Rudy, The Reindeer 🦌 Throw Pillow – Free Pattern

Hello crocheters! I’m back with another Christmas pillow pattern 🎄 There’s no Santa without the reindeers, right? 🦌❤︎

I also designed Rudy last year and some of you have been asking me if I was planning on posting the pattern here. So here he is, meet Rudy (if you haven’t already)! Another throw pillow friend to make your couch jolly and cozy for the Holidays.

I hope you’ll enjoy crocheting this little guy as much as I enjoy having him around the house this time of the year, my kids definitely love these throw pillows.

Notes

• Rudy measures about 35 cm (14 in) with recommended yarn and hook size
• Work in spirals, do not join rounds.
• This patter was designed by Boulette & Cie, it’s a FREE pattern. It’s prohibited to sell, alter, share or copy any parts of this pattern. You’re welcome to sell the finished product made from pattern. Please credit the designer in your posts on social media or listings.
• This pattern is written in U.S terminology.

Abbreviations

MR – magic ring

ST – stitch

SL ST – slip stitch

SC – single crochet

HDC – half double crochet

INC – increase

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

DEC – decrease

RND – round

Materials

Super bulky chenille yarn (weight 6) in:

🦌 Caramel (about 120g) Suggestion: Hobbii Honey Bunny 09

🦌 Dark brown (about 40g) Suggestion: Hobbii Honey Bunny 12

🦌 Beige (about 20g) Suggestion: Hobbii Honey Bunny 05

🦌 Red (less than 10g) Suggestion: Hobbii Honey Bunny 40

Thin plush yarn or 8/8 cotton yarn (for the eyes) in

🦌 Black

🦌 Brown

🦌 White 

(Very little quantity)

🦌 Black embroidery thread or cotton yarn

🦌 White & beige cotton yarn for sewing 

🦌 5MM & 3MM hooks

🦌 Stuffing

🦌 Tapestry needle

🦌 Stitch marker   

Happy Crocheting !

Head – use caramel (or light brown) & 5mm hook

Rnd 1) Ch 13, 11 sc, inc4, 10 sc, inc3 (28)

Rnd 2) 1 sc, 1 inc, 8 sc, (1 sc, 1 inc) x3, 8 sc, (1 sc, 1 inc)x2 (34)

Rnd 3) 1 sc, 1 inc, 11 sc, 1 inc, 3 sc, 1 inc, 13 sc, 1 inc, 2 sc (38)

Rnd 4) 1 sc, 1 inc, 13 sc, 1 inc, 3 sc, 1 inc, 15 sc, 1 inc, 2 sc (42)

Rnd 5) 42 sc

Rnd 6) 1 inc, 17 sc, 1 inc, 2 sc, 1 inc, 17 sc, 1 inc, 2 sc (46)

Rnd 7) 1 sc, 1 inc, 17 sc, 1 inc, 4 sc, 1 inc, 17 sc, 1 inc, 3 sc (50)

Rnd 8) 2 sc, 1 inc, 17 sc, 1 inc, 6 sc, 1 inc, 17 sc, 1 inc, 4 sc (54)

Rnd 9) 3 sc, 1 inc, 17 sc, 1 inc, 8 sc, 1 inc, 17 sc, 1 inc, 5 sc (58)

Rnd 10) 4 sc, 1 inc, 17 sc, 1 inc, 10 sc, 1 inc, 17 sc, 1 inc, 6 sc (62)

Rnds 11-14) 62 sc (4 rounds)

Rnd 15) 1 sc, 1 inc, 26 sc, 1 inc, 3 sc, 1 inc, 26 sc, 1 inc, 2 sc (66)

Rnd 16) 66 sc (66)

Rnd 17) (10 sc, 1 inc) x6 (72)

Rnd 18) (11 sc, 1 inc) x6 (78)

Rnds 19-24) 78 sc (6 rounds)

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

Rnd 26) (10 sc, 1 dec) x6 (66)

Rnds 27-28) 66 sc (2 rounds)

Rnd 29) (9 sc, 1 dec) x6 (60)

Rnd 30) (8 sc, 1 dec) x6 (54)

Rnd 31) (7 sc, 1 dec) x6 (48)

Rnd 32) (6 sc, 1 dec) x6 (42)

Rnd 33) (5 sc, 1 dec) x6 (36) start stuffing

Rnd 34) (4 sc, 1 dec) x6 (30)

Rnd 35) (3 sc, 1 dec) x6 (24)

Rnd 36) (2 sc, 1 dec)x6 (18)

Rnd 37) (1 sc, 1 dec) x6 (12) finish stuffing

Rnd 38) 6 dec (6)

Fasten off and weave in tail. 

