Amigurumi – Minimee Crochet Elf “Tinsel”

In this crochet pattern, I’ll show you how to make a Minimee Crochet Elf. The cute little Elf is a lovely decoration for Christmas and whenever Elves are needed. Additionally, you can also use the crocheted Elf as a keychain.

Introduction: Amigurumi – Minimee Crochet Elf “Tinsel”

Before crocheting the Amigurumi Elf, some preparation is necessary. In this section, all relevant information about the required prerequisites, materials, and size is listed. If you need help, you can simply use the corresponding additional links.

Attention! Amigurumis are very cute and, therefore, not only popular among adults. Children often see them as toys, so you should be especially careful. Amigurumis that are not intended for play should be kept out of the reach of children. If an Amigurumi is meant to be played with by children, you should strictly adhere to the guidelines for toys. If you plan to give away or sell Amigurumis (license for sellers), you must strictly adhere to the legal requirements for toys and display the required CE marking.

Prerequisites

To easily implement this crochet pattern for the Amigurumi Elf, you should already be familiar with the following crochet techniques. If you do not master all of them yet, you will find comprehensive tutorials here to learn them.

• Color Change
• Crochet Chain Stitches
• Crochet Double Crochet Stitches (US!)
• Crochet Magic Ring
• Crochet Slip Stitches
• Decreases
• Half Double Crochet Stitches (US!)
• Increases
• Loops of a Stitch
• Single Crochet Stitches (US!)
• spiral rounds
• Turning Chain Stitches

Note! By offsetting regular increases and decreases, they become almost invisible. You can recognize regular increases by the phrase “double every … stitch,” and regular decreases by the phrase “crochet together every … and … stitch”. The stitch chart for spheres and circles might also be helpful for you.

Note! Using a special technique for invisible decreases makes them nearly invisible. Although this technique requires a bit of practice, it’s worth giving it a try.

Supplies

The depicted Amigurumi Elf was made using the following materials. In general, you can crochet the Amigurumi Elf with any yarn and a matching crochet hook. If you want to achieve a very authentic result, you should use exactly the same materials as much as possible. In the following list, you will find, in addition to the materials, all the necessary tools and supplies.

Note! In this pattern, a shade referred to as “skin colour” is used. I chose the shade based on my personal preference. However: The world is diverse! There are many other possible skin colours you can use. Feel free to adjust the yarn selection to your personal taste!

Note! I have used safety eyes here. If you have never attached safety eyes before, you can also find detailed instructions on how to attach safety eyes here. In addition to a wide selection of other safety eyes, there are also numerous alternatives for amigurumi eyes. Simply use the eyes that you like best.

Note! The specified yarn was used for the example shown here. In principle, you can use any yarn and an appropriate needle size. However, the quality of the material also affects the quality of the result, so you should avoid cutting corners in the wrong place. Also, the thickness of the yarn and the needle will influence the size of the outcome, which you can, of course, intentionally take advantage of.

Size

Here are the size specifications for the crocheted Amigurumi Elf. The height was measured standing without the hat. Please note that the actual size depends on the yarn used, the size of the crochet hook, and individual crochet tension.

Needle Size	Yardage	Size
Crochet Hook B, C or 1 1/2	137 yds / 1.75 oz	2 2/5 inch
Crochet Hook C, D or 2 1/2	120 yds / 1.75 oz	3 inches
Crochet Hook E or 4	93 yds / 1.75 oz	?

Note! If you want to change the size, you can simply use a thicker or thinner yarn with a suitable needle size. Simply doubling the rounds, rows, and stitches, on the other hand, will only result in an uneven outcome.

Crochet Pattern: Amigurumi – Minimee Crochet Elf “Tinsel”

We crochet the head and body for our Elf in one go from top to bottom. Then follow arms, legs, belt, and hat. Finally, all parts are assembled, and your crocheted Elf is already finished.

Crochet Head for Elf (1x)

For the Elf, we crochet the head and body in one sequence. We start crocheting from the top with the head and work our way down in spiral rounds. Do not cut the thread when the head is finished; instead, continue with the body.

Note! If you want to achieve a particularly beautiful result, you can hide regular increases and decreases by offsetting them a little. You can recognize regular increases by the phrase “double every … stitch,” and regular decreases by the phrase “crochet together every … and … stitch”. The stitch chart for spheres and circles might also be helpful for you. Additionally, you can apply a special crochet technique here for invisible decreases.

