Father Christmas

I thought I'd type up a quick pattern for my little Father Christmas toys...


The one on the left is made using DK weight yarn (I used King Cole Bamboo Cotton and Sirdar Snuggly Baby Bamboo) and a 3.5mm hook. He measures about 6 inches from tip to toe when hanging up.
The larger one on the right is made using Worsted/Aran weight yarn (I used Rico Creative Cotton) and a 4mm hook.

The pattern is mostly the same for both, but I will write them separately to make it easier to understand.

Materials Needed:
  • suitable yarn in 4 colours, red, white, black and a 'skin' colour.
  • suitable hook for your yarn.
  • toy stuffing (I use ordinary polyester fibrefill)
  • plastic stuffing pellets and a pouch to contain them eg. a stocking (optional but they do help weight the large Santa so he can sit up!)
  • safety eyes  - I used 6mm ones on the large one, but these would also work on the smaller one.
  • small white pom-pom about 1 inch in diameter
  • ribbon or thread to create a hanging loop - I used Baker's twine.
  • darning needle and scissors
  • stitchmarker to mark first stitch in each round
Notes:
  • Pattern written in US terminology. (US sc = UK dc)
  • all rounds are worked in a continuous spiral unless otherwise stated
  • Please feel free to make my Father Christmas softie, for yourself or others, but please credit the pattern to A Bunch of Buttons.

Techniques:
  • single crochet (sc)
  • half-double crochet (hdc)
  • increase (2sc in same stitch)
  • decrease (sc2tog)
  • Back loop and front loop crochet (BLO and FLO)
  • Loop stitch (see a great tutorial here)
  • Popcorn stitch - work 5sc in same stitch, remove hook from loop, insert it into top of first stitch, then pull loose loop through loops on hook.
  • Bobble stitch ([yarn over, pull up a loop, pull through 2 loops] 4 times, pull through all 5 loops on hook.
  • Starting bobble stitch (chain 3, [yarn over, pull up a loop, pull through 2 loops] 3 times, pull through all 4 loops on hook.
  • magic circle - alternatively chain 2, work in 1st chain.

Small Father Christmas


Using DK weight yarn and a 3.5mm hook.

Hat
  1. With red, 4sc in magic loop (4)
  2. (sc in first stitch, 2sc in next) twice (6)
  3. sc around (6)
  4. (sc in first stitch, 2sc in next) 3 times (9)
  5. sc around (9)
  6. (sc in first 2 stitches, 2sc in next) 3 times (12)
  7. sc around (12)
  8. (sc in first 3 stitches, 2sc in next) 3 times (15)
  9. sc around (15)
  10. (sc in first 4 stitches, 2sc in next) 3 times (18)
  11. sc around (18)
  12. (sc in first 5 stitches, 2sc in next) 3 times (21)
  13. change to white, and turning your work to work wrong-side (sc in first stitch, bobble in next) around. Fasten off leaving a long tail to sew to top of head. Attach pom-pom and ribbon/twine to top of hat.
Head
  1. With 'skin colour', 6sc in magic loop (6)
  2. 2sc in each stitch (12)
  3. (sc in next stitch, 2sc in next) around (18)
  4. (sc in next 2 stitches, 2sc in next) around (24)
  5. sc around (24)
  6. sc around (24)
  7. sc in first 11 stitches, popcorn in next to create nose (see notes), sc in next 12 stitches (24)
  8. sc around (24)
  9. (sc in next 2 stitches, sc2tog) around (18)
  10. (sc in next stitch, sc2tog) around (12)
Attach safety eyes on face just above nose. begin stuffing head. Carrying on from round 10 of head, attach red yarn.

Body
  1. (sc in next stitch, 2sc in next) around (18)
  2. sc around (18)
  3. (sc in next 2 stitches, 2sc in next) around (24)
  4. sc around (24)
  5. (sc in next 3 stitches, 2sc in next) around (30)
  6. sc around (30)
  7. (sc in next 4 stitches, 2sc in next) around (36)
  8. sc around (36)
  9. using black sc around (36)
  10. using red sc around (36)
  11. BLO (sc in next 4 stitches, sc2tog) around (30) Begin stuffing body.
  12. (sc in next 3 stitches, sc2tog) around (24)
  13. (sc in next 2 stitches, sc2tog) around (18)
  14. (sc in next stitch, sc2tog) around (12) Finish stuffing body.
  15. sc2tog around (6) Fasten off and sew hole closed.
Using white, attach yarn in FLO of a stitch in round 12. (sc in first stitch, [sc, hdc, sc] in next) around. Fasten off and weave in all ends. Stuff hat and sew to top of head.

Beard
  1. using white, chain 2. loop stitch (see notes) in first chain, chain 1 turn (1)
  2. 2sc in top of loop stitch, chain 1, turn (2)
  3. 2 loop stitches in each stitch, chain 1, turn (4)
  4. 2sc in first stitch, sc in next 3, chain 1, turn (5)
  5. 2 loop stitches in first, 4 loop stitches in next 4 (6)
Fasten off with a long tail and sew to head so it sits just under the nose.

Arms x 2
  1. Using white, 6sc in magic ring (6)
  2. (sc in first stitch, 2sc in next) 3 times (9)
  3. sc around (9)
  4. sc around (9)
  5. sc in first 4 stitches, popcorn stitch in next to create thumb, sc in next 4 stitches (9) stuff hand.
  6. change to red. (sc in first stitch, sc2tog) 3 times (6)
  7. sc around (6) x 3 rounds
Stuff lightly and sc closed (3 stitches across top of arm) sew to sides of body, ensuring thumbs are facing forwards.

