Crochet Christmas Ornaments: 16 Cozy Grandma Style Designs That Fill Your Tree for Pennies

Crochet Christmas ornaments are the coziest way to dress a tree, and a few skeins of scrap yarn can cover every branch for pennies. This fall they are everywhere online. One striped crochet bauble pattern passed 126,000 likes on Instagram, and a simple gingerbread swirl design pulled more than 14,000 reactions on Facebook. People love them because they feel like something grandma made by the fire, they never shatter and they pack flat for next year. Below are 16 designs, from quick flat circles you can finish in 20 minutes to lacy covers for plain store baubles. Each one comes with a short supply list and three easy steps. Most use worsted weight yarn and a 4 mm hook. Grab your yarn basket, put the kettle on and let’s start stitching..

Crochet Christmas Ornaments Start With Striped Rounds

Here is the look that started the craze for crochet Christmas ornaments: plump little rounds in red and cream stripes, hung beside gold stars and red hearts. Together they make a tree look rich and handmade. Each round is worked in a spiral, so you simply switch colors every two rows. Stuff with fiberfill and close the top. If you are brand new to the hook, our easy crochet projects will warm up your hands first. Make one this week and you will want twenty more..

You will need: Red and cream worsted weight cotton or acrylic yarn, 4 mm hook, fiberfill stuffing, yarn needle, scissors.

How to make it: 1. Make a magic ring with 6 single crochet and increase each round until you reach 36 stitches. 2. Work 6 even rounds, changing color every 2 rounds, then decrease back down while stuffing firmly. 3. Close the top, weave in the tail and add a 6 inch loop for hanging.

Bobble Stitch Baubles in Snowy Cream

Bobble stitches pop out like little snowballs, and on a cream bauble they look soft and wintry. These are the designs people keep saving because the texture photographs so well. Work bobbles every few stitches in alternating rows and the round shape does the rest. Red yarn loops add a pop of color against green branches. Learn more about the history of the craft on the crochet page, then try the cozy pieces in our crochet home decor gallery.

You will need: Cream worsted weight yarn, red yarn for loops, 4 mm hook, fiberfill, yarn needle.

How to make it: 1. Start a stuffed round as above and work up to 36 stitches. 2. On every other round, make a 5 double crochet bobble in every fourth stitch, staggering them each time. 3. Decrease, stuff, close and add a red loop on top.

Crochet Christmas Ornaments Shaped Like Popcorn Stitch Trees

Popcorn stitches stacked in a cone make the cutest mini trees. They stand on a shelf, sit on a tiered tray or hang from a branch with a loop. A tiny yellow star on top finishes them off. Work them in two greens for a forest look. Because they are small, they are a great way to use the last bits of a skein. Line up a row of them with the bottle brush style in our mini Christmas trees for a sweet display.

You will need: Green worsted weight yarn in one or two shades, a scrap of yellow yarn, 4 mm hook, fiberfill, yarn needle.

How to make it: 1. Chain 4, join and work in rounds, increasing by 3 stitches each round to form a cone 3 inches tall. 2. Add a popcorn stitch every third stitch on alternate rounds. 3. Stuff, close the base with a flat circle and sew a small yellow star on top.

Gingerbread Swirl Candy Circles

These flat circles look exactly like old fashioned swirl candy, and they are the fastest project on this list. Hold brown and white yarn together in a spiral, work in rounds and the pattern appears on its own. Make two and sew them back to back so they are sturdy. One video of this design pulled over 14,000 reactions, and it is easy to see why. For more sweet looking projects, see our Christmas candy crafts.

You will need: Brown and white worsted weight yarn, 4 mm hook, stitch marker, yarn needle, red yarn for a loop.

How to make it: 1. Make a magic ring and work 6 single crochet in brown, then 6 in white into the same ring. 2. Spiral outward, increasing evenly and always working each color into its own stitches. 3. Stop at 3 inches, make a second circle and sew them together with a loop on top.

Granny Square Mini Hoop Frames

Tiny granny squares look like little framed quilts when you set them in wooden hoops. This is grandma style at its best, and it uses scraps you already have. Work a two or three round square in red, green and cream, then stretch it inside a 3 inch embroidery hoop. Trim the edges on the back and add a ribbon loop. The wood frame gives them a finished, boutique feel. Our Christmas embroidery ideas use the same little hoops in other fun ways.

You will need: Scrap yarn in red, green and cream, 3.5 mm hook, 3 inch wooden embroidery hoops, red ribbon, craft glue.

