Since everyone is already excited about Christmas, here's my ornamental contribution (much too early, really) to the craze and kindness. Not sure what this is, clown or elf or gnome... found this little thing on the flea market years ago, so I had to have a go at mass-producing it back then.

Definitely worth a revision... I hope! :) Good for decorating trees or adding soul to places. And although my recent research (a simple search for “crochet clown”) has shown that there are many free patterns available online for such... elves (http://www.craftelf.com/Christmas/Crochet%20elf.JPG – this is great) and clowns (http://www.knitting-crochet.com/found/clopat.html), not one is exactly like this fellow. So here he is.

 

SIZE: Approximately 15 cm from top of hat to toe, without the hanging loop.

MATERIAL/HOOK: I used a 3 mm hook with light fingering yarn.

SKILL: easy – and fast, about 90 minutes to complete!

LEGS

R1: ch 41, 3 sc in second chain from hook, 4 sc in each chain (160 sc)

R2: change color (mine was the green and red for this one), turn and sc in each of the 160 sc you made, sl st for last stitch, finish off

Note: It will already curl up by itself, although you will need to shape both the legs and arms a bit by pulling and squeezing and making sure the layers slide on each other nicely. The resulting look has to show the wrong side of your work, so twist in that direction.

ARMS

R1: ch 29, 3 sc in second chain from hook, 4 sc in each chain (112 sc)

R2: change color (mine was the green and red for this one as well), turn and sc in each of the 112 sc you made, sl st for last stitch, finish off

COLLAR

R1: ch 12, sl st to first ch to form circle

R2: ch 3 (stands for the first dc), dc in same stitch, 2 dc in each stitch around (24 dc)

R3: change color, ch 3 (stands for the first dc), dc in same stitch, 2 dc in each stitch around (48 dc)

HAT

No need to sl st at the end of each round.

R1: ch 1 and 3 sc into magic circle

R2: 2 sc in each stitch (6 sc)

R3: sc in each stitch (6 sc)

R4: inc, sc in each stitch (7 sc)

R5: sc in each stitch (7 sc)

R6: inc, sc in each stitch (8 sc)

R7: sc in each stitch (8 sc)

R8: inc, sc in next 3 stitches, inc, sc in remaining 3 stitches (10 sc)

R9: sc in each stitch (10 sc)

R10: inc, sc in next 4 stitches, inc, sc in remaining 4 stitches (12 sc)

R11: sc in each stitch (12 sc)

Change color

R12: *2 sc in next stitch, 1 sc in next stitch* around (18 sc)

R13: sc in each stitch (18sc)

R14: sc2tog around so that there are 9 sc's, sl st, finish off

For the hanging loop, ch 30, finish off, fold and tie a knot at the end, then pull through the very top of the hat with your hook.

HEAD

You can use a cloth with filling, a crochet sphere, a small ball, anything you prefer, provided it fits the hat. Once you're done with the head, pull the hat onto it, it should be tight and unforgiving, but that's the point.

My not-so-round ball of a head was made as follows. I'm sure you'll find loads of better patterns for free, but hey, at least the size worked with this one!

R1: ch 1 and 6 sc in magic circle

R2: *sc 1, 2 sc in next stitch* around (9 sc)

R3: *sc in next 2 stitches, 2 sc in next stitch* around (12 sc)

R4: *sc in next 3 stitches, 2 sc in next stitch* around (15 sc)

R5: sc in each stitch around (15 sc)

R6: *sc in next 3 stitches, sc2tog* around (12 sc)

R7: *sc in next 2 stitches, sc2tog* around (9 sc)

Add stuffing.

R8: *sc 1, sc2tog* around (6 sc)

Slip stitch, finish off, pull yarn through all 6 sc's, tighten.

Insert into hat with the R8- side inwards, R1- side facing outwards.

Sew arms and legs together at their center, fold the collar neatly over them and sew for stability, then sew the head onto the little hole at the top of the collar. 

I'm no good with faces, so I ventured a blank. Get creative with buttons, smiles, eyes and rosy cheeks, please!