Crocheted Pie Slice

Some time back, I was just pacing around, and for some reason a crocheted pie slice started forming in my mind's eye. I'm not really sure why, or even why I was thinking about crocheting at that time, but the idea stuck in my mind, and so I decided to try to make it. So I just went freehand, and got the result seen in the picture of the pie on the plate (the filling is actually dark bluish-purple, not black). But I didn't document what I did, so I didn't have any pattern. So recently I decided to make another one, and this time write down what I did. It's a little different from the first one, due to lack of a written pattern, and intentional experimentation, but the general look is the same. That's the one with the red filling, shown in the other picture.

This pattern is explained as clearly as I can, but does assume basic knowledge of crochet (slip stitch, single crochet, half double crochet, double crochet).

Edited to add: It has come to my attention that different crochet terminology is used in the US than in the UK. This Instructable uses US terminology.

You will need:

• Worsted weight yarn, in "crust" color and "filling" color. Unfortunately I don't know what the colors I used are called, as they were in my stash without a label.
• Size G (4.25 mm) hook
• Yarn needle
• Something to stuff it with. This could be batting, cotton balls, those cotton fluffs from pill bottles, chain-stitched scraps of miscellaneous yarn, old (but clean!) socks cut to pieces, or a combination of all of those things...

This is worked primarily in single crochet, with the first stitch (the one right after the chain) NOT being skipped. Where it says to do 2 single crochets in the last stitch, you can do one in the last stitch and one in the chain, but I find it easier this way. Basically you just pretend the chain doesn't exist :-P. The stitches are worked in bo

Row 1: chain 2, 1 single crochet in first chain, chain 1 and turn

Row 2: 2 single crochets in the single crochet of the last row, chain 1 and turn

Row 3: 1 single crochet in first stitch (not counting turning chain), 2 single crochets in second stitch

Rows 4-16: 1 single crochet in each stitch until the last one, then 2 single crochets in last stitch

This will increase the length of the row by one stitch each row. If you lose count of which row you're on, just count the single crochets of the previous row; if the previous row has 10 single crochets, you know you're currently on row 11. Or if you happen to have just finished a row, you can count how many single crochets are in the row, and that is the number of the row you're on. Unless you missed doing 2 single crochets somewhere, in which case you will notice because part of the side won't be going in a straight diagonal. If any of that made any sense :-P.

Row 17: starting in first stitch, do 3 single crochets, 4 half double crochets, 3 double crochets, 4 half double crochets, 3 single crochets (the last two single crochets will both be in the last stitch)

Tie off.

Rows 1-17: same as top crust

Row 18: chain 1, and make a slip stitch in each stitch across the top row

Row 19: single crochet in each slip stitch across the row (when I did it, the last stitch was weird; but make sure the end of the row reaches the end of the crust edge), chain 1 and turn

Row 20: single crochet in each stitch across the row, chain 1 and turn

Row 21: single crochet in each stitch across the row, chain 2 and turn

Row 22: Make 2 double crochets in each stitch across the row; this is the fluted edge. Tie off

You can try to shape the fluted edge with your fingers at this point, but it will stay put better after the pie slice is assembled.

With the other color, chain 34 (not too tight).

Row 1: single crochet in second chain from hook, and in each chain after that, chain 1 and turn

Row 2: single crochet in each stitch; make 2 single crochets in last stitch, chain 1 and turn

Row 3: single crochet in each stitch; make 2 single crochets in last stitch, tie off, leaving the end about as long as the filling piece.

Weave in the long end toward the middle. When you get near the center, fold the piece in half, and continue weaving until you get to the fold. Then sew across the end of the fold, to make a bend in the piece, and finish weaving in the end. At this point you can weave in the ends on all the pieces, to get them out of the way.

The first pie slice I made had the filling be a rectangle (no increases), but I was unsatisfied with that because a pie is supposed to have a slanted crust, not one that goes straight up like a cake. But it does make things a little simpler, and is still recognizable as a pie slice.

Position the filling on the bottom crust, with the shorter side down and the fold on the tip. Cut a relatively long piece of the crust color yarn. Sew the end of the filling to the back of the bottom crust, as shown. Then proceed along the bottom edge, keeping the stitches as small and inconspicuous as possible. If there is variation in gauge between the crust and the filling (as could happen if the yarn is a slightly different thickness), you may have to gather or stretch the filling a bit. Secure the tip, and continue along the other side and up the back of the bottom crust. Don't tie off. Take the top crust, and sew it on the back of the bottom crust, just below the fluted edge. Then sew the top crust to the filling, as with the bottom crust, pulling the stitches tight to make them as inconspicuous as possible, until you get to the tip. Then stop, but don't tie off (unless you ran out of yarn, like I did). Take your stuffing material (I used strips of an old sock), and put it into the slit, until you are satisfied with its filled-ness. Better too little than too much; you don't want it to bulge! Then sew up the opening, tie off, and weave in all the ends.

Now you have a crocheted pie slice! You can display it as a fall decoration (all that Thanksgiving and pies and stuff), or give it to the kids as a toy (what I did with mine), or whatever you can think of to do with a crocheted pie slice.

I don't recommend eating it though; I mean, it's high in fiber, but I don't think that kind of fiber will help your digestion any! ;-)