Crochet Santa Claus Mug Ornament Pattern: DIY Christmas Amigurumi

ByLina Morgen

Crochet Santa Claus Mug Ornament Pattern: A Cute Christmas Keepsake

The holiday season is just around the corner, and there is nothing quite like the cozy feeling of a warm mug of cocoa by the fireplace. What if that mug could come to life? In this tutorial, you will learn how to crochet an adorable Santa Claus sitting inside a festive red mug. This charming ornament is the perfect addition to your Christmas tree, a sweet gift for teachers, or a whimsical decoration for your mantle.

This project is a wonderful way to practice your amigurumi skills. While it involves several different pieces, the steps are broken down to be beginner-friendly. By the end of this guide, you will have a tiny, detailed Santa with a fluffy beard, rosy cheeks, and even tiny wire glasses!

Materials & Abbreviations

To ensure your Santa turns out just as cute as the photos, I recommend using a slightly smaller hook than the yarn suggests. This keeps your stitches tight so that the stuffing doesn’t peek through the gaps.

Yarn Requirements

This pattern uses a fine-weight cotton/acrylic blend (similar to Yarn Art Jeans). You will need the following colors:

  • Red: For the mug and the Santa hat.
  • Dark Grey or Black: For the rim of the mug.
  • Sand/Beige: For Santa’s face and nose.
  • White: For the beard, hat trim, pom-pom, whiskers, and eyebrows.

Tools & Notions

  • Crochet Hook: 2.0 mm or 2.25 mm.
  • Stuffing: Polyester fiberfill.
  • Needles: A tapestry needle for sewing and a standard sewing needle for embroidery.
  • Wire: Approximately 12 inches of thin copper or craft wire for the glasses, and a 3-inch piece of sturdier wire for the mug handle.
  • Other: Scissors, stitch markers, pins, tape, needle-nose pliers, a thick marker (to help shape the glasses), and a small piece of cardboard (approx. 2.4 x 2.4 inches) to stabilize the bottom of the mug.

US Crochet Abbreviations

  • MR: Magic Ring
  • ch: Chain
  • sc: Single crochet
  • hdc: Half double crochet
  • sl st: Slip stitch
  • inc: Increase (2 sc in the same stitch)
  • dec: Decrease (sc 2 together)

Step-by-Step Instructions

The Santa Head

Using the Sand/Beige yarn, we will create the rounded shape of Santa’s face.

  1. Rnd 1: 6 sc in a MR (6)
  2. Rnd 2: 6 inc (12)
  3. Rnd 3: (1 sc, inc) * 6 (18)
  4. Rnd 4: (2 sc, inc) * 6 (24)
  5. Rnd 5: (3 sc, inc) * 6 (30)
  6. Rnd 6: (4 sc, inc) * 6 (36)
  7. Rnd 7: (5 sc, inc) * 6 (42)
  8. Rnd 8: (6 sc, inc) * 6 (48)
  9. Rnd 9: (7 sc, inc) * 6 (54)
  10. Rnd 10: (8 sc, inc) * 6 (60)
  11. Rnds 11-28: 60 sc (18 rounds total)
  12. Rnd 29: (9 sc, dec) * 6 (54)
  13. Rnds 30-31: 54 sc (2 rounds)
  14. Rnd 32: (8 sc, dec) * 6 (48)
  15. Rnds 33-34: 48 sc (2 rounds)
  16. Rnd 35: (7 sc, dec) * 6 (42)
  17. Rnds 36-37: 42 sc (2 rounds)
  18. Rnd 38: (6 sc, dec) * 6 (36)
  19. Rnds 39-40: 36 sc (2 rounds)
  20. Rnd 41: (5 sc, dec) * 6 (30)
  21. Rnd 42: (4 sc, dec) * 6 (24)
  22. Rnd 43: (3 sc, dec) * 6 (18)
  23. Rnd 44: (2 sc, dec) * 6 (12)
  24. Rnd 45: 6 dec (6)

Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing. Do not stuff yet; we will finish the head during assembly.

