This little gingerbread man is a flat, lacy ornament with a classic cookie shape: a round head, stubby arms and two sturdy legs. The pale butter-yellow body is worked in a simple lattice of double crochet and ch-1 spaces. Tiny holes run across him in a tidy grid, like a sugar cookie docked before baking.
A deep red single crochet border outlines the whole figure the way piped icing outlines a real cookie. Two round red buttons, French-knot eyes, a backstitched smile and a chain hanging loop finish the look. The red against soft yellow reads clearly from across the room, even on a crowded tree.
The pattern uses US crochet terms. The finished ornament measures 5.4 in (13.7 cm) wide across the arms and 6.8 in (17.3 cm) tall, not counting the hanging loop.
You make the head first, in rounds, and it doubles as your gauge check. Then you work the body flat in rows from the feet up: two legs, joined at the crotch, arms added with chains and extended stitches, then a short neck. Finally you sew the head to the neck, work the red border around the whole outline, and add the buttons and face.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: 5.4 in (13.7 cm) wide x 6.8 in (17.3 cm) tall
- Skill level: Easy / advanced beginner
- Terminology: US crochet terms
- Yarn weight: DK (weight 3)
- Hook: 3.5 mm (US E-4)
- Number of pieces: 1 body, 1 head and 2 buttons, all assembled into one ornament
- Layout: Single ornament, with no joining of multiple motifs
- Head size: 2 in (5.1 cm) diameter
- Body size before border: 5 in (12.7 cm) wide x 4.4 in (11.2 cm) tall
- Figure size before border: 5 in (12.7 cm) x 6.4 in (16.3 cm)
- Border depth: 0.2 in (0.5 cm) on every edge
Materials
Choose a smooth cotton or cotton-acrylic DK yarn. Smooth yarn shows the lattice holes clearly and keeps the red outline crisp. Fuzzy or brushed yarn will blur the grid. Cotton also holds its shape well when blocked, which helps a flat ornament hang straight.
- Color A, pale butter yellow: 12 g, about 28 m
- Color B, deep red: 6 g, about 14 m
These amounts include a margin of about 25% for your gauge check, sewing tails and embroidery.
Tools:
– 3.5 mm (US E-4) crochet hook
– Tapestry needle
– 4 locking stitch markers
– Scissors
– Rust-proof pins, a blocking mat and a spray bottle
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch: chain
- sl st: slip stitch
- sc: single crochet
- dc: double crochet
- sk: skip
- sp: space
- st(s): stitch(es)
- RS: right side
Extended double crochet (edc): Use this to add stitches at the end of a row. Yarn over, insert the hook into the “foot” (the chain at the base) of the last stitch made, yarn over and pull up a loop, yarn over and draw through 1 loop to make a new foot, then [yarn over and draw through 2 loops] twice.
Stitch counting: A turning ch-3 always counts as 1 dc. In lattice rows, each ch-1 sp counts as 1 st.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Gauge: 20 sts and 10 rows = 4 in (10.2 cm) in the dc lattice pattern. That is 5 sts and 2.5 rows per 1 in (2.5 cm).
Make the head first and use it as your test piece. After Round 3 it should measure 2 in (5.1 cm) across. If it is bigger than 2.2 in (5.6 cm), go down half a hook size. If it is smaller than 1.8 in (4.6 cm), go up half a hook size. Measure the head flat and unstretched, from edge to edge through the center ring.
Checkpoints:
– Head, Round 1: 0.9 in (2.3 cm) across
– Head, Round 2: 1.6 in (4.1 cm) across
– Head, Round 3: 2 in (5.1 cm) across
– Each leg after Row 4: 1 in (2.5 cm) wide x 1.6 in (4.1 cm) tall
– Body after Row 5: 2.6 in (6.6 cm) wide
– Body after Row 7: 2.8 in (7.1 cm) tall
– Body after Row 10: 5 in (12.7 cm) wide x 4 in (10.2 cm) tall
– Neck after Row 11: 1.4 in (3.6 cm) wide, with the body 4.4 in (11.2 cm) tall in total
If the body comes out too wide but the row height is correct, your chains are loose. Work the Row 8 arm chain with a smaller hook.
Head
Work in rounds with Color A. Do not turn.
