Easy Reindeer Plush Free Crochet Pattern
There is something truly magical about crocheting a stuffed animal from scratch. You start with a simple skein of yarn and a hook, and by the time you finish, you have something soft, charming, and completely handmade that could easily become someone’s favorite keepsake. This easy reindeer plush crochet pattern is exactly that kind of project — approachable enough for someone still building their skills, satisfying enough for experienced makers who just want a relaxing and rewarding afternoon craft.
Whether you are making this adorable reindeer for a Christmas gift, holiday décor, a baby shower present, or simply because you cannot resist a cute amigurumi-style stuffed animal, this free crochet pattern has everything you need. We will walk through every step together, from materials to finishing touches, so you can create your very own reindeer plush with confidence.
Why You Will Love This Reindeer Plush Pattern
Before we dive into the yarn and hook sizes, let us talk about why this particular pattern is worth bookmarking and coming back to again and again.
First, it is free. You should never have to pay for a quality crochet pattern, and we believe in sharing the craft openly with the entire community. Second, it is designed with simplicity in mind. The construction uses basic stitches — primarily single crochets worked in the round — which means even if you are relatively new to amigurumi, you will be able to follow along without frustration. Third, the finished reindeer is genuinely adorable. With a round, huggable body, stubby little legs, floppy ears, and a pair of antlers perched on top of its head, this plush has the kind of charm that makes people stop and say, “Did you make that yourself?”
The pattern is also very versatile. You can keep it traditional with a classic brown and tan color scheme, swap in a bright red nose to make Rudolph, create a whole herd in different colors, or even dress your reindeer up with a tiny crocheted scarf. The possibilities are as open as your yarn stash.
Materials You Will Need
Getting your supplies together before you begin makes the whole process smoother. Here is what you will need for this easy reindeer plush.
For yarn, you will want a worsted weight yarn (size 4) in three colors. The main color will be a medium brown, which is used for the body, head, legs, ears, and antlers. You will also need a lighter tan or cream color for the reindeer’s belly and inner ears. And if you want to make a classic Rudolph, grab a small amount of red yarn for the nose. If you prefer a more natural reindeer look, a darker brown or black works beautifully for the nose instead.
Your hook size should be a 3.5mm or 4.0mm crochet hook. Going slightly smaller than the yarn label recommends is intentional here — it creates a tighter stitch tension that prevents the polyfill stuffing from showing through the gaps in your work. This is a standard amigurumi technique and makes a huge difference in the finished look.
You will also need polyfill stuffing, which you can find at any craft store. Use enough to make your reindeer pleasantly firm but not so much that it distorts the shape. A pair of safety eyes in black, typically 9mm or 12mm depending on how large you want the eyes to look, will give your reindeer that sweet, expressive face. If you are making this plush for a baby or very young child, embroider the eyes with black yarn instead to eliminate any choking hazard from plastic safety backs.
Other supplies include a yarn needle for sewing pieces together and weaving in ends, scissors, stitch markers to keep your place in the round, and a small amount of pink yarn or embroidery floss if you want to add rosy cheeks.
Abbreviations and Stitches Used
This pattern uses US crochet terminology throughout. Here are the abbreviations you will see:
MR — Magic ring (also called a magic circle)
ch — Chain
sl st — Slip stitch
sc — Single crochet
inc — Increase (two single crochets in the same stitch)
dec — Invisible decrease (insert hook through the front loops of the next two stitches and complete as a single crochet)
st(s) — Stitch(es)
BLO — Back loop only
FLO — Front loop only
All rounds are worked in a continuous spiral unless otherwise noted. Do not join rounds with a slip stitch or chain up unless the pattern specifically says to do so. Using a stitch marker at the beginning of each round will help you keep your place.
Pattern Instructions
Body
Start with your main brown yarn.
