc)

Fasten off

Sew these to the eye sockets so that they protrude back into the head before continuing with the rest of the head

For the upper jaw:

Rejoin yarn to round 16 to the first of the chain sts you made for the nose, 
Round 17: sc in this st, sc2tog, sc4, ch3, sc in round 16 in the 3rd st before where you fastened on, then sc in the next 2sts (12sts)

Round 18: Hdc6, slip3, hdc3
Fasten off neatly

For the jaw:

Ch15

Row 1: Sc in the 2nd loop from hook, then sc in every following loop to end, turn. (14sc)

Row 2: Slip each st, ch1, turn

Row 3: Sc in each st, ch2, turn

Row 4: Hdc2, turn

Row 5: Slip1, sc

Fasten off

Rejoin yarn to the other end of row 3

Row 4: Ch2, then hdc in this st and the next st. turn

Row 5: Slip1, sc

Fasten off

Sew this lower jaw to the rest of the skull

Teeth (make 24):

With the 0.6mm hook and white sewing cotton make a magic loop with 4sc

Round 1: sc in each st (4sc)

Fasten off

Sew 12 of these teeth to the bottom jaw and the other 12 to the upper jaw (at the bottom of the skull)

I hope you have enjoyed this pattern. If you have any questions about this or any of my other patterns or have any suggestions for future patterns you would like me to make please feel free to contact me, either by leaving a comment below or via my Ravelry or Instagram pages.

You are very welcome to sell finished products but I do ask that you don't re-post this pattern or claim it as your own. Thank you!