Get ready to spread some festive cheer with my easy crochet snowman gift bag!
Add a whimsical touch to your holiday gifting by crocheting this gift bag as an alternative to a Christmas stocking (not just for the kids but for you too!).
With its adorable snowman face and jaunty hat, this gift bag will undoubtedly bring smiles all around.
I’ve written the pattern in UK crochet terms and US crochet terms.
I’ve used basic stitches in this free crochet pattern; double crochet (US single crochet) for the snowman’s head, nose and eyes; Alpine stitch for his hat.
Alpine stitch is simple. It’s crocheted in one row or round of alternating treble crochet (US double crochet) and front post treble crochets (US front post double crochets) and a second row or round of double crochet (US single crochet). These two rows repeat. Easy!
The Alpine stitch gives a stunning texture and is perfect for the snowman’s hat.
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I’m thinking it’s likely you’ll have the yarn in your stash for this project.
The hat can be any color so work with what you already have.
This crochet Christmas idea really is a quick project – you can have your gift bag finished in a couple of hours.
Design Inspiration
My mother-in-law is obsessed with snowmen. Each year her collection grows (and some stay out all year – not just at Christmas!).
This year, instead of her Christmas tree presents being placed underneath the tree, I wanted to do something a bit more special. She’ll be 90 in December so it is a special year.
A crocheted snowman gift sack was a no-brainer!
Her love of snowmen includes The Snowman and The Snowman and the Snowdog by Raymond Briggs. In honour of his passing, I’ve named the snowman gift bag Raymond.
Planning your Christmas crochet? Have a browse of the free patterns in the crochet Christmas decoration collection.
How the pattern is worked
The snowman’s head and hat is crocheted in one piece in rounds and the embellishments are crocheted separately and then sewn on.
Snowman’s Head
The head is worked in double crochet (US single crochet) stitches in rounds for 39 rows. Increases in the rounds takes place until round 19 with the remaining rounds worked without increases. I’ve used white DK yarn for the head.
Snowman’s Hat
The crochet hat is worked directly into the last round of the head.
A ribbed brim is crocheted first.
I’ve crocheted 3 rounds of alternating front post double crochet and back post double crochet (US front post single crochet and back post single crochet) with turning at the end of each round.
Alpine stitch is the main stitch for the hat.
I’ve crocheted this in rounds but turned at the end of each round to begin the new round.
The hat is crocheted in 16 rounds.
I’ve used turquoise DK yarn for the hat.
Snowman’s Nose
The snowman’s nose is crocheted in double crochet (US single crochet) in rows with decreases giving shape. This is sewn on to his face.
I’ve used orange DK yarn for the nose.
Snowman’s Eyes
His eyes are crocheted in a couple of rounds and sewn on.
I’ve used black Aran/Worsted yarn for the eyes.
Snowman’s Mouth/Smile
His mouth/smile is embroidered on with black Aran/Worsted yarn.
Drawstring, pom pom and snowflake
Once the embellishments have been sewn onto the snowman’s head, a pom pom is made with white and turquoise yarn (or whatever yarn you use for his face and hat).
Next, two snowflakes are crocheted in white DK in 2 rounds and sewn together to give bulk.
Then a drawstring is made by chaining 100 in turquoise and threading this through round 58.
Finally, the pom pom is sewn to one end of the drawstring and the snowflake to the other.
Pulling the drawstring through using only the snowflake draws the pom pom to the top of the hat.
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Yarn
All of the yarn I used for this free crochet pattern is from my stash.
You will need 50g DK in white, turquoise (or colour of your choice for the hat and pom pom) and a small amount of DK in orange for his nose.
You’ll also need a small amount of Aran/Worsted in black for the snowman’s eyes and to embroider on the smile.
If you only have Worsted/Aran in your stash use it (and the corresponding hook size).
The weight of the yarn won’t affect your tension but your snowman gift sack will be larger (not a bad thing with this project – more space to fill with gifts :))
Pattern Notes
- Chain one does not count as a stitch.
- Chain three counts as a stitch.
- I’ve used chain 4 and join with a slip stitch to the first chain to form a ring. If you prefer, you can use a magic ring.
