Introduction: A Cozy, Beginner-Friendly Holiday Make

Meet your new favorite last-minute gift and table accent: flat Snowman Coasters with jaunty red hats and cheerful faces. This project is designed for brand-new crocheters and uses only basic stitches—mostly single crochet in the round plus a simple flat hat worked in rows. The pieces are quick, portable, and very customizable. Make a matching set for your coffee table, tie one to a wrapped present as a reusable tag, or add a hanging loop to turn it into a tree ornament.

Because coasters touch cups and surfaces, we’ll use durable cotton yarn that washes well and holds shape. Each coaster works up in less than one episode of your favorite show once you’ve made the first, and you can vary hat angles, smiles, and ribbon bows so every snowman has its own personality. This tutorial follows US crochet terms and keeps steps slow and clear for beginners.

Materials & Tools

• Yarn (Worsted/Medium #4 cotton recommended)
  1. White (face) – ~12–15 g per coaster
  2. Red (hat) – ~5–7 g per coaster
  3. Small amounts of Black (eyes & smile)
  4. Small amount of Orange (nose)
• Hook: 3.75 mm (F/5) or 4.0 mm (G/6). Use the smaller size if you crochet loosely so your coaster is firm and flat.
• Notions & Tools:
  1. Yarn needle (blunt tapestry needle)
  2. Scissors
  3. Stitch marker or a scrap of contrasting yarn (for marking the first stitch in rounds)
  4. Optional: 6–8 mm green ribbon for bows; fabric glue or hot glue (for ribbon only); steam or spray bottle for light blocking.

Finished Size: Face circle ~9–10 cm (3.5–4 in) across; overall height with hat ~11–12 cm (4.25–4.75 in). Size varies with yarn and tension.

Gauge: Not critical. Your circle should stay flat as you increase (no ruffling or cupping). If it curves, adjust hook size.

Abbreviations (US Terms)

• MR – Magic ring
• ch – chain
• sl st – slip stitch
• sc – single crochet
• inc – increase (2 sc in the same stitch)
• sc2tog – single crochet two stitches together (decrease)
• st(s) – stitch(es)
• rep – repeat
• FO – fasten off

Note: The face is worked in continuous rounds (a spiral). Use a stitch marker to mark the first stitch of each round so you don’t lose your place.

Helpful Notes Before You Start

1. Keep it flat. If your circle curls like a bowl, go up a hook size. If it ripples like a ruffle, go down a hook size or work more gently. Cotton relaxes slightly after blocking.
2. Weave ends neatly. Coasters get handled and washed, so weave in at least 10–12 cm (4–5 in) of tail for durability.
3. Embroider vs. crochet details. New to embroidery? No problem. This pattern includes a simple option to embroider the eyes and smile with backstitch and satin stitch, or to crochet tiny eye dots if you prefer.

Pattern Overview

• Make 1 Face Circle (white).
• Make 1 Hat (red) worked flat in rows, then sew it at a tilt.
• Add eyes, smile, and nose, plus a green ribbon bow if desired.
• Block lightly so the coaster lies perfectly flat.

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Snowman Face (White, worked in continuous rounds)

Round 1: MR, 6 sc into ring (6).
Round 2: inc in each st around (12).
Round 3: *1 sc, inc* rep around (18).
Round 4: *2 sc, inc* rep around (24).
Round 5: *3 sc, inc* rep around (30).
Round 6: *4 sc, inc* rep around (36).
Round 7: *5 sc, inc* rep around (42).

Check the size. For a slightly larger coaster, add:

Round 8 (optional): *6 sc, inc* rep around (48).

Edging (recommended for a tidy rim):
Join with a sl st to the next st, ch 1, sc in each st around; sl st to first sc. FO and weave in the tail on the wrong side.

Stitch counts after each round appear in parentheses. After R7 you should have 42 sc.

Easy Tilted Hat (Red, worked flat in rows)

This one-piece hat has a flared brim and a slightly tapered crown. You’ll sew it onto the face at a tilt after shaping. Chain counts include the turning chain only where specified.

Foundation: ch 18.

Row 1 (brim): sc in 2nd ch from hook and across (17 sc).
Row 2: ch 1, turn, inc, sc in next 15, inc (19).
Row 3: ch 1, turn, inc, sc in next 17, inc (21).
Now shape the hat body above the brim:

Row 4: ch 1, turn, sc2tog, sc in next 17, sc2tog (19).
Row 5: ch 1, turn, sc2tog, sc in next 15, sc2tog (17).
Rows 6–8: ch 1, turn, sc across (17 each row).
Row 9: ch 1, turn, sc2tog, sc in next 13, sc2tog (15).
Row 10: ch 1, turn, sc across (15).
Row 11: ch 1, turn, sc2tog, sc in next 11, sc2tog (13).
Row 12: ch 1, turn, sc across (13). FO, leaving a long tail for sewing.

