This beautiful rustic crochet nativity pattern set is a perfect addition to your holiday decor. It’s lovely and chic to display during the holiday season and perfect for little hands to play with as well. The mini set includes the Holy Family which is easy, and suitable for an advanced beginner. Make one of these gorgeous nativity sets for yourself and make one to gift away this year! In this post you will find links to the FREE crochet nativity pieces, as well as yarn alternatives.
Don’t have time for the full nativity set? Make a Holy Family Ornament instead!
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This crochet nativity pattern has been a true labor of love. Over the past several years it has grown from a small family Holy Family of 3 to a whole set of 14 pieces! I have dearly loved creating new additions, but even more, I have loved seeing your creations that you have graciously shared with me via email or social media.
If you have ever reached out to me about this nativity, please know I have treasured your words.
You’re tired of sifting through complicated tutorials and patterns that leave you feeling overwhelmed.
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This pattern is fairly simple, so even advanced beginners can make it. This lovely set makes an endearing gift that will be treasured for generations.
It’s rustic, yet modern, so it compliments all styles and trends, and it’s perfect for curious little hands. My children adore playing with the pieces every year, and it makes my heart sing to see them enjoy the set so much.
FREE set includes Mary, Joseph, Baby, and Manger. Keep scrolling to get these pattern FREE ⬇️ ⬇️ ⬇️ ⬇️
RUSTIC CROCHET NATIVITY – CROCHET PATTERN
Along with the free pieces (Mary, Joseph, Baby, Manger, KEEP SCROLLING for links to these pieces), your full crochet nativity pattern includes 3 wisemen, 2 shepherds, palm tree, sheep, donkey, camel, angel, stars (simple instructions for making a star backdrop using dowel is included).
Rustic Nativity Crochet-a-Long
We took a year off, but this year I am back to hosting a nativity CAL, just in time for an extra piece!
This year I am paring it down a bit. As we add new pieces, the set keeps growing, which makes planning a CAL (without it lasting three weeks!) a bit tricky. Can you help me out? I’d love your vote on which format we should use for this year’s CAL.
NEW ADDITION THIS YEAR!
This year is extra special, because we have a new addition!
A sweet little cow!
This sweet lady is lying comfortably, her legs tucked under her, her tail relaxed. She looks onward at the precious commotion happening in her stable!
2025 NATIVITY CAL DETAILS
WHEN: December 1st – 5th, 2025
HOW: Email and Social media are the best ways to join!
⭐️ Join my email list to get CAL email updates
⭐️ Follow on Facebook here
⭐️ Join our Facebook Group
What you need:
– suggested hook: Size E – F (3.5mm – 3.75mm) hook (The hook exact hook size doesn’t matter, just make sure your gauge is very tight, you shouldn’t be able to see stuffing or spaces between your stitches.
– Fingering Weight Yarn: I suggest Palette Yarn by WeCrochet. It’s my absolute favorite and I love the finished look! It is a 100% wool and has a gorgeous, rustic flair. I just love it and I only use this yarn for my sets, however, I understand if you want other options.
– Weights or washers
– Polyfil Stuffing
NOTES ON THE YARN:
Here are the colors if you are using the suggested yarn Palette: 1 skein of each will get you 2 or more sets.
– Briar Heather (Joseph’s clothes)
– Hare Heather (Manger + NEW PIECE!)
– Bittersweet Heather (wiseman body, face)
– Oyster Heather (Angel, Shepherd cloak, Mary’s Cloak)
– Wheat Heather (faces, Camel)
– Marble Heather (Joseph’s Cloak, Mary’s body, Standing shepherd)
– Verdant Heather (tree, kneeling wiseman)
– Almond (tree trunk, shepherd body)
– Gosling (Donkey)
– Pumice Heather (Donkey)
– Wonderland heather (optional, for Mary’s cloak if you want it blue
ALTERNATIVE YARN:
These are my suggestions for alternative yarns, I have not used these personally but they might make a good substitute if for any reason the suggested yarn doesn’t work for you.
– Mix and match Bon-Bons
– WeCrochet Comfy Fingering
– Lion Brand Heartland (This is a larger gauge yarn but you can use the smallest hook you can, your pieces might be a big bigger, or you can split the yarn and use half strands)
– WeCrochet Lindy Chain
– Paintbox DK Cotton
– Sheepjes Catona
DON’T MISS THE CAL!
