Free Crochet Tutorial: Crochet Wreath Napkin Ring, Gift Topper & Ornament

By My Alpaca Studio

There is something about a handmade touch that transforms an ordinary moment into something worth remembering. Whether you are setting a holiday table, wrapping a gift with intention, or decorating your home for the season, a tiny crocheted wreath does all of that with just a little yarn and a hook. This free crochet tutorial from My Alpaca Studio walks you through making a versatile mini wreath that works beautifully as a napkin ring, gift topper, ornament, or holiday decoration. It is beginner-friendly, works up in under an hour, and the possibilities for customization are practically endless.

Let’s dive in.

What Makes This Pattern So Special

The mini crochet wreath is one of those rare projects that punches well above its weight. It is small, but the impact it makes is enormous. Imagine a dinner table set with linen napkins, each one held together by a little green crocheted wreath with a tiny bow. Or a stack of wrapped gifts under the tree, each one finished with a wreath instead of a ribbon. Or a Christmas tree hung with dozens of delicate crocheted ornaments in different colors and textures.

This pattern is also a fantastic stash buster. You only need a small amount of yarn for each wreath, which makes it perfect for using up those leftover bits from larger projects. And because the construction is so simple — essentially a ring of slip stitches and single crochets worked in the round — you can make several in a single afternoon while watching your favorite holiday movie.

Materials You Will Need

Before we get started, let’s gather everything you need. One of the best things about this project is how minimal the supply list is.

Yarn: Any weight of yarn will work for this pattern, but the finished size will vary depending on what you choose. For a classic wreath ornament or napkin ring, worsted weight (Category 4) yarn in green works beautifully. For a more delicate look, try fingering weight yarn. For a chunky, rustic wreath, bulky yarn is a gorgeous choice. You will only need a small amount — roughly 15 to 30 yards per wreath depending on the size.

Hook: Use the hook size recommended for your yarn, or go down one size for a tighter stitch definition. For worsted weight yarn, a 5mm (H/8) hook works well.

Plastic ring base: A plastic ring base is what gives the wreath its shape and structure. You can find these at craft stores in a variety of sizes. A 3-inch ring works well for ornaments and gift toppers; a 2-inch ring is lovely for napkin rings; a 4-inch ring makes a more statement-making ornament or small wall hanging. You can also use metal rings, embroidery hoops, or even curtain rings.

Embellishments: This is where the fun begins. Think ribbon for a bow, small faux berries, a sprig of dried eucalyptus, a tiny bell, a miniature bow, pearl beads, buttons, a small cinnamon stick, or a tag with a name or message. The embellishments are entirely up to you and can be tailored to the season or the occasion.

Scissors and a tapestry needle for weaving in ends.

Optional: Floral wire or hot glue for attaching embellishments.

Abbreviations and Stitches Used

This pattern uses basic crochet stitches. Here is a quick reference guide:

sl st — slip stitch

sc — single crochet

ch — chain

MR — magic ring (optional; see notes)

The main technique used throughout is working stitches directly over the plastic ring, which creates a smooth, fully covered base. No magic ring or foundation chain is needed for the main wreath body.

Pattern Notes

This pattern is written for a 3-inch plastic ring using worsted weight yarn and a 5mm hook. To adjust the size, simply change your ring size and yarn weight. The number of stitches will vary depending on how tightly you work and which ring size you choose — and that is completely fine. The goal is to cover the ring fully and evenly.

The wreath is worked entirely in a continuous spiral directly over the ring. There are no turning chains and no joining rounds. Just continuous single crochets until the ring is covered.

You can work in one solid color for a classic look, or switch colors every few rounds or rows to create a striped or ombre effect.

Free Crochet Pattern: Mini Wreath

Step One — Getting Started

Hold your plastic ring in your non-dominant hand. Take your yarn (leaving about a 6-inch tail) and insert your hook through the ring from front to back. Pull up a loop of yarn through the ring, yarn over, and pull through the loop on your hook. This is your first slip stitch and it anchors your yarn to the ring.

If you find it easier, you can tie the tail of your yarn to the ring with a simple knot before you begin crocheting to keep things from slipping.

