Christmas Elf Amigurumi Crochet Pattern

Why you'll love it

His long striped legs dangle over a shelf or mantel edge for a playful pose.
Curly-toe shoes, pointed ears, and a tall hat give him classic elf charm.
Front-loop rounds create the peplum, collar, and cuffs without separate pieces.
Simple color changes make the bold red and white stripes.
He makes a fun holiday decoration or a gift for elf lovers.

About the designer

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Mandy’s Crochet Studio writes the free patterns, premium PDFs and step-by-step guides on this site, with stitch counts on every round and a skill level on every pattern.

Last updated November 3, 2026

Materials needed

Tools

3.5 mm (US E-4) crochet hook
Tapestry needle
Scissors
Stitch markers
Two 12 mm black safety eyes
Polyester fiberfill, approx. 3 oz (85 g)
Optional: a small sealed pouch of plastic pellets for the body base
Optional: two pipe cleaners for posable legs
Pins for positioning pieces

Gauge & finished measurements

Gauge: 20 sc and 22 rounds = 4 in (10 cm) in worsted yarn with a 3.5 mm hook. Head gauge: Rounds 1-9 measure about 3.4 in (8.5 cm) across when flat. Tight, even stitches matter more than exact gauge.

The pattern

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Shoes and Legs (make 2)

Rounds 1-10 (shoe): With green, make a MR and work 4 sc into it. Work in continuous rounds. Round 2: [sc, 2 sc in next] 2 times (6). Round 3: sc (6). Round 4: [sc in next 2, 2 sc in next] 2 times (8). Round 5: sc (8). Round 6: [sc in next 3, 2 sc in next] 2 times (10). Round 7: [sc in next 4, 2 sc in next] 2 times (12). Round 8: [sc in next 5, 2 sc in next] 2 times (14). Rounds 9-10: sc in each stitch (14). (14 sc after Round 10)
Rounds 11-13: Sc in each stitch around for 3 rounds. Stuff the shoe, keeping the narrow toe lightly stuffed so it can curl. (14 sc in each round)
Round 14: [Sc in the next 5 stitches, dec] 2 times. (12 sc)
Round 15: Sc in each stitch around. This is the top of the shoe. (12 sc)
Rounds 16-45 (striped leg): Change to red. Sc in each stitch around, changing color every 2 rounds: red, white, red, white, and so on, ending with 2 red rounds. Carry the unused color loosely inside the leg. Stuff very lightly, or insert a pipe cleaner for posable legs. (12 sc in each round; 15 stripes)
Round 46: Flatten the opening and sc across through both layers. Fasten off, leaving a 12 in (30 cm) tail for sewing. (6 sc)

Head

Rounds 1-9: With skin tone, make a MR and work 6 sc into it. Work in continuous rounds. Round 2: 2 sc in each stitch (12). Rounds 3-9: [sc in the next X stitches, 2 sc in the next stitch] 6 times, where X is 1 in Round 3 and increases by 1 each round, ending with X = 7 in Round 9. (54 sc after Round 9)
Rounds 10-20: Sc in each stitch around for 11 rounds. Insert the safety eyes between Rounds 14 and 15, about 8 stitches apart. (54 sc in each round)
Rounds 21-28: [Sc in the next X stitches, dec] 6 times, where X is 7 in Round 21 and decreases by 1 each round, ending with dec 6 times in Round 28: 48, 42, 36, 30, 24, 18, 12, 6. Secure the eye backs before Round 24 and stuff firmly as you go. Fasten off and close the opening. (6 sc after Round 28)

Ears, Nose and Arms

Ear (make 2): With skin tone, make a MR and work 4 sc into it. Work in continuous rounds. Round 2: [sc, 2 sc in next] 2 times (6). Round 3: [sc in next 2, 2 sc in next] 2 times (8). Round 4: [sc in next 3, 2 sc in next] 2 times (10). Rounds 5-6: sc in each stitch (10). Do not stuff. Flatten and sc 5 across through both layers. Fasten off, leaving a tail. (10 sc; closed with 5 sc)
Nose: With skin tone, make a MR and work 5 sc into it. Round 2: sc in each stitch (5). Tuck the tail inside, close the opening, and leave a tail for sewing. (5 sc)
Arm (make 2): With skin tone, make a MR and work 6 sc into it. Round 2: [sc, 2 sc in next] 3 times (9). Rounds 3-4: sc (9); stuff the hand lightly. Round 5: change to green, sc in each stitch (9). Round 6: change to red; working in BLO, sc in each stitch (9). Rounds 7-16: sc in each stitch (9). Stuff lightly. Round 17: flatten and sc 4 across through both layers. Fasten off, leaving a tail. (9 sc; closed with 4 sc)
Cuff (on each arm): Join green in any free front loop of Arm Round 5. Round 1: 2 sc in each front loop around, join (18). Round 2: ch 1, sc in each stitch, join (18). Fasten off and fold the cuff down over the wrist. (18 sc in each round)

