Red Cardinal – Free Crochet Pattern

Looking for a fun and easy crochet project? This free pattern will guide you through making a charming little red cardinal couple—male and female! Whether you’re using worsted yarn for a small, classic look or plush yarn for a soft and cuddly feel, these cardinals work up quickly and are perfect for crocheters of all levels.

Ideal for gifts, home decor, or simply adding some cheerful birds to your crochet collection, this project is sure to brighten your day. Grab your yarn and let’s get started on this delightful duo!

Don’t forget to join my Facebook group HERE,  you can ask your questions, and share your finished projects. I will regularly ask you what pattern you would like to see next (or you can even suggest something even if I am not asking!).

I hope you will enjoy and understand the pattern. If you have any questions, please write to me, I will try my best to help you. And I would love to see your work! Don’t forget to share your finished projects using the hashtag #natalinacraft. I love seeing your beautiful work!

Red Cardinal - Free Crochet Pattern Red Cardinal - Free Crochet Pattern Red Cardinal - Free Crochet Pattern Red Cardinal - Free Crochet Pattern Red Cardinal - Free Crochet Pattern Red Cardinal - Free Crochet Pattern Red Cardinal - Free Crochet Pattern Red Cardinal - Free Crochet Pattern


Red Cardinal – Free Crochet Pattern

Start Here:

Please read the whole pattern properly before starting.

The pattern is written using US terms.

This pattern is made of the following parts:

  • 1 Body
  • 2 wings
  • 1 comb
  • Facultative: 2 feet

Size:

  • 1.5 inches (4 cm) with light worsted yarn (I used I love this cotton from Hobby Lobby)
  • 2.5 inches (7 cm) with plush yarn (I used Premier Parfait chunky)

Material:

  • Male cardinal: Yarn calling for a US I-9 / 5.5 mm hook in  bright red, black and orange.  OR Yarn calling for a US L-11 / 8 mm hook in bright red, black and orange. 
  • Female cardinal: Yarn calling for a US I-9 / 5.5 mm hook in light brown, dark red and orange.  OR Yarn calling for a US L-11 / 8 mm hook in light brown, dark red and orange.
  • Size US C-2 / 2.75 mm crochet hook (a larger hook can be used, your cardinal will only be slightly bigger) if you use worsted yarn OR Size US 7 / 4.5 mm if you use plush yarn.
  • 2 black safety eyes (6 mm) if you use worsted yarn OR 2 black safety eyes (10 mm) if you use plush yarn
  • Stitch markers (if needed)
  • Tapestry needle
  • Polyfill
  • Facultative: fabric glue for the feet

Abbreviations:

  • chain (ch)
  • magic ring (mr)
  • single crochet (sc)
  • increase (inc)
  • invisible decrease (dec)
  • slip stitch (sl st)
  • double crochet (DC)
  • Half double crochet (HDC)

Pattern: How to crochet a Cardinal?


Let’s start – Red Cardinal – Free Crochet Pattern

 

The body – Red Cardinal – Free Crochet Pattern

  • The body is worked in continuous rounds (as a spiral). Use a stitch marker if needed.
  • Remember to stuff as you crochet.

For the male: With a 2.75 mm crochet and yarn in bright red OR with a 4.5 mm and yarn in bright red.

For the female: With a 2.75 mm crochet and yarn in light brown OR with a 4.5 mm and yarn in light brown.

    • Round 1: start 6 sc in a magic ring. (6) – NB: if you work with plush yarn: ch2; make 6 sc in the 2nd ch from the hook. (6)
    • Round 2: [6 inc]. (12)
    • Round 3: [1 inc in the next st, 1 sc]x6. (18)
    • Rounds 4-7: [1 sc in all st]. (18)
    • Rounds 8-10: keep working with the red/light brown as follows: 1 sc in the next 5 st. Change for the black yarn and work as follows: 1 sc in the next 7 st. Change back for the red/light brown and work as follows: 1 sc in the next 6 st. (18)

Place the eyes between Rounds 9 and 10, spaced by 2 st. 

Using your tapestry needle and 2 strands of orange yarn, make a nose between Rounds 8 and 9, over 1 stitch.

