Shoulder assembly

This is the latest pattern in a long series I am gradually releasing that build up to a life-sized human skeleton.

I have added a few extra stitches to secure the bones into position that don't represent anything anatomically, but without them the skeleton would lose its shape.

Difficulty:

Easy - medium

You will need:

• A 1mm crochet hook
• #10 crochet cotton in grey
• A darning needle
• Two crocheted skeleton arms
• A fully assembled chest cavity. This requires at least the thoracic part of the spine to be made and assembled, along with the sternum and ribs. These should then all be assembled following the chest cavity assembly pattern.
• A left and right scapula
• Two clavicle bones

 Lay the spine and ribcage down face-upwards. We are going to start by attaching the clavicle bones to the sternum.

For the anterior and posterior sternoclavicular ligaments (make 4):
grey #10 cotton and a 1mm hook ch9

Row 1: sc in the 2nd chain st and the next 7 chain sts. ch1, turn (8sc) 

Row 2: sc in each st. ch1, turn

Row 3: slip3, sc2, hdc3. ch1, turn

Rows 4 - 5: (2 rows) sc in each st. ch1, turn

Row 6: hdc3, sc2, slip3. ch1, turn

Rows 7 - 8: (2 rows) sc in each st. ch1, turn

Row 9: slip3, sc2, hdc3. ch1, turn

Row 10: sc in each st. ch1, turn

Row 11: sc in each st

Fasten off

These will be sewn so that the longer edge perpendicular to the grain of the rows is sewn to the sternum, and the opposite edge is sewn to the end of the clavicles. The cast-on ends are the ones that articulate with the sternum. 

Sew the anterior ones to the front of the bones, as shown in the images below.

Before sewing the posterior ligament in place, make the interclavicular ligament.

For the interclavicular ligament:
ch18

Row 1: sc in the 2nd chain st from hook and the next 16 chain sts. ch1, turn (17sc)

Row 2: sc in each st

Fasten off

Sew each end of this to the end of the clavicle, next to where you attached the sternoclavicular ligaments (as shown in the image). Secure the centre of the ligament to the top of the sternum.

After this sew the posterior sternoclavicular ligaments to the back of the bones in the same way as you attached the anterior ones

For the costoclavicular ligaments (make 2):

ch6

Row 1: sc in the 2nd chain st from hook and the next 4 chain sts. ch1, turn (5sc)

Row 2: make 2sc in the first st,sc2, sc2tog. ch1, turn (4sc)

Row 3: sc2tog, sc2, make 2sc in the last st. ch1, turn

Row 4: make 2sc in the first st, sc2, sc2tog. ch1, turn

Row 5: sc2tog, sc2, make 2sc in the last st

Fasten off

Sew one side of this to the underside of the clavicle, and the other to the upper side of the end of the first rib/ cartilage section, as shown in the photo. Make sure that it is sewn so that the 'rectangle' slants away from the sternum. Repeat for the first rib/ clavicle on the other side of the body

The next step is to attach the scapula to the clavicle.

For the right shoulder (remember that with the body facing towards you this will be on your left side)

For the acromioclavicular ligament:

ch7

Row 1: sc in the 2nd chain st from hook and the next 5 chain sts. ch1, turn (6sc)

Rows 2 - 24: (23 rows) sc in each st. ch1, turn

Row 25: sc in each st 

Fasten off

Wrap this around the end of the clavicle and sew into place. Sew the 2 ends of the ligament together. The side not sewn to the clavicle needs to be sewn to the acromion, as shown in the images below.

These images (above) show the scapula in front of the ribcage - it should sit behind it but these images are trying to show the attachment of the scapula to the clavicle more clearly

These images show the back of the body with the scapula in its correct positioning

For the coracoclavicular ligaments:

This consists of 2 ligaments

For the trapezoid ligament:

ch5

Row 1: sc in the 2nd chain st from hook and the next 4 chain sts. ch1, turn (5sc)

Row 2: sc2, hdc2. ch1, turn

Row 3: hdc2, sc2. ch1, turn

Row 4: sc in each st

Fasten off

Sew the thicker edge (perpendicular to the grain of the rows) to the clavicle just right of where you attached the previous ligament (i.e. closer to the sternum). It should be sewn to the front-most side of this bone. Attach the edge to the corocoid process of the scapula that's closest to the sternum

For the conoid ligament:

ch7

Row 1: sc in the 2nd chain st from hook and the next 5 chain sts. ch1, turn (6sc)

Rows 2 - 3: (2 rows) sc in each st. ch1, turn

Row 4: sc4, sc2tog. ch1, turn

Row 5: sc2tog, sc3

Fasten off

Sew the edge where the cast on and cast off edges are to the corocoid process to the right of where you attached the previous ligament (i.e. more centrally). It should curve around the curved edge of the corocoid process, as shown in the photo. Make sure that the corner where you fastened off is at the back side of the bone. Sew the other end to the right of where you attached the trapezoid ligament

