This Wooden Bead Christmas Elf Crochet Pattern makes a smiling holiday ornament with a natural wooden head, an ivory openwork body, and a pointed green hat topped with a red crochet pompom. Wooden bead hands and feet add the gentle dangling movement of the reference.
The body is an unstuffed semicircular lace fan worked in turned rows. Make the hat separately in rounds, then connect the beads with reinforced cords and crochet chains. A separate hanging cord carries the ornament through the head and hat.
Pattern Information
- Skill level: intermediate; shell lace, small rounds, bead threading, and secure assembly.
- Estimated height: 15–19 cm excluding the hanging loop in DK cotton. Yarn, bead sizes, and tension change the final proportions.
- Construction: flat ivory lace fan, green cone hat, white brim, red pompom, wooden head and four limb beads.
- US crochet terminology. This is a display decoration.
This is an image-inspired adaptation. Stitch and repeat counts have been reviewed, but the design has not been physically crocheted or independently tested. Follow the written pattern for construction; the photographs illustrate the intended look.
Materials
- DK cotton: approximately 15–20 g ivory, 5–10 g forest green, and a small amount of red.
- 2.5–3 mm hook, tapestry needle, fine needle or bead threader, scissors, pins, and a marker.
- One smooth wooden head bead approximately 25–30 mm across, with a vertical hole wide enough for the suspension cord.
- Four smooth wooden beads approximately 10–12 mm across, for hands and feet. Check hole sizes before beginning.
- Strong thin ivory cord that fits through the bead holes, plus strong sewing thread.
- Optional water-based craft paint or fine paint pens for the face, suitable for wood. Let it dry fully before assembly.
Abbreviations and Notes
- MR: magic ring; ch: chain; sl st: slip stitch.
- sc: single crochet; dc: double crochet.
- inc: 2 sc in one stitch; dec: sc2tog.
- Shell: 5 dc in the same stitch.
- Body ch 3 counts as the first dc. Hat and brim ch 1 do not count as stitches.
- Turn after each lace body row. Work the hat and pompom in continuous rounds, moving a marker.
Wooden Bead Christmas Elf Crochet Pattern
1. Ivory Lace Fan Body
Leave a long beginning tail. Make a MR with ivory and work back and forth into it to create a semicircle rather than joining it into a complete circle.
Row 1: ch 3, 8 dc into the MR [9 dc including the starting chain]. Gently close the ring so the nine stitches spread into a fan. Turn; do not join the row ends.
Row 2: ch 3 and 2 dc in the first stitch, ch 2, skip 1 stitch. Repeat (3 dc in the next stitch, ch 2, skip 1 stitch) three times. Work 3 dc in the last stitch [15 dc in five groups; four ch-2 spaces]. Turn. The last stitch is the top of the previous starting ch 3.
Row 3: ch 3 and dc in the first stitch, dc in the next stitch, 2 dc in the next stitch. For each of the remaining four groups: ch 2, pass over the previous ch-2 space without working into it, then 2 dc in the first dc of the next group, dc in its middle dc, 2 dc in its last dc [25 dc in five groups of five; four ch-2 spaces]. Turn.
Row 4, scalloped edge: ch 1. Over each five-dc group work (sc in the first dc, skip 1 dc, 5 dc in the middle dc, skip 1 dc, sc in the last dc). Between groups, work 1 sc into the ch-2 space. Repeat across all five groups. Fasten off with a long assembly tail [five shells, 25 dc, and 14 sc: 39 worked stitches].
The two ends of Row 1 remain close together at the top neck point; the five shells form the wider lower arc. Keep the upper side corners available for the hands. The middle shell points downward when the body hangs. Do not stuff this piece.
2. Pointed Green Hat
Start at the tip with green. R1: 6 sc in MR [6]. R2: (2 sc, inc) × 2 [8]. R3: (3 sc, inc) × 2 [10]. R4: (4 sc, inc) × 2 [12]. R5: (5 sc, inc) × 2 [14]. R6: (6 sc, inc) × 2 [16]. R7: (7 sc, inc) × 2 [18]. R8: (8 sc, inc) × 2 [20]. R9: (9 sc, inc) × 2 [22]. R10: (10 sc, inc) × 2 [24]. R11: 24 sc [24].
Try the open edge over the top of the actual head bead. It should cover the upper third of the bead without hiding the eyes. If needed, change hook size for the whole hat; bead and yarn dimensions vary. Do not force a tight hat over a larger bead.
