Learn to crochet Mrs. Claus, a festive, joyful character with rosy cheeks and a signature Arctic charm. From her bun hairstyle to the holly accent on her hair tie, she's a versatile handmade decoration or thoughtful gift perfect for spreading holiday cheer.
Crochet Mrs. Claus is both adorable and durable, with intricate features like embroidered eyelashes, a detailed bun, and a blushing smile. Her design makes her ideal as a cozy Christmas centerpiece, a personalized holiday gift, or a handcrafted collectible in festive displays.
Crochet Festive Mrs. Claus
Crafting Mrs. Claus is fun and rewarding. You'll master techniques like forming a magic ring, crocheting her signature bun, and adding personalized details like blush. With step-by-step guidance, even adding the holly leaves to her hair tie feels achievable and satisfying.
Credit The Kindness Company
Materials and Preparation
To crochet the festive figure, Mrs. Claus, you will need the following materials:
Yarn
Mrs. Claus can be made using different yarn weights:
- Worsted weight yarn (recommended) in the following colors:
- Flesh tone (for skin)
- Gray (for hair)
- White (optional for demonstration or hair tie)
- Green yarn (for holly leaves)
- Red acrylic paint or pony beads (optional: berries or blush details)
Hook and Tools
- Crochet Hook: 4mm
- Stitch Marker
- Yarn Needle/Tapestry Needle
- Embroidery Floss: Black (for eyelashes)
- Stuffing (Fiberfill)
- Safety Eyes: (Optional, 18–20mm)
- Scissors
Abbreviations and Notes
Abbreviations:
- MR: Magic Ring
- SC: Single Crochet
- INC: Increase (2 SC in 1 stitch)
- DEC: Decrease (combine 2 stitches into 1)
- SL ST: Slip Stitch
- CH: Chain
- PICO: Picot Stitch (Working a small decorative bump—chain 2, SL ST into the first chain)
Important Notes:
- Yarn Weight Adjustment: The pattern is flexible, allowing worsted, DK, or plush yarns. Adjust the hook size accordingly.
- Working in Rounds: Several sections—head, hair, bun—are crocheted in continuous rounds; use stitch markers to track the beginning of each round.
- Customization: You can substitute embroidered eyes for safety eyes if small children or pets will use the project.
- Decoration Tip: Rosy cheeks can be added using blush, red acrylic paint, or colored pencils.
Approximate Size, Gauge, and Pattern Notes
Gauge:
Gauge is not critical for this pattern, but using the specified worsted yarn with a 4mm hook will result in a compact figure approximately 5–7 inches tall, depending on stuffing.
Techniques:
- Magic Ring: Used for seamless starting points inthe head, bun, and hair.
- Stuffing: Add stuffing incrementally to maintain shape without overfilling.
- Parentheses Patterns: Follow parentheses instructions closely, repeating indicated sequences.
Step-by-Step Pattern
Part 1: The Head
Round 1:
- Form a Magic Ring (MR) using the flesh-tone yarn. Place 6 SC inside the MR. Pull the tail to close.
Round 2:
- Make an INC in each stitch (2 SC per stitch). (12 SC total)
Round 3:
- Follow the pattern (1 SC, INC). Repeat this 6 times for a total of 18 SC.
Round 4:
- (2 SC, INC), repeat 6 times (24 SC).
Round 5:
- (3 SC, INC), repeat 6 times (30 SC).
Round 6:
- (4 SC, INC), repeat 6 times (36 SC).
Rounds 7–19:
- Work 1 SC in each stitch around for 13 rounds. This forms the height of the head.
Insert Eyes:
- After finishing Round 19, insert safety eyes between the 14th and 15th rounds, leaving 5 SC space between them. If embroidered, create a small “v” shape for eyelashes using black embroidery floss.
Finishing the Head (Rounds 20–25):
- Gradually decrease using these patterns:
- Round 20: (6 SC, DEC), repeat 6 times (30 SC)
- Round 21: (5 SC, DEC), repeat 6 times (24 SC)
- Round 22: (4 SC, DEC), repeat 6 times (18 SC)
- Round 23: (3 SC, DEC), repeat 6 times (12 SC)
- Round 24: (2 SC, DEC), repeat 6 times (6 SC)
Stuff Head: Add fiberfill stuffing before fully closing.
Round 25: (1 SC, DEC) repeat, fasten off, and sew the final opening shut using a yarn needle.
Part 2: Hair
Magic Ring and Foundation Rounds:
Round 1: Form an MR using gray yarn. Place 6 SC inside the ring. Pull closed.
Round 2: INC around (12 SC).
Now, Round 3: (1 SC, INC), repeat (18 SC).
Round 4: (2 SC, INC), repeat (24 SC).
Rounds 5–15: Work 1 SC in each stitch to create the height for Mrs. Claus’s hair.
Fringe/Bangs:
- Place a stitch marker over the 18th stitch of Round 15.
- Reattach gray yarn at the marked stitch. SC into the next 47 stitches.
- Chain 1, turn, and repeat 2 more rows of SC stitches.
Finish off and sew the hair onto the head. Align the fringe opening over the left eye and secure with stitches or fabric glue.
Part 3: The Bun
Magic Ring and Base Rounds:
Round 1: Form an MR with gray yarn and place 8 SC. Pull tight to close.
Round 2: INC around (16 SC).
Round 3: (1 SC, INC), repeat (24 SC).
Rounds 4–6: Work 1 SC in each stitch.
Final Round (Round 7):
- (1 SC, DEC), repeat (16 SC).
Stuff lightly and sew the bun to the top of Mrs. Claus’s hair.
Part 4: Hair Tie
- Form a slip knot using white yarn.
- Chain 20 stitches. Fasten off, tighten loops, and attach it around the bun with knots.
- Add holly leaves for decoration:
Part 5: Holly Leaves
- Form another slip knot using green yarn.
- Chain 4 stitches. In the second chain, place 1 SC, followed by 1 PICO stitch (chain 2, SL ST into the first chain). Repeat for each stitch.
- Flip the chain over and repeat the SC + PICO pattern.
Attach holly leaves to the bun tie, adding red pony beads or painting berries for extra detail.
Final Touches
Rosy Cheeks:
Use blush, colored pencil, or acrylic paint to gently dab rosy cheeks onto both sides of Mrs. Claus’s face for that cheery, Arctic-ready glow.
Pattern Question:
Q: Can I use plush yarn instead of worsted weight?
A: Yes! You can use plush yarn by adjusting your hook size, but note that it may result in a larger, softer Mrs. Claus, affecting the overall scale.
Conclusion:
The Crochet Mrs. Claus project combines skill-building techniques and holiday spirit into one delightful character. Whether for gifting or display, crafting her cheerful smile, detailed bun, and festive holly leaves will leave you with a heartwarming treasure.
