This free Granny Stitch Gingerbread Crochet Pattern makes a flat buttercream ornament with a red outline, embroidered smile, and two round red buttons. The open granny stitch gives the arms, body, and legs their lacy texture.
Work the head and flat panels separately, then sew them together and crochet the red edging around the finished silhouette. Add a loop to hang it on the tree or leave the loop off for an appliqué.
Materials and Project Notes
- DK cotton in pale buttercream and red.
- 3 mm crochet hook, adjusted for your yarn.
- Tapestry needle, scissors, stitch markers, and rustproof pins.
This pattern uses US crochet terms and is suited to a confident beginner familiar with working into chain spaces. Finished size depends on yarn and tension. The recipe is an adaptation of the supplied reference. Stitch counts were checked on paper. A physical sample has yet to be crocheted. Follow the written directions for stitch counts.
Abbreviations
- ch = chain
- sl st = slip stitch
- sc = single crochet
- dc = double crochet
- st(s) = stitch(es)
- sp = space
- MR = magic ring
1. Make the Round Head
With buttercream, make an MR. Work the head in joined rounds. At the start of each round, ch 2 for height. The ch 2 does not count as a stitch.
Responsivo Post 01 – P1
- Round 1 — Work 12 dc into the MR, close the ring, and sl st to the first dc. (12 dc)
- Round 2 — Ch 2. Work 2 dc in each stitch, starting in the stitch at the join. Sl st to the first dc. (24 dc)
- Round 3— Ch 2. Starting in the stitch at the join, repeat 12 times. Sl st to the first dc. (36 dc)
Fasten off with a long tail for sewing. Keep the right side of the circle facing forward when assembling the ornament.
2. Crochet the Granny Stitch Panels
Use the instructions below for all five panels. The starting number of chain spaces sets the width. A group is 3 dc worked into the same space. The ch 3 at the start of each dc row counts as one dc.
- Torso, make 1 — Ch 22 for five foundation spaces. Work the foundation row and Rows 2–5.
- Arms, make 2 — Ch 10 for two foundation spaces. Work the foundation row and Rows 2–4. Turn each finished arm sideways for assembly.
- Legs, make 2 — Ch 10 for two foundation spaces. Work the foundation row and Rows 2–6.
Foundation row— Sc in the second ch from the hook. Repeat to the end. You will have five ch-3 spaces for the torso or two for each limb.
Row 2 — Ch 3 and turn. Work 3 dc in each ch-3 space, with ch 1 between groups. Dc in the final foundation-row sc. (Torso: 17 dc and 4 ch-1 spaces. Limbs: 8 dc and 1 ch-1 space.)
Rows 3 and 5— Ch 3 and turn. Dc in the first edge dc, in the same stitch where the turning chain begins. Work across. Ch 1, then work 2 dc in the top of the previous row’s turning ch 3. (Torso: 16 dc and 5 ch-1 spaces. Limbs: 7 dc and 2 ch-1 spaces.)
Rows 4 and 6 — Ch 3 and turn. Work 3 dc in each ch-1 sp, with ch 1 between groups. Dc in the top of the previous row’s turning ch 3. (Torso: 17 dc and 4 ch-1 spaces. Limbs: 8 dc and 1 ch-1 space.)
Fasten off each panel with a tail for sewing. If you want a rounder limb tip, use a few loose stitches in buttercream to fold each of its two outside corners slightly to the back before edging.
