A cute palm-size reindeer you can make today

This beginner-friendly amigurumi reindeer is tiny (about 6–7 cm) and works up quickly, making it perfect for gifts, ornaments, keychains, or desk buddies. In this rewritten guide, you’ll follow the exact original steps and stitch counts, but presented more clearly with plain-English notes so newcomers can succeed on the first try.

If this free pattern is helpful, please share it with a friend or your craft group—your share helps other beginners discover easy, confidence-boosting projects. 💛

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What you’ll make (at a glance)

• Project: Little Reindeer Amigurumi (worked in the round)
• Skill level: Easy/Beginner (basic increases/decreases, sewing parts)
• Finished size: ~6–7 cm tall
• Time estimate: A relaxed evening
• Construction: Head (choose 1 of 2 options), ears (x2), horns (x2), body, tail, legs (x2), arms (x2), assembly

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Materials

Use the same supplies as the original instructions (listed here in clearer form). Any comparable yarn can be used for the whole toy.

• Yarn colors: beige, milky (off-white/cream), brown
  • Example used: beige & milky = Vita Brilliant 380 m / 100 g; brown = thin chenille (regular yarn also OK)
• Hook: 1.5 mm (Clover used in the original)
• Eyes: 3 mm plastic safety eyes + glue (follow Assembly for exact placement)
• Embroidery: thin brown thread for the nose
• Stuffing & tools: polyester fiberfill, yarn needle, pins, scissors, stitch marker

Tip: If you switch yarn types or hook sizes, the reindeer will simply scale up or down. Keep tension even for a neat fabric that doesn’t show stuffing.

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Abbreviations (US terms)

• MR – magic (amigurumi) ring
• ch – chain
• sc – single crochet
• inc – increase (2 sc in the same stitch)
• dec – decrease (work 2 stitches together)
• sl st – slip stitch

Helpful notes for beginners

• Work in continuous rounds unless told otherwise—use a stitch marker at the first stitch of each round.
• Stuff gradually as you go; firm but not overstuffed helps maintain shape.
• Read each round fully before crocheting. Where you see “( … ) × 6,” repeat the bracketed sequence the stated number of times.

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Before you start: color changes, safety, and fit

• When a step says “Change to [color]”, finish the previous stitch completely, then yarn over with the new color to start the next stitch for a clean transition.
• This toy uses small parts (eyes). If making for a child under 3, embroider eyes instead and skip plastic parts.
• The finished size (~6–7 cm) depends on your tension, yarn, and hook. It’s okay if yours is a little larger or smaller.

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Pattern: Head (choose one of two snout styles)

Head — Option 1 (wide muzzle) — color: start milky, then change to beige

1. MR, 6 sc (6)
2. 6 inc (12)
3. (1 sc, inc) × 6 (18)
4. 18 sc
   Change to beige.
   5–6. 18 sc

Note: The original line says “(3 rounds)” for Rounds 5–6, but the counts clearly show two rounds before Round 7. Follow the round numbers exactly as written here.

7. 7 sc, 4 inc, 7 sc (22)
8. 7 sc, inc, 6 sc, inc, 7 sc (24)
9. (3 sc, inc) × 6 (30)
   10–12. 30 sc
10. (3 sc, dec) × 6 (24)
11. (2 sc, dec) × 6 (18)
12. (1 sc, dec) × 6 (12) — Stuff the head.
13. 6 dec — Fasten off and weave in the end.

 

Head — Option 2 (narrow muzzle) — color: start milky, then change to beige

1. MR, 6 sc (6)
2. (1 sc, inc) × 3 (9)
3. (2 sc, inc) × 3 (12)
   Change to beige.
4. (3 sc, inc) × 3 (15)
5. (4 sc, inc) × 3 (18)
6. 7 sc, 4 inc, 7 sc (22)
7. 7 sc, inc, 6 sc, inc, 7 sc (24)
8. (3 sc, inc) × 6 (30)
   9–11. 30 sc
9. (3 sc, dec) × 6 (24)
10. (2 sc, dec) × 6 (18)
11. (1 sc, dec) × 6 (12) — Stuff the head.
12. 6 dec — Fasten off and weave in the end.

Which head should I choose?
Option 1 gives a broader, rounder snout; Option 2 gives a slimmer profile. Both assemble the same way later.

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Pattern: Ears (make 2) — color: beige

1. MR, 6 sc (6)
2. (1 sc, inc) × 3 (9)
3. (2 sc, inc) × 3 (12)
4. 12 sc
5. (2 sc, dec) × 3 (9)
   Fasten off leaving a long tail for sewing. Shape: Fold the ear’s edges together and sew the edge closed. Then fold the ear in half and stitch again to create a compact, cupped ear ready to attach.