Legs x 2
  1. Using black, 6sc in magic loop (6)
  2. 2sc in each stitch (12)
  3. sc around (12)
  4. sc2tog around (6) stuff foot.
  5. change to white - sc around (6)
  6. change to red - sc around (6)  x8 rounds
stuff lightly and sew to bottom of body.

There you have your own mini-Father Christmas hanging ornament!


Larger Santa Adjustments

The pattern is very much the same, with a couple of extra 'frills'. Use worsted weight yarn and a 4mm hook.



Hat
  1. With red, 6sc in magic loop (6)
  2. sc around (6)
  3. (sc in first stitch, 2sc in next) 3 times (9)
  4. sc around (9)
  5. (sc in first 2 stitches, 2sc in next) 3 times (12)
  6. sc around (12)
  7. (sc in first 3 stitches, 2sc in next) 3 times (15)
  8. sc around (15)
  9. (sc in first 4 stitches, 2sc in next) 3 times (18)
  10. sc around (18)
  11. (sc in first 5 stitches, 2sc in next) 3 times (21)
  12. sc around (21)
  13. (sc in first 6 stitches, 2sc in next) 3 times (24)
  14. (sc in first 7 stitches, 2sc in next) 3 times (27)
  15. change to white, and turning your work to work wrong-side (sc in first stitch, bobble in next) around. Fasten off leaving a long tail to sew to top of head. Attach pom-pom to top of hat.
Head
  1. With 'skin colour', 6sc in magic loop (6)
  2. 2sc in each stitch (12)
  3. (sc in next stitch, 2sc in next) around (18)
  4. sc around (18)
  5. sc in first 7 stitches, popcorn in next to create nose (see notes), sc in next 10 stitches (18)
  6. (sc in next stitch, sc2tog) around (12)
  7. (sc in next 2 stitches, sc2tog) 3 times (9)
Attach safety eyes on face just above nose. begin stuffing head. Carrying on from round 7 of head, attach red yarn.

Body

The body can be stuffed completely with toy stuffing, or for added stability, you can add a pouch of plastic stuffing pellets to the bottom of his body. To do this, ensure the plastic pellets are securely encased in a 'pouch' - I use tights or stockings but you could easily make one from scrap fabric. Stuff the body as normal whilst you work, and as you near the end, insert the pouch into the bottom of the body. Continue crocheting to close the body, stuffing around the pouch as you go.
  1. (sc in next 2 stitches, 2sc in net) 3 times (12)
  2. (sc in next stitch, 2sc in next) around (18)
  3. sc around (18)
  4. (sc in next 2 stitches, 2sc in next) around (24)
  5. sc around (24)
  6. (sc in next 3 stitches, 2sc in next) around (30)
  7. sc around (30)
  8. (sc in next 4 stitches, 2sc in next) around (36)
  9. sc around (36)
  10. using black sc around (36)
  11. using red sc around (36)
  12. BLO (sc in next 4 stitches, sc2tog) around (30) Begin stuffing body.
  13. (sc in next 3 stitches, sc2tog) around (24)
  14. (sc in next 2 stitches, sc2tog) around (18)
  15. (sc in next stitch, sc2tog) around (12) Finish stuffing body.
  16. sc2tog around (6) Fasten off and sew hole closed.
Using white, attach yarn in FLO of a stitch in round 12. (sc in first stitch, [sc, hdc, sc] in next) around. Fasten off and weave in all ends. Stuff hat and sew to top of head.

Beard

You can use the instructions for the small Santa beard of you want the 'loopy beard'. I prefer this personally. The beard shown on the large Santa is made using bobble stitches and the instructions are as follows...
  1. chain 4, starting bobble stitch (see notes) in 1st chain, chain 1, turn (1)
  2. 2sc in stitch, chain 3, turn (2)
  3. starting bobble stitch, bobble in next, chain 1, turn (2)
  4. 2sc in each stitch, chain 3, turn (4)
  5. starting bobble in first, bobble in next 3 stitches (4)
Fasten off leaving a long tail to sew to face just under the nose.

Arms x 2
  1. Using white, 6sc in magic ring (6)
  2. (sc in first stitch, 2sc in next) 3 times (9)
  3. sc around (9)
  4. sc in first 4 stitches, popcorn stitch in next to create thumb, sc in next 4 stitches (9)
  5. FLO (sc in next 2 stitches, 2sc in next) 3 times (12) Fasten off white. Stuff hand.
  6. Attach red in BLO of round 5. sc around (9) x5 rounds
Stuff lightly and sc closed (4 or 5 stitches across top of arm) sew to sides of body, ensuring thumbs are facing forwards.

Legs x 2
  1. Using black, 6sc in magic loop (6)
  2. 2sc in each stitch (12)
  3. (sc in next, 2sc in next) around (18)
  4. sc around (18)
  5. (sc in next, sc2tog) around (12)
  6. (sc in next 2 stitches, sc2tog) around (9) stuff foot.
  7. change to white - FLO sc around (9)
  8. sc around (9)
  9. change to red - BLO sc around (9) 
  10. sc around (9) x14 rounds
Stuff 2/3 of leg and sc closed (4 or 5 stithes across the top of leg) sew to bottom of body.
stuff lightly and sew to bottom of body.

I haven't had time to test this pattern as yet, so if you notice any mistakes or have any queries, please don't hesitate to contact me! I hope you enjoy your little Father Christmasses as much as I do!

1 comment:

  1. I am a Princess2 August 2015 at 02:59

    Thank you so much for the pattern! This is the first time I have heard about "Popcorn Stitch". It would come very handy for more amigurumi dolls I'd be making :)

    ReplyDelete

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