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Free Grinch Crochet Pattern (Cute Amigurumi Grinch Head with Santa Hat)

Every year when the Christmas box comes down from the cupboard, my grandkids go hunting for one thing first: the grumpy green guy. So this time, instead of buying yet another Grinch ornament, I decided to design a free Grinch crochet pattern for a tiny head with a Santa hat that you can hang on the tree, use as a keychain, or tuck into gift wrap.

This Grinch crochet pattern is written in US terms, worked mostly in single crochet in the round, and uses lots of simple shaping plus facial embroidery to get that perfectly mischievous expression. The project is small, so it’s a great “evening on the sofa” make between bigger Christmas gifts. If you’ve already tried my free crochet snowman pattern or free crochet reindeer pattern, this little Grinch will fit right into the gang.

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What You’ll Make with This Free Grinch Crochet Pattern

With this free Grinch crochet pattern, you’ll crochet:

Finished with cotton yarn and a 2.0 mm hook, your Grinch head will measure around 5–6 cm (about 2–2.5″) tall without the hanging loop, which makes it perfect as a lightweight ornament that won’t drag down branches.

Materials for This Free Grinch Crochet Pattern

To make your Grinch head with Santa hat, you’ll need:

If you’re unsure which hook size to pair with your yarn to keep the stuffing from peeking through, my detailed yarn weight, gauge and hook size guide walks you through how to match them for amigurumi.

Abbreviations (US Terms) & Skill Level

This free Grinch crochet pattern uses standard US amigurumi stitches:

Skill level:
I’d call this pattern advanced beginner:

If this is one of your very first toys and you still feel shaky about reading patterns, you might like to warm up with my first amigurumi step-by-step guide and then come back to this grumpy little Christmas friend.

How to Crochet the Grinch Head (Step-by-Step)

free Grinch crochet pattern ornament on Christmas tree
Grinch head ornament from the free Grinch crochet pattern.

For this free Grinch crochet pattern, we start by shaping the round Grinch head and then add all the facial details that give him his classic mischievous look.

Head (Green)

Work in continuous rounds unless otherwise noted. Use a stitch marker to mark the first stitch of each round.

  1. R1: MR, 8 sc into ring (8)
  2. R2: inc in each st around (16)
  3. R3: (sc, inc) ×8 (24)
  4. R4: sc, inc, (2 sc, inc) ×7, sc (32)
  5. R5: (3 sc, inc) ×8 (40)
  6. R6: 2 sc, inc, (4 sc, inc) ×7, 2 sc (48)
  7. R7: (5 sc, inc) ×8 (56)
    8–17. R8–R17: sc around (56) – 10 rounds
  8. R18: (3 sc, inc) ×14 (70)
    19–21. R19–R21: sc around (70) – 3 rounds
  9. R22: (3 sc, dec) ×14 (56)
  10. R23: sc around (56)
  11. R24: sc, dec, (2 sc, dec) ×13, sc (42)
  12. R25: sc around (42)
  13. R26: (sc, dec) ×14 (28)

Begin stuffing the head firmly and continue to add stuffing as you close.

  1. R27: sc, dec, (2 sc, dec) ×6, sc (21)
  2. R28: (sc, dec) ×7 (14)
  3. R29: dec ×7 (7) – cut yarn, weave the tail through the remaining stitches and pull tight to close.

You now have a nicely rounded Grinch head ready for eyes and embroidery.

Eye Placement

Insert the 12 mm safety eyes between rounds 15 and 16, leaving 7 stitches between them on the front of the face. Snap the backs on securely before you stuff any more.

Face Embroidery

(All round numbers are counted from the magic ring at the very top.)

Eye highlights (yellow):
With yellow embroidery thread, stitch a tiny outline or a curved highlight around each eye to give the classic glowing Grinch stare.

Nose (black):
Over rounds 16–17, embroider a small horizontal nose about 4 stitches wide.
Pass the thread horizontally three times to make it bold and slightly raised.

Mouth (black):

  1. First embroider a vertical line from round 17 down to round 23 right in the center.
  2. Then add a curved smile from round 20 to 23, about 12 stitches wide in total. The vertical line should sit in the middle of this curve, so you have 6 stitches of the smile on each side.

Use pins to mark the center and the corners of the smile before you tighten the stitches—this makes it much easier to keep everything symmetrical.

Eyelashes (black):
At the outer corner of each eye, on rounds 13–14, add 2–3 tiny lashes pointing slightly upward.

Eyebrows (green or black):
With green yarn or thread, embroider slanted eyebrows across rounds 10–12, each about 4 stitches long, angled down toward the center for that perfect “I’m plotting something” Grinch expression.

free Grinch crochet pattern with four Grinch heads and different expressions
Four funny faces from one free Grinch crochet pattern.

