Noel the Christmas Cardinal Pattern by Mersadie Sheppard Overview

Crocheted red cardinal amigurumi wearing a green Santa hat with a white brim and white pompom, with an orange beak and orange feet, brown eyelashes and a green bow at the neck, photographed on a cream fabric background.

Project introduction

Crocheted red cardinal amigurumi wearing a green and white Santa hat with a white pom-pom, an orange beak and feet, a white belly patch and black felt eye accents, resting on a light surface.

Crocheted red cardinal amigurumi with black embroidered eyelashes, an orange beak, a white belly, a green bow with gold beads and orange feet, photographed on a plain white background.

Crocheted red cardinal ornament wearing a green Santa hat with a white brim and white pom-pom, with an orange beak, black stitched brow, green wings and orange feet, resting on a light beige fabric.

Crocheted red cardinal amigurumi with black eyelashes, an orange beak and feet, a white belly, a green bow with small gold beads at the neck, and a green and white Santa hat with a white pompon, standing on a weathered wooden board against

Close-up of a crocheted red cardinal ornament with a white face patch, orange beak, dark felt eyelashes and a green crocheted Santa hat, plus a green bow with small gold beads at the neck, photographed against a soft grey background.

Crocheted red cardinal amigurumi with a white belly, orange beak and feet, black embroidered eyelashes, a green bow with a small gold bell, wearing a green and white Santa hat with a white pompom, resting in an open hand against a soft crea

Crocheted red cardinal amigurumi wearing a green Santa hat with a white brim and white pom-pom, white belly, orange beak and feet, and a green bow with small beads at the neck, standing on a light shelf against a plain background.

Crocheted red cardinal bird with a green Santa hat trimmed in white, orange beak and orange feet, shown from the side on a plain gray background.

This is a pattern overview, not a full tutorial. Noel the Christmas Cardinal is a written crochet pattern by Mersadie Sheppard, published through the More Dreams Less Life Ravelry Store and listed under Softies, Animal. The designer describes it as beginner friendly, and the pattern is available as a free Ravelry download. Everything below summarizes what the listing states so you can decide whether this cardinal fits your winter making plans.

Noel the Christmas Cardinal

Crocheted red cardinal amigurumi with a white face patch, dark eyes and an orange beak, sitting on a light wood floor in front of a pale cloth.

Crochet cardinal softie with a red body, a white face and belly, an orange beak, a black safety eye with an eyelash, and a green crocheted scarf, sitting on a pale surface.

Crocheted red cardinal amigurumi with a black face mask, yellow beak, white wing patch and orange feet, sitting on a wooden table beside a bright window.

The designer notes that you must already know how to increase and decrease, how to half double crochet, and how to crochet in the front loops only. Those four skills carry the shaping and the textured details. If they are familiar, the project should feel approachable. The listing shows no projects yet and 12 queues, so the pattern is still finding its audience. You can open the Original designer’s pattern and instructions on Ravelry to read the full details and download it.

Yarn choice is flexible here. The pattern calls for #4 worsted weight yarn, and the colors are totally customizable. The designer used Red Heart Super Saver for the red, white, and orange, and Mainstay Basic yarn for the green. About 200 yards are needed for the main body color. Red Heart Super Saver (Solids) is listed as Aran, 100% acrylic, 364 yards / 198 grams.

Here is the complete supply checklist exactly as the listing presents it:

Yarn, plus scissors
3.50 mm crochet hook
3.00 mm crochet hook
5.00 mm crochet hook
Stitch markers
Poly-fill for stuffing
Either safety eyes or felt eyelashes

The abbreviation key uses standard US terms: Ch for chain, Sl st for slip stitch, Sc for single crochet, Inc for increase, Dec for decrease, Flo for front loop only, and Hdc for half double crochet. Construction relies on those increases, decreases, half double crochet stitches, and front loop work to build the bird, but the row by row directions live in the original pattern. Follow the designer’s instructions there rather than guessing at the sequence.

Copyright 2020 belongs to Osage County Crochet, with all rights reserved. The pattern text, images, and diagrams may not be reproduced or distributed. Finished work may be sold, with credit to the designer as a courtesy. Photos may not be reused for resale or other purposes. The designer welcomes questions and notes that replies may take up to 12 to 24 hrs.

If you enjoy this style of holiday make, the Crochet Christmas Star Ornament Pattern-& Easy: Pattern Overview offers another seasonal option, and the Ravelry: Carl the Cardinal pattern by Crochet 365 Knit Too: Pattern Overview shows a different take on the same bird.