Elf on a shelf is a lovely Christmas tradition, which keeps holiday magic alive and in this post you will find a free pattern for classic crochet elf on a shelf.
We are going to start making our crochet elf on a shelf from legs, which will have black boots and stripy red and white pattern afterwards.
Next, we will be making our arms. Bottom of our arms will be made out of body colour yarn, which you can pick whenever colour you want and then sleeves will be made out of red yarn – same colour as most of our body.
Following, we will make our collar out of white yarn. It’s important that collar is made before main body as collar will be attached to our neck. We are going to sew it on our neck before stuffing and finishing our head.
Main body will be made mainly out of red yarn, but in the middle we will insert a few rows of black yarn – it will be our belt. Head and body will be one crochet piece, so you don’t have to worry about attaching head to the body. At the end, when we are going to assemble our crochet elf on the shelf we are going to embroider our belt buckle with yellow yarn.
Finally, our hat. Hat will be made out of red yarn and only last row will be white. As well we will attach little jingle bell to the top of our hat, to make it Christmassy jingle.
Assembly will be the last step, where we are going to have a bit of embroidery and sewing to do.
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost to you, I will earn commissions if you click through and make purchase.
Tools and materials required:
- 2.5mm crochet hook (look at these lovely crochet hooks on Amazon 😊)
- Approximately 20g of red DK yarn (I used this red DK yarn from Amazon)
- Approximately 10g of black DK yarn (I used this black DK yarn from Amazon)
- Approximately 5g of white DK yarn (I used this white DK yarn from Amazon)
- Approximately 15g of body colour DK yarn (I used this cream DK yarn from Amazon)
- Some yellow yarn embroidery (I used this yellow DK yarn from Amazon)
- 8mm safety eyes (you can buy them from Amazon here)
- Toy stuffing (grab it from Amazon)
- Scissors (look at these scissors on Amazon)
- Tapestry needle (look at these on Amazon)
- Silver aluminium jingle bell (I’ve been using these from Amazon)
- Sewing pins (grab some from Amazon 😊)
Abbreviations:
CH – chain
ST – stitch
SC – single crochet
INC – increase
DEC – decrease
HDC – half double crochet
DC – double crochet
TR – treble crochet
SL ST – slip stitch
As well I have Youtube tutorial for this crochet Elf on a shelf, which consists out of two parts, Part 1:
And, Part 2:
Crochet Elf on a shelf Legs
Make 2 legs starting from boots.
Start with black colour and crochet in continuous circles.
Begin with chain 7 st and start crocheting from ch 2 (work in continuous circles):
Round 1: sc in next 5 st, 3 sc into the last stitch, turn chain around: sc in next 5 st, 3 sc into the last stitch [16]
Round 2: sc into next 5 st, (inc) repeat 3 times, sc into next 5 st, (inc) repeat 3 times [22]
Boot after finishing round 2:
Round 3-4: sc in next 22 st [22]
Round 5: sc in next 4 st, (dec) repeat 2 times, hdc, dc, hdc, (dec) repeat 2 times, sc in next 7 st [18]
Round 6: sc in next 4 st, dec, hdc, dc, hdc, dec, sc in next 7 st [16]
Round 7: sc in next 4 st, (dec) repeat 3 times, sc in next 6 st [13]
Round 8: sc in next 4 st, dec, sc in next 7 st [12]
Boot after finishing round 8:
Round 9: sc in each st [12]
Change yarn to red colour.
Round 10-11: sc in each st [12]
Leg after finishing 11 rounds:
Change yarn to white colour.
Round 12-13: sc in each st [12]
Now it’s time for a bit of stuffing. Stuff our boot with toy filling – only bottom of our leg needs stuffing, rest of the leg stays empty.
Change yarn to red colour.
Round 14-15: sc in each st [12]
Change yarn to white colour.
Round 16-17: sc in each st [12]
Change yarn to red colour.
Round 18-19: sc in each st [12]
Change yarn to white colour.
Round 20-21: sc in each st [12]
Change yarn to red colour.
Round 22-23: sc in each st [12]
Change yarn to white colour.
