Faux Fur Yarn Crochet Patterns: 15 Free Projects for Winter

Faux fur is the yarn that turns a plain winter make into something people want to touch. A fur cuff on a mitten, a pom-pom on a hat, a snowman with a head you can't stop squeezing: one fluffy element changes the whole piece.

It's also a yarn people buy and then can't decide what to make with. So here are fifteen free patterns from independent designers, picked for the cold months: things to wear, things for the house, and a handful of winter ornaments and plushies. For each one we've added how many skeins of our Feather-Soft Faux Fur you'll need, and a shade to start from.

All fifteen are free to make from the designer's own page. Several designers also sell an ad-free printable version, which is a nice way to support them if you use the pattern a lot.

About the skein counts

Every pattern below was written for another brand of faux fur, mostly super bulky fur yarns. We've converted each designer's stated yardage to Feather-Soft at 64 yards per 100 g skein and rounded up, because running out of fur halfway through a cuff is worse than having a leftover ball.

Two honest caveats:

• Fur yarns differ in thickness. Feather-Soft is labelled #5 bulky. Most of these patterns use a #6 super bulky fur on a bigger hook. Your finished piece may come out a little smaller, or you may want to go up a hook size. Work a few rows and measure before you commit.
• Where a pattern gives a range (for example, slippers in several sizes), we give a range too.

If you've never worked with fur before, read how to crochet with fluffy yarn when you can't see your stitches first. It will save you a lot of frogging.

To wear

1. Crochet Faux Fur Mittens — All About Ami

Big, fluffy mittens with ribbed cuffs. The fur is the whole hand, so they look like something off a shop shelf. Feather-Soft: about 3 skeins for the pair. The cuffs use a separate smooth yarn. Try: 06 Caramel Mocha. Get the pattern →

2. Crochet Faux Fur Headband — All About Ami

A tall, fluffy headband: a quick make with a big payoff. Feather-Soft: 1 skein. Try: 22 Soft Cloud Gray. Get the pattern →

3. Crossed Fur Headband Ear Warmer — Mama in a Stitch

A twisted-front ear warmer. It's quicker than a hat and warmer than it looks. Feather-Soft: 1 skein. Try: 26 Mocha Fudge Brown. Get the pattern →

4. Not-So-Guilty Pleasure Cowl — The Loopy Lamb

A fur cowl you can pull up over your chin on a windy day. Feather-Soft: 2–3 skeins. The pattern calls for 128 yards, which is exactly two of ours, so buy a third if you work loosely. Try: 01 Vanilla Mousse. Get the pattern →

5. Fur-Ever Fur Infinity Scarf — Heart Hook Home

A plush infinity scarf. It's a good first fur project because it's mostly straight rows. Feather-Soft: 3 skeins. Try: 37 Midnight Licorice. Get the pattern →

6. "Faux Sho" Fur Boot Cuffs — Heart Hook Home

Slip-on cuffs that sit over the top of your boots. They're a winter accessory and a good market item. Feather-Soft: 2 skeins. The pattern needs about 65 yards, just over one of ours. Try: 06 Caramel Mocha. Get the pattern →

7. Faux Fur Pom Pom — Nicki's Homemade Crafts

A crocheted fur pom-pom for the top of a hat. It works on a beanie you've already made, too. Feather-Soft: 1 skein makes one large pom-pom, with some fur left over. Try: 01 Vanilla Mousse on a dark hat. Get the pattern →

8. Easy Crochet Slippers Made From a Rectangle — The Loopy Lamb

Slippers built from a single rectangle, in sizes from toddler to adult. Feather-Soft: 1 skein (toddler) up to 3 skeins (adult). The pattern runs from 34 to 143 yards depending on size. Try: 22 Soft Cloud Gray. Get the pattern →

For the house

9. Fable Fur Throw Blanket — Mama in a Stitch

A fur throw about 45 × 35 inches: the biggest project here, and the most impressive on a sofa. Feather-Soft: 10 skeins. Try: 01 Vanilla Mousse or 22 Soft Cloud Gray. Get the pattern →