Round 1: Make a magic ring. Ch 4 (counts as dc + ch 1), [dc in ring, ch 1] 7 times. Join with a sl st in the 3rd ch of the beginning ch-4. (8 dc and 8 ch-1 sps = 16 sts)
Round 2: Sl st into the next ch-1 sp. Ch 3 (counts as dc), 2 dc in the same sp, ch 1, [3 dc in next ch-1 sp, ch 1] 7 times. Join with a sl st in the top of the beginning ch-3. (24 dc and 8 ch-1 sps = 32 sts)
Round 3: Ch 1, sc in the same st, then sc in each dc and each ch-1 sp around. Join with a sl st in the first sc. (32 sc)
Fasten off, leaving a 12 in (30.5 cm) tail for sewing. The center ring and the 8 ch-1 sps from Round 2 form the head’s holes.
Body
Work flat in rows with Color A, starting at the feet. Odd-numbered rows are solid rows and even-numbered rows are lattice rows.
Solid row: Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in each dc and each ch-1 sp across, ending with a dc in the top of the turning ch.
Lattice row: Ch 3 (counts as dc), [ch 1, sk next st, dc in next st] across, ending with a dc in the top of the turning ch.
First Leg
Row 1: Ch 7. Dc in the 4th ch from hook and in each of the next 3 ch. Turn. (5 sts)
Row 2 (lattice): Ch 3, [ch 1, sk next st, dc in next st] 2 times. Turn. (3 dc and 2 ch-1 sps = 5 sts)
Row 3 (solid): Ch 3, dc in each of the next 4 sts. Turn. (5 sts)
Row 4 (lattice): Repeat Row 2. (5 sts)
Fasten off.
Second Leg
Repeat Rows 1–4 of the first leg, but do not fasten off. Turn.
Join the Legs
Row 5 (solid): Ch 3, dc in each of the next 4 sts of the second leg. Ch 3. Hold the first leg with Row 4 facing you and dc in each of its 5 sts, starting at the edge nearest the chain. Turn. (5 sts + 3 ch + 5 sts = 13 sts)
The 3 chains form the crotch notch. Before you work into the first leg, check that both legs face the same way.
Row 6 (lattice): Ch 3, [ch 1, sk next st, dc in next st] 6 times. Turn. (7 dc and 6 ch-1 sps = 13 sts)
Row 7 (solid): Ch 3, dc in each st across. Turn. (13 sts)
Arms
Row 8 (solid, arm extensions): Ch 8. Dc in the 4th ch from hook and in each of the next 4 ch. (6 sts, counting the 3 skipped ch as 1 st) Dc in each of the 13 sts of Row 7. (19 sts) Work 6 edc. Turn. (25 sts)
Check the count: 6 + 13 + 6 = 25 sts. Place a marker in the first and last st to mark the arm tips.
Row 9 (lattice): Ch 3, [ch 1, sk next st, dc in next st] 12 times. Turn. (13 dc and 12 ch-1 sps = 25 sts)
Row 10 (solid): Ch 3, dc in each st across. Turn. (25 sts)
The arms are now 3 rows, or 1.2 in (3.0 cm), tall. Each arm sticks out 1.2 in (3.0 cm) from the body.
Neck
Row 11: Sl st in each of the first 9 sts. Sl st in the 10th st, ch 3 (counts as a dc in this st), then dc in each of the next 6 sts. Leave the last 9 sts unworked. (7 sts)
This centers the neck: 9 sts on each side plus 7 neck sts equals 25. Fasten off.
Attach the Head
Place the head above the neck so the Round 3 sc edge touches the top of Row 11. Center 7 head sts over the 7 neck sts. Using the head tail, whipstitch them together one-to-one through both loops. Weave in all Color A ends.
Buttons (Make 2)
With Color B:
Round 1: Make a magic ring, ch 1, 6 sc in ring. Join with a sl st in the first sc. (6 sc)
Round 2: Ch 1, 2 sc in each sc around. Join. (12 sc)
Fasten off, leaving an 8 in (20.3 cm) tail. Each button measures 0.6 in (1.5 cm) across.
Border
Border gauge: Work 1 sc per stitch along the tops and bottoms of rows and 2 sc per dc row end. At 2.5 rows per inch, that gives 5 sc per inch on the side edges, which matches the 5 sts per inch across the rows. Every edge gets the same density, so the border lies flat.
With RS facing, join Color B with a sl st in the top center st of the head.
Round 1: Ch 1. Work sc around the whole outline in this order:
- Head: 25 sc in the 25 head sts that are not sewn to the neck. That is 13 going one way from the starting st and 12 going the other way.
- Each neck side: 2 sc in the end of Row 11.