Round 24-25: sc in each st [12]
Change yarn to red colour.
Round 26-27: sc in each st [12]
Change yarn to white colour.
Round 28-29: sc in each st [12]
Change yarn to red colour.
Round 30-31: sc in each st [12]
Change yarn to white colour.
Round 32-33: sc in each st [12]
Change yarn to red colour.
Round 34-35: sc in each st [12]
Finish off with sl st and leave long tail for sewing.
Legs after finishing:
Crochet Elf on a shelf Collar
Collar is made out of white yarn.
Start with ch of 14 st and join chain in the circle with sl st.
Round 1: ch 1, (inc) repeat 14 times, finish off with sl st into ch 1 from the beginning of our round [28]
Collar after finishing round 1:
Round 2: ch 1, (dc, tr, ch 2, now you need to make a slip stitch to form a Picot Point, so insert hook into second chain from hook and yarn over, pull yarn through stitch, then through the chain on your hook, complete Picot Point with dc in next st and sc in the following st) repeat 7 times, finish round with sl st into first ch of this round [28]
Collar after finishing round 2:
Finish off with sl st and leave tail for sewing.
Crochet Elf on a shelf Arms
Make 2 hands.
Start with your preferred body colour and work in continuous circles.
Round 1: 5 sc into magic circle [5]
Round 2: (inc) repeat 5 times [10]
Round 3-5 (3 rounds): sc in next 10 st [10]
Round 6: (sc next 3 st, dec) repeat 2 times [8]
Round 7: sc in next 8 st [8]
Now it’s time for a bit of stuffing. Stuff bottom of our arm with toy filling – only bottom of our arm needs stuffing, the rest stays empty.
Change yarn to red colour.
Round 8-25 (18 rounds): sc in next 8 st [8]
Finish off with sl st and leave long tail for sewing.
Picture of finished hands:
Crochet Elf on a shelf main body
Start crocheting with red yarn.
Begin with chain 13 st and start crocheting from ch 2 (work in continuous circles):
Round 1: sc in next 11 st, 3 sc into the last stitch, turn chain around: sc in next 11 st, 3 sc into the last stitch [28]
Round 2: sc into next 11 st, (inc) repeat 3 times, sc into next 11 st, (inc) repeat 3 times [34]
Round 3-7 (5 rounds): sc in next 34 st [34]
Crochet elf on a shelf body after round 4:
Change yarn to black colour.
Round 8-10 (3 rounds): sc in next 34 st [34]
Change yarn to red colour.
Round 11-12 (2 rounds): sc in next 34 st [34]
Body after round 11:
Round 13: (dec, sc in next 15 st) repeat 2 times [32]
Round 14: sc in next 32 st [32]
Round 15: (sc in next 14 st, dec) repeat 2 times [30]
Body after round 15:
Round 16: (sc in next 8 st, dec) repeat 3 times [27]
Round 17: sc in next 27 st [27]
Round 18: (sc in next 7 st, dec) repeat 3 times [24]
Round 19: sc in next 24 st [24]
Round 20: (sc in next 6 st, dec) repeat 3 times [21]
Round 21: sc in next 21 st [21]
Round 22: (dec) repeat 7 times, sc in next 7 [14]
Round 23: sc in next 5 st, (dec) repeat 2 times, sc in next 5 st [12]
Body after finishing round 23:
Stuff body with toy filling and change yarn to your preferred body colour.
Round 24-26 (3 rounds): sc in next 12 st [12]
Body after finishing round 26:
Round 27: (sc, inc) repeat 6 times [18]
Round 28: (sc in next 2 st, inc) repeat 6 times [24]
Round 29: (sc in next 3 st, inc) repeat 6 times [30]
Round 30: (sc in next 4 st, inc) repeat 6 times [36]
Now, put collar on the neck of our elf. Get tapestry needle with white yarn (same yarn that we used for making this collar) and stitch collar to the neck, so it’s attached and not moving anywhere.
