Step One

Finished Size

• Fits a 12” (30.5 cm) square pillow form.

Gauge

• 15 sc = 4” (10 cm) across. Exact gauge is not critical for this project.

Abbreviations Used in This Pattern

• BL – back loop only – Marly Bird has a helpful tutorial for identifying the back loop here.
• CA – Color A
• CB – Color B
• CC – Color C
• CD – Color D
• CE – Color E
• ch – chain
• FL – front loop only – Marly Bird has a helpful tutorial for identifying the front loop here.
• sc – single crochet
• sl st – slip stitch
• st(s) – stitch(es)
• yo – yarn over
• *Repeat instructions after asterisk as indicated.
• [] Repeat instructions between brackets as indicated.

Pattern Notes

• When choosing colors, note that CA is the color of the back of the pillow, CB and CE are the color of Santa’s beard and hair, CC is the color of Santa’s face, and CD is the color of Santa’s eyelids.
• Ch 1 at beginning of Rows does not count as a stitch.
• An embroidery backstitch tutorial is available at the end of this post.
• A helpful tutorial for seaming with the whipstitch is available here.

Step Two

Pillow Back

• With CA, ch 46.
• Row 1: Turn, skip 1 ch, sc in next 45 ch. (45 sts)
• Row 2: Turn, ch 1, sc in first st and in each st across.
• Repeat Row 2 until Pillow measures approximately 11.5” (29 cm) long, changing to CB in last yo of final st. Fasten off CA.

Step Three

Pillow Front – Beard

• Row 3: (Wrong Side) Turn, ch 1, scFL in first st and in each st across.
• Row 4: (Right Side) Repeat Row 2.
• Row 5: Repeat Row 2.
• Row 6: Turn, ch 1, sc in first 2 sts, place CE in front of work and begin to crochet over it, [insert hook into next loop of CE and sc in next 2 sts on pillow, work over gap between last and next loops of CE and sc in next st on pillow] across to last st, sc in last st, drop CE to side.

Insert hook into next loop of CE and into next stitch on pillow at the same time.

Complete 2 single crochets, working through the loop on CE and into the next 2 stitches on the pillow.

• Rows 7-8: Repeat Row 2 twice.
• Row 9: Turn, ch 1, sc in first 2 sts, place CE in back of work and begin to crochet over it, [sc in next 2 sts on pillow while inserting hook into next loop of CE, sc in next st on pillow while working over gap between last and next loops of CE] across to last st, sc in last st, drop CE to side.

Insert hook into next stitch on pillow…

… and through loop of CE, completing a single crochet. Repeat another single crochet into the same loop of CE on the next stitch.

• Repeat Rows 4-9 until Pillow measures approximately 17.5” (44.5 cm) long, ending after Row 6 or Row 9, changing to CC in last yo of final st. Fasten off CB and CE.

Step Four

Pillow Front – Face

• Repeat Row 2 until Pillow measures approximately 21.5” (54.5 cm) long, ending on Wrong Side, changing to CB in last yo of final st. Fasten off CC.

Step Five

Pillow Front – Hair

• Repeat Rows 6-9.
• Repeat Rows 4-9 until Pillow measures approximately 24” (61 cm), ending after Row 6 or Row 9. Fasten off CB with long yarn tail (approximately 24”/61 cm) for seaming. Fasten off CE.

Step Six

Nose

• With CC, ch 2.
• Round 1: Turn, skip 1 ch, 6 sc in next ch, place stitch marker and move up each Round to mark last st. (6 sts)
• Round 2: 2 scBL in each st around. (12 sts)
• Round 3: *2 scBL in next st, scBL in next st; repeat from * around. (18 sts)
• Round 4: *2 scBL in next st, scBL in next 2 sts; repeat from * around, place marker to mark position but do not move up. (24 sts)
• Round 5: Sc in each st around.
• Repeat Round 5 until 1” (2.5 cm) from marker. Fasten off CC with long yarn tail (approximately 18”/46 cm) for seaming.

Step Seven

Assembly

• Stuff Nose with Poly-Fil.

• With yarn needle and long yarn tail in CC from Nose, position Nose so that it is centered on Face just above Beard.

• With yarn needle, sew Nose to Face.

• Thread yarn needle with CD, backstitch sleepy eyelids to Face, using picture as guide. (See Pattern Notes.)

• With yarn needle and long yarn tail in CB, fold Pillow in half with Right Sides facing and whipstitch side of Pillow together on Wrong Side. (See Pattern Notes.) Fasten off. Repeat whipstitch seam on other side of Pillow. Leave top of Pillow unseamed.

• With yarn needle, weave in any remaining ends on inside of pillow. Turn Pillow Right Side out.
• With approximately 24”/61 cm in CA, sew buttons on back of Pillow, positioning buttons so you can use loop yarn from final row on Right Side as button holes. Fasten off CA. Weave in ends on inside of pillow.

• Insert pillow form into pillow case. Close with buttons.