- The numbers in brackets at the end of a round show how many stitches there are in that round.
- Use a length of yarn to thread through the start of each round to make sure you’re not gaining or losing stitches (browse my crochet tips for beginners to learn other hacks).
- Alternatively, you can use stitch markers but they’re much fiddlier than weaving through a continuous length of yarn.
- Use the pattern of the Alpine stitch as a guide for where to place the front post treble crochet stitches (US front post double crochet).
- The stitch behind the front post treble is not worked into.
- Be aware of your tension when working the Alpine stitch. Make sure you pull up the loop to the same height of the treble crochet in the round to avoid the rounds bunching up.
- Thread the long tail from the drawstring through your yarn needle to make it easier to weave in and out of round 58.
- When sewing on the snowflake to the drawstring, sew extra stitches to strengthen. This takes quite a pull to close the gift sack.
Level
Confident beginner
Materials and Supplies
- 50g DK in white
- 50g DK in turquoise
- Small amount of Aran/Worsted in black and orange
- Crochet hook 4mm
- Scissors
- Yarn needle
Stitches and Abbreviations
UK Double Crochet (dc) / US Single Crochet (sc)
UK Treble Crochet (tr) / US Double Crochet (dc)
UK Double Crochet 2 Together (dc2tog) / US Single Crochet 2 Together (sc2tog):
Insert hook into the stitch, yarn over and pull through, insert hook into next stitch, yarn over and pull through. 3 loops on hook. Yarn over and pull through all 3 loops. and wrapping the yarn around the hook. Stitch complete.
UK Front Post Treble Crochet (fptc) / US Front Post Treble Crochet (fpdc):
Worked around the post of the treble from the previous round or row.
Yarn over, insert hook from front to back (to the right of the stitch to be worked and out again on the left), yarn over and pull through. Complete the treble in the usual way, yarn over, pull through 2 loops, yarn over, pull through remaining 2 loops. Stitch made.
UK Front Post Double Crochet (fpdc) / US Front Post Single Crochet (fpsc):
Worked around the post of the double crochet from the previous row or round.
Insert hook from front to back (to the right of the stitch to be worked and out again on the left), yarn over and pull through. 2 loops on hook. Yarn over and pull through both loops on hook. Stitch made.
UK Back Post Double Crochet (bpdc) / US Back Post Single Crochet (bpsc):
Worked around the post of the double crochet from the previous row or round.
Insert hook from the back to the front, yarn over and pull through. 2 loops on hook. Yarn over and pull through both loops on hook. Stitch made.
UK Double Treble Crochet (dtr) / US Treble Crochet (tr):
Yarn over twice around the hook. Insert the hook into the stitch. Yarn over, pull through the stitch. 4 loops on hook. Yarn over, pull through the first 2 of the 4 loops on the hook. 3 loops on hook. Yarn over, pull through the first 2 of the 3 loops on the hook. 2 loops on the hook. Yarn over, pull through the remaining 2 loops on the hook to complete the stitch.
- Ch = chain
- Sl st = slip stitch
- Ea – each
- Rep = repeat
- St – stitch
Measurements
11″ / 28cm (w) X 13″ / 33cm (h)
Snowman Gift Bag Instructions UK Crochet Terms
Snowman’s Head
Ch4, join with a sl st to the first ch
Round 1: ch1, 10 dc into the middle of the ring, join with a sl st to ch1 (10 dc)
Round 2: ch1, 2dc in ea st to end, sl to ch1 (20 dc)
Round 3: ch1, dc in ea st to end, sl st to ch1 (20 dc)
Round 4: ch1, *2dc in first st, dc in next, * rep to end, sl st to ch1 (30 dc)
Round 5: rep round 3 (30 dc)
Round 6: ch1, *2dc in first st, dc in next 2 sts, * rep to end, sl st to ch1 (40 dc)
Round 7: rep round 3 (40 dc)
Round 8: ch1, *2dc in first st, dc in next 3 sts, * rep to end, sl st to ch1 (50 dc)
Round 9: rep round 3 (50 dc)
Round 10: ch1, *2dc in first st, dc in next 4 sts, * rep to end, sl st to ch1 (60 dc)
Round 11: rep round 3 (60 dc)
Round 12: ch1, *2dc in first st, dc in next 5 sts, * rep to end, sl st to ch1 (70 dc)
Round 13: rep round 3 (70 dc)
Round 14: ch1, *2dc in first st, dc in next 6 sts, * rep to end, sl st to ch1 (80 dc)
Round 15: rep round 3 (80 dc)
Round 16: ch1, *2dc in first st, dc in next 7 sts, * rep to end, sl st to ch1 (90 dc)
Round 17: rep round 3 (90 dc)
Round 18: ch1, *2dc in first st, dc in next 8 sts, * rep to end, sl st to ch1 (100 dc)
Round 19 – 39: rep round 3 (100 dc)
At the end of round 39, pull through the colour you are using for the hat.
