Sandy's Santa

Sandy's Santa by Phoenixknits

What is Being Made

Sandy's Santa is a festive knitted doll designed by Phoenixknits. This charming handmade Santa figure measures 10 inches high when sitting and stretches 20 inches from feet to hat when fully extended. The project creates a complete character doll suitable for holiday decoration or gift-giving.

Craft and Primary Technique

This is a knitting project classified as beginner difficulty level, making it accessible to newer knitters while still producing an impressive finished doll. The construction method involves creating the Santa doll through structured knitting techniques that build dimensional form.

Construction Method

The Santa doll is constructed in two main parts: a base and the main body. This two-part construction approach allows for stability and proper shaping of the finished doll. The body sections are worked separately and then assembled to create the complete figure.

Stitches and Techniques Used

• P2tog (purl two stitches together) – used for decreasing stitches and shaping the doll
• TURN technique – allows for working specific sections of stitches while temporarily setting aside remaining stitches on the needle, enabling three-dimensional shaping and construction of different body parts
• Standard knit and purl stitches for building the fabric base

Materials Required

This project uses DK weight yarn in multiple colors to create the detailed Santa character:

• Red DK yarn – 100g (primary color for Santa's suit and hat)
• Black DK yarn – 10g (for details)
• Flesh tone DK yarn – 10g (for face and hands)
• Light green DK yarn – scrap amount (for accent details)
• Medium green DK yarn – scrap amount (for accent details)
• Red DK yarn – scrap amount (for additional details)
• Snowflake or white DK yarn – 35g (for beard, trim, and festive details)
• Gold metallic or yellow DK yarn – scrap amounts (for embellishments)

Needles and Tools

• 3mm needles (UK size 11 / US size 2) – used for finer gauge work on detailed sections
• 3¾mm needles (UK size 9 / US size 4) – used for main body sections
• Pair of plastic toy eyes, 10mm size, in a color of your choice (optional)
• Scrap of white felt (optional, for additional details)
• Clear glue (optional, for assembly and embellishment attachment)

Design Notes

An important design feature to note: on all snowflake or white DK pieces, the purl side is the right side. This means knitters should plan to display the purl (bumpy) side of these sections as the finished exterior, creating a textured appearance for the Santa's white trim and beard details.

Yarn Weight Consideration

The use of DK weight yarn creates a doll with appropriate density and drape. DK is a medium-light yarn weight that allows for detailed stitch definition while remaining manageable for beginners, making it ideal for creating a doll with defined features and proportions.