This Mini Santa Amigurumi is so much fun to make! Add him to your holiday décor by sitting him on a shelf or table, or you can add a loop to his back and hang him from your holiday tree (or sit him on a branch)! Little ones would also love a little Santa stuffie to play with through the holiday season. He makes a great stocking stuffer too! So many ideas! I hope you love working up this Santa!
For this mini Santa, the body and head are worked up as one piece. The legs, arms hat, and beard will be crocheted separately and sewn on.
Next on your crochet list, maybe check out the Mini Mrs. Claus Amigurumi on the blog! They look so cute together as a little couple! Or you can check out the other holiday themed patterns on the blog, like Trixie and Twinkle the Amigurumi Elves, Angelica the Angel Amigurumi, or the Christmas in July Series.
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If you are looking for some other fun little holiday themed amigurumi patterns, check out the Christmas in July Series.
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Materials:
- Worsted weight yarn – You can use any worsted-weight yarn for this project. I used Caron Simply Soft yarn in Red, White, Black, and Bone (for the skin). You can find this yarn on Yarnspirations or on Amazon!
- 3.25 mm crochet hook (or your favorite size hook for amigurumi. This just may change the size of your Santa slightly larger or smaller)
- Safety eyes – I used 8mm size
- Stuffing (any fiber based stuffing works)
- Yarn needle for sewing pieces together and weaving in ends.
Stitches Used:
- Ch – chain
- Sl St – slip stitch
- SC – single crochet
- HDC – half double crochet
- DC – double crochet
- SC INC – single crochet increase – two single crochet stitches worked into one stitch. SC INC Video Tutorial HERE.
- INV DEC – invisible single crochet decrease – insert hook into front loop of next stitch, then insert your hook into the front loop of the following stitch (3 loops on hook). Yarn over and draw through 2 loops (2 loops on hook), yarn over and pull through 2 remining loops on hook. INV DEC Video Tutorial HERE
Finished Size:
- When finished, your Santa Amigurumi will be approximately 8” tall from the bottom of the feet to the top of the hat fold.
Important Notes:
- Magic Circle – Make a circle with your yarn, insert crochet hook into circle and draw up a loop. Chain 1 and then start making the stitches of round 1 into the ring. If you are unsure of how to make a magic circle, this video tutorial might help.
- Continuous Rounds – Most of this pattern is worked up in continuous rounds, which means that you will not be joining the last stitch of the round with the first one. Instead you’ll need to keep track of where each round started and how many stitches you have made because after each round you’ll continue right on to the stitches of the next round (with no join). It is useful to use a stitch marker (or a piece of yarn) to mark the start or end of each round.
- Joining Rounds – A few parts of this pattern are worked in joining rounds, which means that you will be joining the last stitch of the round to the first one with a slip stitch and than chaining 1 (or 2) before continuing with the next round. Make the first stitch of the next round in the same stitch as the chain 1. The chain 1 (or 2) does not count towards the stitch count.
- Color Changes (when working in continuous rounds) – When working in continuous rounds (without joining), color changes might be more obvious on the arms and legs, or where the body meets the head. When you attach the arms to the body, try to line up the color change towards the back of the body or on the inside where it touches the body so the color change is in a less visible place. The color change for the legs will be on the back (because of the foot shaping). You can also keep the color change from where the body meets the head at the back as well so it’s less noticeable.
- Color Changes (when working in joining rounds) – When working in joined rounds and making a color change, I like to use this method: Work the last stitch of the round as you would normally right up until the last yarn over. Yarn over in the new color and then join with a slip stitch to the top of the first stitch of the round. Pull the tail tight and crochet a few stitches over it until you feel it’s secure.
Body
The body and head are worked up as one piece. Add stuffing to the body as you go. Remember to stuff firmly, but not so firm that you can see the stuffing through the stitches. Make sure the top of the body is well stuffed before moving on to working up the head.
Round 1: In red, magic circle, chain 1, make 6 SC into ring (6)
Round 2: 2 SC in each stitch around (12)
Round 3: 2 SC in first stitch, SC in next, repeat around (18)
Round 4: 2 SC in first stitch, SC in next 2, repeat around (24)
Round 5: 2 SC in first, SC in next 3, repeat around (30)
Round 6: 2 SC in first, SC in next 4, repeat around (36)
Rounds 7-9: SC in each stitch around (36)
Round 10: Work this round is the back loops only. SC in each stitch around (36)
Round 11-12: SC in each stitch around (36)
Round 13: INV DEC, SC in next 4, repeat around (30)
Round 14: SC each stitch around (30)
Round 15: INV DEC, SC in next 3, repeat around (24)
Round 16: SC in each stitch around (24)
Round 17: INV DEC, SC in next 2, repeat around (18)
Round 18: SC in each stitch around (18)
Round 19: INV DEC, SC in next stitch, repeat around (12)
*Change to skin color in the last stitch of round 19 (see notes on color changes above). Do not fasten off. Continue right on to the increases as you start to work up the head. Round count will start back at 1 for the head section below.
