Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer Free Crochet Pattern

🎶 Rudolph the red nosed reindeer, had a very shiny nose! 🎶

This Christmas season, make that special child in your life smile and giggle with a Rudolph the red nosed reindeer amigurumi doll, made with love by you! And he's very kid friendly, with eyes made of soft felt, so there are no small parts to worry about. And since he's snuggly soft and measures just 11 inches tall, I'm sure you'll find that he'll be a frequent companion wherever you go.

Jump to:

• 🧶 Materials
• 🧷 Stitch markers
• 📏 Finished size
• ⭐ Notes
• 🪝 Crochet abbreviations for this pattern
• 📝 Pattern
• 🦌 Putting Rudolph together and finishing touches

Everyone loves Rudolph! After Santa Claus, he's practically the mascot of Christmas!

This Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer free crochet pattern uses simple stitches like the single, half-double, double, and treble crochet. If you'd like to review those stitches before beginning this project, just check out my tutorial videos on our YouTube channel.

🧶 Materials

• Approximately 200 yards of #4 medium yarn in medium brown (I used Red Heart Soft yarn in Toast, but use any brand you like)
• Small amounts of yarn in dark brown, white or cream, and red
• Felt in white or cream, dark brown, and black
• D-3 / 3.25-mm hook
• FiberFil stuffing
• Scissors
• Yarn needle
• Stitch markers

🧷 Stitch markers

Stitch markers will come in handy for multiple steps throughout making this amigurumi doll. As most parts are worked in-the-round, you'll find it handy to place a stitch marker at the beginning of each "row" so you'll know when you've made a complete circle (unless you want to count every single stitch, which I certainly don't want to do).

Also, stitch markers will come in handy when you're assembling the finished piece. See "Putting Rudolph together" at the bottom of this pattern.

📏 Finished size

Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer measures approximately 11″ tall in a seated position.

⭐ Notes

• All instructions, abbreviations, and materials in this pattern are given in US terminology.
• For this project, we will work “in-the-round,” meaning that you will not slip stitch at the end of each row, but will continue working continuously around. However, in most cases, for each row, I've included the number of stitches that should be in each row at the end, in parentheses.
• For a reminder of how to do increase (inc) and decrease (dec) stitches, watch my crochet pumpkin video, for instruction.
• The head and body will be crocheted together as one piece. All other parts will be crocheted separately. At the end of the pattern, you’ll use a yarn needle to sew the arms, legs, ears, antlers, muzzle, nose, and tail onto the body (there is no tutorial for this part…it’s just a simple whip stitch). Likewise, as you may want different eyes than I have done, there is no tutorial for that. Simply cut out the felt shapes and stitch them onto the head using regular thread, one layer at a time.

🪝 Crochet abbreviations for this pattern

• st – stitch
• ch – chain
• ch st – chain stitch
• sc – single crochet
• hdc – half-double crochet
• dc – double crochet
• tr – treble crochet
• sl st – slip stitch
• (inc) – increase; perform two stitches in the same space/stitch
• (dec) – decrease; see “notes” above
• sc2tog – single crochet 2 stitches together; this is a decrease

📝 Pattern

Head and body

Foundation: Magic Circle/Ring: 6 sc

Row 1: 2 sc in each st (12)

Row 2: 2 sc in each st (24)

Row 3: *Sc in next 2 st, 2 sc (inc) in next st*; repeat from * to * all the way around (31)

Row 4: Sc in each st around (31)

Row 5: *Sc in next 3 st, 2 sc (inc) in next st*; repeat from * to * all the way around (38)

Row 6: Sc in each st around (38)

Row 7: *Sc in next 4 st, 2 sc (inc) in next st*; repeat from * to * all the way around (45)

Row 8: *Sc in next 5 st, 2 sc (inc) in next st*; repeat from * to * all the way around (52)

Row 9: *Sc in next 6 st, 2 sc (inc) in next st*; repeat from * to * all the way around (59)

Rows 10-21: Sc in each st x 12 rows (59)

Row 22: *Sc in next 5 st, dec (sc2tog)*; repeat from * to * all the way around (51)

Row 23: Sc in each st around (51)

Row 24: *Sc in next 4 st, dec (sc2tog)*; repeat from * to * all the way around (43)

Rows 25 & 26: Sc in each st around x 2 rows (43)

Row 27: Sc in next 3 st, dec (sc2tog); repeat from * to * all the way around (35)

Rows 28 & 29: Sc in each st around x 2 rows (35)

Row 30: *Sc in next 3 st, dec (sc2tog)*; repeat from * to * all the way around (28)

Rows 31 & 32: Sc in each st around x 2 rows (28)

STUFF BODY AT THIS POINT

Row 33: *Sc in next 3 st, dec (sc2tog)*; repeat from * to * all the way around (23)

Row 34: Sc in each st around (23)

Row 35: *Sc in next 2 stitches, 2 sc (inc) in next st*; repeat from * to * all the way around (28)

