If you’re on the hunt for Christmas crochet patterns that are quick, giftable, and ridiculously fun to make, you’re absolutely in the right place. These Santa Sack Gift Bags come in three handy sizes and are perfect for wrapping treats, small presents, gift cards, or even as reusable stocking stuffers. And honestly… once you make one, you’ll probably end up making an army of them. (Seasonal elves have that effect.)

All three bags are worked with simple stitches, making them a great project for confident beginners. The only slightly fancy moment is the granule stitch, which creates that gorgeous, nubbly texture around the top of each sack — but don’t worry, if you’re comfortable with your basic stitches, you’ll be able to pick it up easily. They work up fast, use small amounts of yarn, and have all the classic Santa charm without the last-minute holiday stress.

Below, you’ll find the free written patterns for the Small, Medium, and Large Santa Sack Gift Bags, along with all the details you need to yarn-shop (or stash-dive!) confidently.

Why You’ll Love These Santa Sack Gift Bags

• Quick to make
• Reusable (eco-friendly wrapping!)
• Great stash busters
• Perfect for treats, stocking stuffers, craft fairs, or teacher gifts
• Three sizes for maximum flexibility
• And, of course, they are great Christmas crochet patterns to get you in the mood and bring some festive cheer!

Santa Sack Sizes

• Small: approx. 2.5” base diameter × 4” tall
• Medium: approx. 4.25” base diameter × 9” tall
• Large: approx. 6” base diameter × 11” tall

Don’t Be Fooled by the Size — These Santa Sacks Hold More Than You Think

At first glance, these Santa Sack Gift Bags might look a little on the dainty side… but don’t let their sweet proportions fool you. These bags are deceptively roomy and can hold a surprising variety of goodies. The small size is perfect for a special piece of jewellery or a handful of sweets and treats. The medium can comfortably fit things like wax melts, mini bath treats, or even a pair of cosy mittens and some hand warmers. And the large size? It’s practically begging to be stuffed with festive surprises — think toys, a new dog lead and treats for your favourite pooch, or those awkwardly shaped gifts that never look quite right in wrapping paper.

No matter who you’re gifting to — kids, partners, teachers, neighbours, or the beloved family pet — these little Santa sacks add a charming handmade touch that makes every present feel extra thoughtful.

Yarn Choices: What I Used and What I Recommend

For my versions, I used Stylecraft Special DK, which is a lovely #3 (DK) weight acrylic yarn. The pattern is written specifically for a #3 weight yarn and a 4mm hook, and this combination gives the bags a soft, flexible feel with great stitch definition. Acrylic was the perfect choice for me because I knew the gifts going inside weren’t especially heavy, and I wanted something budget-friendly, washable, and widely available.

That said, you can absolutely make these Santa sacks using heavier-weight yarns and larger hooks if you’d like a bigger bag. Just keep in mind that your finished sizes will grow quite a bit — which might be exactly what you want if you’re planning to tuck in chunkier gifts.

If you need your gift bags to be sturdier, more structured, or able to handle a bit of weight, I highly recommend using a cotton yarn instead. Cotton is naturally stronger, has much less stretch, and is wonderfully durable. It’s also hypoallergenic, making it a great option for anyone with sensitive skin or for items that will be handled a lot.

Whether you go for acrylic, cotton, or a blend, these Santa Sacks are easy to customise and always adorable — just choose the yarn that best suits the gifts you’re planning to pop inside.

Get the PDF Version

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Pattern Specifics:

Yarn, Hook, and Supplies

• #3 weight yarn of choice – I used 1 skein of Stylecraft Special DK in red and around 100 yards of cream for the first 2 sizes 
• 4mm hook
• Scissors
• Tapestry needle

Gauge:

19 sts and 22 rows of the main body in 4” Note: gauge is not important for this project as long as it is consistent.

Skill Level

Confident beginner
If you know your basic stitches, you’re good to go. The granule stitch adds texture but is easy to learn.