Make sure you have added enough stuffing to the body. You’ll be able to sneak a little more into the neck area after you work up a few rounds of the head. An unsharpened pencil or chopstick make a great stuffing helper to get stuffing in some of those narrow places. 😉
Round 1: SC in each stitch around (12)
Round 2: 2 SC in first stitch, SC in next, repeat around (18)
Round 3: 2 SC in first stitch, SC in next 2, repeat around (24)
Round 4: 2 SC in first stitch, SC in next 3, repeat around (30)
Rounds 5-10: SC in each stitch around (30)
*Insert safety eyes between rounds 8 and 9. I placed them about 5 stitches apart.
Round 11: INV DEC, SC next 3 stitches, repeat around (24)
*Start stuffing the head here before the opening gets too small. Continue stuffing as you go.
Round 12: INV DEC, SC next 2 stitches, repeat around (18)
Round 13: INV DEC, SC next stitch, repeat around (12)
*Make sure you have added enough stuffing to the head by this point.
Round 14: INV DEC around (6)
Fasten off and sew hole closed. Weave in ends.
Continue to instructions below to add the “skirt”
part of Santa’s jacket.
Bottom of Santa Jacket Instructions
The bottom of the jacket is worked in joining rounds, not continuous rounds. This means you will join the last stitch to the first with a slip stitch, chain 2 and then continue with the next round.
Round 1: Make a slip knot with red yarn. With the head facing towards you, join the slip knot through one of the front loop stitches of round 10 on the back of body. You will be able to see the front loops because they are where you made the round of back loop stitches when you worked up the body. Chain 2, HDC in same stitch and in each stitch around. Join to top of first HDC with a Sl St. Chain 2. (36)
Round 2: 2 HDC in first stitch, HDC in next 5 stitches. Repeat around. Change color to white. Join, ch 1. (42)
Round 3: SC in each stitch around. Join to first stitch.
Fasten off and weave in ends.
Belt
In black yarn, make a chain long enough to go around the middle of the Santa (right above the seam of where the bottom of the jacket is attached. My chain was 20 stitches, but yours might be a little more or less depending on how stuffed your Santa is. Fasten off and use your yarn needle to sew the belt on to your Santa. I started at the back and then just added one stitch at each of the sides and front to keep the belt in place.
Legs (make 2)
The legs are worked in continuous rounds. Stuff the legs as you go. I mostly stuffed the boot/foot area and then gently stuffed the rest of the lower leg. If you add too much stuffing towards the top of the leg, it will affect your Santa’s ability to sit independently.
Round 1: In black, magic circle, chain 1, 6 SC into ring (6)
Round 2: 2 SC in each stitch around (12)
Round 3: 2 SC in first stitch, SC in next 5 stitches, 2 SC in next stitch, SC in last 5 stitches (14)
Round 4: SC in first 5 stitches, INV DEC, INV DEC, SC in last 5 stitches (12)
Round 5: SC in first 4 stitches, INV DEC, INV DEC, SC in last 4 stitches (10)
Rounds 6-7: SC in each stitch around (10). Change to white at the end of round 7.
Round 8: SC in each stitch around (10). Change color to red.
Rounds 9-16: SC in each stitch around (10)
Fasten off, sew top of leg closed. Make sure that you sew the top closed with the front of the boot/foot facing you. Leave a yarn tail long enough to sew the legs to the body.
Sew legs onto the bottom of the body. I lined them up around the middle of the bottom the body. Using your yarn needle and yarn tails, sew around the tops of the legs only to attach them to the bottom of the body. This is so your Santa can sit or have the legs hang straight too.
Note: if it’s really important to you that your Santa can sit independently, make sure you test where you put the legs to make sure he is able to sit without falling over. The bottom of the jacket helps support his sitting a bit too. He can also sit leaning against a wall or another item to support him too.
Arms (make 2)
Gently stuff the arms as you go, adding stuffing only to the bottom third (hand/wrist area).