10. Faux Fur Stocking — OTH Crochet Nook

A fur Christmas stocking with a cuff. Make one per person and they look like a set. Feather-Soft: 2 skeins per stocking. Try: 15 Candy Apple Red. Get the pattern →

11. Farmhouse Christmas Tree Skirt — You Should Craft

A ribbed tree skirt in a chunky yarn with a fur trim around the edge. Fur is the accent here, not the whole piece. Feather-Soft: 3 skeins for the trim. The main yarn is separate. Try: 01 Vanilla Mousse or 20 Pure Snow White. Get the pattern →

Winter ornaments and plushies

12. Snowman Ornament — The Loopy Lamb

A fluffy snowman head for the tree. The face and hat use a small amount of worsted yarn. Feather-Soft: 1 skein makes several, since each head needs only about 16 yards. Try: 01 Vanilla Mousse or 20 Pure Snow White. Get the pattern →

13. Polar Bear Ornament — The Loopy Lamb

A 3½-inch polar bear to hang on the tree. Like the snowman, one skein goes a long way. Feather-Soft: 1 skein makes several. Try: 01 Vanilla Mousse or 20 Pure Snow White. Get the pattern →

14. Parker Penguin — The Loopy Lamb

An amigurumi penguin about 9½ inches tall, with a fur body in two colors. Feather-Soft: 2 skeins of white and 1 of black. Try: 01 Vanilla Mousse or 20 Pure Snow White, with 37 Midnight Licorice. Get the pattern →

15. Easy Crochet Beard — The Loopy Lamb

A wearable beard in three sizes. In white, it's a Santa beard for a costume, a kid's dress-up box, or a school play. Feather-Soft: 1 skein. Try: 01 Vanilla Mousse or 20 Pure Snow White. Get the pattern →

Working with faux fur: three things that help

Mark every round. Fur hides your stitches completely. Put a stitch marker in the first stitch of every round and trust it over your eyes. For the full technique, see the guide-yarn method.

Comb out trapped fur as you go. Pile gets caught under stitches. Every few rounds, run a pet brush or a tapestry needle over the fabric to lift it out. The difference in the finished piece is big.

Expect a little shedding at first. Some loose fibres work free during the first handling and the first wash. That's cut fibre that was never anchored, and it settles. If a piece keeps shedding weeks later, it was probably worked too loosely. For more on this, see our fluffy yarn guide.

Washing fur projects

Feather-Soft can be machine washed cold, at a maximum of 30 °C / 86 °F. Dry it flat in the shade, and never tumble dry: heat crushes the pile, and crushed pile doesn't come back. If a finished piece looks flat after washing, let it dry fully, then lift the fibres with a soft brush.

If a project mixes fur with another yarn, such as the mitten cuffs or the snowman's face, follow the gentler of the two care labels.

Choosing a shade

Fur photographs lighter and flatter than it looks in hand, so a shade on screen can surprise you. If you're buying for a set, such as matching stockings or a family of ornaments, buy all of one color in a single order so the dye lot matches. A color card lets you see and touch every shade before you commit.

Browse all 46 shades of Feather-Soft Faux Fur, or the rest of our fluffy yarns.

Common questions

What can I crochet with faux fur yarn? Winter accessories (mittens, headbands, cowls, boot cuffs, pom-poms), home pieces (throws, stockings, tree-skirt trims) and plushies. Fur suits anything where you want softness and volume more than visible stitch texture.

How many skeins of faux fur yarn do I need? It depends on the project. A headband, beard or pom-pom takes 1 skein of Feather-Soft. A cowl or scarf takes 2–3, and a throw takes about 10. Each pattern above lists a converted count.

Can I use Feather-Soft for a pattern written for a super bulky fur yarn? Yes, but check your size. Feather-Soft is #5 bulky, and many fur patterns use #6, so work a swatch and go up a hook size if your piece comes out small.

Is faux fur yarn hard to crochet with? It's harder to see your stitches than with smooth yarn, but the projects themselves are usually simple. Start with something worked in straight rows, like the infinity scarf or a headband, and use stitch markers.