Stitches & Abbreviations

• Ch(s) – chain(s)
• St(s) – stitch(es)
• SK – skip
• sc – single crochet
• hdc – half double crochet
• hdc3tog – half double crochet 2 tog
• ss – slip stitch
• blo – back loop only
• YO – yarn over
• FO – Fasten Off
• Rep – repeat

Pattern Notes:

• CH1 at the beginning of the row does not count as a stitch
• Do not work your slip stitches too tight as you will be working into them in the next round.
• These bags are worked in one piece from the base up.
• You can also work this pattern in aran (#4 weight)  or #5 weight (chunky) yarn and an appropriate sized hook. Please be aware that this will create bigger gift bags.
• When working the pattern please turn only where the pattern directs you to.

Special Stitches:

Hdc2tog – YO, insert hook into the next stitch and pull up a loop; YO and insert hook into the next stitch and pull up another loop; YO and pull thru all loops on the hook.  Decrease made.

Granule st – insert hook into next st, YO and pull through. [YO and pull through first loop on hook] 3 times, YO and pull through both loops on hook.

Blo – Instead of working into both loops of the next stitch you will only be working into the back loop as you look at it.

You can find my video showing you this at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pl9CRP3bKTc&t=172s

Giftstravaganza Event 2025:

I’m excited to be joining the fourth annual Giftstravaganza Blog Hop with Underground Crafter! For 30 days, dozens of crochet designers are sharing free holiday gift patterns made with just 1, 2, or 3 skeins of yarn. Every design is free on the blog, and the featured pattern of the day also comes with a free PDF for 24 hours.

Each week has its own theme:
Nov 1–7: Gifts for Home
Nov 8–14: Gifts for Women
Nov 15–21: Gifts for Babies, Kids & Teens
Nov 22–28: Gifts for Anyone
Nov 29–Dec 3: Last-Minute Gifts

There are also some fantastic prizes to be won, and you can find all the details — including the schedule and how to enter — over on Underground Crafter.

How to Join the 2025 Giftstravaganza Blog Hop

• Crochet the projects as you have time
• Share your progress with #giftstravaganzacal
• Chat with other makers in the Underground Crafters Facebook group

By the end, you’ll have up to 30 handmade gifts ready for the festive season! Visit Underground Crafter to enter the giveaway and follow each new pattern as it’s released.

On Friday 28th November only you can grab this pattern as a free pdf download only as part of the Giftstravaganza Event hosted by Marie from Underground Crafter. Get your free copy by clicking the special event button below. No coupon code required. Your download is waiting at the bottom of the next page.

The Free Christmas Crochet Patterns for the Santa Sack Gift Bags

** This is a free pattern on the Sunflower Cottage Crochet blog. If you are reading this anywhere else it is stolen content. Please do not copy and paste any part of it or print this pattern out. Please bookmark this page and use the website to work up your pattern. This helps my small business greatly as it provides a little bit of ad revenue which will in turn will allow me to continue to create free content for you!**

Pattern for small Santa Sack 

In Red:

Round 1:  Into a magic ring ch1 (remember this Is not counted as a stitch), 8sc into the magic ring and SS to join to first sc. (8) Pull magic ring tightly closed

OR Ch3, work 8sc into third chain from hook. SS to join to first sc (8)

Round 2: Ch1, 2sc in each st around. SS to join (16)

Round 3: Ch1, sc in the first st, 2sc in the next st, *sc in the next st, 2sc in the next stitch* around. SS to join (24)

Round 4 :  Ch1, sc in the first 2 stitches, 2sc in the next st, *sc in the next 2 stitches, 2sc in the next stitch* around. SS to join (32)

Round 5: Ch1, sc in the first 3 stitches, 2sc in the next st, *sc in the next 3 stitches, 2sc in the next stitch* around. SS to join (40)

Round 6: Ch1, in BLO hdc in each st around. SS to join.  (40)

Round 7 : Ch1, *hdc in first st, ss into next st* around. SS to join to top of first hdc (20 hdcs and 20 ss’s). 

