How To Crochet Lice For The Passover Seder

I’ll admit my title How To Crochet Lice For The Passover Seder sounds strange indeed, unless of course you are trying to think about how to make a Ten Plagues Set for kids to enjoy at the Passover seder, and then it might not sound strange at all? Hopefully you know how to crochet, or know someone who can whip up a few of these lice for you, as truly they are fabulous, and might be even more fabulous in brown yarn, unlike the black that I used here! (Then again if the lice look like spiders, that could be okay? It is all about making a memorable seder for the little ones!) This is my very own pattern, and I have not seen anything like it. The idea is basically and base shape, with a final round consisting of chains and slip stitches to make the legs and antennae. One could make any number of insects using this technique, so go for it!

Supplies For Crocheted Lice:

Yarn: anything you have on hand, I used Red Heart Super Saver in black, but I’d recommend using brown as well, or instead of black

Crochet Hook: I used both a 5mm and a 3.5mm with the same yarn to get a large size and a small size

Hot Glue, optional but really transforms the lice into something amazing, so happy I thought of it, as I’ve never added hot glue to a crochet project! As you can see, the hot glue isn’t an exact result, so if you prefer, you could glue some pieces of plastic or rubber onto the crocheted louse instead. I just applied hot glue to all the lice, and am about to post a photo soon.

Note: A mini not glue gun would certainly be preferable for this rather than the regular size I used.

Pattern For Simple Crocheted Lice:

• Using a 5mm hook the final length including the antennae is roughly 11cm

• Using a 3.5 mm hook the final length including the antennae is roughly 8.5cm

• Pattern is worked in two rounds with a crocheted chain base, and stitches are worked in both sides of the chain.

• Pattern is most easily understood in diagram form, above so if you don’t read crochet diagrams, do learn, it is so simple1

• Round 2 is basically a round of slip stitches all around, with chains for legs. After making the chain you slip stitch back down the chain and continue.

Chain 12

Round 1: starting in 2nd chain from hook, 3sc, 3hdc, 3dc, 1trc, and in last chain 8trc. Working on other side of chain: 1trc, 3dc, 3hdc, 3sc, sl st in last chain of base chain. See photo below for results of Round 1.

Round 2:

Left Antenna: Chain 3, sl st in 2nd ch, sl st in 3rd chain. 3 sl st in 3 sc from previous round.

First Leg: Ch 7, sl st in 2nd ch from hook, 5 sl st, sl st in same sc as starting point for leg. 2 Sl st.

Second Leg: Ch 7, sl st in 2nd ch from hook, 5 sl st, sl st in same sc as starting point for leg.

Third Leg: Worked in same sc as second leg. Ch 7, sl st in 2nd ch from hook, 5 sl st, sl st in same sc as starting point for leg.

Slip stitch around unti you reach the first dc, and then create legs in reverse order from instructions above.

Right Antenna: see instructions for left antenna.

Finishing: Rows of hot glue added at the least to legs, and also to the body really bring these lice alive! I’ll be adding glue to the rest of the lice when I have a moment.

Above: Round 1 looks like an eggplant! You could opt to use this base to make insects of any kind by adding back legs. Lice have 6 legs found in the top of the body. And now that I look at the photo, you could certainly add a tail to this shape to make a mouse, which might qualify as “vermin” for the Ten Plagues?