Round 1: Make a magic ring, then work 6 sc into the ring. Pull the tail to close the ring. (6 sts)
Round 2: Inc in each st around. (12 sts)
Round 3: (Sc 1, inc) repeat around. (18 sts)
Round 4: (Sc 2, inc) repeat around. (24 sts)
Round 5: (Sc 3, inc) repeat around. (30 sts)
Round 6: (Sc 4, inc) repeat around. (36 sts)
Round 7: (Sc 5, inc) repeat around. (42 sts)
Rounds 8 through 14: Sc in each st around. (42 sts)
Round 15: (Sc 5, dec) repeat around. (36 sts)
Round 16: (Sc 4, dec) repeat around. (30 sts)
At this point, insert your safety eyes between rounds 9 and 10, spaced about 10 to 12 stitches apart. If you are adding a belly panel, sew or surface crochet it onto the front of the body before you close up too much.
Round 17: (Sc 3, dec) repeat around. (24 sts)
Round 18: (Sc 2, dec) repeat around. (18 sts)
Begin stuffing the body firmly with polyfill at this point. Continue to stuff as you close up the opening.
Round 19: (Sc 1, dec) repeat around. (12 sts)
Round 20: Dec around. (6 sts)
Fasten off and use your yarn needle to close the remaining hole by weaving through the front loops of the remaining stitches and pulling tight. Weave in the end.
Head
The head is worked the same way as the body up through round 6, but then instead of leveling off into straight rounds, we continue increasing to get a slightly larger shape.
Round 1: MR, 6 sc. (6 sts)
Round 2: Inc around. (12 sts)
Round 3: (Sc 1, inc) repeat. (18 sts)
Round 4: (Sc 2, inc) repeat. (24 sts)
Round 5: (Sc 3, inc) repeat. (30 sts)
Round 6: (Sc 4, inc) repeat. (36 sts)
Round 7: (Sc 5, inc) repeat. (42 sts)
Rounds 8 through 12: Sc around. (42 sts)
Round 13: (Sc 5, dec) repeat. (36 sts)
Round 14: (Sc 4, dec) repeat. (30 sts)
Round 15: (Sc 3, dec) repeat. (24 sts)
Attach safety eyes here, between rounds 8 and 9, spaced about 10 stitches apart, before the opening becomes too small to work inside the head.
Round 16: (Sc 2, dec) repeat. (18 sts)
Stuff firmly with polyfill.
Round 17: (Sc 1, dec) repeat. (12 sts)
Round 18: Dec around. (6 sts)
Fasten off and close the hole as before.
Snout
Using tan or cream yarn:
Round 1: MR, 6 sc. (6 sts)
Round 2: Inc around. (12 sts)
Round 3: (Sc 1, inc) repeat. (18 sts)
Rounds 4 and 5: Sc around. (18 sts)
Fasten off with a long tail for sewing. Leave the snout lightly stuffed or unstuffed — it will flatten naturally when sewn onto the face. Position the snout on the center front of the head, centered between and just below the eyes, and sew it on securely. Once attached, embroider or sew on the nose at the top center of the snout.
Ears (Make Two)
Using main brown yarn:
Round 1: MR, 6 sc. (6 sts)
Round 2: Inc around. (12 sts)
Round 3: (Sc 1, inc) repeat. (18 sts)
Rounds 4 through 6: Sc around. (18 sts)
Now, fold the ear flat (no stuffing) and sc across the open edge to close it, working through both layers. This creates a flat, rounded ear shape. Fasten off with a long tail.
For the inner ear detail, cut a small piece of tan yarn and make a few surface slip stitches or simply use a yarn needle to create a small oval of tan color in the center of each ear. You can also make a separate, smaller circle in tan and sew it on.
Sew the ears to the sides of the head, positioned just above the eye line.
Legs (Make Four)
Using main brown yarn:
Round 1: MR, 6 sc. (6 sts)
Round 2: Inc around. (12 sts)
Rounds 3 and 4: Sc around. (12 sts)
Round 5: (Sc 1, dec) repeat. (8 sts)
Rounds 6 through 10: Sc around. (8 sts)
Fasten off with a long tail. Stuff lightly. The legs should be stubby and firm. Sew two legs to the underside front of the body and two to the underside back, spacing them evenly so the reindeer can sit up on its own.