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Pattern: Horns (make 2) — color: brown

1. MR, 5 sc (5)
   2–3. 5 sc
   Make two identical small pieces. Cut yarn on the first piece only. Keep yarn attached on the second piece; you’ll join them now to form the pronged horn:
2. 5 sc across the first piece, 5 sc across the second piece (10)
3. 5 dec (5)
4. 5 sc
   Fasten off, leaving a tail for sewing. Do not stuff the horns. Repeat for the second horn.

Horn tip: Pin both horns in place during assembly so they mirror each other.

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Pattern: Body — color: beige

1. MR, 6 sc (6)
2. 6 inc (12)
3. (1 sc, inc) × 6 (18)
4. (2 sc, inc) × 6 (24)
   5–7. 24 sc
5. 6 dec, then (1 sc, dec) × 4 (14)
   9–11. 14 sc
6. (5 sc, dec) × 2 (12)
7. 12 sc
   Fasten off leaving a long tail for sewing. Stuff the body firmly but evenly.

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Pattern: Tail — color: beige

1. MR, 6 sc (6)
2. (1 sc, inc) × 3 (9)
3. 9 sc
   Fasten off, leaving a tail. Flatten the small circle and sew the edges together to form a tidy, curved tail.

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Pattern: Legs (make 2) — color: beige

1. MR, 6 sc (6)
2. 6 inc (12)
   3–5. 12 sc
3. (2 sc, dec) × 3 (9)
   7–10. 9 sc — Lightly stuff.
   Close the opening, secure the tail, and weave in the end.

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Pattern: Arms (make 2) — color: beige

1. MR, 6 sc (6)
2. (1 sc, inc) × 3 (9)
   3–4. 9 sc
3. (1 sc, dec) × 3 (6)
   6–7. 6 sc — Lightly stuff.
   Close the opening, secure the tail, and weave in.

 

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Assembly (follow these exact placements)

1. Eyes:
   • Wide muzzle head: Glue 3 mm eyes between Rounds 7 and 8, positioned at the outer ends of the 4 increases of Round 7.
   • Narrow muzzle head: Glue 3 mm eyes between Rounds 6 and 7, positioned at the outer ends of the 4 increases of Round 6.
   • Nose: Embroider a small brown triangle/oval on the second round of the muzzle area.
2. Ears & horns:
   • Ears: Sew on Rounds 10–11 of the head (Rounds 11–12 for the wide muzzle), roughly level with the eyes on each side.
   • Horns: Sew just above and close to the ears, symmetrically.
   • Forehead detail: Add a few random small white stitches to the forehead.
3. Head to body: Sew the head centered on top of the body. Pin first, then sew all the way around.
4. Arms: Attach using thread-jointing (or sew) one round below the seam where the head meets the body.
5. Legs: Attach using thread-jointing (or sew) between Rounds 4 and 5 of the body on the left and right sides.
6. Tail: Sew at the back, approximately on Rounds 5–6 of the body.

Thread-jointing quick note: Use a long, strong thread or yarn tail and a long needle. Pass through the arm, the body, the opposite arm, and back again multiple times. Knot securely and hide tails inside.

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Troubleshooting for beginners

• My stitch count drifts. Place a marker in the first stitch of every round and move it up each round. Count often after increase/decrease rounds.
• Stuffing peeks through. Use a smaller hook or tighter tension. Add stuffing gradually.
• Parts won’t sit symmetrically. Pin everything first; compare from the front and top before sewing.
• Color change looks messy. Finish the last step of the previous stitch in the new color (yarn over with the new color on the final pull-through).

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Styling ideas (optional, does not change the pattern)

These extras are purely decorative—add after you’ve finished the official steps above:

• Tie on a tiny scarf (a short chain worked back in sc).
• Add a dot of blush using a small dab of pink fabric paint.
• Stitch a mini holly leaf or star to the head for festive flair.

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Safe use and gift ideas

• Safety first: For babies/toddlers, replace plastic eyes with embroidered eyes. Avoid loose parts.
• Holiday décor: Hang as an ornament, tuck into stockings, or line up several on a mantel.
• Gifts: Makes adorable secret-Santa or teacher gifts, or bundle as a set with other tiny amigurumi animals.

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Care & maintenance

• Spot clean with a slightly damp cloth and mild soap.
• If a deeper clean is needed, hand wash gently in cool water, press with a towel, and air dry.
• Keep away from hook-snagging Velcro or pets that like to chew small items.
• If fiberfill shifts over time, use a thin stick or the blunt end of a hook to redistribute stuffing.

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Quick recap (so you never lose your place)

• Make head (choose wide or narrow muzzle exactly as written), then ears (2), horns (2), body, tail, legs (2), arms (2).
• Assemble: place eyes and nose → attach ears and horns → head to body → arms → legs → tail.
• Add optional styling and enjoy!

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Share your finish!

If this step-by-step rewrite helped you finish your first reindeer, please share this post or your project photos. Your share supports more free, beginner-friendly patterns and helps new crocheters discover a project they can actually finish. Happy crocheting!