Free Crochet Amigurumi Pattern - Santa's Sack & Christmas Gift Decorations

After making my Christmas Santa Amigurumi Pattern, I decided there was one important thing missing...Santa's Christmas Sack! So I came up with this pattern to crochet Santa's sack and minuature giftboxes to fill your sack too.

This is a really easy pattern and you should be able to finish it in one night. I made these as decorations to sit around our shop, but you could also add loops and hang these little decorations from your Christmas tree.

Materials
Dk 8 ply yarn in your chosen Christmas colours
4mm hook
Polyfill
Cardboard - to help maintain shape of gift boxes.

This pattern is written with US terminology. Work in continuous rounds. The weight of yarn and hook size are a guide only. Pattern gauge is not important. If you change the weight and hook size, just keep in mind your sack and gift boxes may be larger or smaller than mine. Using the above yarn and hook size, my sack measures approx. 7 cm high and the gift boxes just under 3cm height.

Christmas Gift Box Decorations
Before stuffing I added a small square piece of cardboard at bottom of box. I then added another small piece after stuffing, just before finishing last round. This isn't essential but it helps maintain the cube shape of your gift box.

Rnd 1  Work 6 sc in Magic Circle
Rnd 2   2 sc in each sc around  (12)
Rnd 3   *sc in next 2 stitches, 3sc in next stitch* around (20)

Rnd 4-11   sc around [7 rounds]

Rnd 12  * sc in next 2 stitches, 3sctog* Stuff (12)

Rnd 13   2sctog around (6)
Close up hole and Fasten Off   
 Wrap a ribbon or piece of yarn tie around the box and tie a pretty bow.  

Santa's Christmas  Sack
 

Rnd 1  Work 6 sc in Magic Circle

Rnd 2   2 sc in each sc around  (12)

Rnd 3   *sc in next stitch, 2sc in next stitch* around  (18)

Rnd 4   *sc in next 2 stitches, 2 sc in next stitch* around  (24)

Rnd 5   *sc in next 3 stitches, 2 sc in next stitch * around  (30)

Rnd 6   sc around in back loop only (30)
Rnd 7   *sc in next 14 sts, 3sc in next st* repeat twice (34)

Rnd 8   sc in next 15 sts, 3sc in next st, sc in next 16 sts, 3sc in next st, sc in last st (38)

Rnd 9   sc in next 16 sts, 3sc in next st, sc in next 17 sts, 3sc in next st, sc in last 2 sts (42) 

Rnd 10   sc in next 17 sts, 3sc in next st, sc  in next 20 sts, 3sc in next st, sc in last 3 sts (46)

Rnd 11   sc in next  15 sts, put hook through the next st, skip 5 stitches and put hook through next st, (so you will have hook going through 2 stitches), sc the 2 sts tog,  sc in next 17 sts, put hook through next st, skip 5 sts and put hook through next st, sc the 2 sts tog, sc in last 2 sts (34)

Rnd 12   sc in next 6 sts, 2sctog, sc in next 7 sts, 2sctog, sc in next 6 sts, 2sctog, sc in next 7 sts, 2sctog [4 decreases] (30)

Rnd 13   sc around

Rnd 14   *sc in next 3 sts, 2sctog* around (24)

Rnd 15-21   sc around [7 rounds] (24)

Rnd 22   *sc in stitch, ch1, 2sc in next st, ch1* around (36) 

Fasten Off

Weave a piece of string or yarn in and out of the chains and tie. I used a ribbon meshed yarn to give it a bit of a rustic look, and I was pleased with how it turned out. I kind of cheated too and stuffed my sack with polyfill and added one giftbox on top, but no one can notice unless they decide to raid the sack. See...

I hope you enjoyed this pattern and please show your support by leaving comments and feedback. 

 

Christmas Amigurumi Crochet Pattern - Santa, Mrs Claus and Elf

The pattern for Santa, Mrs Claus and Elf is easy to understand, and is suitable for beginners or experienced amigurumi makers. The dolls are fast to make too, and I completed all my dolls over just one weekend! I'm really pleased with how they turned out. I made a set for our shop window and they have been receiving a lot of attention and wonderful comments. The pattern is only $4 for all three dolls, and includes detailed and easy-to-follow instructions, and photos to demonstrate various steps. I'm also willing to offer you assistance, should you need it. The pattern is available for instant digital download (pdf file) at my Ravelry store, or you can purchase it from my Etsy shop Roaming Pixies

The much-loved Santa

The delighful Mrs Claus

The cheerful Christmas Elf

Merry Christmas!

Make the whole set! The pattern for snowman and his girlfriend are available at my blog for free here.

Thanks for reading, and as always, I appreciate your thoughts and suggestions.

How to Join Different Colour Amigurumi Pieces

I had no intention of writing amigurumi tutorials for this blog, as there is such an abundance of great free tutorials already available on the Internet. However, I struggled to find a tutorial that explains how to hide the stitching when joining two amigurumi pieces of different colours together. June Gilbank over at Planet June has an excellent tutorial on how to join amigurumi pieces together and I highly recommend that you check out her website and all her helpful tutorials. I always use Planet June's technique when joining amigurumi and I think it is the best and easiest method. If your amigurumi doll has a scarf or collar around the neck you also don't have to worry about hiding the seam, so in this case I would stick with using Planet June's technique. But in some cases you may need to hide the stitching, such as my Mrs Claus' doll, so this is the technique I used in this case. I do give credit to June for this technique as it was inspired by her joining technique.

Please note - I have only tried this technique on dolls that are for decorative purposes. So even though the joining feels secure, I have no idea whether they'll hold up under the rough pulling of children.  : )

This tutorial is for joining one open (1st) piece and one closed (2nd) piece of different colours.

Hold your pieces together firmly in place. Meanwhile, using the long thread from the open piece, insert the needle into a gap of the 2nd piece, make a stitch through this 2nd piece, working your stitch parallel to the 1st piece. See picture below. It's a little tricky, but you want to work this stitch at the area that will be hidden by the open piece.

 Now, go up through the back loop only of the open piece

 

Again, make a stitch through the closed piece, ensuring you work across, parallel to the 1st piece.

Continue stitching like this around your piece. Finally, weave in ends. You can visit June for excellent method for finishing your piece. Here is an example of the completed join on my Mrs Claus doll.

Remember, the trick is to work in the back loop only, keep your stitches parallel to the main piece, and try to work as close as possible where the two pieces meet.

Hope you find this tutorial useful, and I would love to hear your comments, suggestions and feedback.