Also known as Venus in Schatulle (engl.: Venus in casket) or Venus I is one of the most prominent archaeological findings in history. The estimated 29.500 years old piece of lime rock was found about 109 years ago in the Austrian Wachau Region (Lower Austria) and is currently located in the Natural History Museum (NHM) in Vienna [1]. Facts aside, if you are a history lover, a cultural assets’ collector or always wanted to have a Willendorf Venus at home without actually having to rob the NHM, you can now make your very own crochet Willendorf Venus with my premium pattern from my Etsy Online Shop. For a jail-free life with a naked, 11 cm (like the original!) decoration at home.
I included a wire in the body (for the arms and legs, though the legs don’t necessarily need the wire). If you want to work without a wire, sew the arms to the breasts at the end of your work to make it look like the original.
What do you need:
- a fine to super fine yarn of 100% cotton (at a recommended hook size of 2-2.5 mm; I used a hook size of 2.0 mm), e.g. Woll Butt Camilla. To resemble the original, I tried a lime-paint styled colour
- additional curly yarn (bouclé or homespun) for her headgear. It is unknown whether she wears a headgear of basketwork or short curly hair. Thus, I used a beige coloured twisted yarn at a recommended hook size of 6-7 (e.g. Woll Butt Adela) and tried to make it look like it could fit for both
- (wiring)
- some wadding
- tapestry needle
- scissors
Pattern:
Skill level: easy
Follow this link to get to the pattern for the crochet Willendorf Venus in my Etsy shop.
Note: the pattern is written in US crochet terminology
I love it!
Thanks 🙂
Brilliant ❤️ This is fabulous Trisha,I’m trying to work out whether this is made in English or American crochet as the instructions are slightly different i.e. Single crochet differs from the outset. Thanks 🙏🏼 very much
Thank you! It’s thoroughly in US crochet terminology. I’ll add the info to the pattern description, thx for the hint!
Thanks lizzy, I was going to ask the same question
There is no single crochet in UK terminology so when you see sc in a pattern you know it’s an American one..
I think these goddesses are great, I will pass the pattern on to crochet friends.
Wow, this is awesome!!! I was sure she was wearing a cap until I saw your version;)
Thanks, I tried not to make it look too much like a winter hat 😀
I don’t think we know what the original statue is portraying on her head…
I remember reading that it’s thought to be a fancy braided hairdo
They believe it’s hair that is braided and wound around the head.
Here is a lengthy, detailed, article claiming that it is a cap, and that there are many other similar examples of prehistoric carvings. https://www.unl.edu/rhames/%EE%80%80courses%EE%80%81/current/venus1.pdf
“The head of the Willendorf figurine offers the clearest
evidence that what we see here is a depiction of headgear—a
fiber-based woven cap or hat—rather than a
hairdo, as posited by scholars from Sollas (1924 [1911])
onward, or a cap made of shells, as suggested by Abramova
(1960). Our close examination of this specimen
shows a spirally or radially hand-woven item which may
be initiated by a knotted center in the manner of some
kinds of coiled baskets (see Adovasio 1977: figs. 99a–b).
The technique represented is a two-element structure in
which an apparently flexible, horizontal foundation element
or warp is vertically wrapped with stem stitches.”
Thanks a bunch
She looks like so many of us. She is a goddess for round women. Blessed be.
Thank you for sharing this pattern… it is adorable
Oh my! Thank you <3 She is beautiful!
I love this, crochet and art are prefect together.
thank you so much
anonymous hehehe she looks like me
Me, too! Especially if I decide it’s curly hair, not a hat.
Me too. The first time I saw her, I realised I,too, am a Venus. I am still one ,even after a bilateral mastectomy. My little Venus gives me courage to be me.
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You have done a fabulous job with this! Congratulations I will definitely be giving it a try.
Glad you like it! Write me anytime in case you have questions regarding the pattern
She looks like me, love her.
thank you so much! It’s absolutely gorgeous
This is amazing! Being a fat woman myself, Venus of Willendorf is a favorite of mine.
Thank you so much for this amazing pattern. I love it.
Fabulous!
Yarn Lover’s against body shaming.
brilliant! great job!
