This little snowman is both a gift card holder and a tree ornament. His face is a cream pocket. A charcoal top hat with a lavender-gray band sits tilted over the top-left corner, and a lavender scarf crosses his chest with a fringed tail hanging on the right. Black eyes, an orange carrot nose, pink cheeks and a stitched smile complete the face.
The colors are soft and wintry: cream, charcoal, lavender-gray, lavender, orange, light pink and black. The firm single crochet fabric keeps the edges neat, so the ornament looks tidy on the tree and in the hand.
This pattern uses US crochet terms. The finished pocket measures 4 in wide × 4.25 in tall (10.2 × 10.8 cm). With the hat, it stands about 5.5 in (14.0 cm) tall, not counting the hanging loop.
Here’s how it goes together. You crochet two identical rectangular panels in rows and add the face to the front panel. Then you whipstitch the panels together on three sides and work one single crochet border row through both layers. The top stays open for the card. Last, you add the hat, the scarf tail and a hanging loop.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: 4 × 4.25 in (10.2 × 10.8 cm) pocket; about 5.5 in (14.0 cm) tall with the hat
- Skill level: Easy
- Terminology: US
- Yarn weight: Worsted (#4)
- Hook: 4.0 mm (US G-6)
- Number of pieces: 8 crocheted pieces (front panel, back panel, hat, scarf band, scarf tail, nose, 2 cheeks) assembled into one ornament
- Layout: front and back panels stacked wrong sides together, open at the top
- Panel size: 14 sc × 16 rows = 3.5 × 4 in (8.9 × 10.2 cm)
- Size before border: 3.5 × 4 in (8.9 × 10.2 cm)
- Border depth: 1 sc = 0.25 in (0.6 cm) on the left, right and bottom edges
Materials
Use a smooth worsted-weight yarn. Cotton gives crisper stitch definition, and acrylic is lighter on a branch. The amounts below assume about 180 m per 100 g.
- Cream: 12 g (22 m), for the panels, border and hanging loop
- Charcoal: 4 g (7 m), for the hat
- Lavender-gray: 2 g (4 m), for the hat band
- Lavender: 4 g (7 m), for the scarf and fringe
- Orange: 1 g (2 m), for the nose
- Light pink: 1 g (2 m), for the cheeks
- Black: 1 g (2 m), for the smile embroidery
These amounts include a comfortable margin for swatching and yarn tails.
Tools:
- 4.0 mm (US G-6) crochet hook
- Two 9 mm black safety eyes (embroider the eyes with black yarn instead if the ornament is for a young child)
- Tapestry needle
- 4 stitch markers
- Scissors
- Ruler or tape measure
- Pins and a blocking surface
- Small piece of felt (optional)
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch: chain
- sc: single crochet
- sl st: slip stitch
- st(s): stitch(es)
- MR: magic ring
- RS / WS: right side / wrong side
Special technique (lark’s head knot): Fold a fringe strand in half. Insert the hook through a stitch, pull the fold through to make a loop, then pull both cut ends through that loop and tighten.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Gauge: 16 sc and 16 rows = 4 in (10.2 cm) in single crochet. This is a firm fabric, so the pocket won’t stretch and the card won’t slip out.
Make one panel first and use it as your swatch.
- Checkpoint 1, after Row 1: 14 sc measure 3.5 in (8.9 cm) across.
- Checkpoint 2, after Row 16: the panel measures 3.5 × 4 in (8.9 × 10.2 cm).
- Checkpoint 3, finished hat: the brim is 2.5 in (6.4 cm) wide and the hat is 2 in (5.1 cm) tall.
- Checkpoint 4, after the border: the pocket measures 4 × 4.25 in (10.2 × 10.8 cm).
If the panel is too big, go down 0.25–0.5 mm in hook size. If it is too small, go up 0.25–0.5 mm. Don’t change the stitch counts, because the border math depends on them.
Front and Back Panels (Make 2)
Use cream.
Foundation: Ch 15.
Row 1 (RS): Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across, turn. (14 sc)
Rows 2–16: Ch 1, sc in each st across, turn. (14 sc)
Fasten off and weave in the ends. Each panel is 14 sc × 16 rows, or 3.5 × 4 in (8.9 × 10.2 cm). Mark one panel as the front.
Hat
The hat is worked from the bottom up: first a two-row brim, then a narrower crown.
Use charcoal.