Join our mailing list so you don’t miss anything!
RUSTIC CROCHET NATIVITY SET – FREE CROCHET PATTERN
The full pattern includes 15 figures, but you can get the mini set (Mary, Joseph, Manger, Baby) for FREE. Keep scrolling for links to each piece.
Palette Yarn Color List For Holy Family Mini Set (free patterns):
Hare Heather (Manger, bottom of Joseph
Oyster Heather – Mary Cloak, Baby Body
Briar Heather – Joseph Body
Wheat Heather – Faces
Marble Heather – Joseph Cloak, Mary Body
FREE NATIVITY SET PATTERN LINKS
The mini nativity set is available for FREE on my blog! Click each photo below to see the patterns.
xoxo,
Bethany: I purchased the pattern bundle back in 2021..which means I do not have the donkey patter. Do I need to purchase all the figures to get the donkey or can I purchase the donkey pattern by itself?
I appreciate all your help and patterns are easy to follow.
Thanks again
Anna
I have done this pattern a few times and love it. I did do a continuous round this time before i read the comments and now know why they lean. I was wondering if there was a place to purchase the stable and pedestal for the angel?
Hi Angie! My husband made them and we will be doing a presale in a few months. If you haven’t, sign up for my emails so you don’t miss it!
Loved the pattern—it turned out great! Wish I could share a pic of how cute it is. Thanks for all your work and pictures to make this understandable. My completed nativity set it going to my church/school’s annual silent auction dinner, and so many people already say they’re going to bid on it. It took me many evenings over the past three weeks to complete it (about one figure/item per night), but it was worth it!
That is wonderful!!! I am so happy you love it!!
I bought the full pattern from whistle and ivy. I love how it’s working up! I’m having my husband make the wood stable. Any dimensions available for that? I love both of the ones you have in your pictures! Thank you for your work. I’m making this for our church and school annual auction dinner!
Glad you hear you are loving it! It’s about 12″ wide and 10″ tall :)
I’ve been using the Lion Brand Heartland yarn, and they work up so nicely. They’re a little bigger, but I don’t mind. And there’s such a wide color selection! Just in case people wondered if the Heartland yarn works too. :)
I am very excited about this pattern but I am having trouble for 2 reasons. I think this “join” and “ch 1” for each round is an issue as I have not seen that in other amagurami patterns I have. I just stitch into the next round without the join in other patterns. I can work with this though but I don’t know if it is causing me the issue on the 3rd round where I consistently get 22 stitches instead of 21. For round 3 the pattern says to first chain 1 then single chain 1 into the same stitch (as the first “chain 1” stitch?). Is this considered the first 2 stitches of round 3? Then you have the repeat of SC in the next two stitches, then SC 2 in the next stitch. These instructions produce 22 stitches.
Because these figures will be standing, I designed it in joined rows, instead of working in continuous rows (a spiral), this would cause the to lean slightly. If you are more comfortable with continuous rows, you can disregard the ch 1 and the join.
No, the ch does not count, so the first st worked in the same st as the chain is the first st of the round.
Which figure are you working on?
Thanks Bethany. What you say about the tilting makes sense. I am working on Joseph.
Bethany, Why am I getting a diagonal ridge across all the figures? It if from the joining of each row. It doesn’t look very good. It there no way around it?
Your figures look so much smaller in the pictures. Do you have a smaller version pattern? Is there a way to make them smaller?
the manger came out so much larger than Jesus and from what your picture shows. Is there a smaller pattern because mine says there should be 51 stitches around the perimeter of the manger and it came out huge.
Thanks Bethany, in advance, for your help. I am really enjoying the nativity. I have yet to finish it but have 6 pieces done.
Oh! and do you have a pattern or dimensions for the wood stable?
Are you working in American sc? The seam shouldn’t go diagonal, it should go straight down the back. No, there is no smaller version, what yarn are you using?
Yes, that is correct for the manger, what size hook are you using?
Stable is 12″ wide, 10″ tall.
Hi Bethany,
Thank you for your response. I can’t click on your message to reply because there is not reply button.
I am using American SC. I went online to learn about adjusting how I am doing the joining slip stitch and I think I found the difference that will now make my seam go vertically vs diagonally. I think I should be good now. Thank you for confirming the seam should NOT be diagonal.
