Crack open the festive season with our fun nutcracker amigurumi. According to German folklore, nutcrackers are keepsakes that bring good luck to your family while protecting your home. We can’t think of a more perfect Christmas gift!
Skill Level: Easy
Size: 10.5”
Gauge: 3 sc = 1” [2.54 cm]
Materials
Yarn: Drops Cotton Paris (100% Cotton; 82 yards [75 meters]/50 grams): 20 Light Pink (A, 1 ball), 16 White (B, 1 ball), 15 Black (C, 1 ball), 28 Navy Blue (D, 2 balls), 37 Rusty Red (E, 1 ball)
Stylecraft Eskimo DK (100% Polyester; 98 yards [90 meters]/50 grams): 5006 Winter White (F, 1 ball)
Hook: US size 7 (4.5 mm)
Notions: Tapestry needle, tape measure, stitch markers, two 9mm blue eyes, black embroidery thread, six small wooden buttons, snowflake/star button (optional), blusher (optional)
Abbreviations
beg – beginning
ch(s) – chain(s)
rem – remain(ing)
rnd(s) – round(s)
sc – single crochet
sc2tog – single crochet 2 together
sl st – slip stitch
st(s) – stitch(es)
Special Stitches
Surface Crochet
Start by attaching a slip knot to the back of the crochet area then from the front of the work, insert your hook into the stitch nearby and start working chain stitches on the surface of your crocheted area, continue to work in this way according to the design.
Bo (Bobble Stitch)
*Yo, insert hook in indicated st, pull up a loop; rep from * 3 more times (9 loops on hook), yo, pull through all loops on hook, continue with the next st as normal.
Pattern Notes
All parts are worked in continuous rnds without joining. Place the stitch marker in the top of the first st to mark start of rnd.
Blusher used in this pattern is just from normal make up.
Pattern
Nose
Rnd 1: With A, make a magic ring (adjustable ring), work 5 sc into ring, use yarn tail to tighten center ring closed. (5 sts)
Rnds 2-3: Sc in each st around. (5 sts)
Fasten off with sl st to next st, leaving a long tail for sewing. (5 sts)
Stuff lightly.
Teeth
Row 1: With B, ch 4, sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each st to end, turn. (3 sts)
Row 2: Ch 1 (doesn’t count as a st), sc in each st to end. (3 sts)
Fasten off leaving a long tail for sewing. (3 sts)
With black embroidery thread embroider on some lines for teeth
Moustache
Row 1: With C, ch 14, sl st in 2nd ch from hook, sc in next st, hdc in next st, dc in next st, 2 dc in next st, sc in next st, sl st in next st, sc in next st, 2 dc in next st, dc in next st, hdc in next st, sc in next st, sl st in last st.
Fasten off leaving a long tail for sewing.
Head
Rnd 1: With A, make a magic ring (adjustable ring), work 6 sc into the ring, use yarn tail to tighten center ring closed. (6 sts)
Rnd 2: *Work 2 sc in each st to end of rnd. (12 sts)
Rnd 3: *Sc in next st, 2 sc in next st; rep from * to end of rnd. (18 sts)
Rnd 4: *Sc in next 2 sts, 2 sc in next st; rep from * to end of rnd. (24 sts.)
Rnd 5: *Sc in next 3 sts, 2 sc in next st; rep from * to end of rnd. (30 sts)
Rnds 6-13: Sc in each st around. (30 sts)
Fasten off, leaving a long tail.
Note: Insert eyes between Rnds 6-7 approx. 5 sts apart.
Sew on nose between the eyes on Rnds 7-8.
With black embroidery thread, add Eyebrows above each eye.
Sew on Moustache beneath Nose.
Sew on Mouth beneath Moustache.
Stuff Head.
Hat
Rnds 1-5: With D, work same as Head. (30 sts)
Rnds 6-16: Sc in each st around. (30 sts)
Fasten off, leaving a long tail.
Sew snowflake/star button onto Hat (optional).
Stuff Hat.