How to make it: 1. Crochet a granny square of 2 or 3 rounds, about 3 inches across. 2. Center it inside the hoop and tighten the hoop clasp gently, then glue the edges on the back. 3. Trim any extra yarn and tie a red ribbon loop at the hoop clasp.

Red Spotted Mushroom Charms

Little red mushrooms with white spots bring a cottage woodland feel to any tree. They look whimsical next to wooden beads and pine cones. The cap is a shallow cup and the stem is a short tube, both stuffed lightly. Sew on white spots with a few French knots or tiny circles. These charms are a favorite for kids to help stuff. For a full forest look around the house, see our mushroom Christmas decor.

You will need: Red, white and cream worsted weight yarn, 3.5 mm hook, fiberfill, yarn needle, twine for loops.

How to make it: 1. Work a red cap by increasing to 30 stitches, then 4 even rounds and a cream underside circle. 2. Make a cream stem tube of 12 stitches and 5 rounds, stuff it and sew it under the cap. 3. Stitch white spots on the cap and add a twine loop on top.

Crochet Christmas Ornaments Made Into Tiny Mitten Pairs

Tiny mitten pairs joined by a short string are one of the sweetest vintage designs. Hang them on the tree, clip them along a twine line or tie them to a gift. Each mitten is a small tube with a thumb bump, so they work up in about 15 minutes. Mix red, green and cream for a cheerful row. A line of them across a shelf looks wonderful, and our DIY Christmas garland ideas show more ways to string them up.

You will need: Red, green and cream worsted weight yarn, 3.5 mm hook, yarn needle, twine, small wooden clothespins.

How to make it: 1. Chain 12, join in a ring and work 6 rounds of single crochet for the hand. 2. Add 3 stitches on one side for a thumb, work 2 rounds and close it, then close the top of the mitten. 3. Join two mittens with a 4 inch chain and clip them to twine.

Striped Candy Cane Hooks

These striped candy canes do double duty as decorations and as hangers for other pieces. Work a long tube in red and white stripes, slip a pipe cleaner inside and bend the top into a hook. They hang right on a branch without any extra loop. Kids love helping with the bending. They also look great tucked into gift bows. Our candy cane crafts gallery has more ideas to match.

You will need: Red and white worsted weight yarn, 3.5 mm hook, pipe cleaners, yarn needle.

How to make it: 1. Chain 8, join and work rounds of single crochet, changing color every 2 rounds, until the tube is 5 inches long. 2. Slide a pipe cleaner inside and fold the sharp ends in. 3. Close both ends and bend the top into a hook shape.

Crochet Christmas Ornaments Shaped Like Bells

Little bells with a wooden bead clapper are pure old fashioned charm, and they are some of the sweetest crochet Christmas ornaments you can give. Work a small cup that flares out at the bottom, then thread a natural wood bead on a strand of yarn so it swings inside. Red and white stripes look like candy, while solid cream looks like snow. They hang beautifully from short loops at the tips of branches. For bells made from other cheap supplies, see our DIY Christmas bells.

You will need: Red and white worsted weight yarn, 4 mm hook, 12 mm wooden beads, yarn needle, spray starch.

How to make it: 1. Make a magic ring and increase to 24 stitches, then work 4 even rounds and 2 rounds with increases to flare the edge. 2. Thread a wooden bead on a 3 inch strand and tie it through the top so it hangs inside. 3. Spray lightly with starch, shape and let dry before adding a loop.

Mini Striped Stockings

A mini stocking is the most useful piece on the tree, because it can hold a gift card, a note or a tiny treat. Work it in red, green and cream stripes with a soft cuff on top. Hang a row of them on twine for an advent line, or give one with a surprise inside. Of all the crochet Christmas ornaments here, they also make the sweetest place settings. For full size versions to hang by the fire, see our DIY Christmas stockings.

You will need: Red, green and cream worsted weight yarn, 4 mm hook, yarn needle, twine.

How to make it: 1. Chain 16, join and work in rounds for 8 rows, changing colors every 2 rows. 2. Shape a heel with a few short rows, then work the foot and close the toe. 3. Add 2 rounds of cream for the cuff and a small chain loop.

Cocoa Mug Minis With Yarn Marshmallows

Tiny cocoa mugs with yarn marshmallows on top are pure cozy fun. The mug is a short cup with a little handle, and a brown circle sits inside like cocoa. Sew on three tiny white squares for marshmallows. They are a perfect gift for a friend who loves winter drinks. Tie one to a cocoa packet for an easy present. If you love this theme, our hot cocoa bar ideas will help you set up the real thing.