Tail
Using main brown or white yarn:
Round 1: MR, 6 sc. (6 sts)
Round 2: Inc around. (12 sts)
Round 3: Sc around. (12 sts)
Fasten off, stuff minimally, and sew to the back of the body.
Antlers (Make Two, Each With Two Branches)
The antlers are the most character-defining feature of your reindeer, and they are easier to make than they look. You will crochet two main branches and then attach smaller branches to each.
Main antler post: Chain 8. Starting in the second chain from hook, sl st across. (7 sl sts) This creates a firm, cord-like post. Fasten off with a long tail.
Small branch (make 2 per antler): Chain 5. Starting in the second chain from hook, sl st across. (4 sl sts) Fasten off.
Using your yarn needle, sew one small branch near the top of the antler post and one about midway up, angling them slightly upward and outward. Weave in all ends carefully. The antlers should feel a bit stiff from the tight slip stitches. If you want them to hold their shape even better, you can thread a small piece of pipe cleaner or floral wire through the center before sewing them onto the head.
Sew both antlers to the top of the head, behind the ears, spaced a few stitches apart.
Assembly
Once all your pieces are complete, it is time to bring your reindeer to life. Lay everything out before you begin sewing so you can plan the placement and make sure you are happy with how it looks.
Sew the head to the body first, making sure it is centered and angled slightly upward for a naturally inquisitive expression. Use your long yarn tail and a yarn needle, stitching through both pieces with a whipstitch or mattress stitch and going around the entire circumference at least twice for a secure join.
Next, attach the legs. Hold your reindeer in the position you want it to sit in to figure out exactly where the legs need to be for balance. Sew them on firmly, going through the leg and into the body several times before fastening off.
Attach the tail to the back of the body, the ears to the sides of the head, and the antlers to the top of the head. Finally, if you want to add rosy cheeks, use a small circle of pink yarn or a length of pink embroidery floss to create a simple embroidered circle on each cheek.
Give your reindeer a gentle squeeze and a once-over to check that all pieces are securely attached and that the stuffing feels evenly distributed. Make any adjustments you need, then weave in any remaining yarn ends.
Tips for a Beautiful Finished Reindeer
A few small techniques make a noticeable difference in the quality of your finished plush. Working with a slightly smaller hook than your yarn suggests, as mentioned earlier, keeps your stitches tight and your stuffing invisible. Always stuff more firmly than you think you need to — amigurumi pieces tend to feel better with plenty of stuffing, and the yarn will stretch slightly over time.
When sewing pieces together, use the same yarn you crocheted with so the seams blend in seamlessly. If you find that your yarn tail is not quite long enough to sew a piece on securely, cut a separate length and thread that onto your needle instead.
If your antlers feel floppy, a small piece of pipe cleaner inserted before sewing can fix that entirely. You can also add a tiny dab of fabric stiffener to the antlers if you prefer a no-wire solution.
For gifting, consider tying a small ribbon or bow around your reindeer’s neck, or crocheting a tiny scarf in red and white stripes. These small finishing touches elevate the gift from handmade to truly special.
Gauge and Sizing
Using worsted weight yarn and a 3.5mm hook, the finished reindeer should measure approximately 7 to 8 inches tall when sitting up. If you use a bulkier yarn, your reindeer will come out larger, which can also be very charming. A chunky yarn with a 6mm hook will produce a reindeer closer to 11 or 12 inches, which makes for an especially huggable stuffed animal.
If you want a smaller reindeer, switch to a sport or DK weight yarn with a 2.5mm or 3.0mm hook and your reindeer will sit at around 4 to 5 inches — perfect as a Christmas tree ornament or stocking stuffer.
Sharing Your Make
One of the best parts of the crochet community is seeing how different makers interpret the same pattern. No two handmade reindeer are ever exactly alike, and that is something worth celebrating. If you make this pattern, we would love to see your finished reindeer. Share your photos on social media and tag us so we can admire your work and feature it in our community gallery.
If you find a step unclear or want to share a tip that helped you along the way, leave a comment below. This pattern grows better with every maker who works through it and shares their experience.
Happy crocheting, and may your reindeer bring as much joy to whoever receives it as it brought you in the making.