Body after finishing round 30 and with collar on:
Round 31-36 (6 rounds): sc in next 36 st [36]
Now insert eyes between round 32 and 34, 6 stitches apart:
Round 37: (sc in next 4 st, dec) repeat 6 times [30]
Round 38: (sc in next 3 st, dec) repeat 6 times [24]
Round 39: (sc in next 2 st, dec) repeat 6 times [18]
Stuff with toy filling as much as required.
Round 40: (sc in next 1 st, dec) repeat 6 times [12]
Round 41: (dec) repeat 6 times [6]
Using tapestry needle close remaining 6 stitches, finish off with a few knots and hide the end inside of the head.
Crochet Elf on a shelf Hat
Round 1: 4 sc into a magic circle [4]
Round 2: (sc in next st, inc) repeat 2 times [6]
Round 3: sc in next 6 st [6]
Round 4: (sc in next 2 st, inc) repeat 2 times [8]
Round 5: sc in next 8 st [8]
Round 6: (sc in next 3 st, inc) repeat 2 times [10]
Round 7: sc in next 10 st [10]
Round 8: (sc in next 4 st, inc) repeat 2 times [12]
Round 9: sc in next 12 st [12]
Round 10: (sc in next 5 st, inc) repeat 2 times [14]
Round 11: sc in next 14 st [14]
Round 12: (sc in next 6 st, inc) repeat 2 times [16]
Round 13: sc in next 16 st [16]
Hat picture after finishing round 13:
Round 14: (sc in next 7 st, inc) repeat 2 times [18]
Round 15: sc in next 18 st [18]
Round 16: (sc in next 8 st, inc) repeat 2 times [20]
Round 17: (sc in next 9 st, inc) repeat 2 times [22]
Round 18: sc in next 5 st, inc, sc in next 10 st, inc, sc in next 5 st [24]
Round 19: (sc in next 11 st, inc) repeat 2 times [26]
Round 20: sc in next 6 st, inc, sc in next 12 st, inc, sc in next 6 st [28]
Round 21: (sc in next 13 st, inc) repeat 2 times [30]
Round 22: sc in next 7 st, inc, sc in next 14 st, inc, sc in next 7 st [32]
Round 23: (sc in next 15 st, inc) repeat 2 times [34]
Round 24: sc in next 8 st, inc, sc in next 16 st, inc, sc in next 8 st [36]
Round 25: (sc in next 17 st, inc) repeat 2 times [38]
Round 26: sc in next next 38 st [38]
Change yarn to white colour.
Round 27: sc in next next 38 st [38]
Finish off with sl st and hide they yarn ends Using tapestry needle and red yarn attach the jingle bell to the pointing end of our hat.
Finished crochet elf on a shelf hat:
Crochet Elf on a shelf Ears
Ears will be made out of the same colours as our head.
Work in continuous circles.
Round 1: 4 sc into a magic circle [4]
Round 2: (sc, inc) repeat 2 times [6]
Round 3: (sc in next 2 st, inc) repeat 2 times [8]
Round 4-5: sc in next 8 st [8]
Put both sides of our ear together where opening is and sl st or sc through both sides connecting them together and closing an opening.
Finish with sl st and leave long tail for sewing.
Finished ears:
Crochet Elf on a shelf assembly
Step 1: Using tapestry needle and long tail from arm, start attaching arms to the main body. Attach arms approximately 7-8 stitches apart, just straight below collar.
Step 2: Using tapestry needle and yellow yarn embroider the belt buckle as shown in the picture bellow:
Step 3: Using tapestry needle and long tail from leg, start attaching legs to the bottom of main body. Use pins to attach legs to the body first. Attach legs approximately 2 stitches apart, as shown in the picture below.
Step 4: Using tapestry needle and brown yarn embroider hair for our elf as shown in the picture below:
Step 5: Using tapestry needle attach ears. Ears are attached approximately between rounds 32-34 and 4-5 stitches way from each eye. Next, embroider nose with the same colour yarn as our head. Afterwards, using tapestry needle and black yarn embroider a smile. Your final result should look similar to the picture below:
Step 6: Using tapestry needle and red yarn (or glue gun) attach hat to the head, so it’s not falling off.
And that’s it, our crochet Elf on a shelf is complete 😊