You will need: White and brown worsted weight yarn, 3.5 mm hook, fiberfill, yarn needle, red yarn for a loop.

How to make it: 1. Work a white base circle of 18 stitches, then 6 even rounds for the mug wall. 2. Crochet a brown circle to fit the top, stuff lightly and sew it in place. 3. Add a 6 stitch chain handle on the side and sew on three tiny white squares.

Crochet Christmas Ornaments in Gold Yarn Stars

Gold yarn stars sparkle on the tree without a single light. Use a metallic yarn or hold gold thread together with cream yarn for a soft shimmer. The star starts as a small circle, then you work five points around the edge. Starch them flat so they hold their shape. Hang a dozen at the branch tips for a glowing look. For more star shapes, try our paper Christmas stars too.

You will need: Gold metallic yarn or gold thread plus cream yarn, 3.5 mm hook, spray starch, yarn needle.

How to make it: 1. Make a magic ring with 10 half double crochet and join. 2. For each point, chain 5 and work back down the chain with decreasing stitches, then slip stitch into the next 2 stitches. 3. Repeat for 5 points, starch flat and let dry overnight.

Little Wreaths With Red Bows

Little green wreaths with red bows look lovely on a tree, a door handle or the top of a gift. Work a long strip and wrap it around a plastic or wooden ring, or crochet straight onto the ring for a neat finish. A tiny red bow at the bottom makes it pop. They are quick enough to make one for every neighbor. For full size inspiration, see our Christmas wreaths gallery.

You will need: Green worsted weight yarn, a scrap of red yarn, 4 mm hook, 2 inch plastic or wooden rings, yarn needle, red ribbon.

How to make it: 1. Attach green yarn to the ring and work single crochet around it until it is fully covered. 2. Work a round of 3 double crochet clusters into every other stitch for a leafy edge. 3. Tie a small red bow at the bottom and add a ribbon loop at the top.

Acorns With Real Caps

Brown yarn acorns topped with real acorn caps make a sweet woodland touch. Pick up caps on a fall walk, wash and dry them, then glue them onto small stuffed ovals. The real texture makes people look twice. Hang them with twine for a natural tree, or fill a bowl with them on the table. Use hot glue with adult help. For the full forest look, see our woodland Christmas decor.

You will need: Tan or brown worsted weight yarn, 3.5 mm hook, fiberfill, real acorn caps, hot glue gun, twine.

How to make it: 1. Work an oval body by increasing to 18 stitches, then 4 even rounds, then decreasing to close after stuffing. 2. Clean and dry the acorn caps, then glue one on top of each body with adult help. 3. Thread twine through the cap seam for a loop.

Scandinavian Red and White Hearts

Red and white hearts are a Nordic classic, and on bare birch twigs they look clean and calm. Work two small circles, join them and taper to a point to make the heart shape. Use one solid color or add a simple striped pattern. Hang them in a white pitcher, on a window, or on the tree. Our Scandinavian Christmas decor gallery shows how to style the rest of the room to match.

You will need: Red and white worsted weight yarn, 3.5 mm hook, fiberfill, yarn needle, birch twigs and a white pitcher for display.

How to make it: 1. Make two small cups of 12 stitches and 2 rounds each, then join them side by side. 2. Work around both together, decreasing 2 stitches each round until it comes to a point. 3. Stuff lightly, close the top and add a loop of contrast yarn.

Crochet Christmas Ornaments Made by Covering Shatterproof Baubles

Lacy covers turn plain shatterproof baubles into heirloom looking pieces. Work a doily style circle in thin cotton thread, then stretch it around the bauble and tie it at the top. Red baubles with white lace look like grandma’s best china. It is the easiest way to end your set of crochet Christmas ornaments, and the perfect way to dress up a cheap pack from the dollar store, and the baubles will not break if they fall. For more ways to upgrade a basic pack, see our ornament makeovers.

You will need: Shatterproof baubles, white or red cotton crochet thread, 2 mm hook, yarn needle, ribbon.

How to make it: 1. Work a lacy round doily of 5 or 6 rounds, about the width of the bauble. 2. Lay it over the bauble and work a final drawstring round of chains. 3. Pull the drawstring snug at the cap, tie it off and add a ribbon loop.