Santa Throw Pillow – Free Crochet Pattern

Guess who’s coming to town? 🎅🏻

If you wish to have a jolly couch for the Holidays, look no further! We will continue our Christmas decorations series with this cute Santa throw pillow.

I’m not going to lie, this is a bigger project that requires some time, love and sewing, but you’ll be glad you did it! A handmade piece like this one can make any home look merry and bright. Grab a nice winter blanket and get comfy, we have a few hours of cozy crochet time ahead of us.

Professional Crocheters: Selling at Christmas Markets

Market prepping this time of the year can get pretty hectic, Christmas is the busiest season for makers. So why should you put some time and effort into a project like this one?

When crocheting for markets, we usually focus on making a ton of small items – which is totally fine and necessary, but a few big items can really come in handy.

I took this throw pillow to my last Christmas market and, while I did not sell it, it definitely worked as my ‘show stopper’ and, if you sell at markets, you should have a few of those too. Let me explain 😌

People tend to buy smaller items (mostly under 20€), but usually they are not the reason customers will stop at your booth. If you only have a bunch of small items, it’s a lot harder to catch the attention of the customer (specially if you have competition) and they might walk right past your booth even if your stuff is amazing. Every seller needs a few big pieces to draw attention to the booth, pieces that will make people stop because of them; and then they will probably start looking around, ask some questions, notice the smaller (more affordable) items and probably settle for those rather than the bigger (more expensive) ones. They are a great tool to attract potential buyers and also create engament, so even if you don’t sell them, they showcase your skills and boost your sales.

Enough chatting, let’s get to work!

Notes

•  Santa measures about 45 cm with recommended yarn and hook size.
• This pattern is written in U.S terminology.
• Work in spirals, do not join rounds.
• Copyright: This pattern is protected by copyright law. It is prohibited to share, copy, translate, distribute or sell the contents of this pattern. You are welcome to sell the finished product made from this pattern, please credit the design to Boulette & Cie @boulette.et.cie on your social media posts and/or listings. Make sure you meet all safety standards and laws in your country when selling the finished product, Boulette & Cie is not liable for any finished items made from this pattern.

Materials

Yarn: Super bulky (weight 6) chenille yarn. I used Honey Bunny from Hobbii in:

❆ Oatmilk 03 – about 120g (skin)

❆ Tomato 40 – about 80g (red)

❆ White 01 – about 70g (white)

❆ White teddy/fluffy yarn for the pom pom (optional)

❆ White cotton yarn for sewing and black cotton yarn for embroidery (eyes)

Tools:

❆ Black embroidery thread or cotton yarn

❆ White & red cotton yarn for sewing 

❆ 5mm hook

❆ Fiberfill

❆ Tapestry needle

❆ Stitch marker  

Abbreviations

MR – magic ring

ST – stitch

SL ST – slip stitch

SC – single crochet

INC – increase

INC3 / INC4 – increase with 3 or 4 sc in the same st

DEC – decrease

RND – round

FO – fasten off

Head – Use skin color and a 5mm hook

Rnd 1) Ch 14, 12 sc, inc4, 11 sc, inc3 (30)

Rnd 2) 1 sc, 1 inc, 9 sc, (1 sc, 1 inc)x3, 9 sc, (1 sc, 1 inc)x2 (36)

Rnd 3) 2 sc, 1 inc, 9 sc, (2 sc, 1 inc)x3, 9 sc, (2 sc, 1 inc)x2 (42)

Rnd 4) 3 sc, 1 inc, 9 sc, (3 sc, 1 inc)x3, 9 sc, (3 sc, 1 inc)x2 (48)

Rnd 5) 4 sc, 1 inc, 9 sc, (4 sc, 1 inc)x3, 9 sc, (4 sc, 1 inc)x2 (54)

Rnd 6) 5 sc, 1 inc, 9 sc, (5 sc, 1 inc)x3, 9 sc, (5 sc, 1 inc)x2 (60)

Rnd 7) 6 sc, 1 inc, 9 sc, (6 sc, 1 inc)x3, 9 sc, (6 sc, 1 inc)x2 (66)

Rnd 8) 66 sc

Rnd 9) 7 sc, 1 inc, 9 sc, (7 sc, 1 inc)x3, 9 sc, (7 sc, 1 inc)x2 (72). 

