This Sugar Plum Fairy doll is an adorable and elegant homage to Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker ballet. Her delicate dress and tiny crown are a nod to the graceful and regal dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy in the iconic ballet. This project can be made with the most basic crochet stitches — all that’s needed is a little extra patience!
Sugar Plum Fairy Free Crochet Doll Pattern
The newest addition to my amigurumi collection is a Sugar Plum Fairy crochet doll, complete with an adorable dress and miniature tiara.
Read on to learn more about my design process and inspiration, or scroll to the end to get the free pattern. If you’re in a hurry and need to take this pattern offline, grab the beautifully formatted, ad-free, PDF pattern from Etsy here.
Table of Contents
From the ballet stage to your hands
As a long time cellist and lover of classical music, I absolutely adore Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker. The orchestra score is beautiful, but I also love the association between the most iconic scenes and Christmas. The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy is probably the most famous melody from The Nutcracker, and the accompanying dance is gravity defying, whimsical, and magical.
With Christmas time rapidly approaching, I wanted to try to make my own amigurumi rendition of this beautiful figure. The most important elements to me were the Sugar Plum Fairy’s elegant, poufy dress, as well as the small silver crown that she wears.
The perfect doll base
I’ve made several dolls in the past, including a cute princess doll over the summer, but I haven’t been quite satisfied with the resulting doll body. I wanted tight stitches that would create a dense fabric without any gaps, but previously I used an extremely small hook that made my hands ache after working for a while.
This time, I sized my hook up and used the x stitch to create the small x’s instead of v’s that you see on the surface of the crochet fabric. The x stitch results in slightly tighter stitches and looks a little neater, which resulted in the perfect combination. My final product also resulted in slight detailing for the hands as well as a subtle oval shape to the head, which I felt added to the polish of this revision.
I love that this doll only uses the most basic stitches, so that it’s approachable even for beginners. If you’ve ever made an animal amigurumi, then you can make this doll! The Sugar Plum Fairy’s gorgeous dress is made up of a series of shell stitches to create the elegant and sophisticated eyelets and scalloped edge.
More blog posts for amigurumi beginners:
- My Foolproof Guide to Crocheting Amigurumi for Beginners
- What’s the best stuffing for amigurumi? (+ how to stuff!)
- How to Sew Amigurumi Parts Together (easy photo tutorial!)
The Pattern
- If you want to take this pattern offline, grab the beautifully formatted, ad-free, PDF pattern from Etsy here!
- Pin this pattern to your Pinterest boards here:
Description
Sugar Plum Fairy
This Sugar Plum Fairy doll is an adorable and elegant homage to Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker ballet. Her delicate dress and tiny crown are a nod to the graceful and regal dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy in the iconic ballet. This project can be made with the most basic crochet stitches — all that’s needed is a little extra patience!
Yarn
- WeCrochet Brava Sport (Sport Weight)
- Color: Almond (<1 skein)
- Color: Cream (<1 skein)
- Color: Blush (<1 skein)
- Drops Air (Worsted Weight)
- Color: Light Pink (<1 skein)
- Lion Brand Yarn Baby Soft (Sport Weight)
- Color: White (<1 skein)
- Red Heart Croquette (Fingering)
- Color: Calming (<1 skein)
Notions
- Size D (3.25 mm) Clover Amour Hook
- 6.0 mm safety eyes
- tapestry needle
- polyester fiberfill
- stitch markers
Abbreviations (US)
- MR: Magic ring
- Sc: Single crochet
- Sc x: sc x number of times
- Ch: Chain
- Sl st: Slip stitch
- Rnd: round
- Yo: Yarn over
- Hdc: Half double crochet
- Dc: Double crochet
- Inc: Increase
- Dec: Decrease
- Sts: Stitches
- FO: Fasten off
- (x sts): x total stitches in round/row
- (…) x: repeat stitches within parentheses x times
- *…*: work stitches within asterisks all in the same stitch
- Sk: skip one stitch
- FSC: foundation single crochet (tutorial here)
Special Stitches
Shell stitch: For this pattern, the shell stitch is as follows: (*hdc2, ch, hdc2*, skip the number of stitches specified).
