Gingerbread Hugs Gift Card Holder – Free Crochet Pattern for beginners!

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Every January, I make a resolution to hand make a gift for everyone on my Christmas list. Yet somehow, every December, I find myself scrambling to get them all done! Can I get an Amen? Come on, be honest! I know I can’t be the only one, based on how busy my favorite Facebook Crochet groups have been.

This year, I’m running WAY behind, since I’ve had so many awesome ideas I’ve been bursting to share with you. As such, I’m abandoning plans of crocheting that cardigan for my Father in law and hats for all my nephews… but I have a new trick up my sleeve that will help me complete my goal, after all!

This cute little Gingerbread man is just the ticket! He uses only basic single crochet and a teensy  bit of shaping with increases and dereases, and a hint of surface slip stitching for decoration, plus some gumdrop inspired buttons. (I know! I hate sewing buttons, too! But I pinky swear that there’s no other sewing at all!)

If you’re looking for a quick project to help dress up a last minute gift-card, this is just the one for you! Pin it on Pinterest or add it to your Ravelry queue for safekeeping while you go and find your brown and white yarn! You can even download a conveniently downloadable PDF copy for offline crocheting in my Ravelry Shop.

Materials

H 5.0 mm Crochet Hook

Caron Simply Soft yarn in Chocolate and White (or any lighter (4) worsted weight yarn)

Scissors

Yarn Needle

Needle and thread

Buttons- I used 4 white buttons and 2 red ones.

Abbreviations

Ch- Chain

Sc- single crochet

Sc2tog

St – stitch

Special Stitches

Sc2tog- Insert hook into st, yarn over and pull up a loop. Insert hook into next st, yarn over and pull up a loop. Yarn over and pull through all 3 loops on hook.

Surface Slip Stitching- crochet slip stitches through the fabric to create a chain stitch embroidery style design.

Finished Size

8” wide by 7” tall laid flat, folds to 4” by 5”, to hold a standard 4” x 2.25” gift card.

Instructions

Begin with a half circle for the head:

Row 1: Ch 2, 3sc in 2nd ch from hook. [3]

Row 2: Ch 1, turn. *2sc in first st, sc in next st.* [6]

Row 3: Ch 1 turn, *2sc in first st, sc in next 2 sts.* [9]

Row 4: Ch 1, turn, *2sc in first st, sc in next  3 sts.* [12]

Row 5: Ch 1, turn, *2sc in first st, sc in next 4 sts.* [15]

Row 6: Ch 1, turn, *2sc in first st, sc in next  5 sts.* [18]

Row 7: Ch 1, turn, *2sc in first st, sc in next 6 sts.* [21]

Continue across the flat edge of the semicircle:

Row 8: Ch 1, sc evenly across. [15]

Extend for each arm:

Row 9: Ch 5, sc in 2nd st and across. [19]

Row 10: Ch 5, sc in 2nd st and across, placing 2sc in the last st.  [24]

Row 11: Ch 1, 2sc in 1st st, sc across, and increase by placing 2sc in the last st. [26]

Row 12: Ch 1, 2sc in 1st st, sc across, 2sc in last st. [28]

Row 13: Ch 1, sc in 1st st and across, 2sc in last st. [29]

Row 14: Ch 1, sc across. [29]

Row 15: Ch 1, Sc2tog, sc across. [28]

Row 16: Ch 1, Sc2tog, sc across, Sc2tog in last 2 sts. [26]

Row 17: Ch 1, Sc2tog, sc across, Sc2tog in last 2 sts. [24]

Row 18: Ch 1, Sc across, sc2tog in last 2sts. [23]

Row 19: Ch 1, sl 4, Sc across. [19]

Row 20: Ch 1, sl 4, sc across. [15]

Extend  the body piece to form the  pocket:

Row 21: Ch 1 sc across. [15]

Repeat Row 21 ELEVEN  more times.

Edging:

Ch 1, sc evenly around the entire piece, adding three ch 4 loops at each “hand” and at the top of the head as button loops.

Break yarn, and weave in ends.

Decorations:

Sew two  white buttons for eyes on the semicircle. Mine are placed on row 5, approximately half an inch from the center. If you wish, consider sewing buttons on both sides, so the ornament can be buttoned shut to form a full envelope.

Fold up the pocket and attach two colored buttonsin the vertical center of the  flap. Mine were placed 3 and 7 rows from the end.

With white yarn, surface  slip stitch a smiley face underneath the eyes. Cut yarn and sew in the ends.

Repeat on each arm to make icing cuffs for the hands.

To use the gift card holder, simply button the arms shut to hug the gift card tight. Then, either use a pretty ornament hanger to display it on your Christmas tree, or fold the head over to use it as an envelope.

Looking for more last minute gift ideas? I love to use chunky yarn for last minute projects- it really helps speed up crochet time! Take a look at my daughter’s Heart hat, or the Scarfie yarn shawlette I made for my sister in law last year. If I could hand deliver them, I’d be working on one today! Alas, the shipping deadlines snuck up on me yet again.

Thank you so much for supporting my blog! I hop you enjoyed making this with me. I have checked and double-checked this pattern, but I’m only human- please let me know if you have any questions or if I have missed anything at all so I can correct it for you all.

You are more than welcome to sell any finished items made from this pattern. Please use your own photos and credit Katie Clary as the designer. Links back to my blog post are greatly appreciated! Please feel free to share this pattern by directing others to this blog post or the Ravelry listing, NOT by distributing the pattern or photos as your own.

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