Rudolph Ornament Free Crochet Pattern

This is the final ornament design that I’ll be releasing this year and this one might be the cutest yet! (Although Baby Yoda will for sure give Rudolph a run for his money). Check out the other ornament designs from this year: Penguin Ornament, Baby Yoda, and Buffalo Plaid.

If you’re interested in a goofier, sillier Rudolph ornament, check out my other Reindeer Ornament pattern here from a couple years ago (still one of my faves!)

I have a bit of confession for this ornament. I meant to add cute spots to the forehead to make it a sweet little deer ornament, but I got so caught up in trying to get it finished (I still have some Christmas gifts to finish! Yikes!), that I totally forgot. So, if you want to add cute little white spots to the forehead, please do! I’ll have to live vicariously through you, friends, because I won’t be making any more of these, at least not this year.

Also, the whole 2019 Ornament Collection is now available (and at a discounted price when you grab the collection)! Check it out here, along with collections from 2017 and 2018.

The Details

As usual, this pattern is made in the same style as my Ragdoll patterns; separate pieces worked in flat rows and then joined together to give them that unique 2-D look. This ornament is probably the most involved one I’ve designed this year; it has 11 separate pieces. But don’t let that intimidate you! The pieces are small and very easy so they work up in no time.

This pattern incorporates the tapestry (or intarsia) crochet technique and has a bit of colour-work involved so please be sure to read the “Reading this Pattern” section!

The finished measurements are approximately 9.5cm/3.75″ across.

Let’s get started! (Or Pin/Shop for later!)

If you’d prefer a downloadable or printable version of this pattern, an inexpensive, formatted, and ad-free PDF can be purchased HERE or through the “Shop It” button above!

Materials:

(Affiliate links coming at you!)

• 3.25mm hook for main (I use THESE hooks!);
• Red Heart Super Saver in Cafe Latte;
• Bernat Super Value in White;
• Caron Simply Soft in Harvest Red for nose (It’s so shiny! Perfect for Rudolph);
• Bernat Premium Tweeds in Chocolate Tweed for antlers;
• Black Crochet thread for eyes and mouth;
• Stuffing;
• Tapestry needle.

Reading this Pattern and Colour Changes:

Everything is worked in single crochet stitches, unless otherwise specified. So, in order to indicate the colour-changes, I have omitted the usual “sc” in front of the stitch counts in lines with colour-changes and I’ve used the associated colour letter instead. Here are some examples:

• “Binc” means to work a sc increase in brown yarn.
• “B10, W7” means to work the next 10 sc in brown and the next 7 sc in White.
• “Bdec, W8, Bdec” means to work a regular sc decrease in brown, then work the next 8 stitches in white, then work another sc decrease in brown.

Due to the colour-changes, you will have two balls of yarn attached to your project at once. For example, cut off a couple of small balls of brown yarn so that you can use one on each side of the face. That way, you do not need to carry the yarn inside the stitch or carry it all the way across the back of the panel.

When changing colours, you will insert your hook into the stitch for the last stitch of Colour X and pull up a loop. Then, with Colour Y, yarn over and complete the stitch by pulling through both loops with Colour Y. Drop your working yarn in Colour X and continue with Colour Y. You will pick your Colour X working yarn back up again on the way back in the next row when you need it.

Make sure to always drop your yarn on the WRONG side of your panel! This will be different depending on whether you’re working an odd or even row. So, for the front panel, whenever you are working an odd-numbered row (row 1, 3, 5, etc), the right side of your panel will be facing you. When you’re working an even-numbered row, the wrong side will be facing you.

Colour legend:

W – White

B – Brown

Terms and Stitches:

Ch – Chain

Slst – Slip stitch

Sc – Single Crochet (again, in rows with colour changes, sc stitches will be indicated with the Colour Legend letter instead of “sc”)

Inc – Increase. Work a regular sc increase

Dec – Decrease. Work a regular sc decrease

Hdc – Half double crochet

Pattern

Front Body Panel:

You will make 1 panel using a 3.25mm hook. Start with White. The panel is worked from the bottom up. Ch 1 and turn at the end of each row unless specified otherwise.

Rows 1 to 8 are worked entirely in white.

Row 1: Ch 8, starting in second ch from hook, sc 7 (7 sts)

Row 2: Inc twice, sc 3, inc twice (11 sts)

Row 3: Inc twice, sc 7, inc twice (15 sts)

Row 4: Inc, sc 13, inc (17 sts)

Row 5: Inc, sc 15, inc (19 sts)

Row 6: Sc across (19 sts)

Row 7: Inc, sc 17, inc (21 sts)

Row 8: Sc across (21 sts)

In the next row we will start the colour work.

Rows 9-10: W10, B1, W10 (21 sts)

Rows 11-12: B1, W8, B3, W8, B1 (21 sts)

Rows 13: B2, W6, B5, W6, B2 (21 sts)

Row 14: B3, W4, B7, W4, B3

All remaining rows are worked entirely in brown.