Round 8: Ch1, turn, hdc in first st (this will be the last ss from the previous row), SSinto next st (the hdc from the previous row), *hdc in next st, SS in next st* around. SS to top of first hdc to join. (40)

Rounds 9– 29  Repeat round 8. Remember to turn after every row here!

Round 30 : Ch1, hdc in first st, ch1, sk1 st, *hdc in next st, ch1, sk1. Rep from * around. SS to join

In White or cream:

Attach yarn to any ch1 space with the outside of the santa sack facing you.

Round 31: Work 2sc in each ch1 space around. SS to join (40)

Round 32: CH1, turn, sc in first st, granule st into next st, *sc into next st, granule st into next st. Rep from * around. SS to join. (20sc, 20 granule sts)

Round 33: Ch1, turn, sc in each st around. SS to join(40)

Rounds 34 – 35: Repeat rounds 32 and 33 once more.

Tie:

In white / cream

FSC 50  OR Ch51, sc in second ch from hook and each ch across.  FO and weave in ends. Weave through the ch1 spaces at the top of the red section. 

Pattern for Medium Santa Sack 

In Red:

Round 1 : Into a magic ring ch1 (remember this Is not counted as a stitch), 8sc into the magic ring and SS to join to first sc. (8) Pull magic ring tightly closed

OR Ch3, work 8sc into third chain from hook. SS to join to first sc (8)

Round 2: Ch1, 2sc in each st around. SS to join (16)

Round 3: Ch1, sc in the first st, 2sc in the next st, *sc in the next st, 2sc in the next stitch* around. SS to join (24)

Round 4: Ch1, sc in the first 2 stitches, 2sc in the next st, *sc in the next 2 stitches, 2sc in the next stitch* around. SS to join (32)

Round 5: Ch1, sc in the first 3 stitches, 2sc in the next st, *sc in the next 3 stitches, 2sc in the next stitch* around. SS to join (40)

Round 6: Ch1, sc in the first 2 stitches, 2sc in the next st, *sc in the next 4 stitches, 2sc in the next stitch* around. Sc in last 2 sts. SS to join (48)

Round 7: Ch1, sc in the first 5 stitches, 2sc in the next st, *sc in the next 5 stitches, 2sc in the next stitch* around. SS to join (56)

Round 8: Ch1, sc in the first 3 stitches, 2sc in the next st, *sc in the next 6 stitches, 2sc in the next stitch* around. Sc in last 3 sts. SS to join (64)

Round 9: Ch1, sc in the first 7 stitches, 2sc in the next st, *sc in the next 7 stitches, 2sc in the next stitch* around. SS to join (72)

Round 10 : Ch1, sc in the first 4 stitches, 2sc in the next st, *sc in the next 8 stitches, 2sc in the next stitch* around. Sc in last 4 sts. SS to join (80)

Round 11: Ch1, in BLO hdc in each st around. SS to join.  (80)

Round 12: Ch1, *hdc in first st, ss into next st* around. SS to join to top of first hdc (40 hdcs and 40 ss’s). 

Round 13 :  Ch1, turn, hdc in first st (this will be the last ss from the previous row), SSinto next st (the hdc from the previous row), *hdc in next st, SS in next st* around. SS to top of first hdc to join. (40 hdcs and 40 ss’s)

Rounds 14– 52: Repeat round 13. Remember to turn after every row here!

Round 53:  Ch1, hdc in first st, ch1, sk1 st, *hdc in next st, ch1, sk1. Rep from * around. SS to join (40 hdc, 40 ch1)

In White or cream:

Attach yarn to any ch1 space with the outside of the santa sack facing you.

Round 54: Work 2sc in each ch1 space around. SS to join (80)

Round 55: CH1, turn, sc in first st, granule st into next st, *sc into next st, granule st into next st. Rep from * around. SS to join (40sc, 40 granule sts)

Round 56: Ch1, turn, sc in each st around. SS to join. (80)

Rounds 57 – 60: Repeat rounds 55 and 56 twice more.

Tie:

In white / cream

FSC 90 OR Ch91, sc in second ch from hook and each ch across. 

FO and weave in ends. Weave through the ch1 spaces at the top of the red section. 