Crochet the Grinch Santa Hat (Mini Hat Pattern)

This tiny Santa hat is what turns your green head into a full Grinch crochet pattern star. It’s worked from the white pom-pom down in red, then finished with a soft white brim.

Pom-Pom (White)

Work in continuous rounds.

Pom-Pom

Lightly stuff the pom-pom and close the opening.
Do not cut the yarn if you want to continue directly, or fasten off and reattach red yarn into any stitch of R8 for the next part.

Hat Body (Red)

Now you’ll build the tall cone of the Grinch Santa hat. We’ll number these rounds separately from the head to avoid confusion.

Join red yarn to any stitch of the last pom-pom round.

You now have a tall, slightly floppy Grinch crochet hat with 60 stitches at the base, perfect for sitting snugly over the top of the head.

Brim (White)

The brim is worked into the loops of R24 of the red hat body.

  1. Slip stitch edge (FLO):
    • Join white yarn in the front loop only (FLO) of any stitch of R24.
    • sl st in each FLO around (60).
    • This creates a neat ridge and a crisp edge for the brim.
  2. Brim height (BLO):
    • Now work into the back loops (BLO) of the same round (R24) behind that ridge.
    • Round A: hdc in each st around (60)
    • Round B: hdc in each st around (60)
    • Round C: sl st in each st around (60), fasten off and weave in the end.

You should now have a soft but structured white brim that frames the Grinch’s face nicely when the hat is in place. This is basically a tiny Grinch crochet hat pattern free variation you can also use on other Christmas characters.

Attaching the Santa Hat to the Grinch Head

  1. Position the hat:
    • Place the hat on top of the Grinch head, with the pom-pom at the back or slightly to one side.
    • Tilt it just a bit to give that playful, “I’m planning mischief” look.
  2. Pin and sew:
    • Pin the brim all the way around so it sits evenly on the head.
    • Using green or white yarn, sew the inside edge of the brim to the head, catching one loop on the hat and one stitch on the head at a time.
  3. Shape the flop:
    • Bend the top part of the hat to one side and tack it in place with a few invisible stitches so it flops naturally.
  4. Add a hanging loop (optional):
    • If you want to use this free Grinch crochet pattern as an ornament or keychain, attach a yarn loop or metal keychain ring to the top of the pom-pom.

Your Grinch head with Santa hat is now complete and ready to hang on the tree, clip to your bag, or gift to a fellow Christmas-movie addict.

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Safety Tips for This Free Grinch Crochet Pattern

Even a tiny free Grinch crochet pattern can have small parts, so it’s important to think about who will be playing with the toy.

If you want more general toy safety advice (choking hazards, batteries, magnets, age labels), the American Academy of Pediatrics has a very clear guide on how to choose safe toys for kids.

FAQ: Free Grinch Crochet Pattern

Is this free Grinch crochet pattern beginner-friendly?

This Grinch crochet pattern is best for advanced beginners who already know how to crochet in the round and work increases and decreases.

How long does it take to finish the Grinch head with Santa hat?

Most people can finish this Grinch crochet pattern in one or two evenings, including the Santa hat and face embroidery.

Can I turn this Grinch into a keychain or Christmas tree ornament?

Yes, you can easily turn this amigurumi Grinch into a keychain or ornament by adding a yarn loop or metal ring to the pom-pom.

What yarn works best for this Grinch crochet pattern?

This Grinch crochet works best with light/sport-weight cotton yarn and a 2.0 mm hook to keep the fabric tight and the details crisp.

Can I use the Santa hat on other amigurumi toys?

The mini Santa hat from this Grinch pattern can also be used on other small amigurumi like snowmen, reindeer or dolls.

How can I make my Grinch look neater and more professional?

To make this Grinch crochet pattern look neater, use tight stitches, invisible decreases, even stuffing and take your time with the facial embroidery.

Final Thoughts: Enjoy Your Free Grinch Crochet Pattern

I hope this free Grinch crochet pattern brings a little bit of deliciously grumpy Christmas magic to your home. Once you’ve made one, it’s hard to stop. Suddenly, every gift bag, wreath, and doorknob “needs” its own tiny Grinch head with a floppy Santa hat.

Don’t be afraid to play with colors and expressions: make a softer pastel Grinch, a super-angry version with sharper eyebrows, or a sleepy one with droopy eyes. The basic head and hat stay the same, so you can experiment with faces and turn this free Grinch crochet pattern into a whole cast of funny holiday characters.

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