For the coracoacromial ligament:
ch9

Row 1: sc in the 2nd chain st from hook and the next 4sts, hdc in the last 3 chain sts. ch1, turn (8sts)

Row 2: hdc3, sc5. ch1, turn

Row 3: sc5, hdc3

Fasten off

Sew the thicker end of this (where the hdc sts are) to the end of the corocoid process, and the thinner end to the acromion, just to the left of the acromioclavicular ligament (i.e. further away from the centre of the body)

Back of the shoulder joint

Position the right arm next to the shoulder joint. The following ligaments attach the arm to the scapula.

For the shoulder joint capsule (AKA the glenohumeral ligament):

This consists of several individual ligaments

For the inferior liagment:

ch8

Row 1: sc in the 2nd chain st from hook and the next 6sts. ch1, turn (7sc)

Row 2: make 2sc in the first st, sc6. ch1, turn (8sc)

Rows 3 - 5: (3 rows) sc in each st. ch1, turn

Row 6: make 2sc in the first st, sc7 (9sc)

Fasten off

Sew to the shoulder (one edge to the lower front edge of the glenholm cavity and the other to the lower side of the head of the humerus), as shown in the images. The cast-off edge should be at the top.

For the middle ligament:

ch10

Row 1: sc in the 2nd chain st from hook and the next 8sts. ch1, turn (9sc)

Row 2: make 2sc in the first st, sc8. ch1, turn (9sc)

Row 3: sc in each st. ch1, turn

Row 4: sc9, make 2sc in the last st. ch1, turn (10sc)

Rows 5 - 6: (2 rows) sc in each st. ch1, turn

Row 7: sc10, make 2sc in the last st. ch1, turn (11sc)

Row 8: sc in each st. ch1, turn

Row 9: sc in each st

Fasten off

Sew to the front of the shoulder, just above the inferior ligament. Again one edge should be attached to the head of the shoulder and the other to the glenhold cavity.

For the superior ligament:

ch12

Row 1: sc in the 2nd chain st from hook and the next 10sts. ch1, turn (11sc)

Rows 2 - 6: (5 rows) sc in each st. ch1, turn

Row 7: sc2tog, sc9. ch1, turn

Rows 8 - 12: (5 rows) sc in each st. ch1, turn

Row 13: make 2sc in the first st, sc9. ch1, turn

Rows 14 - 15: (2 rows) sc in each st. ch1, turn

Row 16: sc in each st

Fasten off

Sew to the top of the shoulder, with one side sewn to the head of the humerus and the other to the glenholm cavity. The cast-off edge should be at the back of the shoulder, and the cast-on edge should just overlap with the middle ligament.

For the remainder of joint capsule (posterior side):

ch12

Row 1: sc in the 2nd chain st from hook and the next 10sts. ch1, turn (11sc)

Rows 2 - 12: (11 rows) sc in each st. ch1, turn

Row 13: sc9, sc2tog (10sc)

Fasten off

Sew this to the back of the shoulder, just below the superior ligament.

For the axillary pouch:

ch10

Row 1: sc in the 2nd st from hook and the next 3 chain sts, make 4sc in the next chain st, sc in the following 4 chain sts. ch1, turn (12sc)

Rows 2 - 7: (6 rows) sc in each st. ch1, turn

Row 8: sc4, sc4tog, sc4 (9sc)

Fasten off

Sew to the underside of the shoulder joint

For the coracohumeral ligament:

ch11

Row 1: sc in the 2nd chain st from hook and the next 9sts. ch1, turn (10sc)

Row 2: slip3, sc4, hdc3. ch1, turn

Row 3: sc10. ch1, turn

Row 4: slip3, sc4, hdc3

Fasten off

Sew the thinner end of this to the end of the corocoid process of the scapula, and the thicker end to the top of the head of the humerus, as shown below.

You now need to attach the scapula to the ribs. It should be positioned so that it touches ribs 3-7, with there ribs being spread out approximately equally along its length. (You may also wish to attach rib 8 to the very tip)

For the left shoulder:

This is made in exactly the same way, but the ligaments are attached as the mirror image as before.

That's all from this pattern! I hope you have enjoyed it. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to contact me, either by leaving a comment below, or via my Ravelry or Instagram pages. You can also email me at lhodginscrochet@gmail.com (which is best if your question is more complex or you want a speedy reply).

As always you're 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!

Sources:

[1] Sternoclavicular Joint, Kenhub, 29 oct 2020

[2]  J.T. Hansen, Netter's anatomy flash cards, Fifth Edition, Elsevier