Pattern for Large Santa Sack 

In Red:

Round 1:  Into a magic ring ch1 (remember this Is not counted as a stitch), 8sc into the magic ring and SS to join to first sc. (8) Pull magic ring tightly closed

OR Ch3, work 8sc into third chain from hook. SS to join to first sc (8)

Round 2 : Ch1, 2sc in each st around. SS to join (16)

Round 3: Ch1, sc in the first st, 2sc in the next st, *sc in the next st, 2sc in the next stitch* around. SS to join (24)

Round 4:  Ch1, sc in the first 2 stitches, 2sc in the next st, *sc in the next 2 stitches, 2sc in the next stitch* around. SS to join (32)

Round 5 : Ch1, sc in the first 3 stitches, 2sc in the next st, *sc in the next 3 stitches, 2sc in the next stitch* around. SS to join (40)

Round 6: Ch1, sc in the first 2 stitches, 2sc in the next st, *sc in the next 4 stitches, 2sc in the next stitch* around. Sc in last 2 sts. SS to join (48)

Round 7: Ch1, sc in the first 5 stitches, 2sc in the next st, *sc in the next 5 stitches, 2sc in the next stitch* around. SS to join (56)

Round 8: Ch1, sc in the first 3 stitches, 2sc in the next st, *sc in the next 6 stitches, 2sc in the next stitch* around. Sc in last 3 sts. SS to join (64)

Round 9: Ch1, sc in the first 7 stitches, 2sc in the next st, *sc in the next 7 stitches, 2sc in the next stitch* around. SS to join (72)

Round 10: Ch1, sc in the first 4 stitches, 2sc in the next st, *sc in the next 8 stitches, 2sc in the next stitch* around. Sc in last 4 sts. SS to join (80)

Round 11 : Ch1, sc in the first 9 stitches, 2sc in the next st, *sc in the next 9 stitches, 2sc in the next stitch* around. SS to join (88)

Round 12 : Ch1, sc in the first 5 stitches, 2sc in the next st, *sc in the next 10 stitches, 2sc in the next stitch* around. Sc in last 5 sts. SS to join (96)

Round 13: Ch1, sc in the first 11 stitches, 2sc in the next st, *sc in the next 11 stitches, 2sc in the next stitch* around. SS to join (104)

Round 14: Ch1, sc in the first 6 stitches, 2sc in the next st, *sc in the next 12 stitches, 2sc in the next stitch* around. Sc in last 6 sts. SS to join (112)

Round 15: Ch1, sc in the first 13 stitches, 2sc in the next st, *sc in the next 13 stitches, 2sc in the next stitch* around. SS to join (120)

Round 16: Ch1, in BLO hdc in each st around. SS to join.  (120)

Round 17: Ch1, *hdc in first st, ss into next st* around. SS to join to top of first hdc (60 hdcs and 60 ss’s). 

Round 18 : Ch1, turn, hdc in first st (this will be the last ss from the previous row), SSinto next st (the hdc from the previous row), *hdc in next st, SS in next st* around. SS to top of first hdc to join. (40 hdcs and 40 ss’s)

Rounds 19– 68: Repeat round 18. Remember to turn after every row here!

Round 69: Ch1, hdc in first st, ch1, sk1 st, *hdc in next st, ch1, sk1. Rep from * around. SS to join (60 hdc, 60 ch1)

In White or cream:

Attach yarn to any ch1 space with the outside of the santa sack facing you.

Round 70: Work 2sc in each ch1 space around. SS to join (120)

Round 71: CH1, turn, sc in first st, granule st into next st, *sc into next st, granule st into next st. Rep from * around. SS to join (60sc, 60 granule sts)

Round 72: Ch1, turn, sc in each st around. SS to join (80)

Rounds 73 – 78: Repeat rounds 71 and 72 three more times.

FO and weave in ends

Tie:

In white / cream

FSC 131 OR Ch132, sc in second ch from hook and each ch across. 

FO and weave in ends. Weave through the ch1 spaces at the top of the red section. 

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