Optional hat edge: Work a quick sc border around the hat to smooth the sides. Join yarn anywhere, ch 1, sc evenly around, placing 3 sc in each outer corner of the brim; sl st to first sc, FO.

Sizing tip: If your face circle is 48 sts around (you added Round 8), add two extra rows of “sc across” in the hat body so the hat looks proportionate.

Facial Features

Choose embroidered features (fast and flat) or mini crochet appliqués (slightly raised). Both options are safe and family-friendly for coasters and decorations.

Option A: Embroidered Eyes & Smile (Beginner Friendly)

• Eyes: With black yarn and a tapestry needle, make 2 small satin-stitch dots about 2 rounds down from the top edge of the face, spaced ~6–7 sts apart.
• Smile: Draw a gentle curve with pins first if you like. Use a backstitch or fine surface slip stitch (with hook) to make a simple smile. Keep the curve low so cups don’t sit on thick embroidery.
• Nose: With orange yarn, make a tiny satin-stitch oval or short bar (3–4 mm). Angle slightly for personality.

Option B: Crocheted Eye Dots & Nose

• Eye Dot (make 2): MR, 4 sc, sl st to first sc, FO leaving a short tail to sew.
• Dot Nose: MR, 5 sc, sl st to first sc, FO with tail to sew at the center.
• Mini Carrot Nose (flat, triangle): With orange, ch 4; Row 1: sc in 2nd ch from hook and next ch (2 sc), ch 1, turn. Row 2: sc2tog (1). FO with long tail. Whipstitch into place and tack the tip so it lies flat.

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Assembly & Finishing

1. Position the Hat: Place the hat so it overlaps the top left or right edge of the face circle by about 1–1.5 cm (⅜–⅝ in). Tilting the hat adds charm. Pin it in place.
2. Sew the Hat: With the long red tail and a tapestry needle, whipstitch around the hat edge, catching only the top layer of white stitches so your seam is nearly invisible from the front. Avoid sewing through to the back too deeply to keep the coaster flat.
3. Add Features: Sew or embroider your eyes and smile. Attach the nose last so you can center it between the eyes and above the smile. Securely weave in all black/orange tails on the wrong side.
4. Ribbon Bow (Optional): Tie a small green ribbon bow and tack it to the hat band with a few stitches. For a no-sew option, add a tiny dot of fabric glue or hot glue (adults only; follow product safety instructions).
5. Block Lightly: Mist with water or steam lightly from a distance, shape the circle and brim flat on a towel, and let dry. Light blocking evens stitches and helps the set look crisp.
6. Weave in Ends: Double-back your tails in different directions to resist washing and tugging.

Round-by-Round Recap (Quick Reference)

Face (white, continuous rounds)
R1: 6 sc in MR (6)
R2: inc around (12)
R3: (sc, inc) x6 (18)
R4: (2 sc, inc) x6 (24)
R5: (3 sc, inc) x6 (30)
R6: (4 sc, inc) x6 (36)
R7: (5 sc, inc) x6 (42)
R8 (optional): (6 sc, inc) x6 (48)
Edging: Join, ch 1, sc around, sl st to first sc, FO.

Hat (red, rows)
Row 1: 17 sc
Row 2: inc at both ends (19)
Row 3: inc at both ends (21)
Row 4: sc2tog, 17 sc, sc2tog (19)
Row 5: sc2tog, 15 sc, sc2tog (17)
Rows 6–8: sc across (17)
Row 9: sc2tog, 13 sc, sc2tog (15)
Row 10: sc across (15)
Row 11: sc2tog, 11 sc, sc2tog (13)
Row 12: sc across (13), FO with long tail.

Washing & Care

• Fiber: 100% cotton resists heat and absorbs moisture—ideal for coasters.
• Care: Hand wash or machine wash on gentle in a mesh bag. Lay flat to dry. Avoid ironing the ribbon if you used one.
• Storage: Keep flat between uses; blocking refreshes shape if needed.

Troubleshooting

• Circle Ruffles: Too many stitches or too large a hook. Go down 0.25–0.5 mm or steam and pat flat while drying.
• Circle Cups Upward: Too few stitches or too small a hook. Go up a hook size or add the optional Round 8.
• Hat Looks Big/Small: Adjust by adding or skipping a “sc across” row in the hat body. The brim should sit just beyond the face edge without overwhelming it.
• Embroidery Sinks In: Use a slightly shorter needle path and avoid splitting yarn plies. You can place a fingertip behind the fabric while stitching to keep tension even.