Round 40: rep round 3 (100dc)
The next round begins the brim for the snowman’s hat.
Snowman’s Hat
Round 41: ch1, *fpdc, bpdc, * rep to end, join with a sl st to ch1, turn
Round 42 and 43: rep round 41
The next round begins the Alpine stitch
Round 44: ch3, tr in ea st to end, join with a sl st to ch1, turn
Round 45: ch1, rep round 3
Round 46: ch3, *fptr in the tr 2 rows below, tr in next st, *rep to last 2 sts, fptr in next st, tr in last st, turn
Round 47: rep round 3
Round 48: ch3, *tr in next st, fptr in the tr 2 rows below, * rep to last 2 sts, tr in last 2 sts, turn
Round 49: rep round 3
Round 50: rep round 46
Round 51: rep round 47
Round 52: rep round 48
Round 53: rep round 49
Round 54: rep round 46
Round 55: rep round 47
Round 56: rep round 48
Round 57: rep round 49
Round 58: rep round 46 but DO NOT TURN
Round 59: rep round 47
Fasten off and sew in ends.
Snowman’s Nose
Ch10
Row 1: dc in 2nd ch from hook to end, turn
Row 2: ch1, *dc2tog, *rep to last 2 sts, dc2tog, turn
Row 3: ch1, dc across, turn
Row 4: rep row 2
Row 5: rep row 3
Row 6: rep row 2
Row 7 – 10: rep row 3
Row 11: ch1, dc2tog, dc in next st, turn
Row 12: ch1, dc2tog
Fasten off leaving a long tail
Sew the nose onto the snowman’s head
Snowman’s Eyes – Make 2
Ch4, sl st to first ch to form a ring
Round 1: 6dc into centre of ring, join with a sl st
Fasten off leaving a long tail
Sew the eyes onto the head
Snowman’s Mouth/Smile
Embroider onto the head
Pom pom
Using the same colours of the snowman’s head and hat, make a medium sized pom pom.
If you need a pom pom template, download for free.
Crochet Snowflake – Make 2
Ch4, sl st to first ch to form a ring.
Round 1: ch3, 9tr into centre of ring, join with a sl st to ch3
Round 2: ch1, dc in base of st, [tr, dtr, ch1, dtr, tr] in next st, *rep 3 more times, join with sl st to ch1,
Fasten off leaving a long tail.
Drawstring
Using the same colour as the hat, ch100.
Fasten off leaving a long tail.
Thread the tail through a yarn needle and weave through round 58.
Finally, sew the pom pom to one end of the drawstring and the snowflake to the other.
Use the snowflake end of the drawstring to close the snowman gift sack.
