Hi there! You're going to crochet a happy little snowman that won't ever melt, and you don't need any practice to make one. We'll take it slow, step by step, and each stitch you work is a win.
At a glance
| Skill level | Easy |
| Finished size | about 6 in (16 cm) tall |
| Yarn | DK (light worsted) cotton |
| Hook | 3.5 mm (US E-4) |
| Colors | White, Orange, Black, Red, Brown, Light pink, Dark chocolate |
| Pieces | body and head (one piece), carrot nose, top hat, hat band, scarf, twig arm x2, upper twig x2, lower twig x2, button x3 |
What you'll need
Yarn
DK (light worsted): yarn weight 3, light
- White: about 60 yd (55 m), 1 ball, 1.75 oz / 137 yd (50 g / 125 m)
- Orange: a small scrap
- Black: about 14 yd (13 m), 1 ball, 1.75 oz / 137 yd (50 g / 125 m)
- Red: about 15 yd (14 m), 1 ball, 1.75 oz / 137 yd (50 g / 125 m)
- Brown: about 8 yd (7 m), 1 ball, 1.75 oz / 137 yd (50 g / 125 m)
- Light pink: a small scrap
- Dark chocolate: a small scrap
Tools and notions
- 3.5 mm crochet hook: for DK (light worsted) cotton yarn
- 8 mm black safety eyes: 1 pair
- Polyester toy stuffing: a couple of big handfuls
- Yarn needle (big eye, blunt tip)
- 1 stitch marker: A scrap of yarn or a paperclip will do as well.
- Scissors
Size and gauge
In this yarn, the snowman ends up around 6 in (16 cm) tall with a 3.5 mm (US E-4) hook: roughly 20 sc and 22 rounds per 4 in (10 cm). Gauge doesn't really matter, a different yarn or hook just makes it a different size.
Abbreviations (US terms)
| Rnd | round, worked in a continuous spiral: don't join, move the stitch marker up each round |
| Row | worked back and forth: turn at the end of each row |
| sc | single crochet |
| inc | increase: 2 sc in the same stitch |
| dec | decrease: sc 2 stitches together (the invisible decrease looks neatest) |
| ch | chain |
| st(s) | stitch(es) |
| ( ) x6 | repeat what's in brackets 6 times |
| (12) | the stitches you have at the end of the round |
If you're just learning them, the crochet abbreviations page walks you through how to make each one.
Good to know
- Work your stitches tight, or the stuffing will peek out. Notice holes? Switch to a smaller hook.
- Work in a spiral, and at the beginning of every round, move your stitch marker up.
- When you're going to sew a piece on, keep a long tail on it.
- Safety eyes and small parts can be a choking hazard for children under 3. For little ones, embroider the eyes instead.
Techniques in this pattern
Just starting out with one of these? Every tutorial walks you through it, step by step, with photos.
- Magic ring: how the round pieces start
- Invisible decrease: smooth shaping without gaps
- Safety eyes: where they go and how they lock
- Sewing the pieces together: neat seams that hide
- Reading the pattern: rounds, repeats and stitch counts
Rather follow pictures? Make the snowman in the app.
Crochet Pirate guides you through this pattern, step by step: a photo at each checkpoint, a round counter, and a quick video for every stitch it calls for.
Snowman crochet pattern
Work every section one after another, and at the close of each round count your stitches: the figure in brackets tells you how many you ought to have.
Body and head (one piece)
Worked in white.
| Round | Instructions | Stitches |
|---|---|---|
| Rnd 1 | 6 sc in magic ring | (6) |
| Rnd 2 | inc x6 | (12) |
| Rnd 3 | (sc, inc) x6 | (18) |
| Rnd 4 | (sc 2, inc) x6 | (24) |
| Rnd 5 | (sc 3, inc) x6 | (30) |
| Rnd 6 | (sc 4, inc) x6 | (36) |
| Rnd 7 | (sc 5, inc) x6 | (42) |
| Rnd 8 | (sc 6, inc) x6 | (48) |
| Rnd 9 | (sc 7, inc) x6 | (54) |
| Rnd 10 | (sc 8, inc) x6 | (60) |
Check: Yours ought to come out as a flat circle, roughly 3.7 in (9.5 cm) wide, with 60 stitches around the edge.