Oh, this is awesome. Thanks very much!
This is awesome….I might have to learn how to crochet!
Magical. Thoroughly impressed with your pattern instructions, and you captured the essence of the Willendorf Venus beautifully. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you, that’s quite some motivating feedback!
So clever – she is totally adorable and I can’t wait to crochet her! Thank you so much for your generosity…
I’m having trouble figuring out how to connect the legs. Are there any more detailed instructions?
I admit the connection part of my instruction isn’t very precise. I’m doing to correct that. Perhaps, this explanation helps for now: on the pics between the 10th+11th rd in the pattern, the Venus’s knees are facing you. Thus, the 1st leg is to your left (the Venus’s right), the leg you finish with is to your right (the Venus’s left). When stitching both legs together, you work from the direction of the Venus’s butt to the knees. You can do the conn sts anyhow, important is: from the last sc of the leg you finish with (the Venus’s left), stitch through a sc of the other leg (the Venus’s right), I then added a ch st to facilitate further stitching, and work 3 more sc backwards (in the direction of the knees), sc stitching through both legs at once. You finish at the level in-between her knees and continue with the 11th rd, starting from the Venus’s right. Does that help?
Yes it did! Although one of the knees is facing out but next time I’ll just move it a few stitches. Thanks!
is there a video tutorial? I’m finding it hard to understand the instructions. I’m a visual person. I do love this little lady.
Hi namesake! I don’t (yet) have a video tutorial of the Venus, but I updated the pattern to include a crochet chart; also, I just found a mistake I made in the stitch count of Rd 11 (it’s 48, not 46), perhaps that’s causing the troubles?! Please, have a look if the crochet diagram makes it better to understand; I won’t be able to make time for a video tutorial anytime soon, but I plan on adding one
Ahhh! This is so cute. I want to make two to play with my friends toddler with instead of Barbies.
😀 that sounds fun! Historical toys to disrupt modern standards
Thank you! I love it. I want to give it a try–maybe on a day when I get together with friends to do crafts.
Great idea! If you have troubles with the pattern, write me anytime
Just came across this pattern and had to share on my FB page. Love it!
This is fabulous! I take my hat off to you for coming up with a pattern (I have yet to learn to crochet… 😣)
Absolutely faboulous! Thanks a lot – will make one for myself!
What size crochet hook do you use for the body? I’m sure it’s in there somewhere…this pattern is genius, and you’re a treasure for sharing it. <3
I’m glad you like it! I actually didn’t have my hook size in there, I edited it into the pattern now as well, thank you for the hint. I used a 2.0 mm hook size to create a dense pattern
I love this so much! I don’t crochet though- anyone up for making a knitted version?
Me, too! I’d love a knitted version! Thank you for requesting it!
So impressive!
Very impressive and I love how it is related to an actual piece of historic art. Can’t wait to try making this one. Thank you for sharing your time, your talent and your creativity, as well as some historical information. Hope to see more items like this from you.
Thank you! Seeing this piece getting so much attention even from non-crocheters (who then want to try it) does motivate me to think of similar projects.
Feel free to get in touch with me any time in case you have questions regarding the pattern!
This is great, one thing though she isn’t white, her “headgear” as you call it is her hair, she s black which has long been ignored by the white men who wrote about her.
The lead author of the lengthy article I quoted above about her cap, if that’s what it is, was a woman, though admittedly, she may well be white, I don’t know. And, full disclosure: I am a white man. But I apologize for turning this partly into an argument about interpreting archaeological artifacts. I’ve always liked the Venus of Willendorf, and I love your crocheted Venus, whatever that is on her head!
I find the article interesting and well placed here, as well as any other form of contribution and own interpretations from archaeological connoisseurs, thank you for sharing it! At least, a discussion about historic culture motivates others and me to dig in deeper into current research, and that’s good
Thank you for the hint! I edited the skin-colour out. If she’s black, then it makes sense, though, that the headgear is actually her hair
A friend posted this on FB for me. How perfect! Can’t wait to try it, thank you. My profile pic is of the Willendorf Venus in a Wonder Woman costume LOL
My archeologist husband and his professional friends all want one of these! I’ll be busy for a while! GREAT pattern!