Technical Notes
- Crochet in continuous rounds unless otherwise specified
- When filling with polyester stuffing, pull apart each large chunk into many smaller chunks. This ensures an even distribution of firmness.
- To avoid large holes in the crochet fabric, increase tension until the holes cannot be seen, or choose a crochet hook a size down.
- Stuff the head and the body firmly at the openings so that the neck is stable upon completion.
Final Size
6″ x 2″
Pattern
LEGS (in any skin color sport weight yarn and 3.25 mm hook)
- Round 1 sc6 in MR (6 sts)
- Round 2 (sc2, inc) x2 (8 sts)
- Round 3-11 (9 rnds) sc all around (8 sts)
- Stuff lightly, using the back of a crochet hook or chopstick to push the stuffing down. Finish off the first leg and then create a second leg identically, but do not finish off the second leg. Continue to body.
BODY (in any skin color sport weight yarn and 3.25 mm hook)
- Round 12 sc all around both legs (16 sts)
- Round 13-20 (8 rnds) sc all around (16 sts)
- Round 21 (sc6, dec) x2 (14 sts)
- Round 22 sc all around (14 sts)
- Round 23 (sc5, dec) x2 (12 sts)
- Stuff lightly. Finish off, leaving a short tail for sewing.
HEAD (in any skin color sport weight yarn and 3.25 mm hook)
- Round 1 sc6 in MR (6 sts)
- Round 2 inc x6 (12 sts)
- Round 3 (sc, inc) x6 (18 sts)
- Round 4 (sc2, inc) x6 (24 sts)
- Round 5 (sc3, inc) x6 (30 sts)
- Round 6 (sc4, inc) x6 (36 sts)
- Round 7 (sc5, inc) x6 (42 sts)
- Round 8-16 (9 rnds) sc all around (42 sts)
- Place 6.0 mm safety eyes between rounds 13 and 14, 8 stitches apart.
- Round 17 (sc5, dec) x6 (36 sts)
- Round 18 (sc4, dec) x6 (30 sts)
- Round 19 (sc3, dec) x6 (24 sts)
- Round 20 (sc2, dec) x6 (18 sts)
- Stuff.
- Round 21 (sc, dec) x6 (12 sts)
- Round 22 dec x6 (6 sts)
- Finish off and weave in end. Using the tail from the body, sew the head and body together.
ARMS (in any skin color sport weight yarn and 3.25 mm hook)
Round 1 sc6 in MR (6 sts)
Round 2 (sc2, inc) x2 (8 sts)
Round 3 sc all around (8 sts)
Round 4 (sc2, dec) x2 (6 sts)
Round 5-9 (5 rnds) sc all around (6 sts)
Do not stuff. Finish off, leaving a short tail. Sew to the left and right sides of the seam between the head and body.
DRESS (in pink worsted weight yarn and 3.25 mm hook, worked in turned rows until row 6, then in joined rounds)
- Row 1 FSC14, chain and turn (14 sts)
- Row 2 sc, hdc, dc2, hdc, sc4, hdc, dc2, hdc, sc, chain and turn (14 sts)
- Row 3 inc, dc inc, sk3, dc inc, sc2, dc inc, sk3, dc inc, inc, chain and turn (14 sts)
- Row 4 (sc6, inc) x2, chain and turn (16 sts)
- Row 5 (sc7, inc) x2, chain and turn (18 sts)
- Row 6 (sc8, inc) x2, chain (20 sts)
- Slip stitch into the first stitch to join your work into a round. We will now work in joined rounds of shell stitches (refer to special stitches section). In this pattern, … means to work everything within the asterisks in the same stitch.
- Round 7 *ch (counts as hdc), hdc, ch, hdc2*, sk, (*hdc2, ch, hdc2*) x9, slst into the first chain (10 shell stitches)
- Round 8-10 (3 rnds) slip stitch two more times until you’re working in the chain space of the first shell stitch. *ch (counts as hdc), hdc, ch, hdc2*, (skip the next 4 hdcs and work in the next chain space *hdc2, ch, hdc2*) x9, slst into the first chain (10 shell stitches)
- Add another round if you wish. Invisible finish off bottom of dress and weave in ends.