Round 1: In skin color, magic circle, ch 1, 6 SC into ring (6)
Round 2: 2 SC in first stitch, SC in next 2 stitches, repeat around (8)
Round 3: SC in each stitch around (8). Change color to white.
Round 4: SC in each stitch around (8). Change color to red.
Rounds 5-13: SC in each stitch around (8)
Fasten off, sew the top of the arms closed. Leave a long tail to sew onto body.
Sew the arms onto the body – Attach the arms on the sides of the body in the second round of stitches below the head. Sew in and out of each stitch at the top of the arms. Weave in ends.
Mustache/Beard
The beard is made in two pieces that you will layer – a mustache and a beard.
Mustache (small piece)
Chain 7, sl st in 2nd chain from hook, 2 HDC in next stitch, sl st in next 2, 2 HDC in next, sl st in last.
Fasten off. Weave in one end and leave one yarn tail to sew the mustache to the face. (8)
Beard (larger piece)
Row 1: Chain 7, SC in 2nd chain from hook and in each stitch across, ch 1, turn (6)
Rows 2-4: SC in each stitch across, ch 1, turn (6)
Row 5: SC DEC, SC in next 2 stitches, SC DEC, ch 1, turn (4)
Row 6: SC in each stitch across (4)
Fasten off, weave in ends. Leave one yarn tail long enough to sew the beard to the face.
Line up the beard piece on the face, 1-2 rounds lower than the eyes. Using your yarn needle, attach the beard to the face by sewing around the stitches along the top of the beard and the sides of the first row (the lower part of the beard will hang down). Secure your ends and cut yarn.
Next, line up the mustache piece over the top of the beard. Using your yarn needle and the yarn tail, sew the mustache piece on top of beard. To create the overlapped look, only add stitches around the top of the mustache and the corners, not around the bottom.
Optional – using a small piece of red yarn, add a little stitch just under the middle of the mustache to create some mouth definition.
Hat
Round 1: In red yarn, magic circle, ch 1, 6 SC into ring (6)
Round 2: SC in each stitch around (6)
Round 3: 2 SC in first stitch, SC in next stitch, repeat around (9)
Rounds 4-5: SC in each stitch around (9)
Round 6: 2 SC in first stitch, SC in next 2 stitches, repeat around (12)
Rounds 7-8: SC in each stitch around (12)
Round 9: 2 SC in first stitch, SC in next 3 stitches, repeat around (15)
Rounds 10-11: SC in each stitch around (15)
Round 12: 2 SC in first stitch, SC in next 4 stitches, repeat around (18)
Rounds 13-14: SC in each stitch around (18)
Round 15: 2 SC in first stitch, SC in next 5 stitches, repeat around (21)
Round 16: SC in each stitch around (21)
Round 17: 2 SC in first stitch, SC in next 6 stitches, repeat around (24)
Rounds 18: SC in each stitch around (24)
Round 19: 2 SC in first stitch, SC in next 7 stitches, repeat around (27)
Round 20: 2 SC in first stitch, SC in next 8 stitches, repeat around (30)
Change color to white.
Rounds 21-22: SC in each stitch around (30)
Fasten off, weave in ends. Leave one white yarn tail to sew the hat to the head. You can also leave one red yarn tail to sew the hat together when you fold the side down.
Pom Pom
Round 1: In white yarn, magic circle, ch 1, 8 SC into ring (8)
Round 2: SC in each stitch around (8)
Fasten off. Close the pom pom by sewing the loops together. Run your yarn needle and yarn tail through the front loops of each stitch around, then pull tight to close the circle. Weave in ends. Leave one yarn tail to sew the pom pom on top of the hat.
Fold the hat in half to the side. Use your yarn needle and red yarn (or yarn tail if still attached) to secure the fold in the hat by adding a few stitches through the layers. Then sew the pom pom to the end of the hat. Secure and cut all yarn tails except one white one to sew the hat to the head.
Place the hat on Santa’s head (keeping the color changes to the back). Use your yarn needle to sew the hat onto the head by passing your yarn needle up and down through the stitches around the bottom of the hat and also passing through the head. You will not need to sew in every stitch. The hat will be secure enough if you sew in every second or third stitch. Weave in ends and cut yarn.
Lastly, if you’d like you can finish off by using a little bit of yellow yarn and sewing a few stitches to create a square over the belt in the middle of the belly to make a little buckle!
You are now all finished! I hope you loved making your Mini Santa Amigurumi! Have fun deciding where to place your Santa, or maybe you’ll be sneaking him into a stocking for a little one to find!
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