Ivory brim: change to ivory and work 24 sc in each of two rounds. Sl st into the next stitch, fasten off, and weave in the ends. Fold the two-round brim gently outward if desired. Keep a small route through the hat tip for the suspension cord.
3. Red Crochet Pompom
With red: R1, 6 sc in MR [6]; R2, inc × 6 [12]; R3, dec × 6 [6]. Fasten off, gather the six remaining front loops, and keep a sewing tail. This tiny pompom needs no stuffing. Sew it securely to the green hat tip, leaving a path beside it for the hanging cord.
4. Wooden Face and Main Suspension
If using an unfinished bead, paint two tiny black eyes, red cheeks, and a small red smile on its front, keeping the hole vertical. Follow the paint label and let it dry fully before handling. A ready-painted bead is also suitable.
Fold a strong ivory cord approximately 45–55 cm long into a loop. Keep the folded loop above the hat. Feed both loose ends downward through the hat tip and then through the vertical hole in the wooden head bead. Bring both ends out beneath the bead, keeping the loop above the pompom.
Anchor the two loose ends through several dense stitches around the lace fan neck, passing through the fabric in at least four directions. Tie secure knots on the back and sew the cord ends into the dense top stitches. Adjust the loop to your chosen length. The suspension must support the head and body without depending on glue or a single chain stitch.
Seat the green hat over the bead. Add a few small hidden sewing stitches between the brim and the suspension cord at the back to prevent the hat from slipping. Do not sew through the painted face. The hat is decorative; the cord carries the weight.
5. Beaded Hands
Make two short ivory chains of 6 ch, leaving long tails at both ends. Sew one chain to each upper side corner of the fan, spreading its attachment over several dense stitches. Adjust both sides to the same visible length.
Run an additional strong cord along each chain, through its loops. Pass it through a wooden hand bead and tie a stopper knot larger than the bead hole. Pull the bead gently against the end of the chain. Return the cord through the bead where possible and sew the remaining end securely into the body. If a stopper knot slips into the hole, use thicker cord or a larger knot before displaying the ornament.
6. Dangling Chain Legs and Bead Feet
Ch 12 in ivory for each leg, leaving long tails. Attach the two chains to dense stitches near the lower center of the fan: one on each side of the middle shell, keeping the center shell free. Sew across several stitches rather than hanging a leg from one open chain arch.
Pass strong cord through each leg chain and through a wooden foot bead. Knot securely below the bead with a stopper larger than the hole, then return and anchor the cord in the body. Keep the feet level and leave enough chain visible for a gentle swing. Adjust both leg lengths before trimming any ends.
Finishing
Lightly damp-block the lace fan before adding the wooden parts if the shells curl. Pin the open spaces gently, keeping the neck narrow and the lower arc wide. Let the crochet dry fully before attaching beads. Do not soak painted wood.
Check the main hanging cord and every bead connection with a gentle tug. The head should stay upright, the hands should balance at the sides, and the two feet should hang evenly. Weave all remaining yarn tails through dense stitches on the back. Display the ornament away from young children and pets because it contains small beads and long cords.
Questions and Tips
Can I use different bead sizes? Yes. Make sure the hat fits the head and the cord fits every hole. Larger beads may require a thicker yarn and matching hook to keep the body in proportion.
Why does my fan close into a circle? The body is worked in turned rows without joining the row ends. Spread the first nine dc into a semicircle before tightening the ring fully, then block the finished fan flat.
Can I skip the wooden parts? Crochet replacements would need a different head and attachment pattern. The bead head and dangling wooden hands and feet are part of this version.
How should I store it? Keep it dry and store the lace flat with tissue supporting the bead head. Spot-clean the crochet carefully and wipe the wooden pieces with a dry soft cloth.
Complete Elf Chart
The guide image places one assembled elf-shaped chart at the top and a finished ornament photo underneath. The fan body is shown as connected rows, with the hat above the wooden head and the chains and beads in their assembly positions. Bead outlines are placement guides, not crochet stitches. Read the separate round counts for the cone and the written cord instructions before assembly.
More Free Christmas Crochet Patterns
Save This Pattern
Save this little wooden bead elf for your handmade Christmas decorations. Happy crocheting from Lovely Amigurumi!
Photo Tutorials, Crochet Chart, and Pinterest Gallery
The two photo tutorials and single-chart-above-photo guide appear first, followed by three Pinterest images. All six images are grouped here at the end.
