I love Princess and the Frog. I love Tiana, Naveen, Ray, the music, the character growth, Charlotte! In deciding to crochet a bunch of Disney princesses, I knew that Tiana had to be on my list. Especially her green wedding dress at the end of the movie.
Out of all the princesses I've made so far, Tiana has required the most trial and error. Most of it for the leaves and flower on her dress. Because of all the little details, making her also takes longer than any of the others. But, I think she's worth it. This is definitely one of my favorites!
Materials List
Skin- I Love This Yarn Sport (Brown), held double
Green- Some sport weight yarn from Red Heart, held double
Yellow- Bernat Softee Baby (Lemon), held double
Black- I Love This Yarn (Black)
Necklace- Aunt Lydia's Crochet Thread, Metallic 10 (Silver)
Green Flower- DMC #700
Yellow Flower and Crown- DMC #3046
Hefty Embroidery Needle for sewing pieces together and embroidering different pieces
Crochet Hook, size C (2.75 mm) or whatever is comfortable and has a tight gauge for doll
Crochet Hook, 1.8 mm for crocheting the flowers
Black Embroidery Thread
White Embroidery Thread
Stuffing
This doll is worked from the top of the head in continuous rounds down until the legs split. Then one leg is worked at a time. Arms, hair, and dress leaves/flower are made separately and attached afterward. The skirt is picked up at the waist and worked to the hem. Eyes, crown, and necklace are embroidered directly onto doll. Tiana measures about 6.5 inches tall. Using a different yarn weight, using a different crochet hook size, and personal tension will alter that.
Doll Body
R1- using brown yarn, make a magic circle with 6 sc, pull tight
R2- sc 2 in each stitch (12 st)
R3- *sc in first stitch, sc 2 in same stitch* rep to end (18 st)
R4- *sc in next two stitches, sc 2 in same stitch* rep to end (24 st)
R5- sc in each stitch around
R6 to R11- same as R5
R12- *sc in next two stitches, dec by sc2tog* rep to end (18 st)
R13- *sc in next stitch, dec by sc2tog* rep to end (12 st)
R14- sc in each stitch around
R15- *sc in next three stitches, sc 2 in same stitch* rep to end (15 st)
R16- *sc in next four stitches, sc 2 in same stitch* rep to end (18 st)
R17 to R 20- sc in each stitch around with the following color changes
R17- green 7, yellow 5, green 6
R18- green 7, yellow 4, green 7
R 19- green 8, yellow 3, green 7
R20- green 9, yellow 1, green 8
R21- still using green, crochet sc BLO in each stitch around
R22- sc in each stitch around
Next is splitting the stitches between the two legs.
R23- ch 3, skip 9 sc, sc in next 9 stitches (12 st)
R24- change to brown, sc BLO in each stitch around (12 st)
R25 to R27- sc in each stitch around (12 st)
Make sure to end R27 in the middle of the back of the leg.
R28- change to green, sc in next four stitches, 3dc puff st in next four stitches, sc in next four stitches (12 st)
R29- st in each stitch around (12 st)
R30- dec by sc2tog around (6 st)
BO, leaving a four inch tail
Using the green, start the right leg. Join in the back next to the left leg, leaving a 6 inch tail at the beginning. This is used to sew up the crotch at the end.
R23- sc in next 9 stitches, ch 3 (12 st)
R24- sc in next st, change to brown, sc BLO in each stitch around (12 st)
R25 to R27- sc in each stitch around (12 st)
Again, end R27 at the middle of the back, even if it means not doing the last stitch or adding a stitch.
R 28- change to green, sc in next four stitches, 3dc puff st in next four stitches, sc in next four stitches (12 st)
R29- st in each stitch around (12 st)
R30- dec by sc2tog around (6 st)
BO, leaving a four inch tail
Stuff entire body and legs
Arms, make 2
R1- using green, make a magic circle with 6 sc, pull tight
R2, *sc 2 in same stitch, sc in next two stitches* rep to end (8 st)
R3 to R7- sc in each stitch around (8 st)
R8- change to brown, sc in each stitch around (8 st)
R9- dec by sc2tog, sc in next two stitches, dec by sc2tog, sc in next stitch, slip stitch in last, pulling out a 4-5 inch tail, stuff with a little stuffing
Hair Cap
R1- using black, make a magic circle with 6 sc, pull tight
R2- sc 2 in each stitch (12 st)
R3- *sc in first stitch, sc 2 in same stitch* rep to end (18 st)
R4- *sc in next two stitches, sc 2 in same stitch* rep to end (24 st)
R5- sc in each stitch around (24 st)
At this point, try it on the doll with her head stuffed. If you need to go a little bigger, continue following the pattern as written. If it is perfect as is, don't increase on the next round. The rest of the pattern will need to be adjusted for the lower stitch count.
R6- *sc in next three stitches, sc 2 in same stitch* rep to end (30 st)
Now we are going to make the little curls by her ears as well as make her hair line scalloped.
Ch 11, slip stitch back in second ch from hook and each chain back to the main piece, sc. *skip 1 sc, dc 5 in same stitch, skip 1 sc, sc* 3 times. Ch 11, slip stitch back in second ch from hook and each chain stitch back to the main piece, slip stitch, BO leaving a 10 inch tail.