Row 1: Ch 11, sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across, turn. (10 sc)
Row 2: Ch 1, sc in each st across, turn. (10 sc)
Row 3: Sl st in first st, ch 1, sc in next 8 sts, leave last st unworked, turn. (8 sc; the sl st does not count)
Change to lavender-gray.
Rows 4–5: Ch 1, sc in each st across, turn. (8 sc)
Change to charcoal.
Rows 6–8: Ch 1, sc in each st across, turn. (8 sc)
Fasten off, leaving a 12 in (30.5 cm) tail for sewing.
- Brim: 2.5 in (6.4 cm) wide and 0.5 in (1.3 cm) deep. It extends one stitch, 0.25 in (0.6 cm), past the crown on each side.
- Crown: 2 in (5.1 cm) wide and 1.5 in (3.8 cm) tall.
Scarf Band
Use lavender.
Row 1: Ch 15, sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across, turn. (14 sc)
Row 2: Ch 1, sc in each st across. (14 sc)
Fasten off, leaving a 12 in (30.5 cm) tail. The band is 3.5 × 0.5 in (8.9 × 1.3 cm), the same width as the panel.
Scarf Tail
Use lavender.
Row 1: Ch 4, sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across, turn. (3 sc)
Rows 2–6: Ch 1, sc in each st across, turn. (3 sc)
Fasten off, leaving an 8 in (20.3 cm) tail. The piece measures 0.75 × 1.5 in (1.9 × 3.8 cm).
Fringe: Cut 3 lavender strands, each 3 in (7.6 cm) long. Attach one strand with a lark’s head knot in each of the 3 sts of Row 6. That gives 6 ends. Trim them evenly to 1 in (2.5 cm).
Carrot Nose
Use orange.
Rnd 1: 4 sc in MR. Work in a continuous spiral without joining. (4 sc)
Rnd 2: [Sc in next st, 2 sc in next st] twice. (6 sc)
Rnd 3: [Sc in next 2 sts, 2 sc in next st] twice. (8 sc)
Rnd 4: Sc in each st around. (8 sc)
Fasten off with a long tail and leave the nose unstuffed. The cone is about 0.75 in (1.9 cm) long.
Cheeks (Make 2)
Use light pink.
Rnd 1: 6 sc in MR, sl st to first sc. (6 sc)
Pull the ring closed and fasten off with a tail. Each cheek is about 0.4 in (1.0 cm) across.
Decorate the Front Panel
With the RS of the front panel facing you, count rows up from Row 1 and stitches in from the right edge.
- Eyes: Insert the safety eyes between Rows 11 and 12, one between sts 4 and 5 and the other between sts 10 and 11. That puts them 6 sts, or 1.5 in (3.8 cm), apart. Snap on the backs.
- Nose: Lay the cone flat between Rows 9 and 10, centered between sts 7 and 8, with the tip pointing right. Sew around its open end.
- Cheeks: Sew one cheek to Row 9 at st 3 and the other to Row 9 at st 12.
- Smile: With black, backstitch a shallow curve in 5 short stitches. Start at Row 8, st 5, dip to Row 7 at the center, then rise to Row 8, st 10.
- Scarf band: Lay the band across Rows 4–5 with its ends flush with the side edges. Sew it down along its top and bottom edges.
Make All Pieces
Before joining, check that you have:
- Cream: 2 panels (14 sc × 16 rows)
- Charcoal and lavender-gray: 1 hat
- Lavender: 1 scarf band (already sewn on) and 1 scarf tail with fringe
- Orange: 1 nose (already sewn on)
- Light pink: 2 cheeks (already sewn on)
Side view of the layers:
[ HAT ] sewn to front only, rises above top edge
[ FRONT ] face + scarf band
[ BACK ] hanging loop at top center
open top | closed left, bottom, right
Joining
Place the panels WS together with the front facing you. Line up the foundation edges and the top rows, and mark both bottom corners.
With cream and the tapestry needle, whipstitch the layers together, matching stitch to stitch:
- Right side: 16 row ends to 16 row ends
- Bottom: 14 foundation sts to 14 foundation sts
- Left side: 16 row ends to 16 row ends
That makes 46 matched pairs. Leave the top 14 sts of each panel open for the card.
Keep the stitches snug but not tight. Pulling hard shortens the edges and makes the pocket bow.