The Nose

Using the Sand/Beige yarn:

  1. Rnd 1: 6 sc in a MR (6)
  2. Rnd 2: 6 inc (12)
  3. Rnd 3: (1 sc, inc) * 6 (18)
  4. Rnds 4-6: 18 sc (3 rounds)
  5. Rnd 7: (1 sc, dec) * 6 (12)
  6. Rnd 8: 6 dec (6)

Stuff the nose lightly. Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing.

The Ears and Whiskers

Ears (Make 2): Using Sand yarn, ch 2. In the 2nd chain from the hook, work 7 hdc. Fasten off, leaving a long tail.

Whiskers (Make 2): Using White yarn:

  1. Rnd 1: 4 sc in a MR (4)
  2. Rnd 2: 4 inc (8)
  3. Rnds 3-4: 8 sc (2 rounds)
  4. Rnd 5: (1 sc, inc) * 4 (12)
  5. Rnds 6-8: 12 sc (3 rounds)
  6. Rnd 9: (1 sc, dec) * 4 (8)
  7. Rnd 10: 8 sc (1 round)
  8. Rnd 11: 4 dec (4)

Fasten off, leaving a long tail.

The Eyebrows

Using White yarn: ch 5. In the 2nd chain from the hook, work 2 hdc and 2 sc. Fasten off, leaving a long tail (make 2).

The Beard

Using White yarn:

  1. Rnd 1: 4 sc in a MR (4)
  2. Rnd 2: 4 inc (8)
  3. Rnd 3: (1 sc, inc) * 4 (12)
  4. Rnds 4-5: 12 sc (2 rounds)
  5. Rnd 6: (2 sc, inc) * 4 (16)
  6. Rnd 7: (3 sc, inc) * 4 (20)
  7. Rnd 8: (4 sc, inc) * 4 (24)
  8. Rnd 9: (3 sc, inc) * 6 (30)
  9. Rnd 10: (4 sc, inc) * 6 (36)
  10. Rnds 11-15: 36 sc (5 rounds)
  11. Rnd 16: (4 sc, dec) * 6 (30)
  12. Rnd 17: (3 sc, dec) * 6 (24)
  13. Rnd 18: 24 sc (1 round)
  14. Rnd 19: (2 sc, dec) * 6 (18)
  15. Rnds 20-21: 18 sc (2 rounds)

Note: Do not stuff. Fold the piece in half and crochet 8 sc through both edges to close it.

The Mug

Using Red yarn:

  1. Rnd 1: 8 sc in a MR (8)
  2. Rnd 2: 8 inc (16)
  3. Rnd 3: (1 sc, inc) * 8 (24)
  4. Rnd 4: (2 sc, inc) * 8 (32)
  5. Rnd 5: (3 sc, inc) * 8 (40)
  6. Rnd 6: (4 sc, inc) * 8 (48)
  7. Rnd 7: (5 sc, inc) * 8 (56)
  8. Rnd 8: (6 sc, inc) * 8 (64)
  9. Rnd 9: (7 sc, inc) * 8 (72)
  10. Rnd 10: (8 sc, inc) * 8 (80)
  11. Rnds 11-28: 80 sc (18 rounds)

*Important: For the next round, work only in the front loops only.

  • Rnd 29: 80 sc (80)
  • *For the next round, work in both loops.
  • Rnd 30: 80 sc (80)

    • The Rim: Join Dark Grey/Black yarn. Rnd 31: 80 sc. Rnd 32: 80 hdc. Fasten off.

    Finishing the Base: Trace the bottom of the mug onto your cardboard and cut out the circle. Place the cardboard inside the mug to create a sturdy base.

    The Mug Handle

    Using Red yarn:

    1. Rnd 1: ch 12 and join in a ring.
    2. Rnds 1-4: 12 sc (4 rounds)
    3. Rnd 5: 3 sc, 3 dec, 3 sc (9)
    4. Rnds 6-21: 9 sc (16 rounds), using sl st to join each round.

    Fasten off, leaving a long tail. Take a 3-inch piece of wire, bend the ends and secure them with tape. Insert the wire into the handle and stuff the handle with fiberfill. Bend the handle into its final shape and sew it to the mug.