Thx! Hope your husband doesn’t have so many of such friends?! 😉
Then, happy crochet and write me any time in case you get stuck
I think scholars try to analyze simplicity, why not just enjoy the piece of art, possibly made by a child in their eyes.
This is beautiful ~ thank you so much for sharing the pattern.
(pinned and shared with my crafty friend groups!)
Thank you! She is wonderful!
Gorgeous! I can’t wait to make her! How much yarn did you use when u made her?
Hmm, good question, I didn’t really take notice of that. It was less than a standard yarn ball of 50g. Probably some 30-35g…
in love!
You are a godess for doing this!! Can’t wait to make several! Thank you sooooo much!!!
You’re welcome! Write me anytime in case you get stuck with the pattern
Waiting for your pattern of a lifesize. Michelangelo’s David! Keep up the good work
Fun idea! Hmm, and some work for a lifetime…
Certain places might be a bit tricky.!!!!!!!
My husband who is a sculptor made a ceramic version of the venus while at university; I’ve told him a crochet one is his next birthday present to sit next to his on the bookshelf. And for all my girlfriends too. She’s fabulous!
How lovely! I hope I get to see the result of both the ceramic and the crochet version
Hello,
I’m attempting to make this pattern but I’m afraid I don’t know a what you mean by curly yarn. I’m American and don’t have the brand you mentioned.
Is it like a homespun yarn?
Yes, I meant a homespun or a bouclé yarn.
It’s my exact body shape. Might describe myself as having the body of a Goddess next time I’m on Tinder😉
ME too. More like many of us than the fashion industry believes or would have us believe. Through the years, she has helped me a lot. My husband says she is somebody’s sweety. I like that.
My doctor had a pencil holder from some pharmaceutical company pn her desk with thi image. I told her it was me!
hello lovely people. just ,y friend shared with me about you and was interested to ask how can i get to you where it is located and is it actually a fair?! let me to know that and kindly appreciate your information. XXX Regards, Dafinka
Hi Dafinka, this is a blog operated from Austria, by me, offering crochet ideas and patterns, such as the Willendorf Venus here, to any person interested in crocheting. I do not own a shop, nor am I taking part in any fair. If you want to get in touch with me, you can write me an email anytime under the menu item ‘contact’. Best regards, Trisha
Oh, this is just marvelous. Thank you. Four separate friends shared it to my Facebook timeline – and every one of them wants one. What a terrific thing you’ve made here!
Thank you! Hope you don’t lose the fun at crocheting after your 4th Venus 😉
Quick question….at the end of each rounfpd, dot you join with a slip stitch, chain one then count the chain as an sc?
No, I didn’t, just went along with the sc. But you can st how you prefer, of course
This is wonderful – thank you so much for sharing this! I’m so eager to make it that I won’t even wait to find boucle yarn, and might just embroider her hair/headgear in French knots….
I went over every stitch with the yarn, through the little holes, and it created a wonderful curly effect.
THIS IS ABSOLUTELY GREAT….THANKS
The pattern won’t print. Any suggestions? I thought it was my printer, but no.
Hmm, now that’s new to me. The Adobe pdf is entirely open (no protection mode), so you should be able to print it on any device… if the issue hasn’t been resolved, you could print screenshots of the pages instead?
Trish, thank you so much for sharing your divine (sorry, couldn’t resist a goddess pun) pattern, and taking the extra time and trouble to put it in US terms. Brilliant!
My pleasure, glad you like it!
Hi. I am confused about the stitch count at the end of round 11. If each leg has 19 stitches and 4 of them overlap when they are joined, the round starts with 34 stitches: The stitch increase is 16 so the total would be 50. Please help. I’m trying to make this as a gift. Thanks:
Hi! When you connect both legs (of each 19 sc) by overall 4 sts, hence 4 sc overlap, you lose 4 sc on both legs, not just on one leg; that gives you 15 remaining sc on each leg (in total 30 sc, not 34). Then, in the 11th rd, you increase every 2nd st on both legs, each time starting with an inc st, resulting in 23 sc on each leg (15 sc + 8 inc sts per leg), that is in total 46 sc by the end of the 11th rd. Does this help? Should I send you an illustration for additional guidance?
