Bring festive cheer to your holiday crafting with this crochet reindeer pattern! You can customize it by adding extras like a flower or a bow, or by embroidering its face with a different emotion.
Materials needed to make this tutorial are #7 bulky yarn of your choice with cream, light brown, brown, ivory, red shades, a 5 mm crochet hook, 16 mm safety eyes, a small amount of black worsted-weight yarn, and stuffing.
This tutorial includes how to make ears, antlers, body, and legs, and a photo tutorial includes how to embroider sleepy eyes, and how to attach legs and antlers.
It’s perfect for Christmas décor, stocking stuffers, nursery displays, or handmade gifts.
Designer: Lil Star Purr
Materials
- Yarn color (size 7): cream, light brown, brown, ivory, red
- Thinner black yarn
- Safety eyes 16 mm
- Stuffing
- 5 mm crochet needle
- Darning needle
Abbreviations
sc – single crochet
inc – increase
dec – decrease
cc – color change
ch – chain
st – stitch
BB – booble stitch
Mr – magic ring
BLO – back loops only
Ear x2
In light brown.
Rnd 1: Mr 4 (4)
Rnd 2: (sc, inc) x 2 (6)
Rnd 3: (2 sc, inc) x 2 (8)
Rnd 4: 8 sc (8)
Rnd 5: (2 sc, dec) x 2 (6)
Fasten off and leave a short tail.
Antlers x2
In ivory ch 6, working on the 2nd st, 2 sl st, ch 2, sl st into the new ch, and 3 sl st into the starting ch. Fasten off leave tail for sewing.
Body
In cream.
Rnd 1: ch 5, skip the 1 st ch, inc, 2 sc, inc, working on the other side of the ch, inc, 2 sc, inc (12)
Rnd 2: 9 sc, cc to red BB, cc to cream sc, 2 sc (12)
Rnd 3: cc to light brown, inc, 6 sc, 5 inc (18)
Rnd 4: sc, inc, 6 sc, (sc, inc) x 5 (24)
Rnd 5-7: sc around (24)
On row 7 leave 2 stitch markers on st 16 and 21.
Rnd 8: undo 2 sc, attach the ear with 3 sc, 9 sc, attach the ear with 3 sc, 9 sc (24)
Rnd 9: (2 sc, dec) x 6 (18)
If you want to add safety eyes add them here in between rows 4 and 5.
Rnd 10: (sc, dec) x 6 (12)
Rnd 11-12: sc around (12)
Rnd 13: (sc, inc) x 6 (18)
Rnd 14-15: sc around (18)
Rnd 16: (2 sc, inc) x 6 (24)
Rnd 17-20: sc around (24)
Rnd 21: (2 sc, dec) x 5, sc, dec, BB (make sure the tail is centered with the body) (18)
Rnd 22: (sc, dec) x 6 (12)
Rnd 23: 6 dec (6)
Fasten off, close the hole and weave in the tail.
Legs x2
In brown.
Rnd 1: Mr 6 (6)
Rnd 2: 6 inc (12)
Rnd 3: BLO sc around (12)
Rnd 4-5: cc to light brown sc around (12)
Rnd 6: (2 sc, dec) x 3 (9)
Rnd 7: sc around (9)
Fasten off, leave a tail for sewing, stuff lightly.
Assembly
- Sew the front legs between rows 11 and 14.
- Sew the back legs between rows 17 and 20.
- Embroider eyes
- Sew the antlers into the stitch markers left behind on row 7.
