Saint Prickolaus Cactus Cuddler Free Crochet Pattern

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It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas around here and I am back with another Christmas cactus pattern this week. It’s called the Saint Prickolaus Cactus Cuddler! Related to his much tinier relative Saint Prickolaus, the Saint Prickolaus Cactus Cuddler is a giant amigurumi that is made with Bernat Blanket yarn, making it PERFECT for cuddling.

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When the original Saint Prickolaus pattern was released for the 30 Days of Cozy Bundle, a lot of people kept telling me that Saint Prickolaus was the only cactus that they wanted to cuddle. It gave me the idea to make a cuddle sized cactus friend. My kids are completely obsessed with this. My son cuddles it when he is watching TV when he gets home from school. I’m going to have to make a second giant amigurumi so they each have one.

With a Santa Hat and scarf, the Saint Prickolaus Cactus Cuddler is all ready for the holiday season. Use him as holiday decor or a fun holiday-themed toy for kids. I have designed the hat for the Saint Prickolaus Cactus Cuddler to fit snugly on his head to make sewing the hat on unnecessary. You may have to tug it on him a little. I’ve used a faux fur pompom because I LOVE them but any kind of pom pom will do.

I have been having a ton of fun making these Christmas Cactus patterns and I hope you all have enjoyed them.  I’m going to be starting my planning for next year’s blog posts and crochet patterns and I want to hear from you!  Let me know what you would like to see more of on the blog next year.  More amigurumi patterns?  More baby stuff?  Tutorials on how to do different stitches?  I love you guys and want to give you more of what you want so let me know in the comments below!

If you have been digging my christmas cactus collection, you can purchase the Christmas Cactus Bundle from my Etsy shop.  You’ll get the following 4 ad-free PDF patterns for the cost of 3:

• Saint Prickolaus
• Saint Prickolaus Cactus Cuddler
• Stanley the Cactus Snowman
• Randy the Rudolf Cactus

Check it out HERE.

If you like this free pattern, please like, share and pin this post.

Instagram: @Thelooopylamb #cuddlycactus

Skill Level: Intermediate

Get the Ad-Free PDF Version of this pattern HERE on Etsy or HERE on Ravelry for a very small fee.

Materials:
6.5 mm and 7.0 mm Crochet Hooks
Bernat Blanket Yarn (1 ball of each colour) in Go-Go Green, Race Car Red and White
18 mm Safety Eyes
PomPom – I’m using a fur pompom (HERE) but any pompom you choose will work.
Polyester Stuffing
Scissors
Tapestry Needle
Stitch marker

Terminology: US terminology

Stitches Used and Abbreviations:
MC: magic circle
CH: chain
SC: single crochet
SCINC: single crochet increase
SCDEC: single crochet decrease
SLST: slip stitch
BLO: back loop only
FLO: front loop only
FO: finish off
ST(S): stitch(es)

Measurement(s): Approximately 19” tall from bottom of cactus to top of hat once assembled.

Important Notes:
• No matter your skill level, I always suggest that you read through the pattern from beginning to end before beginning your work just to be sure you don’t have any questions that might cause frustration in the midst of your project.
• Instructions within the brackets () are to be repeated the number of times specified next to the brackets.

Saint Prickolaus Cactus Cuddler

Body
Row 1: Using green yarn and 6.5mm hook, make a MC and SC 6 into the MC. (6)

Row 2: (SCINC) x 6 (12)

Row 3: (SCINC, SC 1) x 6 (18)

Row 4: SC 1, SCINC, (SC 2, SCINC) x 5, SC 1 (24)

Row 5: (SC 3, SCINC) x 6 (30)

Row 6: SC 2, SCINC, (SC 4, SCINC) x 5, SC 2 (36)

Row 7: (SC 5, SCINC) x 6 (42)

Insert safety eyes in Row 14, with 5 stitches in between them. Stuff the body of the cactus as you go.
Rows 8 – 38: SC in each stitch around (42)