    The Santa Hat & Pom-Pom

    The Hat: Using Red yarn, ch 17 and join in a ring. Work in hdc (half double crochet) for the following rounds:

    1. Rnds 1-10: 72 hdc (10 rounds)
    2. Rnd 11: (10 hdc, dec) * 6 (66)
    3. Rnds 12-14: 66 hdc (3 rounds)
    4. Rnd 15: (9 hdc, dec) * 6 (60)
    5. Rnds 16-18: 60 hdc (3 rounds)
    6. Rnd 19: (8 hdc, dec) * 6 (54)
    7. Rnds 20-22: 54 hdc (3 rounds)
    8. Rnd 23: (7 hdc, dec) * 6 (48)
    9. Rnds 24-26: 48 hdc (3 rounds)
    10. Rnd 27: (6 hdc, dec) * 6 (42)
    11. Rnds 28-30: 42 hdc (3 rounds)
    12. Rnd 31: (5 hdc, dec) * 6 (36)
    13. Rnds 32-34: 36 hdc (3 rounds)
    14. Rnd 35: (4 hdc, dec) * 6 (30)
    15. Rnds 36-38: 30 hdc (3 rounds)
    16. Rnd 39: (3 hdc, dec) * 6 (24)
    17. Rnds 40-42: 24 hdc (3 rounds)
    18. Rnd 43: (2 hdc, dec) * 6 (18)
    19. Rnds 44-46: 18 hdc (3 rounds)
    20. Rnd 47: (1 hdc, dec) * 6 (12)

    Fasten off and pull the hole tight with a tapestry needle. To finish, join White yarn to the bottom edge of the hat and work 1 round of sc around the edge. Turn your work and work another round of sc in the back loops only to create a thick, fluffy brim. Fasten off.

    The Pom-Pom: Using White yarn:

    1. Rnd 1: 6 sc in a MR (6)
    2. Rnd 2: 6 inc (12)
    3. Rnd 3: (1 sc, inc) * 6 (18)
    4. Rnd 4: (2 sc, inc) * 6 (24)
    5. Rnd 5: (3 sc, inc) * 6 (30)
    6. Rnd 6: (4 sc, inc) * 6 (36)
    7. Rnds 7-11: 36 sc (5 rounds)
    8. Rnd 12: (4 sc, dec) * 6 (30)
    9. Rnd 13: (3 sc, dec) * 6 (24)
    10. Rnd 14: (2 sc, dec) * 6 (18)
    11. Rnd 15: (1 sc, dec) * 6 (12)

    Fasten off, leaving a long tail. Stuff the pom-pom and sew it to the top of the hat.

    The Wire Glasses

    Using 12 inches of wire and a thick marker:

    1. Cut a 4-inch piece of wire.
    2. Wrap the wire around the marker twice, stopping at the middle.
    3. Using pliers, bend the wire at two points, leaving about 0.4 inches for the bridge (the part that sits on the nose).
    4. Wrap the wire around the marker two more times to form the eye loops.
    5. Trim the excess wire and gently bend the bridge to fit the face.

    Finishing & Assembly

    1. Decorating the Face

    First, pin your whiskers to the face. Next, sew the nose onto the center of the head. For the eyes, use black sewing thread to embroider two simple curved lines (about 2 inches long and 0.4 inches high). Place them about 3 inches apart. Once the eyes are done, pin and sew the eyebrows above the eyes.

    2. Completing Santa

    Pin the ears to the sides of the head. Now, stuff the head firmly with fiberfill. Once stuffed, sew the beard to the bottom of the face. Place the completed Santa head inside the mug, ensuring the beard hangs over the edge. Secure the head to the mug with a few hidden stitches.

    3. Final Touches

    Place the hat on Santa’s head and secure it. Carefully attach the wire glasses over the eyes. Finally, you can use white thread to embroider small snowflakes or a tiny gift box on the side of the red mug to add that extra bit of Christmas magic!

    Tips for Success

    • Tension is Key: If you notice stuffing coming through your stitches, try using a smaller hook or making your tension tighter.
    • Symmetry: When attaching the ears and eyes, use pins! This ensures everything is level and looks professional.
    • Wire Safety: Always use pliers when bending wire to avoid hurting your hands, and make sure any sharp ends are tucked well inside the crochetwork.

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