Tree Yeti

Tree Yeti by Joanna Lilly

What is Being Made

The Tree Yeti is a soft, cuddly amigurumi-style crocheted ornament designed to evoke the beloved abominable snowman character from classic holiday nostalgia. This decorative piece is intended to guard presents under the tree and serves as a charming, nearly indestructible plush decoration. The finished ornament conceals an 80 mm plastic ornament base beneath a fuzzy crocheted exterior.

Craft and Primary Techniques

This project is executed entirely in crochet, specifically using the amigurumi technique—a method of creating three-dimensional stuffed toys and decorative objects through spiral rounds of tight stitching. The designer notes that rounds are not joined in the main body, allowing for continuous spiral construction. The amigurumi approach creates a dense, structured fabric ideal for holding the ornament base securely while maintaining the soft, huggable character of the finished piece.

Stitches Used

• Single Crochet (SC) — the primary stitch providing dense, tight fabric construction
• Half Double Crochet (HDC) — used to create varied texture and structure throughout the design

Materials and Tools

Yarn: The pattern calls for 1 skein of Bernat Pipsqueak yarn in white (approximately 50 yards), which is classified as bulky weight due to its inherent fuzziness. This creates the characteristic fuzzy base that completely covers the ornament underneath. Additional materials include 50 yards of black yarn and 100 yards of Bernat Bundle Up in Beluga (a chunky weight yarn) for details and construction.

Hooks and Notions: A 3.5 mm crochet hook is recommended as the primary tool to make it easier to grab the bulky pipsqueak yarn, with a 3 mm hook also included for finer detail work. An 80 mm plastic ornament serves as the internal base. Additional supplies include scissors, a yarn needle for finishing, and a stitch marker for tracking rounds.

Difficulty Level

This project is rated as intermediate difficulty, making it suitable for crocheters with foundational skills who are ready to tackle structured amigurumi construction and three-dimensional shaping.

Designer Notes

Joanna Lilly emphasizes that yarn choice significantly impacts the final result. If substituting different yarn for the Bernat Pipsqueak, crocheters may need to increase hook size to accommodate the yarn's characteristics while maintaining the goal of achieving a furry base that completely covers the ornament underneath.