I am using fingering yarn, what you recommended.
Thanks for the stable dimensions.
Tanya
I have searched and am coming up empty, so I am sorry if this has been covered at some point and I’m just over looking it.about how tall are the figures and what size creche works best? I’m asking my dad to make one for my set but don’t want him to make it to big and everything look funny.
Hi Cristy! The standing figures are approx. 5″ tall the creche I used is about 10″ tall.
Perfect! Thank you so very much! I can’t wait to get started.
I made the set for my youngest daughter last year. I just finished the donkey, a few days late for this Christmas, but he’ll go in the box and be ready for next year. I love this set! I made one for myself out of #10 crochet thread. I have just Joseph in worsted weight. I may finish a bigger set, just because! ☺️
Yay, so glad you love it! I would love to see your projects, if you are on instagram, tag me! @whistleandivy
I purchased the full pattern a few minutes ago, but have not received it. How long should it take to receive it?
You should get it immediately. Where did you buy it? Please send me an email so I can assist you: Bethany (at) whistleandivy (dot) com
Will one skein of each color make the whole set?
Yes! You can get 2 or more sets from one skein of each color.
I would to join to get the Nativity set, but i would not be able to follow along with the online instructions on Facebook. And i have not found a price for this so i don’t know if i could afford it. Thanks, cindy
Hi Cindy! You can definitely work at your own pace. You can get the pattern here: https://whistleandivy.podia.com/rustic-nativity
Is there a way to save the patterns to Pinterest?
You can pin them, yes
How do I join the CAL? I want to make the donkey. Thanks!
Hi Karen! The Donkey is available in the full PDF, which you can buy in my shops (listed in this post)
I have tried getting my password for the last 2 days to reset but Haven’t received the link to reset it.. I brought the Rustic crochet nativity trying to get the Donkey but it’s not letting me.
I don’t see that you have an account with this email address, please send me an email and I will try to assist: Bethany (at) whistleandivy (dot) com
I bought the full pattern last year. Is there a way to just get the new donkey pattern?
Thanks!
Yes! If you bought it on Ravelry, the updated version is in your library, if you bought it in my Whistle and Ivy shop, you can log in and get the updated version at your leisure, and if you bought it on Etsy, please send me a screenshot of your receipt and I can get you a copy! Bethany (at) whistleandivy (dot) com
I got it from whistle and ivy vutbits not showing up in my account. It just shows an option to buy now. 🤷♀️
Hi Julie! I checked your account and it looks like you are no longer an active member of the Endless Bundle. Pattern updates are only available to active members and those who have bought the standalone pattern.
I ordered the bundle before you added the donkey. Can I get the new pattern for the donkey too?
Yep! If you bought the pattern on Ravelry, the updated version is in your library, if you bought it in my Whistle and Ivy shop, you can log in and get the updated version at your leisure, and if you bought it on Etsy, please send me a screenshot of your receipt and I can get you a copy! Bethany (at) whistleandivy (dot) com
This is so beautiful! I won’t be able to do it this year, but it will go into my to crochet list :) I am not sure about the gauge – I thought F was quite a big hook, while fingering yarn was quite thin. Even in one of the sites you linked it mentioned smaller hook sizes for that particular yarn. Won’t there be holes? Thanks :)
I suggest the hook that I use, but in the notes I say to use a hook that works best for *you* that gives you a tight enough gauge to not have spaces to see in between the stitches, so use your best judgment!
Where can get the patterns?
Freebies are linked in this post at the bottom, or you can buy the full set here:
https://whistleandivy.podia.com/rustic-nativity
I purchased the nativity pattern last year..sheep and donkey were not included . I know they are new this year. Is there a way I could but just the patterns for those two new figures?
Hi Karen! Updates are included in your original purchase! Please email me a proof of purchase and I will get you and updated copy – Bethany (at) whistleandivy (dot) com
If I already have the full set, how do I get the pattern for the donkey?
If you bought it, you get the updates as part of your original purchase! Please send a screenshot of your receipt to my email: Bethany (at) whistleandivy (dot) com
I have the previous patterns as well. How do I get the donkey. I think I purchased it last year.
Please send a screenshot of your receipt to my email: Bethany (at) whistleandivy (dot) com