• skin-colored:
• 1st round:
  • magic ring
  • into the magic ring:
    • 6 single crochet stitches (US!)
  • = 6 stitches
• 2nd round:
  • double every stitch
  • = 12 stitches
• 3rd round:
  • double every 2nd stitch
  • = 18 stitches
• 4th round:
  • double every 3rd stitch
  • = 24 stitches
• 5th round:
  • double every 4th stitch
  • = 30 stitches
• 6th – 12th round:
  • (= 7 rounds)
  • every stitch one stitch
  • = 30 stitches
• 13th round:
  • into the back loop only:
    • crochet together every 4th and 5th stitch
  • = 24 stitches
• attach safety eyes, position:
  • after the 9th round
  • 5 stitches distance
• 14th round:
  • crochet together every 3rd and 4th stitch
  • = 18 stitches
• 15th round:
  • crochet together every 2nd and 3rd stitch
  • = 12 stitches
• fill and stuff completely
• do NOT cut yarn, continue with:
  • body

Crochet Body for Elf (1x)

As described earlier, we now crochet the body directly onto the head. If you accidentally cut the thread, it’s not a problem because we are changing the color now anyway.

Note! If you want to achieve a particularly beautiful result, you can hide regular increases and decreases by offsetting them a little. You can recognize regular increases by the phrase “double every … stitch,” and regular decreases by the phrase “crochet together every … and … stitch”. The stitch chart for spheres and circles might also be helpful for you. Additionally, you can apply a special crochet technique here for invisible decreases.

• green:
• 16th round:
  • double every 4th stitch
  • = 15 stitches
• 17th round:
  • double every 5th stitch
  • = 18 stitches
• 18th round:
  • double every 6th stitch
  • = 21 stitches
• 19th round:
  • double every 7th stitch
  • = 24 stitches
• 20th – 23rd round:
  • (= 4 rounds)
  • every stitch one stitch
  • = 24 stitches
• 24th round:
  • into the back loop only:
    • crochet together every 3rd and 4th stitch
  • = 18 stitches
• 25th round:
  • crochet together every 2nd and 3rd stitch
  • = 12 stitches
• 26th round:
  • crochet together every 1st and 2nd stitch
  • = 6 stitches
• cut yarn generously, pull through loop, close the remaining opening, secure and weave in the yarn end

Crochet Ears for Elf (2x)

Next, we want to crochet some pretty pointed ears for our Elf. The ears are crocheted in just one round and magically take shape in the end.

Note! If you want to create several nearly identical parts, it’s advisable to work on them consecutively on the same day. For larger parts, it’s even recommended to work on them simultaneously in stages. Our tension and tightness can vary from day to day, leading to visible differences.

• skin-colored:
• 1st round:
  • magic ring
  • 1 turning chain stitch
  • into the magic ring:
    • 1 double crochet stitch (US!)
    • 1 chain stitch
    • 1 turning chain stitch
    • into the chain stitch:
      • 1 slip stitch
    • 1 double crochet stitch (US!)
    • 1 turning chain stitch
    • 1 slip stitch
  • = 5 stitches
• cut yarn generously, pull through loop, do NOT cut the yarn end, it will be used later for attaching

Crochet Arms for Elf (2x)

For the arms of the Elf, we crochet only two rows, once back and forth. That’s quite simple.

Note! If you want to create several nearly identical parts, it’s advisable to work on them consecutively on the same day. For larger parts, it’s even recommended to work on them simultaneously in stages. Our tension and tightness can vary from day to day, leading to visible differences.

• green:
• 1st row:
  • 4 chain stitches
  • 2 turning chain stitches
  • = 4 stitches
• 2nd row:
  • into one stitch:
    • 1 half double crochet stitch (US!)
    • 2 turning chain stitches
    • 1 slip stitch
  • 3x one slip stitch into one stitch
  • = 5 stitches
• cut yarn generously, pull through loop, do NOT cut the yarn end, it will be used later for attaching

Crochet Legs for Elf (2x)

Once you have crocheted the arms for the Elf, the legs should be quite easy. Be careful, though, as there is a small difference in the second row!

Note! If you want to create several nearly identical parts, it’s advisable to work on them consecutively on the same day. For larger parts, it’s even recommended to work on them simultaneously in stages. Our tension and tightness can vary from day to day, leading to visible differences.

• brown:
• 1st row:
  • 4 chain stitches
  • 2 turning chain stitches
  • = 4 stitches
• 2nd row:
  • into one stitch:
    • 2 half double crochet stitches (US!)
    • 2 chain stitches
    • 1 slip stitch
  • 3x one slip stitch into one stitch
  • = 8 stitches
• cut yarn generously, pull through loop, do NOT cut the yarn end, it will be used later for attaching

Crochet Belt for Elf (1x)

Next, we want to crochet a pretty belt for the Elf. It actually consists only of a chain of slip stitches.