- Each shoulder and arm top: 1 sc in each of the 9 shoulder sts, with 3 sc in the outer arm-tip st. On one side, work these into the Row 11 slip stitches. (11 sc)
- Each arm end: 2 sc in each row end of Rows 8–10. (6 sc)
- Each underarm: 1 sc in the base of each of the 6 arm-extension sts, with 3 sc in the outer one. (8 sc)
- Each body side: 2 sc in each row end of Rows 5–7. (6 sc)
- Each outer leg: 2 sc in each row end of Rows 1–4. (8 sc)
- Each foot: 1 sc in each of the 5 foundation sts, with 3 sc in each corner st. (9 sc)
- Each inner leg: 2 sc in each row end of Rows 1–4. (8 sc)
- Crotch: 1 sc in each of the 3 chains from Row 5. (3 sc)
Join with a sl st in the first sc.
Count: Each side = 2 + 11 + 6 + 8 + 6 + 8 + 9 + 8 = 58 sc. The total is 25 (head) + 58 + 58 + 3 (crotch) = 144 sc.
Do not add stitches at the inside corners (neck, underarms and crotch). Without increases, those corners pull in neatly.
Round 2: Working loosely, sl st in each sc around. Join with a sl st in the first sl st. (144 sl st)
This round creates the raised, rope-like red outline. Do not fasten off.
Hanging loop: Ch 20, then sl st in the same st at the top of the head. Fasten off. The loop hangs about 2 in (5.1 cm) above the head.
Why the Math Works
The body is 25 sts wide at 5 sts per inch, which gives 5 in (12.7 cm). It is 11 rows tall at 2.5 rows per inch, which gives 4.4 in (11.2 cm). The 2 in (5.1 cm) head on top brings the figure to 6.4 in (16.3 cm). The border adds 0.2 in (0.5 cm) on every side, so the finished ornament is 5.4 in (13.7 cm) x 6.8 in (17.3 cm). The 3-sc increases at the 6 outer corners (2 arm tips and 4 foot corners) round them without making them ruffle.
Face and Buttons
Use Color B and the tapestry needle.
- Eyes: Work 2 French knots (wrap 3 times) on Round 2 of the head, 0.6 in (1.5 cm) apart and just above the center ring.
- Smile: Backstitch a shallow curve 0.8 in (2.0 cm) wide across the lower part of Round 2.
- Buttons: Center one button over Rows 8–9 and the other over Rows 6–7, stacked down the middle of the body. Whipstitch around the edge of each button with its tail.
Weave all ends into stitches of the same color.
Final Blocking
- Spray the ornament until it is evenly damp but not dripping.
- Lay it RS up on the blocking mat.
- Pin the head into a circle 2 in (5.1 cm) across, plus the border.
- Pin the arm tips 5.4 in (13.7 cm) apart.
- Pin the top of the head and the bottoms of the feet 6.8 in (17.3 cm) apart.
- Pin the crotch notch and underarms so the inside corners stay sharp.
- Gently open each lattice hole with a fingertip.
- Let it dry completely, for at least 6 hours, before unpinning.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- Head: 32 sc in Round 3, 2 in (5.1 cm) across
- Legs: 5 sts each, with matching heights
- Rows 8–10: 25 sts, with arms of equal length
- Neck: 7 sts, centered, with 9 sts on each side
- Border: 144 sc, then 144 sl st
- All 6 outer corners rounded, with no ruffling
- Eyes level and buttons centered
- Hanging loop secure at the center of the head
- Finished size 5.4 in (13.7 cm) x 6.8 in (17.3 cm)
Troubleshooting
- Holes don’t line up: In each lattice row, the ch-1 sps should sit above the 2nd, 4th, 6th sts and so on.
- Border ruffles: On that side, work 1 sc per row end instead of 2 for one or two rows, or go down a hook size for Round 1.
- Border cups or pulls in: Make sure you work 2 sc per dc row end, and keep Round 2 loose.
- Arms are uneven: Recount Row 8. You need 6 sts on each side of the 13 body sts.
- Head tilts: Unpick the seam and recenter 7 head sts over the neck.
- Legs are twisted: In Row 5, both legs must have Row 4 facing the same way.
Care
Hand wash in cool water and lay flat to dry, reshaping as you go. Store the ornament flat or hanging, away from heavy decorations.
Final Notes
Each measurement builds on the one before it. A 2 in (5.1 cm) head confirms your gauge. A 25-st body that is 11 rows tall gives 5 in (12.7 cm) x 4.4 in (11.2 cm). With the head on top, the figure is 5 in (12.7 cm) x 6.4 in (16.3 cm). The 144-sc red border brings the ornament to 5.4 in (13.7 cm) x 6.8 in (17.3 cm). If you check each step as you go, your gingerbread man will come out the right shape every time.
Happy crocheting!