Row 36: *Sc in next st, 2 sc (inc) in next st*; repeat from * to * all the way around (42)

Row 37: Sc in each st around (42)

Row 38: *Sc in next 2 stitches, 2 sc (inc) in next st*; repeat from * to * all the way around (56)

Rows 39-41: Sc in each st around x 3 rows (56)

Row 42: *Sc in next st, 2 sc (inc) in next st*; repeat from * to * all the way around (67)

Rows 43-50: Sc in each st around x 8 rows (67)

Row 51: *Sc in next 35 st, then sc, sc, dec (sc2tog)*; repeat from * to * all the way around (59)

Row 52: *Sc in next 35 st, then sc, sc, dec (sc2tog)*; repeat from * to * all the way around (54)

Rows 53-58: Sc in each st around x 6 rows (54)

Row 59: *Sc in next 5 st, dec (sc2tog)*; repeat from * to * all the way around (46)

Row 60: *Sc in next 4 st, dec (sc2tog)*; repeat from * to * all the way around (39)

Row 61: Sc in each st around (39)

Row 62: *Sc in next 3 st, dec (sc2tog)*; repeat from * to * all the way around (32)

STUFF HEAD AT THIS POINT

Row 63: Sc in each st around (32)

Row 64: *Sc in next 2 st, dec (sc2tog)*; repeat from * to * all the way around (24)

Row 65: *Sc in next st, inc in next st*; repeat from * to * all the way around (16)

Row 66: *Sc in next st, inc in next st*; repeat from * to * all the way around (11)

Row 67: Dec, dec, dec, then sew closed

Arms (make 2)

Foundation: Starting with dark brown yarn, Magic Circle/Ring: 6 sc

Row 1: 2 sc in each st (12)

Rows 2 & 3: Sc in each st around x 2 rows (12)

Rows 4-10:  Switch color at beginning of row 4; sc in each st around x 7 rows (12)

Row 11: *Sc in next 4 st, then dec (sc2tog)*; repeat from * to * all the way around (10)

Rows 12-17: Sc in each st around x 6 rows (10)

Stuff, sew together, knot off, and leave a long tail of yarn to sew to body

Legs (make 2)

Foundation: Starting with dark brown yarn, Magic Circle/Ring: 6 sc

Row 1: 2 sc in each st (12)

Row 2: *Sc in next st, 2 sc (inc) in next st*; repeat from * to * all the way around (18)

Rows 3 & 4: Sc in each st x 2 rows (18)

Rows 5-10: Sc in each st x 6 rows (18)

Row 11: *Sc in next 4 st, dec (sc2tog)*; repeat from * to * all the way around (15)

Row 12: Sc in each st around (15)

Row 13: *Sc in next 3 st, dec (sc2tog)*; repeat from * to * all the way around (12)

Row 14: Sc in each st around (12)

Stuff, sew together, knot off, and leave a long tail of yarn to sew to body

Muzzle

Row 1: Ch 4

Row 2: Ch 1 (as turning st), sc in next 3 st, turn (4)

Row 3: Ch 1, sc in next 3 st, then 3 sc in stitch at end of row, then continue working around to the other side (work in-the-round) with sc in next 3 st, then 3 sc in stitch at end of row - this should make an oval shape (12)

Row 4: Sc in next 4 st, 2 sc in next st (inc), sc in next 4 st, 2 sc in next st (inc), sc in next 2 st (14)

Row 5: *Sc in next st, 2 sc in next st (inc)*; repeat from * to * all the way around (21)

Row 6: *Sc in next st, 2 sc in next st (inc)*; repeat from * to * all the way around (31)

Row 7: Sc in each st around (31)

Row 8: Sc in next 9 st, 2 sc in next st (inc), sc, inc, sc, inc, sc in next 9 st, inc, sc, inc, sc, inc, sc in next 3 st (37)

Row 9: Sc in next 10 st, 2 sc in next st (inc), sc, inc, sc, inc, sc in next 13 st, inc, sc, inc, sc, inc, sc in next 4 st (43)

Row 10: Sc in each st around (43)

Sl st at end and pull long tail of yarn through to sew to head

Nose 

Foundation: Magic Circle/Ring: 6 sc

Row 1: Sc in each st (12)

Row 2: *Sc in next 2 st, 2 sc in next st (inc)*; repeat from * to * all the way around (16)

Rows 3 & 4: Sc in each st x 2 rows (16)

Row 5: *Sc in next 2 st, dec (sc2tog)*; repeat from * to * all the way around (12)

Row 6: Dec, dec, dec, dec, dec, dec, then sew closed

Sl st at end and pull long tail of yarn through to sew onto muzzle

Outer ears (make 2)

Foundation: Magic Circle/Ring: 6 sc

Row 1: *Sc in next st, 2 sc in next st (inc)*; repeat from * to * all the way around (9)

