Make a round reindeer bauble with a two-tone face, branched antlers, and a ruffled collar.
Materials
YarnArt Jeans in cream (05), tan (71), dark brown (70), a collar color of your choice, plus red for the nose and pink for the cheeks. Use a 1.75 mm hook, 6 mm eyes or beads, stuffing, a yarn needle, scissors, and a hanging ribbon or cord. A bow and small bell are optional.
US crochet abbreviations
MR = magic ring, ch = chain, sc = single crochet, hdc = half double crochet, dc = double crochet, sl st = slip stitch, inc = two sc in one stitch, dec = sc two stitches together, BLO = back loop only. Numbers in parentheses at the end of a round give the stitch count.
Main head
Work in cream. Rounds 1–9: start with 6 sc in an MR, then increase by 6 each round. Round 2 is inc around, and Rounds 3–9 are (sc in the next 1 through 7 sts, inc) × 6, respectively. End at 54 sts. Rounds 10–19: sc around (54).
Rounds 20–24: work (7 sc, dec) × 6, reducing the number of sc before each dec by one each round, ending with (3 sc, dec) × 6 (24). For backed eyes, fit them between Rounds 15 and 16, about 11–12 stitches apart, before closing. Stuff firmly.
Switch to the collar color. Round 25: in BLO, (2 sc, dec) × 6 (18). Round 26: (sc, dec) × 6 (12). Round 27: dec × 6 (6). Sl st, fasten off, and draw the tail through the final stitches to close.
Ruffled collar
Join the collar color to the 24 unused front loops. Ch 3 (counts as a dc), dc in the same loop, then work 2 dc in each remaining loop. Join with a sl st (48).
Ch 4 and sl st at the base of the chain to make the first loop. Sc in the next stitch. Continue with ch-4 loops anchored by a sl st in the sc just made, alternating with a sc in the next stitch. Secure the edging.
Cheeks, ears, and antlers
Cheeks (make 2): with pink, 6 sc in an MR. Sl st and leave a sewing tail.
Ears (make 2): with tan, Round 1: 6 sc in MR (6). Round 2: sc around (6). Round 3: (sc, inc) × 3 (9). Round 4: (2 sc, inc) × 3 (12). Round 5: (2 sc, dec) × 3 (9). Round 6: (sc, dec) × 3 (6). Flatten the opening, crochet both sides together, sl st and leave a sewing tail.
Antlers: make 2 long pieces and 2 short pieces in dark brown. Start each with 6 sc in MR (6). For the long pieces, sc around in Rounds 2–7. For the short pieces, sc around in Rounds 2–3. Sl st and leave sewing tails. Sew one short branch to the midpoint of each long piece.
Tan forehead overlay
Repeat Rounds 1–9 of the main head in tan. Sc around in Rounds 10–16 (54). Start Round 17 with 12 sc, then turn without a turning chain. This is the first row of the nose flap.
Nose flap Row 2: 7 sc, turn (7). Row 3: dec, 3 sc, dec, turn (5). Row 4: 5 sc, turn (5). Row 5: dec, sc, dec, turn (3). Row 6: 3 sc, turn (3). Row 7: sc the 3 stitches together, ch 1, and fasten off with a 6 in (15 cm) tail.
Rejoin at the next unworked stitch of Round 17 and work 42 sc to finish the round. For Round 18, sc around the full edge and along the flap, placing 3 sc at its tip to round it. Sl st and leave a long sewing tail.
Assembly
Fit and sew the tan overlay over the head with the flap centered between the eyes. Sew on the eyes now if you are using beads. Embroider the brows, lashes, and cream forehead spots. Use the flap tail to embroider the mouth and add a red nose.
Sew on the antlers, ears, and cheeks. Secure a hanging loop at the top and tie the optional bow and bell to the collar.