| Round | Instructions | Stitches |
|---|---|---|
| Rnds 11-16 | sc in each st around | (60) |
| Rnd 17 | (sc 8, dec) x6 | (54) |
| Rnd 18 | sc in each st around | (54) |
| Rnd 19 | (sc 7, dec) x6 | (48) |
| Rnd 20 | (sc 6, dec) x6 | (42) |
| Rnd 21 | (sc 5, dec) x6 | (36) |
| Rnd 22 | sc in each st around | (36) |
| Rnd 23 | (sc 5, inc) x6 | (42) |
| Rnd 24 | (sc 6, inc) x6 | (48) |
Check: What you want is a cup that's open, roughly 3.7 in (9.5 cm) across and 1.4 in (3.6 cm) deep, with 48 stitches around the rim.
| Round | Instructions | Stitches |
|---|---|---|
| Rnds 25-29 | sc in each st around | (48) |
Note: It's eye time! Put the safety eyes in between round 28 and round 29, leaving 7 stitches between them, on the smoothest side (that's the face, the little jog where laps begin belongs at the back). Before you snap the backs on inside, take a look from far away: once they click, they're on forever.
| Round | Instructions | Stitches |
|---|---|---|
| Rnds 30-31 | sc in each st around | (48) |
| Rnd 32 | (sc 6, dec) x6 | (42) |
| Rnd 33 | (sc 5, dec) x6 | (36) |
| Rnd 34 | (sc 4, dec) x6 | (30) |
| Rnd 35 | (sc 3, dec) x6 | (24) |
| Rnd 36 | (sc 2, dec) x6 | (18) |
Note: Push the filling in now, while the opening is still wide enough. Grab little tufts, start by tucking them into the far end, and keep at it until it feels solid and bouncy. Add a bit more before the final round.
Check: Yours should look like a stuffed piece about 3.7 in (9.4 cm) wide and 5 in (12.8 cm) tall, with an opening of 18 stitches left.
| Round | Instructions | Stitches |
|---|---|---|
| Rnd 37 | (sc, dec) x6 | (12) |
| Rnd 38 | dec x6 | (6) |
Note: When you're done, snip the yarn and leave a tail about the length of your hand. Put it on the yarn needle, pass it through the front loop of every one of the last stitches, then pull it tight, just like a drawstring bag, the hole closes up. If this piece will be sewn on, keep a long tail; if not, tuck it inside.
Check: All right! Now your body and head, worked as one piece, should be a firmly stuffed, completely closed piece that's around 3.5 in (9 cm) wide and 5.5 in (14.1 cm) tall.
Carrot nose
Worked in orange.
| Round | Instructions | Stitches |
|---|---|---|
| Rnd 1 | 4 sc in magic ring | (4) |
| Rnd 2 | sc 3, inc | (5) |
| Rnd 3 | sc 4, inc | (6) |
| Rnd 4 | sc 5, inc | (7) |
Note: Slip stitch into the next stitch, then cut the yarn leaving a long tail (about 12 in / 30 cm), you'll sew the carrot nose on with it. Stuff it softly, pushing the stuffing to the end with the back of your hook.
Check: All set! Your carrot nose is now an open piece, roughly 0.4 in (1.1 cm) wide and 0.6 in (1.6 cm) long, and it has a long yarn tail.
Top hat
Worked in black.
| Round | Instructions | Stitches |
|---|---|---|
| Rnd 1 | 6 sc in magic ring | (6) |
| Rnd 2 | inc x6 | (12) |
| Rnd 3 | (sc, inc) x6 | (18) |
| Rnd 4 | (sc 2, inc) x6 | (24) |
| Rnd 5 | (sc 5, inc) x4 | (28) |
Check: What you should end up with is a flat circle, roughly 1.8 in (4.5 cm) wide, and 28 stitches going around the edge.
| Round | Instructions | Stitches |
|---|---|---|
| Rnds 6-9 | sc in each st around | (28) |
Check: Yours should look like an open cup, about 1.8 in (4.5 cm) wide and 0.8 in (2.1 cm) deep, with 28 stitches around the edge.
| Round | Instructions | Stitches |
|---|---|---|
| Rnds 10-11 | sc in each st around | (28) |
| Rnd 12 | (sc 4, inc) x5, sc 2, inc | (34) |
| Rnd 13 | (sc 5, inc) x5, sc 3, inc | (40) |
Note: Put a slip stitch in the following stitch. Then cut your yarn, leaving a long tail, around 12 in (30 cm), since you'll use it to sew the top hat on. Fill it gently, nudging the stuffing down to the tip with the back of your hook.
Check: All set! Now your top hat should be an open piece that's around 2.4 in (6.1 cm) wide and 1.7 in (4.4 cm) long, plus a long yarn tail.