Row 15: Dec, sc 17, dec (19 sts)

Row 16: Sc across (19 sts)

Row 17: Dec, sc 15, dec (17 sts)

Row 18: Dec, sc 13, dec (15 sts)

Row 19: Dec twice, sc 7, dec twice (11 sts)

Row 20: Dec twice, sc 3, dec twice (7 sts)

Row 21: Dec, sc 3, dec (5 sts)

Tie off. Set aside for assembly later.

Back Body Panel:

Using 3.25mm hook and brown yarn. The back panel is worked exactly the same as the front panel except it’s worked entirely in brown without any colour-work.

Ch 1 and turn at the end of each row unless specified otherwise.

Row 1: Ch 8, starting in second ch from hook, sc 7 (7 sts)

Row 2: Inc twice, sc 3, inc twice (11 sts)

Row 3: Inc twice, sc 7, inc twice (15 sts)

Row 4: Inc, sc 13, inc (17 sts)

Row 5: Inc, sc 15, inc (19 sts)

Row 6: Sc across (19 sts)

Row 7: Inc, sc 17, inc (21 sts)

Rows 8-14: Sc across (21 sts)

Row 15: Dec, sc 17, dec (19 sts)

Row 16: Sc across (19 sts)

Row 17: Dec, sc 15, dec (17 sts)

Row 18: Dec, sc 13, dec (15 sts)

Row 19: Dec twice, Sc 7, dec twice (11 sts)

Row 20: Dec twice, sc 3, dec twice (7 sts)

Row 21: Dec, sc 3, dec (5 sts)

Tie off. Set aside for assembly later.

Nose (make 1):

In red yarn using a 3.25mm hook.

Rnd 1: Work 8 hdc into a magic ring (8 sts), join.

Tie off, leaving a long tail for stitching it on. Set aside for assembly later.

Front Ear (make 2):

Using 3.25mm hook and starting with white yarn.

Rnd 1: Ch 4, sc 2, 3 sc in last ch, working on the opposite side of chain, sc 1, 2 sc in last ch, join with brown yarn, ch 2 (8 sts)

Rnd 2: Starting in same st as ch 2, hdc inc, hdc 2, hdc inc in next 2 sts, hdc 2, hdc inc, join (12 sts)

Tie off, leaving a long tail for stitching it on.

Back Ear (make 2):

Using 3.25mm hook and with brown yarn, repeat rounds 1 and 2 of the front ear but in brown only.

Place the front ear panel on top of the back ear panel and crochet the two pieces together by crocheting around the two pieces in brown, joining them. Stuff lightly when you’ve crocheted about two-thirds of the way around. Join with a slst to first st and tie off. Poke the yarn tail back inside.

Antlers (make 4):

Using 3.25mm hook and using dark brown yarn.

Row 1: Ch 2, Sc 1 (1 st)

Rows 2-6: Sc 1 (1 st)

Row 7: Inc (2 sts)

Row 8: In first st only (leave other st unworked), sc 1 (1 st)

Rows 9-11: Sc 1 (1 st)

Tie off. Rejoin yarn in the unworked st of row 7 and repeat rows 8-11. Tie off.

Repeat all of the above for the back panel. Weave in ends and trim them (so they don’t get in the way while joining). Place both panels together and sc around to join. You don’t need to stuff the antlers (there’s really no space to insert stuffing anyway!)

Repeat all of the above for the second antler.

Move on to assembly below!

Assembly:

Step 1: Face

First, we need to attach and stitch on our facial features to the front panel.

Stitch on the nose at the base of the brown stripe on the face.

Stitch on happy eyes using black crochet thread (or insert safety eyes if you prefer). Check out my video tutorial on how I stitch on happy eyes on my amigurumi.

Finally, stitch on a little mouth.

Step 2: Body, Ears and Antlers

Here are the pieces you should now have at this step.

Cut off two lengths of brown yarn approximately 30cm/12″ long each and set them aside for later.

Place the two panels together, matching up all sides and colours.

Make sure the front of Rudolph is facing you as you crochet around the outside.

Starting on the left side, in the middle where the white section starts, begin attaching the panels together by single crocheting around the outside of the panels starting in white.

Be sure to crochet loosely around so that the edge keeps it’s nice curve!

Crochet down and around the bottom and up the other side; switch to brown yarn where appropriate.

Stop after two or three stitches and pull up a loop.

Now we will attach the first ear and antler. The ear will overlap the antler slightly; feel free to stitch these together first before stitching them between the panels if it’s easier for you.

With your tapestry needle and a length of yarn that you set aside earlier, place the ear and the antler between the panels just to the right of the end of the last row of the panels. Stitch in place by stitching through all three pieces, the back panel, the ear/antler and the front panel. Once in place, tie a knot in the yarn tails and hide them between the panels.

Continue crocheting around. When you get to the ear/antler, sc in the stitches of the front panel only. This section is already sewn shut so it’s just for looks!

Stuff your ornament firmly now!

Continue crocheting both panels together as normal once past the antler, topping up stuffing as you go.

Place and stitch on the second antler and ear the same way you did for the first.

Top up stuffing. Use the back of your crochet hook to even out the stuffing and keep the shape nice and round.

When you are satisfied with the stuffing, close with a slst to first st. Tie off. With your tapestry needle, poke the yarn tail back inside the piece. Add the loop for hanging, and you’re done!

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