Thanks for the quick reply. This makes total sense. Apparently I shouldn’t be working on this when I am running on a sleep deficit. I understand but an illustration will help. Thanks again.
Trishagurumi I am having SO MUCH trouble with the legs joining to the body, and to make it worse, I am a left handed crocheter so I have to flip everything in my head to my hands. What I am doing.. I have both my legs (separated because I have a cat that ate through my yarn) I slip stitched to readd my thread and joing the legs together, and if my math is right, I am doing 6 ss from bottom to knee direction, joining the two legs together. Then I move on to step 11. And that is where it goes wonky. I am in the same boat – I can go around the whole waist inc every other ss, and still not even hit the 40 count mark. I know my legs have the right stitch count, as I redid them twice with markers to show my rounds and counts. Are you adding in the stitches to join the legs together? Are you making a figure 8, or a 0 when you are doing step 11? How are you managing to hit 46? Thank you. I might need a better illustration, or a video? do you have that?
Hi Jody! Oh my, I just realized I made a small mistake in my stitch counts (its 48, not 46). I have updated the pattern and included a crochet chart. Does that help?
Basically, after Rd 10, each leg has 19 sc. After the connection, you lose 4 sc on each leg because you sc-connect in 4 sts going through both legs at once. Thus, after the connection, you have got 15 sc per leg left, instead of 19.
In the 11th Rd, you inc every 2nd st, starting from the increase, thus, you have to increase 8-times on each leg (to get 15+8=23 sc per leg). I, then, also sc stitched on each side of the “bridge” (the connection part in-between the legs) to have a smooth transition (+2). After Rd 11, I, thus, get 48 sts (2x 23 sc per leg + 2 sc on the bridge). Is that somehow clearer now?
I will give it a try asap and let you know. It sounds more clear, I have hopes!
You wouldn’t be able to make one for purchase, would you? 😛
It’s cheaper and more fun though if you give it a try to crochet your own one 🙂 I’ll gladly help you with it!
“Sew the arms to the breasts” is now my favorite instruction.
Quick questions. For the legs I don’t get 8 stitches when I do round 2. I keep getting 7 after increasing each 2nd stich. Is this an error or am I doing something wrong? Thank you
Hi Rachel, you start Rd 2 with an inc st, hence: inc, 1 sc, inc, 1 sc, inc (8)
Thank you so much!
Thank you for sharing this lovely pattern – can’t wait to make one!
Thank you so much, I looove it!
May I point out a tiny mistake in 9. Rd of the leg… it reads 9. Rd: 1 sc, inc, 1, inc, 13 sc (19). The second sc is missing.
I adore the pattern. I’ve just finished making my little Venus and I adore her too. Pity I can’t post a pic here. I found it challenging, but so satisfying in the end.
Thank you for your feedback, I’m glad you like it!
Hi Trish. I found your pattern for the Willendorf Venus in 2018. And it was so timely because my daughter and I began plans for a Goddess Pilgrimage to Crete with Ariadne Institute Goddess Pilgrimage To Crete with Carol P. Christ. As soon
as I printed the instructions I began the crocheting! I am making one for each of us to hang on our back packs!! It has been a challenge but interruptions not counting, I have completed one and am working on the second. Our trip is this
year in September.(2019) In spite of some goofs, I love it.!! I’ve known about the Willendorf Venus through classes and various readings , so when I saw the picture I printed it immediately. Thank you so much !!
Also , reading the comments and your responses has cleared up so many questions! I thought the discrepency in the finished product was ‘me’ ! Thanks to everyone for their questions AND thank you for the update in instructions!!
I’ll give the better crocheted ‘Venus’ to my daughter 🙂
Hi LaVerne! I’m glad that my updated instructions are of good use. Any feedback helps me to get better and translates in more readable patterns, so I’m happy too about all the useful questions and error hints I’ve received so far. Enjoy your trip and your Venuses! If any questions arise, please feel free to write me anytime
It makes me very hard. I don’t know how, but it does.