Rnd 10) 8 sc, 1 inc, 9 sc, (8 sc, 1 inc)x3, 9 sc, (8 sc, 1 inc)x2 (78 )

Rnds 11 to 24) 78 sc (14 rnds)  

Rnd 25) (11 sc, 1 dec)x6 (72)

Rnd 26) 5 sc, 1 dec, (10 sc, 1 dec)x5, 5 sc (66)

Rnd 27) (9 sc, 1 dec)x6 (60)

Rnd 28) 4 sc, 1 dec, (8 sc, 1 dec)x5, 4 sc (54)

Rnd 29) (7 sc, 1 dec)x6 (48)

Rnd 30) 3 sc, 1 dec, (6 sc, 1 dec)x5, 3 sc (42)

Rnd 31) (5 sc, 1 dec)x6 (36)

Rnd 32) 2 sc, 1 dec, (4 sc, 1 dec)x5, 2 sc (30) Stuff firmly

Rnd 33) (3 sc, 1 dec)x6 (24)

Rnd 34) (2 sc, 1 dec)x6 (18)

Rnd 35) (1 sc, 1 dec)x6 (12) Finish stuffing

Rnd 36) 6 dec (6)

FO and weave in the end.

Hat – Use red and white yarn and a 5mm hook

Start with red.

Rnd 1) 6 sc in MR (6)

Rnds 2 & 3) 6 sc (2 rnds)

Rnd 4) (1 sc, 1 inc)x3 (9)

Rnd 5) 9 sc (9)

Rnd 6) (2 sc, 1 inc)x3 (12)

Rnd 7) 12 sc (12)

Rnd 8) (3 sc, 1 inc)x3 (15)

Rnd 9) 15 sc (15)

Rnd 10) (4 sc, 1 inc)x3 (18)

Rnd 11) 18 sc (18)

Rnd 12) (5 sc, 1 inc) x3 (21)

Rnd 13) 21 sc (21)

Rnd 14) (6 sc, 1 inc) x3 (24)

Rnd 15) 24 sc (24)

Rnd 16) (3 sc, 1 inc) x6 (30)

Rnd 17) (4 sc, 1 inc) x6 (36)

Rnd 18) (5 sc, 1 inc) x6 (42)

Rnds 19 & 20) 42 sc (2 rnds)

Rnd 21) 3 sc, 1 inc, 9 sc, (3 sc, 1 inc)x3, 9 sc, (3 sc, 1 inc)x2 (48)

Rnd 22) 48 sc (48)

Rnd 23) 4 sc, 1 inc, 9 sc, (4 sc, 1 inc)x3, 9 sc, (4 sc, 1 inc)x2 (54)

Rnd 24) 54 sc (54)

Rnd 25) 5 sc, 1 inc, 9 sc, (5 sc, 1 inc)x3, 9 sc, (5 sc, 1 inc)x2 (60)

Rnd 26) 60 sc (60)

Rnd 27) 6 sc, 1 inc, 9 sc, (6 sc, 1 inc)x3, 9 sc, (6 sc, 1 inc)x2 (66)

Rnd 28) 66 sc (66)

Rnd 29) 7 sc, 1 inc, 9 sc, (7 sc, 1 inc)x3, 9 sc, (7 sc, 1 inc)x2 (72)

Rnd 30) 72 sc (72)

Rnd 31-34) 72 sc (4 rnds)

Change to white

Rnd 35) BLO 72 sl st (72)

Rnd 36-38) 72 sc (3 rnds)

Rnd 39) 72 sl st (72)

Fasten off and weave in the ends.

Beard – Use white yarn and a 5mm hook

We are going to crochet 5 separate pieces and join them later.

Make 2

Rnd 1) 6 sc in MR (6)

Rnd 2) 6 inc (12)

Rnd 3) (1 sc, 1 inc)x6 (18)

Rnd 4) (2 sc, 1 inc)x6 (24)

Rnd 5) 24 sc (24)

Rnd 6) (2 sc, 1 dec)x6 (18)

Rnd 7) 18 sc (18)

FO and weave in tails.

Make 3

Rnd 1) 6 sc in MR (6)

Rnd 2) 6 inc (12)

Rnd 3) (1 sc, 1 inc)x6 (18)

Rnd 4) (2 sc, 1 inc)x6 (24)

Rnd 5) (3 sc, 1 inc)x6 (30)

Rnd 6) (4 sc, 1 inc)x6 (36)

Rnd 7) 36 sc (36)

Rnd 8) (4 sc, 1 dec)x6 (30)

Rnd 9) 30 sc (30). 

Rnd 10) (3 sc, 1 dec)x6 (24)

Rnd 11) 24 sc (24)

FO and weave in tails. 

DO NOT fasten off the last one, we’ll keep crocheting to join all the pieces.