Start stuffing the cactus and continue stuffing as you go from this point on.
Row 39: In BLO, (SC 5, SCDEC) x 6 (36)

Row 40: SC 2, SCDEC, (SC 4, SCDEC) x 5, SC 2 (30)

Row 41: (SC 3, SCDEC) x 6 (24)

Row 42: SC 1, SCDEC, (SC 2, SCDEC) x 5, SC 1 (18)

Row 43: (SCDEC, SC 1) x 6 (12)

Row 44: (SCDEC) x 6 (6)

FO and weave in ends.

Arms (make 2)
Row 1: Using green yarn, make a MC and SC 10 into the MC. (10)

Row 2: (SCINC) x 10 (20)

Row 3: (SCINC, SC 1) x 10 (30)

Rows 4 – 13: SC around (30)

Row 14: Stop working in rounds, CH 1 and turn. SC in the first stitch. SC 14. (15)

FO leaving a long tail for sewing onto each side of the body. Attach an arm onto either side of the body.

Santa Hat
Using white yarn and 6.5mm hook, CH 42. Join with a sl st to first ch to form a ring.
Row 1: CH 1. SC in the first stitch and in each stitch around. Join with a slip stitch. (42)

Rows 2 – 5: CH 1. SC in the first stitch and in each stitch around. Join with a slip stitch. (42)

Switch to red yarn. The rest of the hat will be worked in rounds.
Rows 6 – 10: Working in both loops, SC in each stitch around. (42)

Row 11: (SC 5, SCDEC) x6 (36)

Row 12: SC in each stitch around. (36)

Row 13: (SC 4, SCDEC) x 6 (30)

Row 14: SC in each stitch around. (30)

Row 15: (SC 3, SCDEC) x 6 (24)

Row 16: SC in each stitch around. (24)

Row 17: (SC 2, SCDEC) x 6 (18)

Row 18: SC in each stitch around. (18)

Row 19: (SC 7, SCDEC) x 2 (16)

Row 20: SC in each stitch around. (16)

Row 21: (SC 6, SCDEC) x 2 (14)

Row 22: SC in each stitch around. (14)

Row 23: (SC 5, SCDEC) x 2 (12)

Row 24: SC in each stitch around. (12)

Row 25: (SC 4, SCDEC) x 2 (10)

Row 26: SC in each stitch around. (10)

Row 27: (SC 3, SCDEC) x 2 (8)

Row 28: SC in each stitch around.

Row 29: (SC 2, SCDEC) x 2 (6)

Row 30: SC in each stitch around. (6)
FO leaving a long tail.

Secure pompom to hat. Bend the top of the hat off to one side and use the tail to secure the tip of the hat to the side of the hat. Weave in your ends. It will be a snug fit getting it onto the cactus so the hat should be able to stay on the cactus without sewing it to the cactus however, feel free to sew it to the cactus if you feel it is needed.

Scarf
Using red yarn and 7.0mm hook, CH 81.
Row 1: SC in the 2nd stitch from the hook and in each stitch across. CH1 and turn. (80)

Rows 2 – 3: SC in each stitch across. CH 1 and turn. (80)
FO and weave in ends. Wrap the scarf around the cactus body, just above the arms and either sew onto body at the point where the scarf crosses over itself or tie the scarf onto the cactus.

Disclaimer:

This pattern and its images are copyright protected and the sole property of Ashley Parker of The Loopy Lamb. Please do not resell, distribute, duplicate, or share this pattern in any printed or digital form, claiming this pattern as your own original design. Please do not use my photos when selling your finished items.

Feel free to sell the finished item created with this pattern but please provide pattern credit to The Loopy Lamb when posting online and provide a link to my blog: www.theloopylamb.com.
If you encounter any difficulties or have questions about the pattern, please feel free to contact me at theloopylamb@hotmail.com. I’ll do whatever I can to help.