WAAAAW!!! I love crocheting, I love the Goddess … As I am hosting women circles, I will love to turn on into a crochet circle where we together make our own beautiful Venus…. Looking forward to it already!
What a lovely idea! Enjoy it 🙂
Thank you!!!
I may learn to crochet amigorumi with US instructions JUST FOR THIS!
Wow… I can’t believe I have not seen this awesome pattern before! My favorite symbol for mother and fertility ~ the Willendorf Venus! I have been a fan of her since my childhood.
Thank you for creating this amazing pattern!
I’m happy you like it! She is one of my favourite figures too, so full of energy and beauty. I just had to give it a try
Hi I have no idea how to crochet. Do you know anyone who would be willing to make me a Venus for a fee??
Thank You It’s so unique and wonderful.
Hi Ellen! I have seen some copies of my Venus on etsy.com or similar sites. Maybe you find one there?
Sorry to bother you. I cannot get the in article link to open. Could you post the actual link?
I love this story and what you have done with this. If possible I would like to make a couple of these for a couple of my “large” like me daughters for Christmas.
Here you go:
https://trishagurumi.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Willendorf_Venus_pattern_update.pdf
I’ve send you the pattern to your email too, in case you still have troubles with the link.
Happy crochet!
love her! – built just like me!!!! i’m going to give her a try and present it to my husband so he will have something to remind him of me, should he die before me!!!!
Thank you. I need more Willendorf in my life and don’t crochet, so I am seeking help with learning. I embroidery a lot, tho taking a break due to carpel tunnel discomfort. I want to thank you, again. I’ve never had a doll and my inner little girl wants to heal some stuff and I know this will help her (me). Bless You.
This anonymous was/ is from Iowababs @yahoo.com, Barbara “Babs” Smith. From San Francisco area.
Thank you so much, such a beautiful piece!!!!! <3
So cute. I am going to make one for a friend. Pattern doesn’t specify yarn. What did you use?
Hi Jo! I think, I used Woll Butt Camilla, which is 100% cotton, in colour beige for the body. I added the yarn example in the text above.
I’m having difficulty with the headgear: The head is 40 scs in circumference, but the headgear is only 20 scs at its widest. And as it is all sc, it looks no different from the head, aside from the outline of the headgear. I do have some ideas as to how to remedy this, after frogging the too-small headgear. Has anyone else mentioned this? I looked through the comments and didn’t find anything relevant.
(I’m the Anonymous from above; no wonder I didn’t get an email to confirm my comment, lol.)
I’m having difficulty with the headgear: The head is 40 scs in circumference, but the headgear is only 20 scs at its widest. And as it is all sc, it looks no different from the head, aside from the outline of the headgear. I do have some ideas as to how to remedy this, after frogging the too-small headgear. Has anyone else mentioned this? I looked through the comments and didn’t find anything relevant.
Adding: I’m about to make my second Venus (I have an order to make 5 for my druid priest in time for Beltane) and have successfully created a new, better-fitting headgear.
For the headgear (or hair) I used a bigger hook and added two rows of increases, which changed the number of stitches
1. Rd: 5 sc in magic ring (5)
2. Rd: inc each st (10)
3. Rd: inc every 2nd st (15)
4. Rd: inc every 3rd st (20)
5. Rd: inc every 4th st
6. Rd: inc every 5th st
7. and 8. Rd: sc in each st around
9. and 10. Rd: 17 sc, ch 1 turn
11. Rd: 1 sc, dec, x sc, dec, 1 sc, ch 1 turn
12. Rd: 1 sc, dec, x sc, dec, 1 sc, ch 1 turn
13. Rd: x sc, dec in the middle, x sc
Then, to make it look like rows of curls, I used a tapestry needle to cover each stitch with yarn. It was very effective.
https://www.instagram.com/j.chneour/?hl=en
I can’t get the pattern to download and at 4’8″ and 140lbs, I think she looks just like me. Lol Would you mind sending the pattern to my email?
Thanks for sharing all of your hard work. You are Awesome!
Disregard. I tried it again and it worked! Thanks so much.
Thanks so much for the instructions. She is gorgeous! I’m so looking forward to making my own venus (and maybe one or two as Christmas presents). <3 !