Hat band
Worked in red.
Note: Ch 31. Make a slip knot, then chain 31. This piece is flat: you work back and forth along that chain in rows, turning at the end of each row.
| Round | Instructions | Stitches |
|---|---|---|
| Row 1 | sc 30 | (30) |
| Rows 2-3 | ch 1, turn, sc 30 | (30) |
Note: Snip the yarn, leaving a long tail, roughly 12 in (30 cm), for sewing. Then pull it through the last loop.
Check: All set! Your hat band ought to be a flat strip now, roughly 6 in (15 cm) wide and 0.6 in (1.4 cm) tall, with a long yarn tail.
Scarf
Worked in red.
Note: Ch 5. Make a slip knot, then chain 5. This piece is flat, so you crochet back and forth along that chain in rows, turning at the end of each row.
| Round | Instructions | Stitches |
|---|---|---|
| Row 1 | sc 4 | (4) |
| Rows 2-36 | ch 1, turn, sc 4 | (4) |
Check: What you make should come out as a flat strip, roughly 0.8 in (2 cm) wide and 6.5 in (16.4 cm) tall, with 4 stitches across the last row.
| Round | Instructions | Stitches |
|---|---|---|
| Rows 37-72 | ch 1, turn, sc 4 | (4) |
Note: Snip the yarn, leaving a long tail, roughly 12 in (30 cm), for sewing. Then pull it through the last loop.
Check: All set! Now your scarf ought to be a flat strip, roughly 0.8 in (2 cm) wide and 13 in (32.7 cm) tall, plus a long yarn tail.
Twig arm (make 2)
Worked in brown.
| Round | Instructions | Stitches |
|---|---|---|
| Rnd 1 | 5 sc in magic ring | (5) |
| Rnds 2-4 | sc in each st around | (5) |
Check: What you want is an open cup that's roughly 0.3 in (0.8 cm) wide and 0.6 in (1.6 cm) deep, with 5 stitches around the edge.
| Round | Instructions | Stitches |
|---|---|---|
| Rnds 5-7 | sc in each st around | (5) |
Note: Slip stitch into the next stitch, then cut the yarn and leave a long tail (around 12 in / 30 cm), you'll use it to sew the twig arm on. Stuff it softly, using the back of your hook to push the stuffing down to the end.
Check: Got it! Your twig arm is now an open piece, around 0.4 in (0.9 cm) wide and 1.2 in (3.1 cm) long, and it has a long yarn tail.
Upper twig (make 2)
Worked in brown.
| Round | Instructions | Stitches |
|---|---|---|
| Rnd 1 | 4 sc in magic ring | (4) |
| Rnds 2-3 | sc in each st around | (4) |
Note: Slip stitch into the next stitch. Then cut the yarn, leaving a long tail (about 12 in / 30 cm), you'll use it to sew the upper twig on.
Check: Done! Your upper twig should now be an open piece about 0.2 in (0.6 cm) wide and 0.5 in (1.2 cm) long, with a long yarn tail.
Lower twig (make 2)
Worked in brown.
| Round | Instructions | Stitches |
|---|---|---|
| Rnd 1 | 4 sc in magic ring | (4) |
| Rnds 2-3 | sc in each st around | (4) |
Note: Put a slip stitch in the next stitch. Then cut the yarn, but leave a long tail, around 12 in (30 cm), since you'll use it to sew the lower twig on.
Check: Great! Now your lower twig ought to be an open piece around 0.2 in (0.6 cm) wide and 0.5 in (1.2 cm) long, with a long yarn tail.
Button (make 3)
Worked in black.
| Round | Instructions | Stitches |
|---|---|---|
| Rnd 1 | 6 sc in magic ring | (6) |
Note: Slip stitch into the next stitch to make the edge smooth, then cut the yarn and leave a long tail (around 12 in / 30 cm) for sewing.
Check: All set! You should have a flat circle now, roughly 0.4 in (1 cm) wide, plus a long yarn tail.
Putting the snowman together
Once every piece is done, the fun bit arrives: you join them up, and your snowman comes to life.
1. Attach the carrot nose
Put it on the body and head (one piece) at round 27, in the middle of the front. Keep the open edge flat against the body and head (one piece), then pin it all around. With the long tail, sew around the whole edge: under one stitch of the carrot nose, then under the body and head (one piece) right beside it. Just before the gap closes, add a little last stuffing. It should point straight out in the end.