Attach Hat to Head
Body
Rnds 1-5: With E, work same as Head. (30 sts)
Rnd 6: *Sc in next 4 sts, 2 sc in next st; rep from * to end of rnd. (36 sts)
Rnds 7-17: Sc in each st around. (36 sts)
Fasten off. Weave in ends.
Rnd 18: Attach D to any st, sc in each st around. (36 sts)
Rnds 19-22: Sc in each st around. (36 sts)
With D, surface crochet 10 sts on Rnds 9, 12, and 15 of Body
Add a button onto the start and finishing st of your surface crocheted lines.
Rnd 23: *Sc in next 4 sts, sc2tog in next st; rep from * to end of rnd. (30 sts)
Rnd 24: *Sc in next 3 sts, sc2tog in next st; rep from * to end of rnd. (24 sts)
Rnd 25: *Sc in next 2 sts, sc2tog in next st; rep from * to end of rnd. (18 sts)
Stuff Body.
Rnd 26: *Sc in next st, sc2tog in next st; rep from * to end of rnd. (12 sts)
Rnd 26: *Sc2tog; rep from * to end of rnd. (6 sts)
With yarn tail, sew up the rem 6 sts.
Fasten off. Weave in ends.
Hands and Arms (make 2)
Notes: Stuff Arms as you go, leaving the upper half of Arm unstuffed. The hands are worked first.
Rnd 1: With A, make a magic ring, work 6 sc into ring. (6 sts)
Rnd 2: *Sc in next st, 2 sc in next st; rep from * to end of rnd. (9 sts)
Rnds 3: Sc in each st around.
Rnd 4: Sc in next 4 sts, Bo in next st, sc in rem 4 sts (the Bo creates a thumb).
Rnd 5: Sc in each st around.
Fasten off. Weave in ends.
Rnd 6: Attach E to any st, sc in each st. (9 sts)
Rnds 7-11: Sc in each st. (9 sts)
Rnd 12: *Sc in next st, sc2tog: rep from * to end of rnd. (6 sts)
Fasten off, leaving a long tail.
Epaulettes (make 2)
Row 1: With D, ch 6, sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each st to end, turn. (5 sts)
Rows 2-4: Ch 1, sc in same st as the beg ch and in each st to end of row, turn. (5 sts)
Fasten off, leaving a long tail.
Beard
Row 1: With A and F held together, ch 4, 2 hdc in 4th ch from hook, turn. (3 sts)
Row 2: Ch 2, hdc in next st, hdc in last st, turn. (3 sts)
Row 3: Ch 2, hdc in same st as beg ch, hdc in next st, 2 hdc in last st, turn. (5 sts)
Fasten off, leaving a long tail.
Hair
Note: Ch 1 at beg of row doesn’t count as a st.
Row 1: With A and F held together, ch 21, sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each st to end. (20 sts)
Row 2: Ch 1, 2 sc in same st as beg ch, sc in each st to last st, 2 sc in last st, turn. (22 sts)
Row 3: Ch 1, sc in same st as beg ch, sc in each st to end, turn. (22 sts)
Row 4: Rep Row 2. (24 sts)
Row 5: Ch 1, sc in same st as beg ch, sc in each st to end, turn. (24 sts)
Row 6: Ch 1, sc in same st as beg ch, sc in the next 7 sts, hdc in the next 8 sts, sc in rem 8 sts. (24 sts)
Fasten off, leaving a long tail.
Making up
Attach Head onto Body.
Sew on Beard below Teeth.
Attach Hair around the Head just below the bottom of the Hat.
Attach the Arms onto either side of Body.
Sew Epaulettes onto the top of Arms.
Add blusher to the cheeks (optional)
I can’t wait to start this Nutcracker
Hi Lisa! We hope you enjoy crocheting him! Would love to see how he turns out. 🙂
– Nicola, Editor
I just loved the Nutcracker. It wasn’t to bad to make thought it would be but not at all. Thank you for sharing the pattern.
I just love this pattern, so, I am going to start making him today. Hopefully I will get him finished before Christmas. I have arthritis in both my hands so I am pretty slow.