Size checkpoint: lying flat, the joined pocket still measures 3.5 × 4 in (8.9 × 10.2 cm).
Border
Border gauge: 4 sc = 1 in (2.5 cm). Each panel row is also 0.25 in (0.6 cm) tall, so 1 sc per row end lies flat.
The border is one row worked through both layers. It covers the whipstitching as it goes down the right side, across the bottom and up the left side.
Border Row: With the front facing you, join cream with a sl st in the row end of Row 16 at the top right, then ch 1.
- Right side: Sc in the row ends of Rows 16 down to 2. (15 sc)
- Bottom-right corner: 3 sc in the first foundation st. (3 sc)
- Bottom: Sc in each of the next 12 foundation sts. (12 sc)
- Bottom-left corner: 3 sc in the last foundation st. (3 sc)
- Left side: Sc in the row ends of Rows 2 up to 16. (15 sc)
Total: 15 + 3 + 12 + 3 + 15 = 48 sc. Fasten off.
Why the math works: Each side has 16 row ends. The corner group covers the Row 1 row end, so each side gets 15 sc. The bottom has 14 foundation sts: the 2 corner sts take 3 sc each, and the 12 between them take 1 sc each. No stitch is counted twice.
The border adds 0.25 in (0.6 cm) to the left, right and bottom edges. The width becomes 3.5 + 0.25 + 0.25 = 4 in (10.2 cm), and the height becomes 4 + 0.25 = 4.25 in (10.8 cm).
Hanging loop: With cream, sl st into st 7 of the back panel’s top row. Ch 12, then sl st into st 8. Turn, work 16 sc into the chain loop, and sl st into st 7. Fasten off. The loop stands about 1.25 in (3.2 cm) above the edge.
Hat: Tilt the hat slightly to the left. Position the brim’s lower edge 0.75 in (1.9 cm) below the top edge, starting 0.25 in (0.6 cm) in from the left side. The crown will rise 1.25 in (3.2 cm) above the pocket. Sew around the brim and the lower sides of the crown, going through the front panel only.
Scarf tail: Tuck the top of the tail under the right end of the scarf band, flush with the right edge of the pocket. Sew it to the band and the front panel only. The tail reaches the bottom edge, and the fringe hangs 1 in (2.5 cm) below it.
Final Blocking
- Mist the ornament lightly with water. Don’t soak it, because of the safety eyes.
- Lay it face up on a blocking mat.
- Pin it to 4 × 4.25 in (10.2 × 10.8 cm), with straight sides and square bottom corners.
- Pinch the brim ends so they curl up slightly.
- Comb the fringe straight.
- Let it dry completely, at least 4 hours.
- Unpin it and test-fit a standard 3.375 × 2.125 in (8.6 × 5.4 cm) gift card, standing upright, to the right of the hat.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- The pocket measures 4 × 4.25 in (10.2 × 10.8 cm).
- The border has 48 sc, with 3 sc at each bottom corner.
- The top opening is free across all 14 sts.
- The eyes are level and 1.5 in (3.8 cm) apart.
- The nose points right and the smile is centered.
- The hat is sewn to the front panel only.
- The scarf band runs from edge to edge, and the fringe hangs on the right.
- The hanging loop is secure and centered.
- All ends are woven in.
Troubleshooting
The panel is wider than it is tall. Your rows are short. Add one row to both panels, then work 16 sc up each side of the border.
The border ruffles. You have too many stitches. Rework it with exactly 15 sc per side.
The border cups. Your tension is tight. Go up 0.5 mm for the border row only.
The card won’t fit. Check that the panels measured 3.5 in (8.9 cm) wide before the border. If they didn’t, go up a hook size.
The hat flops forward. Add tacking stitches at the lower corners of the crown.
The eye backs snag the card. Sew a small felt square inside the front panel to cover them.
Care
Spot clean with a damp cloth and mild soap, and lay flat to dry. Store the ornament flat so the hat and fringe keep their shape.
Final Notes
The measurements build in a short chain. Each panel is 14 sc × 16 rows, or 3.5 × 4 in (8.9 × 10.2 cm). You join the panels with 46 matched whipstitches, and the 48-sc border brings the pocket to 4 × 4.25 in (10.2 × 10.8 cm). The 2.5 in (6.4 cm) hat adds 1.25 in (3.2 cm) of height above the pocket. If Checkpoint 2 is right, everything else follows.
Happy crocheting!