Step Two — Covering the Ring

Now you are going to work single crochets directly over the ring, enclosing it completely within your stitches. Insert your hook through the center of the ring from front to back, pull up a loop of working yarn, yarn over, and pull through both loops on your hook. That is one single crochet.

Continue making single crochets in this way, working around the ring. You want your stitches to sit snugly next to each other, close enough that the plastic ring does not show through, but not so tight that the fabric buckles or puckers. Keep a consistent tension and let the stitches find their natural spacing as you go.

Continue until you have worked all the way around the ring and the entire surface is covered. For a 3-inch ring with worsted weight yarn, you will typically need approximately 60 to 80 single crochets to cover the ring fully, but follow your yarn and your instincts rather than a strict count.

Step Three — Joining and Finishing

When you reach the beginning of your work and the ring is fully covered, slip stitch into your very first single crochet to join. This closes the wreath into a seamless circle.

Cut your yarn, leaving a 6-inch tail, and pull the tail through the remaining loop to fasten off. Thread both yarn tails (the starting tail and the fastening-off tail) onto your tapestry needle and weave them neatly into the back of the stitches. Trim any excess.

At this stage, you have a complete, fully covered wreath base. It should be firm, springy, and perfectly round. Give it a gentle stretch and reshape if needed.

Step Four — Adding a Hanging Loop (for Ornaments)

If you plan to use your wreath as an ornament or gift topper with a hanging loop, this is the time to add one. Cut a length of ribbon, twine, or yarn approximately 8 to 10 inches long. Fold it in half and loop it through the top of the wreath, pulling the ends through the folded loop to create a lark’s head knot. Tie the two ends together in an overhand knot and trim to your preferred length.

Alternatively, cut a 6-inch piece of yarn, fold it in half, use your hook to pull the folded end through the top of the wreath from front to back, pass the two loose ends through the folded loop, and pull snug. Tie an overhand knot at the top to create your hanger.

Step Five — Embellishing Your Wreath

Now comes the most personal and creative part of the whole process. How you decorate your wreath depends entirely on what it is for and who it is going to.

For a classic Christmas ornament: Tie a small ribbon bow at the bottom or slightly to one side of the wreath. Add a few faux red berries using hot glue or by stitching them on with a needle and thread. A tiny jingle bell threaded onto the hanging loop adds a sweet, festive touch.

For a napkin ring: Leave the wreath relatively simple — maybe just a small bow tied with satin ribbon or a sprig of dried lavender or rosemary tucked in and secured with a small stitch. The napkin will slide through the center of the ring and the wreath will sit beautifully at the fold. For holiday tables, a festive green wreath with a red bow is simply charming.

For a gift topper: Hot glue a small ribbon bow to the front of the wreath. You can also tuck in a small piece of greenery (real or faux), a cinnamon stick, or a dried orange slice. Attach to your wrapped gift by threading the hanging loop around your ribbon or tying it to the gift tag. It makes the most beautiful, memorable finishing touch on a present.

For a tree ornament: Lean into color and texture. Try making the wreath in a variegated yarn that shifts between shades of green. Embellish with tiny pearl beads, a miniature bird, a felt star, or a folded piece of tartan ribbon. A small chalkboard tag with a year or name written on it is a lovely personal touch for a keepsake ornament.

How to Adjust the Size

The beauty of this pattern is how endlessly adaptable it is. Here is a quick guide to adjusting your wreath for different uses:

A 2-inch ring with fingering weight yarn creates a truly tiny wreath — perfect for wine glass charms, small ornaments on a mini tree, or extremely delicate napkin rings for a formal table.

A 3-inch ring with worsted weight yarn is the classic all-purpose size and works for napkin rings, ornaments, and gift toppers.

A 4-inch ring with worsted or chunky yarn makes a more substantial wreath that works beautifully as a small wall hanging or a bold gift topper on a large package.

For a wreath you want to hang on a door or use as home décor, consider scaling up to a 6-inch or 8-inch ring and using multiple strands of yarn held together, or a very chunky yarn on a large hook.