Joining the pieces:

1) Leave the last piece on the hook, we’re going to join the 3 bigger pieces first. Insert the hook in the first st of the second piece and make 12 sc. Now, insert the the hook in the first st of the first piece, make 24 sc around it, 12 sc around the middle piece, 24 sc around the last piece. (72)

2) 24 sc (make sure you are exactly on the side, make a few extra sts or undo a few if necessary), we are going to join the two smaller pieces now: insert the hook in the first st of the piece and make 18 sc around it. Continue with 36 sc, add the 5th piece and make 18 sc around it, 12 sc. (108)

3) 88 sc (we won’t work the last 20 sts, this rnd should end exactly on the side. Adjust the number of sts if necessary).

4) Stuff the pieces lightly. Join both sides with 49 sc: flatten the beard and crochet on both sides at the same time.

5) Ch 1 & turn, 49 sc. Fasten off and weave in the tail if you’re sewing with cotton yarn. If not, leave a very long tail for sewing (at least 1m/40in)

Mustache – Use white yarn and a 5mm hook

Make 2

Rnd 1) 6 sc in MR (6) 

Rnd 2) 6 sc (6)

Rnd 3) (1 sc, 1 inc)x3 (9)

Rnd 4) 9 sc (9)

Rnd 5) (1 sc, 1 inc) x3, 3 sc (12) 

Rnd 6) (2 sc, 1 inc) x3, 3 sc (15)

Rnd 7) (3 sc, 1 inc) x3, 3 sc (18)

Rnd 8) 1 dec, 14 sc, 1 dec (16)

Rnd 9) 1 dec, 4 sc, (1 inc, 1 sc)x2, 1 inc, 5 sc (18)

Rnds 10-11) 18 sc (2 rnds)

Rnd 12) 1 sc, 1 dec, 9 sc, (1 sc, 1 dec)x2 (15)

Rnd 13) 1 sc, 1 dec, 6 sc, (1 sc, 1 dec)x2  (12) Stuff  

Rnd 14) 6 dec (6)

FO and leave a long tail for sewing. 

Nose – Use skin color and a 5mm hook

Rnd 1) 6 sc in MR (6)

Rnd 2) 6 inc (12)

Rnd 3) (1 sc, 1 inc)x6 (18)

Rnd 4) 18 sc (2 rnds)

Rnd 5) (1 sc, 1 dec)x6 (12)

FO and leave a long tail for sewing

Pompom – Use white yarn and a 5mm hook

Rnd 1) 6 sc in MR (6)

Rnd 2) 6 inc (12)

Rnd 3) (1 sc, 1 inc)x6 (18)

Rnds 4-5) 18 sc (2 rnds)

Rnd 6) (1 sc, 1 dec)x6 (12)

Rnd 7) 6 dec (6)

Sew pompom onto the first rnd of the hat. Fold the top of the hat and sew the pompom onto rnd 20 of the hat.

Assembly

HAT) Attach a long piece of white cotton yarn to the hat, we’re going to sew it onto the head using the sc loops from row 37, not the sl sts from the last round. 

Adjust the hat before sewing; the front will be between rnds 10-11 and on the back we will gradually go down a few rows as we sew. The middle of the back of the hat should be on rnd 18. Suff the hat lightly before you finish sewing it.

BEARD) Attach a long piece of white cotton yarn to the beard. Sew one end of the beard on the side of the head, it should touch the last rnd of the hat. Then, we will gradually go dow a few rows when sewing the side of the beard until we get to the middle of the face. The front of the beard should be between rnds 22-23 for about 10 sts, then we will gradually go up a few rows as we sew the other side of the beard all the way up to the edge of the hat. 

NOSE) Stuff the nose and sew it to the face. The top should be between rows 19-20 and the bottom between rows 21-22, there will be one row of skin color between the beard and the nose. 

MUSTACHE) Sew the first rnd of the mustache onto the side of the nose, on rnd 4. Sew the back of the mustache onto the face: choose a couple of random stitches on the face just so the mustache won’t move. Fasten off and hide the tails. 

EYEBROWS) Make 2 eyebrows with white yarn:

Ch 7, 6 sc, ch 1 & turn, 5 sc, 1 sl st. FO

Sew eyebrows onto the face, the top should be between rows 11-12 (there will be 1 rnd of skin color between the hat and the eyebrow), the bottom should be between rows 13-14. Make sure the eyebrows are aligned with the mustache. Leave 8 sts between the eyebrows. 

EYES) With black embroidery thread (double it) or black cotton yarn, embroider the eyes on the face. The inner corner should be 2 rows below the eyebrow, move two sts to the side and go up 1 row, then move 4 sts to the side and go dow 2 rows. Leave 7 sts between the eyes.

I hope you enjoyed making your Santa pillow 🎅🏻 I’ll be back soon with some Christmas ornaments ❤︎

Clarissa