Hat and Gold Details

Hat Rounds 1-10: With green, make a MR and work 4 sc into it. Work in continuous rounds. Round 2: sc (4). Round 3: [sc, 2 sc in next] 2 times (6). Round 4: sc (6). Round 5: [sc in next 2, 2 sc in next] 2 times (8). Round 6: sc (8). Round 7: [sc in next 3, 2 sc in next] 2 times (10). Round 8: sc (10). Round 9: [sc in next 4, 2 sc in next] 2 times (12). Round 10: sc (12). (12 sc after Round 10)
Hat Rounds 11-25: Odd rounds 11-25: [sc in the next X stitches, 2 sc in the next stitch] 6 times, where X is 1 in Round 11 and increases by 1 on each odd round, ending with X = 8 in Round 25. Even rounds 12-24: sc in each stitch. Counts: 18, 24, 30, 36, 42, 48, 54, 60. (60 sc after Round 25)
Hat Rounds 26-28: Sc in each stitch around for 3 rounds. Sl st in the next stitch and fasten off, leaving a 24 in (60 cm) tail. (60 sc in each round)
Zigzag brim: With red, ch 60 and join with sl st to form a ring. Round 1: ch 1, sc in each ch, join (60). Round 2: *sc in the next stitch, hdc in the next stitch, dc in the next stitch, (tr, ch 2, tr) in the next stitch, dc in the next stitch, hdc in the next stitch; repeat from * 9 more times, join. Fasten off, leaving a tail. (10 points)
Gold bobble (make 3): With gold metallic, make a MR and work 6 sc into it. Round 2: 2 sc in each stitch (12). Round 3: sc in each stitch (12). Fill with yarn scraps. Round 4: dec 6 times (6). Close and leave a tail. (6 sc after Round 4)
Gold button (make 2): With gold metallic, make a MR. Ch 1, work 6 sc into it, pull it closed, and join with sl st to the first sc. Fasten off, leaving a tail. (6 sc)

Abbreviations

This pattern is written in US terms. Your current view: US.

US	UK	Meaning
MR	MR	magic ring (adjustable ring) · how to
ch	ch	chain · how to
sl st	ss	slip stitch · how to
sc	dc	single crochet (UK double crochet) · how to
hdc	htr	half double crochet (UK half treble) · how to
dc	tr	double crochet (UK treble) · how to
tr	dtr	treble crochet (UK double treble) · how to
dec	dec	decrease: work 2 stitches together (invisible decrease in amigurumi)
bobble	bobble	bobble stitch (3-dc cluster) · how to
BLO	BLO	back loop only
st(s)	st(s)	stitch(es)

Assembly

1
Head: center the head on the neck with the face pointing forward and sew it on firmly with the neck tail.
2
Face: sew the nose between and just below the eyes. Sew an ear to each side of the head at eye level, angled slightly upward.
3
Hair: with brown yarn, embroider long straight stitches across the forehead, sweeping from the top center down to each side above the ears.
4
Hat: place the hat on the head so it sits low over the forehead and covers the top of the hair. Sew around the edge. Sew the zigzag brim around the bottom of the hat with Round 1 at the edge and the points facing up.
5
Hat tip: curl the tip of the hat to one side and tack it in place. Sew a gold bobble to the tip.
6
Arms: sew the flat tops of the arms to the sides of the body at Round 20, just below the collar.
7
Buttons: sew the two gold buttons down the center front of the tunic at about Rounds 16 and 18.
8
Legs: sew the flat top of each leg to the front bottom edge of the body at Rounds 7-8, side by side, so the legs hang forward and dangle when he sits on a shelf.
9
Shoes: sew a gold bobble to the curled tip of each shoe.

Important notes

Tip: This is an original pattern inspired by the photo. Hidden construction details, yarn weight, and dimensions are interpreted from the image, and the pattern has not been physically test-crocheted.
Tip: Abbreviations (US terms): ch = chain, sc = single crochet, hdc = half double crochet, dc = double crochet, tr = treble crochet, sl st = slip stitch, MR = magic ring, BLO = back loop only, dec = decrease (invisible single crochet decrease).
Tip: Work all amigurumi pieces in continuous rounds with a stitch marker. The peplum, collar, cuffs, and brim rounds are joined; the ch 1 or ch 2 at the start does not count as a stitch.
Tip: Stuff the head and neck firmly so the head stays upright, but keep the legs soft so they dangle.
Tip: Safety: safety eyes, pipe cleaners, pellets, and small parts can be choking hazards. For babies and children under 3, embroider the eyes and skip the pipe cleaners and pellets.

Pattern FAQ

How do I make him sit on the edge of a shelf?

Sew the legs to the front bottom edge of the body, not underneath it. Add a small pellet pouch to the base for weight, and set him on the shelf with his legs hanging over the edge.

Can I make the stripes without carrying yarn?

Yes. You can cut the yarn at each color change and weave in the ends, but carrying the unused color loosely inside the leg is faster and leaves fewer ends.

My hat keeps falling off. What should I do?

Sew the hat to the head all the way around the edge, and add a few stitches through the brim into the head at the front and back.

Can I make a girl elf?

Yes. Add two braids of brown yarn under the hat at each side, give her longer lashes, and work 2 extra rounds on the peplum for a little skirt.

How do I clean him?

Spot clean with a damp cloth and mild soap. If needed, hand wash gently in cool water, press out the water with a towel, and let him air dry completely. Do not machine wash if you used pellets or pipe cleaners.

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Christmas Elf Amigurumi Crochet Pattern

Why you'll love it

About the designer