    • Round 11: keep working with the red/light brown: [1 dec, 1 sc] x6. (12)

Fill the body with polyfill.

  • Round 12: [6 dec]. (6)

Cut the yarn, close the body and fasten it off.


The wings (make 2) – Red Cardinal – Free Crochet Pattern

For the male: With a 2.75 mm crochet and yarn in bright red OR with a 4.5 mm and yarn in bright red.

For the female: With a 2.75 mm crochet and yarn in dark red OR with a 4.5 mm and dark red.

  • Row 1: ch 5. (5)
  • Row 2: starting in the 2nd ch from the hook: 1 HDC, 1 DC, 1 DC, 1 HDC. (4)

Cut the yarn but leave a long tail for sewing.

Sew the wings to the body over 3 stitches between Rounds 7 and 8, spaced by 7 stitches.    


The comb – Red Cardinal – Free Crochet Pattern

For the male: With a 2.75 mm crochet and yarn in bright red OR with a 4.5 mm and yarn in bright red.

For the female: With a 2.75 mm crochet and yarn in dark red OR with a 4.5 mm and dark red.

  • Row 1: ch 6. (6)
  • Row 2: starting in the 2nd ch from the hook: 1 slst, 1 sc, 1 HDC, 1 sc, 1 slst. (5)

Cut the yarn but leave a long tail for sewing.

Sew the to the top of the head. The front of the comb must be between Rounds 11 and 12.

 


Facultative: The feet (make 2) – Red Cardinal – Free Crochet Pattern

With a 2.75 mm crochet and black yarn OR with a 4.5 mm and black yarn :

  • Round 1: start 5 sc in a magic ring. (5) – NB: if you work with plush yarn: ch2; make 5 sc in the 2nd ch from the hook. (5)

Cut the yarn but leave a long tail for sewing. Insert the yarn in the first sc to close the feet.

Sew the feet to the body over Rounds 2 and 3, spaced by 2 stitches. I placed the right side of the feet against the owl’s body. It is sometimes hard to sew such small pieces, so I used some glue.


Congratulations on crafting the cutest crochet red cardinal!

Red Cardinal - Free Crochet Pattern Red Cardinal - Free Crochet Pattern Red Cardinal - Free Crochet Pattern Red Cardinal - Free Crochet Pattern


Copyright Notice:

All rights reserved. The pattern and photographs presented in this document are the sole property of Natalina Craft and are protected under copyright law. This pattern is provided for personal use only. Any unauthorized reproduction, in whole or in part, or distribution of this pattern or its contents is strictly prohibited.

You are permitted to sell finished items created from this pattern in limited quantities. If you choose to sell your finished products online, it would be greatly appreciated if you include a statement attributing the pattern to Natalina Craft and provide a link back to the original post. Thank you for your understanding and adherence to these guidelines.


Red Cardinal – Free Crochet Pattern

Red Cardinal - Free Crochet Pattern

Instructions

    Start Here:

Please read the whole pattern properly before starting.

The pattern is written using US terms.

This pattern is made of the following parts:

  • 1 Body
  • 2 wings
  • 1 comb
  • Facultative: 2 feet

Size:

  • 1.5 inches (4 cm) with light worsted yarn (I used I love this cotton from Hobby Lobby)
  • 2.5 inches (7 cm) with plush yarn (I used Premier Parfait chunky)

Material:

  • Male cardinal: Yarn calling for a US I-9 / 5.5 mm hook in  bright red, black and orange.  OR Yarn calling for a US L-11 / 8 mm hook in bright red, black and orange. 
  • Female cardinal: Yarn calling for a US I-9 / 5.5 mm hook in light brown, dark red and orange.  OR Yarn calling for a US L-11 / 8 mm hook in light brown, dark red and orange.
  • Size US C-2 / 2.75 mm crochet hook (a larger hook can be used, your cardinal will only be slightly bigger) if you use worsted yarn OR Size US 7 / 4.5 mm if you use plush yarn.
  • 2 black safety eyes (6 mm) if you use worsted yarn OR 2 black safety eyes (10 mm) if you use plush yarn
  • Stitch markers (if needed)
  • Tapestry needle
  • Polyfill
  • Facultative: fabric glue for the feet

Abbreviations:

  • chain (ch)
  • magic ring (mr)
  • single crochet (sc)
  • increase (inc)
  • invisible decrease (dec)
  • slip stitch (sl st)
  • double crochet (DC)
  • Half double crochet (HDC)

Pattern: How to crochet a Cardinal?