Row 2: *Sc in next 2 st, 2 sc in next st (inc)*; repeat from * to * all the way around (12)

Row 3: *Sc in next 3 st, 2 sc in next st (inc)*; repeat from * to * all the way around (15)

Row 4: *Sc in next 4 st, 2 sc in next st (inc)*; repeat from * to * all the way around (18)

Rows 5-7: Sc in each st around x 3 rows (18)

Inner ears (make 2)

Row 1: Ch 6

Row 2: Ch 1, sc in next 5 st, turn (6)

Row 3: Sc in 2nd st from hook, sc in next 3 st, turn (4)

Row 4: Sc in 2nd st from hook, sc in next 2 st, turn (3)

Row 5: Sc in 2nd st from hook, sc in next st (2)

Row 6: Sc in 2nd st from hook (1)

Sl st at end and pull long tail of yarn through, to stitch to front of ear

Top of tail

Row 1: Using brown yarn, ch 8

Row 2: Ch 1, sc in next 6 st, then 3 sc in last st (10)

Row 3: Continue working around to the other side (work in-the-round) with sc in next 8 st, then hdc, dc, tr, dc, hdc, sc, sc, sc, hdc, dc, tr, dc, hdc, sc, sc, sc

Sl st at end and pull long tail of yarn through to sew onto body

Underside of tail

Row 1: Using white or cream yarn, ch 6

Row 2: Ch 1, sc in next 4 st, then 3 sc in last st (8)

Row 3: Continue working around to the other side (work in-the-round) with sc in next 7 st, then hdc, dc, tr, dc, hdc, sc, sc, sc, hdc, dc, tr, dc, hdc, sc, sc

Sl st at end and pull long tail of yarn through to sew onto tail

Main antlers (make 2)

Foundation: Magic Circle/Ring: 6 sc

Rows 1-12: Work in-the-round - 8 sc in each st all the way around x 12 rows.

Stuff, sew together, knot off, and leave a long tail of yarn to sew to body

Mini-antlers (make 4)

Foundation: Magic Circle/Ring: 6 sc

Rows 1-4: Work in-the-round - 4 sc in each st all the way around x 4 rows.

Leave a long tail of yarn and sew to main antler

Scarf

Foundation: Ch 54, turn

Row 1: Ch 1, sc in each st, turn (54)

Row 2: Ch 2, dc in each st, turn (54)

Row 3: Ch 1, sc in each st (54)

Add fringe: Cut several pieces of yarn to the same length (approx 5" long). Fold in half, pull folded loop through a stitch at the end of the scarf, and pass tails through the loop. When all pieces are attached, lay flat and cut ends to equal length. Repeat for both ends.

🦌 Putting Rudolph together and finishing touches

At the end of the pattern, you’ll use a yarn needle to sew the arms, legs, ears, antlers, muzzle, nose, and tail onto the body (there is no tutorial for this part…it’s just a simple whip stitch). Likewise, as you may want different eyes than I have done, there is no tutorial for that. Simply cut out the felt shapes and stitch them onto the face using regular thread, one layer at a time.

⭐ Tip: Place each body part (arms, legs, ears, etc) onto the body and attach with stitch markers. This way, you can see that they're exactly where you want them before beginning to sew them on.

Tail: Sew white part of tail onto underside of brown part, being careful to make sure stitches don't go all the way through, so you don't see the contrasting color on the other side. Then, sew tail onto body using brown yarn.

Muzzle and nose: Sew nose onto muzzle first. Then, place muzzle on face and begin to sew it on with white/cream yarn. When you're about halfway through, stuff with FiberFil and then finish sewing.

Belly: I used two pieces of cream-colored felt for the belly (one piece was too thin and you could see through it a bit). I then sewed it onto the body using cream-colored yarn, with a running stitch.

Eyes: For the eyes, I used white, dark brown, and black felt. This takes some trial and error to get the sizes and shapes cut out just right. I then sewed them onto the face using regular thread, one layer at a time.

Ears: Fold the ears flat, so that they form a triangle shape. Sew the white inner ear onto the brown outer ear, being careful to make sure stitches don't go all the way through, so you don't see the contrasting color on the other side. Then, fold the base of the ears in slightly, to give them a slightly curved appearance, and sew onto head with brown yarn.

Antlers: Sew onto top of head, just above the ears, using dark brown yarn.

Scarf: The scarf can be kept as a separate piece, or attached to the body in a few places using red yarn.

Merry Christmas! 🎅🎄

Love crochet? Check out my other fun crochet projects:

• Santa Hat Crochet Pattern
• Mazie the Amigurumi Cat
• Crochet Pocket Shawl
• Easy Chunky Scarf
• 2-Hour Slouch Hat
• Little Bear Amigurumi
• Polar Bear Baby Stuffed Animal
• Crochet Market Bag
• Quick & Easy Pet Bed

Did you make this Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer amigurumi? Let us know in the comments below!

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