SLEEVES (in pink worsted weight yarn and 3.25 mm hook, in joined rounds)
- Round 1 Attach yarn to bottom stitch in sleeve hole, and ch (does not count as a stitch), sc 7 all around the hole, slst (7 sts)
- Round 2 ch, hdc, (hdc2, hdc inc) x2, slst (9 sts)
- Round 3 ch, (hdc2, hdc inc) x3, slst (12 sts)
- Invisible finish off and weave in ends. Slide the dress on the doll (it may need a little tugging) and seam the back closed. The dress will not be removable after this stage.
SLIPPERS (in pink worsted weight yarn and 3.25 mm hook, in joined rounds)
Round 1 sc6 in MR, slst (6 sts)
Round 2 ch, inc x6, slst (12 sts)
Round 3-5 (3 rnds) ch, sc all around, slst (12 sts)
Invisible finish off, leaving a short tail for sewing. Sew the slippers to the bottom of the legs. Cut short pieces of white yarn and tie them around the center stitch in the top round.
HAIR (in light brown sport weight yarn and 3.25 mm hook, in joined rounds)
- Round 1 sc6 in MR, slst (6 sts)
- Round 2 ch, inc x6, slst (12 sts)
- Round 3 ch, (sc, inc) x6, slst (18 sts)
- Round 4 ch, (sc2, inc) x6, slst (24 sts)
- Round 5 ch, (sc3, inc) x6, slst (30 sts)
- Round 6 ch, (sc4, inc) x6, slst (36 sts)
- Round 7 ch, (sc5, inc) x6, slst (42 sts)
- Round 8-11 (4 rnds) ch, sc all around, slst (42 sts)
- Round 12 ch2, dc19, hdc, slst, hdc, dc20, slst (42 sts)
- Invisible finish off, leaving a long tail for sewing. Position the hair piece on the head off center so that the back of the hair falls three rounds away from the body/dress, and orient the part slightly to the left. Sew hair piece to the head.
BUN (in light brown sport weight yarn and 3.25 mm hook, in joined rounds)
- Round 1 sc6 in MR, slst (6 sts)
- Round 2 ch, inc x6, slst (12 sts)
- Round 3 ch, (sc, inc) x6, slst (18 sts)
- Round 4 ch, (sc2, inc) x6, slst (24 sts)
- Round 5-8 (4 rnds) ch, sc all around, slst (24 sts) Round 9 ch, (sc4, dec) x4, slst (20 sts)
- Stuff firmly. Finish off and sew to the back of the hair.
CHEEKS (in pink sport weight yarn and 3.25 mm hook, in joined rounds)
- Round 1 Sc6 in MR, slst into first stitch
- Invisible finish off, leaving a short tail for sewing. Sew beneath and to the right/left of the eyes. Sew a nose two stitches wide directly between the eyes using two or three stitches of the same skin colored yarn that you used for the head.
CROWN (using a 2.0 mm hook and fingering weight silver yarn, in joined rounds)
- Round 1 sc12 in MR, slst (12 sts)
- Round 2 ch, sc all around, slst (12 sts)
- Round 3 (sc, ch3, slst in 2nd chain from hook, sc in 3rd chain from hook, sc in next stitch) x6, slst (12 sts and 6 spikes)
- Finish off and sew to top of head, around 4 rounds away from the bangs.
I hope you enjoyed making this Sugar Plum Fairy doll! If you run into any problems feel free to ask me a question in the comments section below or through email at littleworldofwhimsy@gmail.com.
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- Secret the Fluffy Cat Free Pattern
- Bear Basket Free Crochet Pattern For Beginners
- Louis the Royal Lion Free Crochet Pattern
- Waffle the Chubby Bear Free Crochet Pattern
- Ice Cream Bear Free Crochet Pattern
This pattern is just darling!! Thank you for sharing it.
Thanks so much! I’m so glad you like it 🙂
Julia
This is the most lovely pattern of a doll, is so beautiful. Thanks for share this and others patterns for free. ❤️❤️❤️
Hi Paula, thanks so much for the kind note. I’m really happy you’re enjoying the pattern, it’s one of my favorites!
With love,
Julia