Hair Bun
R1- using black, make a magic circle with 6 sc, pull tight
R2- sc 2 in each stitch (12 st)
R3- *sc in first stitch, sc 2 in same stitch* rep to end (18 st)
R4- *sc in next 5 stitches, sc 2 in same stitch* rep to end (21 st)
R5 to R8- sc in each stitch around, BO leaving a 6 inch tail
Underskirt
The skirt is crocheted directly onto Tiana's body using the loops at her waist (there should be 18 st). These rounds are not continuous; they are joined with a slip stitch at the end of each) Hold the doll with her head down, feet up. Using the yellow yarn, join at the back middle, ch 2.
R1- *dc 2 in the next two stitches, dc in the next stitch* rep to end, slip st (30 st)
R2- ch 2, *dc 2 in the next stitch, dc in the next 6 stitches, dc 2 in the next stitch, dc in the next 7 stitches* rep to end, slip st (34 st)
R3- ch 2, *dc in the next two stitches, dc 2 in the next stitch* rep to end, skipping one of the increases, slip st (44 st)
R4- ch 2, *dc in the next 10 stitches, dc 2 in the next stitch* rep to end, slip st (48 st)
R5- *dc 2 in the next stitch, dc in the next 23 stitches* rep once more time, slip st (50 st), BO leaving about a four inch tail
Small Leaf
Using green, ch 10
Starting in second chain from hook, slip st, sc 1, hdc 1, dc 1, tc 2, dc 1, hdc 1, sc 1
Slip stitch in side of last sc, ch 1 and turn so you will be working along the other side of the foundation chain
sc 1, hdc 1, dc 1, tc 2, dc 1, hdc 1, sc 1, slip st, ch 2, slip st back into very first slip stitch, BO leaving a ten inch tail
Medium Leaf
Using green, ch 13
Starting in second chain from hook, slip st, sc 2, hdc 1, dc 1, tc 2, dc 1, hdc 2, sc 2
Slip stitch in side of the last sc, ch 1 and turn so you will be working along the other side of the foundation chain
sc 2, hdc 2, dc 1, tc 2, dc 1, hdc 1, sc 2, slip st, ch 2, slip st back into very first slip stitch, BO leaving a ten inch tail
Large Leaf, make 4 *
Using green, ch 6
R1- Starting in second chain from hook, slip st, sc 1, hdc 2, sc 1, slip stitch in side of last sc, ch 1, (turn so you will be working along the other side of the foundation chain) sc 1, hdc 2, sc 1, slip st
R2- dc 4 all in the end of the leaf, hdc, 2 hdc in next stitch, sc in each stitch to the end, slip stitch along side, ch 1, sc in next 3 st, 2 hdc in next st, 2 dc in next st
R3- 2 sc in next st, sc, 2 hdc in next st, dc, *2 dc in next st, dc* three times, slip in side of dc along flat-ish side, ch 2, *2 dc in next st, dc * four times, hdc, sc until you get to tip of leaf, ch 2 (or three if you like the look better), sc in next stitch, slip st, BO leaving a ten inch tail
Yellow Flower
Using yellowish embroidery floss and smaller crochet hook, make a magic ring with 6 sc, pull tight
Ch 2, 2 dc in same stitch, ch 2, *slip in next stitch, ch 2, 2 dc in same stitch as slip, ch 2* repeat until end, then slip st to base of petals, BO leaving four inch tail
Green Flower
Using green embroidery floss and smaller crochet hook, make a magic ring with 6 sc, pull tight
Ch 3, 2 tc in same stitch, ch 3, *slip st in next stitch, ch 3, 2 tc in same stitch as slip, ch 3* repeat until end, then slip st in base of petals, BO leaving four inch tail
Once all your pieces are made, it's just a matter of sewing them on and embroidering a couple details. I always try to hide my knots and tails within the doll. For the embroidery on the face I always hide it under the hair. For the tails at the feet and things on the skirt, I hide them in the body and usually tie the knot in the little hole between the legs. This is the order I followed when I made Tiana:
Sew leaves to skirt. Pin them all in place and start with the ones layered on the bottom (small, medium, back large ones, side large ones)
Sew flowers to skirt with the yellowish one on top of the green one
Sew on the arms to R15 or 16, whichever you prefer. I did R15
Embroider eyes and nose (and mouth/eyebrows if you choose) using embroidery thread and a small bit of brown yarn for nose (nose at about R10, eyes at about R9). I do the eyes first and then the nose.
Embroider necklace using metallic crochet thread. I used french knots for the jewels.
Stuff and sew bun to hair cap. Pin both pieces to the head first to get the positioning just how you want it.
Embroider the crown to the bun using the yellowish embroidery thread. I just did some simple lines, but you can do it however you want.
Sew the entire hair piece to the head.
Using the tails on the feet, sew the hole shut.
Double check that everything looks good. Add more stuffing to the body if it needs more, and sew the crotch shut. Do you best to hide the knot and draw the tail a long way through the body before snipping it.
Now you have your very own Princess Tiana! If anything is unclear, please leave a comment. I don't write patterns for a living, and this pattern is written from the notes I made while making her. Please enjoy and share with any crocheters you think would want to make a Princess Tiana of their own.