Muzzle – use beige & 5mm hook

Rnd 1) 6 sc in MR

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 sc, 1 inc) x6, 9 sc (30)

Rnd 6) 3 sc, (2 sc, 1 inc) x6, 9 sc (36)

Rnds 7-8) 36 sc (2 rounds) 

1.  

Fasten off and weave in tail. If you prefer sewing with chenille yarn, then leave a long tail for sewing

Nose – use red & 5mm hook

Rnd 1) 6 sc in mr (6)

1. 6 inc (12)

3-4) 12 sc (2 rounds)

5) 6 dec (6)

Stuff firmly. Fasten off and leave a long tail for sewing. 

Antlers – make two, use dark brown & 5mm hook

Make a magic ring and leave a long beginning tail (you’ll need it later, don’t weave in) 

1st piece

Rnd 1) 5 sc in MR (5) 

Rnd 2) 5 inc (10)

Rnds 3-5) 10 sc (3 rounds)

Fasten off and weave in tail

2nd piece

Rnd 1) 5 sc in MR (5)

Rnd 2) 5 inc (10)

Rnds 3-7) 10 sc (5 rounds)

We are now going to join the two pieces to make an antler:

Rnd 8) insert hook in the first st of the first piece, 10 sc around the first piece, 10 sc around the second piece (20) 

Rnd 9) (1 sc, 1 dec) x5, 5 sc (15)

Rnd 10) (1 dec, 1 sc) x3, 6 sc (12)

Rnds 11 – 14) 12 sc (4 rounds)

Fasten off and leave a long tail for sewing. 

Using a tapestry needle and the beginning tail from the first piece, make a few whip stitches to close the hole from row 8 (where we joined both pieces). 

Repeat the process to make the second antler. 

Ears – make two, use caramel (light brown) & 5mm hook

Rnd 1)  6 sc in mr

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

Rnd 3) (2 sc, 1 inc) x3 (12)

Rnd 4) (3 sc, 1 inc) x3 (15)

Rnd 5) 15 sc (15)

Rnd 6) (4 sc, 1 inc) x3 (18)

Rnd 7) (5 sc, 1 inc) x3 (21)

Rnd 8) (6 sc, 1 inc) x3 (24)

Rnd 9) (3 sc, 1 inc) x6 (30)

Rnds 10-11) 30 sc (2 rounds)

Rnd 12) (3 sc, 1 dec) x6 (24)

Rnds 13 – 14) 24 sc (2 rounds)

Rnd 15) (2 sc, 1 dec) x6 (18)

Rnd 16) 18 sc

Flatten the ear and crochet on both sides at the same time to join them: make 9 sc. Fasten off and leave a long tail. Fold the ear and sew both ends together.

Repeat the process to make the second ear.

Eyes – use thin chenille yarn or 8/8 cotton yarn & a 3.5mm hook

To make the eyes you’ll need some thin plush yarn in black, brown and white. I used Happy Chenille by DMC. 

Start with black yarn:

Rnd 1) 6 sc in MR

Rnd 2) 6 inc (12) 

1.  

Change to brown:

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

Change to white:

Rnd 4) (2 hdc, 1 inc hdc) x6 (25)

1 sl st to close and fasten off. Hide all the tails.

The sl st at the end of the last row will be the bottom of the eye. Make a stitch between rows 1 & 2 using white yarn for the detail of the eyes. 

Using white cotton yarn, sew both eyes together in the middle in order to join them (about 4-5 sts, starting from the bottom) Do not sew all the way up. Leave a long tail. 

Assembly

We’re almost done! Let’s put this cutie together.

1) Sew the antlers on top of the head, between rows 1-2 and 3 sts apart.

2) Sew ears on the sides of the head, between rows 3-4

3) Sew the eyes on the middle of the face, the top should be between rows 10-11 and the bottom between rows 17-18. 

4) Sew the nose on the muzzle, between rows 1-2. Note that the increases of the muzzle from rows 5-6 should be at the top of the muzzle. Cut a long piece of beige cotton yarn and attach it to the muzzle. Sew the muzzle on the face. The top of the muzzle should be under the eyes, on the same row. The bottom of the muzzle should be between rows 28-29.

5) EYEBROWS: With the same color yarn you used for the head:

Ch6, starting in the 2nd ch from the hook, make 5 sc.

Fasten off. Repeat to make the second eyebrow. Sew only the chains to the head, not the sc. The first ch will be 1 row above the eye, the last chain will be 2 rows below, 1 row apart from the corner of the eye.

6) With black yarn or embroidery thread, make a little mouth next to the muzzle in the space of 5 rows. 

7) Cut a piece of beige plush yarn and make the details on the face, make horizontal lines in the space of 3 sts and 3 sts apart. Skip one row each time. You can also make little Vs instead of straight lines if you prefer.

Rudy is ready for Christmas! 🎄🦌

I hope you enjoyed making this project with me ❤︎ I’ll be back soon with more Christmas decorations ❆