Color and Yarn Suggestions

Green is the traditional choice and it is traditional for good reason — it looks absolutely stunning. Deep evergreen, bright Christmas green, olive, sage, and hunter green all work beautifully. But don’t stop there.

A white or cream wreath looks elegant and wintry. A dusty blue wreath with silver embellishments has a cool, icy charm. A burgundy or deep red wreath is rich and unexpected. Gold or copper metallic yarn creates an incredibly glamorous ornament.

For a striped effect, work half the ring in one color, then switch colors and work the second half in another. You can do this in two halves, or alternate every few stitches for a tweed or marled effect. Holding two strands of slightly different green yarns together simultaneously creates a beautiful depth of color that mimics real foliage.

If you use alpaca yarn — which is, of course, very close to our hearts at My Alpaca Studio — the softness and slight halo of the fiber adds an extra dimension of beauty to the finished wreath. Baby alpaca or alpaca-blend yarns in earthy, natural shades are particularly lovely for a rustic, Scandi-inspired wreath aesthetic.

Tips for Making Multiple Wreaths

If you are making wreaths in bulk — for place settings at a party, as gifts for friends and colleagues, or as a batch of ornaments for a craft fair — a few tricks will help you stay consistent and work efficiently.

Prepare all your rings in advance and set up an assembly line. Work through all the covering steps first on every ring before you move on to embellishing. This is faster and helps you maintain consistency in tension across the whole batch.

Keep a small basket of embellishments nearby so you can mix and match quickly. Cut ribbon bows in advance and store them in a small container. Pre-sort your embellishments by color or style so you are not hunting for things mid-project.

Use a dot of hot glue for all your embellishments if you are making many at once — it is faster than hand-stitching and holds just as well for decorative purposes.

Label your wreaths if they are going to be used as place card holders or personalized gifts. A tiny tag threaded through the hanging loop is charming and practical.

Caring for Your Crochet Wreaths

For wreaths that are purely decorative, care is minimal. Dust them gently with a soft brush or a blast of compressed air if needed. If they get slightly misshapen over time, a light misting of water and reshaping by hand will usually bring them right back.

If your wreaths are being used as napkin rings that will be laundered along with the napkins, remove the wreaths before washing. Handwash the wreaths separately in cool water with a gentle wool wash if they are made from natural fibers. Lay flat to dry and reshape as needed.

Wreaths made from acrylic yarn can generally handle more aggressive handling and even a gentle machine wash cycle in a mesh bag, but check your yarn’s care instructions first.

Skill Level and Who This Pattern Is For

This pattern is written for beginner and intermediate crochet makers. If you can make a slip knot, chain stitch, and single crochet, you have every skill you need to complete this project. The technique of working over a ring feels slightly unusual at first, but after a few stitches it becomes very natural and satisfying.

This is also a wonderful project to teach to children who are learning to crochet. The ring gives them something firm to hold onto, the stitches are forgiving, and the end result feels like a real accomplishment.

More experienced crocheters will enjoy the meditative, rhythmic quality of working the ring, and might find it a satisfying palette cleanser between larger, more complex projects.

Share Your Makes

We would absolutely love to see the wreaths you make using this tutorial. If you share your finished project on Instagram, please tag My Alpaca Studio and use a hashtag so your photo can be found and celebrated by other makers. Your creative interpretations — the color choices, the embellishments, the clever uses we haven’t even thought of yet — are what make the crafting community so endlessly inspiring.

This pattern is completely free to use for personal projects and for small-scale handmade sales. If you sell items made from this pattern, a credit to My Alpaca Studio is always appreciated but not required. Please do not redistribute or sell the pattern itself.

Final Thoughts

The mini crochet wreath is one of those projects that seems almost too simple to be as impactful as it is. But that is exactly what makes it so satisfying. A little yarn, a little time, and a ring of plastic becomes something genuinely lovely — something that can sit on a holiday table, hang on a tree, dress up a gift, or carry a message of warmth and care to someone you love.

We hope this free tutorial from My Alpaca Studio brings you hours of creative joy this season and beyond. Now grab your hook, find your favorite green yarn, and let’s make something beautiful together.

Happy crocheting.

— My Alpaca Studio