Let's start - Red Cardinal - Free Crochet Pattern

 

The body - Red Cardinal - Free Crochet Pattern

  • The body is worked in continuous rounds (as a spiral). Use a stitch marker if needed.
  • Remember to stuff as you crochet.

For the male: With a 2.75 mm crochet and yarn in bright red OR with a 4.5 mm and yarn in bright red.

For the female: With a 2.75 mm crochet and yarn in light brown OR with a 4.5 mm and yarn in light brown.

  • Round 1: start 6 sc in a magic ring. (6) - NB: if you work with plush yarn: ch2; make 6 sc in the 2nd ch from the hook. (6)
  • Round 2: [6 inc]. (12)
  • Round 3: [1 inc in the next st, 1 sc]x6. (18)
  • Rounds 4-7: [1 sc in all st]. (18)
  • Rounds 8-10: keep working with the red/light brown as follows: 1 sc in the next 5 st. Change for the black yarn and work as follows: 1 sc in the next 7 st. Change back for the red/light brown and work as follows: 1 sc in the next 6 st. (18)

Place the eyes between Rounds 9 and 10, spaced by 2 st. 

Using your tapestry needle and 2 strands of orange yarn, make a nose between Rounds 8 and 9, over 1 stitch.

  • Round 11: keep working with the red/light brown: [1 dec, 1 sc] x6. (12)

Fill the body with polyfill.

  • Round 12: [6 dec]. (6)

Cut the yarn, close the body and fasten it off.

The wings (make 2) - Red Cardinal - Free Crochet Pattern

For the male: With a 2.75 mm crochet and yarn in bright red OR with a 4.5 mm and yarn in bright red.

For the female: With a 2.75 mm crochet and yarn in dark red OR with a 4.5 mm and dark red.

  • Row 1: ch 5. (5)
  • Row 2: starting in the 2nd ch from the hook: 1 HDC, 1 DC, 1 DC, 1 HDC. (4)

Cut the yarn but leave a long tail for sewing.

Sew the wings to the body over 3 stitches between Rounds 7 and 8, spaced by 7 stitches.    

The comb - Red Cardinal - Free Crochet Pattern

For the male: With a 2.75 mm crochet and yarn in bright red OR with a 4.5 mm and yarn in bright red.

For the female: With a 2.75 mm crochet and yarn in dark red OR with a 4.5 mm and dark red.

  • Row 1: ch 6. (6)
  • Row 2: starting in the 2nd ch from the hook: 1 slst, 1 sc, 1 HDC, 1 sc, 1 slst. (5)

Cut the yarn but leave a long tail for sewing.

Sew the to the top of the head. The front of the comb must be between Rounds 11 and 12.

Facultative: The feet (make 2) - Red Cardinal - Free Crochet Pattern

With a 2.75 mm crochet and black yarn OR with a 4.5 mm and black yarn :

  • Round 1: start 5 sc in a magic ring. (5) - NB: if you work with plush yarn: ch2; make 5 sc in the 2nd ch from the hook. (5)

Cut the yarn but leave a long tail for sewing. Insert the yarn in the first sc to close the feet.

Sew the feet to the body over Rounds 2 and 3, spaced by 2 stitches. I placed the right side of the feet against the owl's body. It is sometimes hard to sew such small pieces, so I used some glue.

Congratulations on crafting the cutest crochet red cardinal!

Copyright Notice:

All rights reserved. The pattern and photographs presented in this document are the sole property of Natalina Craft and are protected under copyright law. This pattern is provided for personal use only. Any unauthorized reproduction, in whole or in part, or distribution of this pattern or its contents is strictly prohibited.

You are permitted to sell finished items created from this pattern in limited quantities. If you choose to sell your finished products online, it would be greatly appreciated if you include a statement attributing the pattern to Natalina Craft and provide a link back to the original post. Thank you for your understanding and adherence to these guidelines.

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