• brown:
• 1st row:
  • 36 chain stitches
  • = 36 stitches
• cut the thread, pull off the loop

Crochet Hat for Elf (1x)

Lastly, you just need to crochet a hat for your Minimee Elf. But don’t worry, this is not particularly difficult either. We crochet the hat for the Elf from top to bottom in spiral rounds with exclusively single crochet stitches. Only in the last round, there will be different stitches.

Tip: Wenn du ein besonders schönes Ergebnis erhalten möchtest, kannst du die regelmäßigen Zunahmen durch Versetzen ein wenig verstecken. Dazu verwendest du einfach die Maschentabelle für Kugeln und Kreise.

(Redaktion: Block ersetzen)

• green:
• 1st round:
  • magic ring
  • into the magic ring:
    • 6 single crochet stitches (US!)
  • = 6 stitches
• 2nd round:
  • double every 2nd stitch
  • = 9 stitches
• 3rd round:
  • double every 3rd stitch
  • = 12 stitches
• 4th round:
  • double every 4th stitch
  • = 15 stitches
• 5th round:
  • double every 5th stitch
  • = 18 stitches
• 6th round:
  • double every 6th stitch
  • = 21 stitches
• 7th round:
  • double every 7th stitch
  • = 24 stitches
• 8th round:
  • double every 8th stitch
  • = 27 stitches
• 9th round:
  • double every 9th stitch
  • = 30 stitches
• 10th round:
  • double every 10th stitch
  • = 33 stitches
• 11th round:
  • double every 11th stitch
  • = 36 stitches
• 12th – 14th round:
  • (= 3 rounds)
  • every stitch one stitch
  • = 36 stitches
• light green:
• 15th round:
  • every stitch one stitch
  • = 36 stitches
• 16th round:
  • into the front loop only:
    • 1 turning chain stitch
    • repeat 6x:
      • 1x one single crochet stitch (US!) into one stitch
      • 1x one half double crochet stitch (US!) into one stitch
      • into one stitch:
        • 1 double crochet stitch (US!)
        • 1 chain stitch
        • 1 turning chain stitch
        • into the chain stitch:
          • 1 single crochet stitch (US!)
        • 1 double crochet stitch (US!)
      • 1x one half double crochet stitch (US!) into one stitch
      • 1x one single crochet stitch (US!) into one stitch
      • 1x one slip stitch into one stitch
    • = 54 stitches
• cut the thread, pull off the loop, secure and weave in the ends

If you have done everything correctly, you can easily fold the edge of the hat outward. This creates the pretty and typical jagged edge for Elves.

Complete Minimee Elf

Now you have already crocheted all the individual parts for your Elf. I recommend pinning all parts with pins before sewing them together. This way, you can still change the positions if you don’t like something.

Attach Arms, Legs, and Ears

First, we attach the arms, legs, and ears to the body. The arms are attached after the 16th round with a distance of 4 stitches, and the legs are attached after the 23rd round below the small stitch edge with only 3 stitches apart.

The ears are placed with the upper thread end in the same round as the safety eyes and with the lower thread exactly one row below. They each have a distance of 4 stitches to the eyes on the right and left.

It will help if you first find the center based on the eyes. Then you can attach the arms and legs on the right and left of it. It is more important to maintain the same distance to the center than to hit the exact stitch distance.

For the ears, you should focus more on symmetry than on counting exactly. Perhaps the pattern for attaching small Amigurumi parts will be a good help.

Embroider a Nose

Now you can embroider the nose. Simply use the same skin-colored yarn with which you also crocheted the head. Now embroider around two stitches exactly between the eyes until a nice knobbed nose has formed.

Attach Hair

Now it’s time to style the hair, and that is often the most time-consuming part. You can simply skip the hair if you find it too complicated or even embroider hair. I prefer attached hair.

For the Elf’s hair, I used brown embroidery yarn, and you should not underestimate the consumption when attaching. First, test the procedure on one hair. Later, cut many equally long strands that are twice as long as the hair should be. Then pull the strand with the crochet hook through a stitch in the middle.

A loop is created through which you pull both ends of the strand again. This way, you attach all hairs, which can be quite elaborate depending on the head size. Start with a horizontal line along the forehead and work it all around. Then fill in the part above the hairline and add a few rows at the back of the head. Finally, cut, style, and fix all hairs with simple hairspray if necessary. You can also find a detailed pattern for attaching hair here.

Create Details

Now tie a belt around your Elf, and then you can paint some pretty cheeks on him.

Now you are really done, and you can put the hat on your Elf, tidy up the hair, adjust the ears, and then he can really show himself off.

Done!

Now that your cute Amigurumi Elf is finished, he can surely help you wonderfully around the house. Then you would have much more time, for example, to crochet even more diligent elves.

If you’re up for it, you might want to crochet the other amigurumis from the Minimee series; just take a look at the patterns.