2. Attach the upper twigs
Place the first one on the twig arm at round 3, one on each side. Hold the open edge flat against the twig arm and pin it all round. Using the long tail, sew all the way around the edge: under one stitch of the upper twig, then under the twig arm right next to it. It should end up pointing out and toward the toy's left, about 45 degrees from straight out. Then do the same for the other one on the other side, mirrored.
3. Attach the lower twigs
Place the first one on the twig arm at round 3, one on each side. Hold the open edge flat against the twig arm and pin it all round. Using the long tail, sew all the way around the edge: under one stitch of the lower twig, then under the twig arm right next to it. It should end up pointing out and toward the toy's left, about 45 degrees from straight out. Then do the same for the other one on the other side, mirrored.
4. Attach the twig arms
At round 18, put the first one on the body and head (one piece), one on each side. Lay the open edge flat against the body and head (one piece), then pin it all the way around. With the long tail, stitch around the whole edge: under one stitch of the twig arm, then under the body and head (one piece) right beside it. Right before the gap closes, add a final bit of stuffing. It should point out and up when you're done, about 20 degrees from straight out. After that, repeat for the other one on the opposite side, mirrored.
5. Attach the buttons
You put them on the body and head (one piece) at round 9, along it in a row, at the front, in the middle: one every 3.5 rounds, from round 9 up to round 16. First pin them all down so the gaps come out even. Then for each one: pin the flat button flat onto the body and head (one piece), and with the long tail, sew around its edge, catching the body and head (one piece) underneath with every stitch. It'll curve along the body and head (one piece), and that's just what you want.
6. Wrap the hat band
Place it around the top hat at round 10, its ends meeting at the back, in the middle. Wrap the hat band around the top hat and pull it snug, so it gathers the top hat in a little. Sew its two ends together where they meet, then a couple of stitches through the top hat so it can't slide.
7. Attach the top hat
At round 35, on the front and in the middle, put it on the body and head (one piece). Just like a hat, pull the top hat over the body and head (one piece), so its edge rests all the way around on round 35. Pin it evenly, and then sew around the whole edge: under a stitch of the top hat, then under the body and head (one piece) right beside it.
8. Wrap the scarf
At round 21, put it around the body and head (one piece), with the ends meeting at the front, just a bit to the toy's left. Wrap the scarf around the body and head (one piece), cross the ends at the meeting spot, and let them hang down. Sew through both layers there to keep it in place.
9. Sew the cheeks
Using light pink yarn, on the body and head (one piece), near round 26, place one on each side of the front. How: 2 short stitches side by side make one cheek.
10. Sew the mouth
Using dark chocolate yarn, on the body and head (a single piece), near round 26, at the front, in the center. Here's how: come up at a corner, go down 3 stitches over, then grab the middle of that long stitch and tug it down one round to shape a curve.
11. Hide the tails
For every loose tail: thread it on the needle, poke it into the toy and out somewhere else, give it a little tug, and snip it close. The end disappears inside. All done!
All done!
You did it! Your own snowman is done, with hat and scarf and everything, and you made all of it on your own.
Finished one? Show it to #crochetpirate. We would love to see it.
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Questions about this pattern
Is the snowman's body and head one piece?
Sure. The head and body get crocheted together as one piece, going from the bottom up, so you won't have a neck seam to stitch. You make the hat, scarf, nose, twig arms, and buttons on their own, then attach them at the end.
Can I hang this snowman on the tree?
It is a standing toy about 6.5 in (16 cm) tall, a bit big for most branches. For an ornament, work the same rounds in a thinner yarn with a smaller hook and sew a yarn loop to the top of the hat.
How big is the finished snowman?
With DK (light worsted) yarn and a 3.5 mm (US E-4) hook, the snowman ends up around 6 in (16 cm) tall. If you use thicker yarn and a bigger hook, you get a bigger toy; the rounds don't change.
What yarn and hook do I need?
With a 3.5 mm (US E-4) hook, use DK (light worsted) cotton in 7 colors: white, orange, black, red, brown, light pink, dark chocolate. If you change your hook size up or down to keep the stitches tight, any yarn will work.
Is this pattern good for beginners?
Yep, it's labeled Easy: single crochet worked in the round, plus increases and decreases, and each round has a stitch count.
Can I sell what I make?
Sure, you can sell the toys you make using this pattern, and it's nice if you give a shout-out to Crochet Pirate. But please don't share or sell the pattern itself, just send folks to this page instead.
Copyright 2026 Crochet Pirate. This pattern is free for personal use.
