Twin curled legs give this little elf its springy silhouette. The crochet Christmas elf spiral ornament pattern uses a flat embroidered face and a separately shaped cap, with felt ears and soft shoes to make the character read clearly on a branch.
Design and Fit
One playful flat-faced crochet elf ornament: round warm-beige face with embroidered brown eyes and smile, moss-green pointed triangular cap with mustard brim line, two pointed beige felt ears, two separate mustard corkscrew legs emerging under the face and two flat burgundy rectangular folded shoes. No Santa beard, no red Santa hat, no single tail. Entire twin-leg elf visible.
Counts have been checked digitally; this original design has not been physically sample-tested. Gauge and final dimensions are estimates. Make a sample and check the assembled object before use.
Pattern Details
- Skill Level: Intermediate
- Yarn Weight: DK
- Hook Size: 3.5 mm
- Finished Size: Approximately 23 cm tall including loop; face about 6 cm across
- Gauge: 20 sc = 10 cm; verify the disc lies flat without forcing
- Estimated Time: 3–5 hours
- Terminology: US
Materials
- DK cotton: 30 m warm beige, 35 m moss green, 35 m mustard, 15 m burgundy; brown embroidery yarn
- 3.5 mm hook, needle, scissors and two markers
- Two beige felt triangles each 2 cm long and 1.5 cm wide for ears; matching sewing thread
- 25 cm sturdy cotton cord for suspension
Terms and Construction Notes
US terms: ch = chain; sc = single crochet; hdc = half double crochet; dc = double crochet; sl st = slip stitch; st(s) = stitch(es). Yarn over means wrap the working yarn over the hook. An increase here is the stated number of stitches in one base position. Mark the first actual stitch of a round. Joins and height chains never count unless a mesh space is explicitly included.
Step-by-Step Crochet
Elf face disc
With warm beige, make an adjustable ring, ch 1, work 6 sc into it, close the ring and join with sl st to the first sc. (6 sts)
Round 2: Ch 1, work 2 sc in every stitch; join to the first sc. (12 sts)
Round 3: Ch 1, repeat [sc in the next 1 stitches, 2 sc in the next stitch] 6 times; join to the first sc. (18 sts)
Round 4: Ch 1, repeat [sc in the next 2 stitches, 2 sc in the next stitch] 6 times; join to the first sc. (24 sts)
Round 5: Ch 1, repeat [sc in the next 3 stitches, 2 sc in the next stitch] 6 times; join to the first sc. (30 sts)
Elf pointed hat
With moss green, ch 3. Sc in the second chain and last chain. (2 sts)
Hat Row 2: Ch 1, turn; 2 sc in first and last stitch and sc in each stitch between them. (4 sts)
Hat Row 3: Ch 1, turn, sc across. (4 sts)
Hat Row 4: Ch 1, turn; 2 sc in first and last stitch and sc in each stitch between them. (6 sts)
Hat Row 5: Ch 1, turn, sc across. (6 sts)
Hat Row 6: Ch 1, turn; 2 sc in first and last stitch and sc in each stitch between them. (8 sts)
Hat Row 7: Ch 1, turn, sc across. (8 sts)
Hat Row 8: Ch 1, turn; 2 sc in first and last stitch and sc in each stitch between them. (10 sts)
Hat Row 9: Ch 1, turn, sc across. (10 sts)
Hat Row 10: Ch 1, turn; 2 sc in first and last stitch and sc in each stitch between them. (12 sts)
Hat Row 11: Ch 1, turn, sc across. (12 sts)
Hat Row 12: Ch 1, turn; 2 sc in first and last stitch and sc in each stitch between them. (14 sts)
Hat Row 13: Ch 1, turn, sc across. (14 sts)
Make two identical legs and two shoes using the components below.
Elf leg
With mustard, ch 19, marking the first chain made. Skip 1 chains next to the hook, leaving 18 usable chains. (18 sts) The end beside the hook will be the hanging end.
Curl row: Work 3 hdc in each usable chain. Keep the increase groups loose enough to open into a corkscrew. Fasten off with 20 cm tails. (54 sts)
Elf shoe
With burgundy, ch 5. Sc in the second chain from hook and each remaining chain. (4 sts)
Row 2: Ch 1, turn, sc across. (4 sts)
Row 3: Ch 1, turn, sc across. (4 sts)
Row 4: Ch 1, turn, sc across. (4 sts)
Row 5: Ch 1, turn, sc across. (4 sts)
Assembly and Finishing
Embroider two small brown eyes across the disc's center with six stitches between them; add a shallow backstitched smile two rows lower. Fold each felt triangle lengthwise at its base and sew the base behind the disc at the 3 and 9 o'clock positions, leaving the tips exposed. Sew the hat's broad final row across the upper third of the face; keep its point upright and face unobstructed. Add a mustard running-stitch line just above the brim. Fold each shoe rectangle so its two short edges meet; seam that edge and one side to form a flat unstuffed pocket. Sew the final chain end of a leg into the pocket opening and close it. Attach the first-worked end of each leg to a separate group of four stitches along the face's lower edge, spaced four face stitches apart. Attach the hanging cord through four stitches below the cap point and reinforce through the cap fabric. Knot and weave all tails. The paired legs are intentional; no third spiral is added.
Care and Display
Spot clean around the felt and embroidery. Reshape the disc and cap flat, letting the legs curl freely. Inspect the ear stitches, shoes and loop before hanging; display out of reach of children and pets.
Questions and Troubleshooting
Can I make a round stuffed head?
That requires a different pattern. This ornament deliberately uses one flat face disc.
Why does the cap lean?
Center its final row on the upper third of the face and reinforce the hanging loop through several stitches below the point.
Are both legs the same?
Yes. Make the same 18-chain curling component twice, then gently arrange both corkscrews in the same direction.