Snowman Gift Bag Instructions US Crochet Terms
Snowman’s Head
Ch4, join with a sl st to the first ch
Round 1: ch1, 10 sc into the middle of the ring, join with a sl st to ch1 (10 sc)
Round 2: ch1, 2sc in ea st to end, sl to ch1 (20 sc)
Round 3: ch1, sc in ea st to end, sl st to ch1 (20 sc)
Round 4: ch1, *2sc in first st, sc in next, * rep to end, sl st to ch1 (30 sc)
Round 5: rep round 3 (30 sc)
Round 6: ch1, *2sc in first st, sc in next 2 sts, * rep to end, sl st to ch1 (40 sc)
Round 7: rep round 3 (40 sc)
Round 8: ch1, *2sc in first st, sc in next 3 sts, * rep to end, sl st to ch1 (50 sc)
Round 9: rep round 3 (50 sc)
Round 10: ch1, *2sc in first st, sc in next 4 sts, * rep to end, sl st to ch1 (60 sc)
Round 11: rep round 3 (60 sc)
Round 12: ch1, *2sc in first st, sc in next 5 sts, * rep to end, sl st to ch1 (70 sc)
Round 13: rep round 3 (70 sc)
Round 14: ch1, *2sc in first st, sc in next 6 sts, * rep to end, sl st to ch1 (80 sc)
Round 15: rep round 3 (80 sc)
Round 16: ch1, *2sc in first st, sc in next 7 sts, * rep to end, sl st to ch1 (90 sc)
Round 17: rep round 3 (90 sc)
Round 18: ch1, *2sc in first st, sc in next 8 sts, * rep to end, sl st to ch1 (100 sc)
Round 19 – 39: rep round 3 (100 sc)
At the end of round 39, change to the color you are using for the hat.
Round 40: rep round 3 (100sc)
The next round begins the brim for the snowman’s hat.
Snowman’s Hat
Round 41: ch1, *fpsc, bpsc, * rep to end, join with a sl st to ch1, turn
Round 42 and 43: rep round 41
The next round begins the Alpine stitch
Round 44: ch3, dc in ea st to end, join with a sl st to ch1, turn
Round 45: ch1, rep round 3
Round 46: ch3, *fpdc in the dc 2 rows below, dc in next st, *rep to last 2 sts, fpdc in next st, dc in last st, turn
Round 47: rep round 3
Round 48: ch3, *dc in next st, fpdc in the dc 2 rows below, * rep to last 2 sts, dc in last 2 sts, turn
Round 49: rep round 3
Round 50: rep round 46
Round 51: rep round 47
Round 52: rep round 48
Round 53: rep round 49
Round 54: rep round 46
Round 55: rep round 47
Round 56: rep round 48
Round 57: rep round 49
Round 58: rep round 46 but DO NOT TURN
Round 59: rep round 47
Fasten off and sew in ends.
Snowman’s Nose
Ch10
Row 1: sc in 2nd ch from hook to end, turn
Row 2: ch1, *sc2tog, *rep to last 2 sts, sc2tog, turn
Row 3: ch1, sc across, turn
Row 4: rep row 2
Row 5: rep row 3
Row 6: rep row 2
Row 7 – 10: rep row 3
Row 11: ch1, sc2tog, sc in next st, turn
Row 12: ch1, sc2tog
Fasten off leaving a long tail
Sew the nose onto the snowman’s head
Snowman’s Eyes – Make 2
Ch4, sl st to first ch to form a ring
Round 1: 6sc into centre of ring, join with a sl st
Fasten off leaving a long tail
Sew the eyes onto the head
Snowman’s Mouth/Smile
Embroider onto the head
Pom pom
Using the same colors of the snowman’s head and hat, make a medium sized pom pom.
If you need a pom pom template, download for free.
Crochet Snowflake – Make 2
Ch4, sl st to first ch to form a ring.
Round 1: ch3, 9dc into centre of ring, join with a sl st to ch3
Round 2: ch1, sc in base of st, [dc, tr, ch1, tr, dc] in next st, *rep 3 more times, join with sl st to ch1
Fasten off leaving a long tail.
Drawstring
Using the same colour as the hat, ch100.
Fasten off leaving a long tail.
Thread the tail through a yarn needle and weave through round 58.
Finally, sew the pom pom to one end of the drawstring and the snowflake to the other.
Use the snowflake end of the drawstring to close the snowman gift sack.
Happy crocheting!
Copyright Notice
The pattern and photographs of this design are the property of Sharon Goodwin at Jera’s Jamboree. This pattern and design are subject to copyright and are for personal, non-commercial use only. You may not share, resell, alter or redistribute this pattern in part or in whole. You may, however, sell any finished items you make. If you would like to include this pattern in a roundup, you may take one photo and link back to this pattern.
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