Free Crochet Candy Cane Ornament Pattern with Peppermint Bow

By Jan Bay

This free crochet candy cane ornament pattern creates a festive hanging decoration with red-and-cream spiral stripes, green leaves, a peppermint centerpiece, and decorative crochet ribbon tails. Think of it as a "double whammy of Christmas candy!" The round peppermint adds an extra touch of sweetness, giving this handmade Christmas ornament a fresh twist on traditional designs and a distinctive look all its own.

See Supplies for This Project Here.

A double helping of Christmas candy! This dimensional crochet candy cane ornament features spiral stripes, green leaves, a raised peppermint swirl and decorative crocheted ribbon tails.

What makes this little candy cane special is the combination of familiar Christmas colors and unexpected crocheted details. The red-and-cream stripes spiral around the softly rounded cane, while two olive-green leaves frame the raised peppermint centerpiece. Below it, a pair of crocheted ribbon tails adds the finishing touch. Even the hanging loop is made from yarn, keeping the ornament entirely handmade.

Free Crochet Candy Cane Ornament Pattern: Materials and Supplies

Ready to make your own double helping of Christmas candy? Gather three yarn colors and a little stuffing. You'll be making the striped candy cane first, then adding the green leaves, peppermint center and ribbon tails separately.

I'd choose a smooth cotton or cotton-blend yarn for this project. It gives the peppermint a tidy outline and makes those little decorative details easier to see. You'll also want a fairly firm crochet fabric, so don't automatically reach for the hook size printed on your yarn label.

Yarn and Crochet Supplies

• Category 4 worsted-weight cotton or cotton-blend yarn in Christmas red, approximately 40–50 yards
• Category 4 worsted-weight yarn in warm cream or ivory, approximately 45–55 yards
• Category 4 worsted-weight yarn in muted olive or sage green, approximately 8–12 yards
• 3.5 mm crochet hook, or the size needed for a firm single-crochet fabric
• Small amount of polyester fiberfill
• Yarn needle with an eye large enough for the yarn
• Stitch marker
• Scissors
• Flexible measuring tape
• Removable clips or pins for positioning the decorations

The yarn quantities are generous planning allowances, not amounts measured from a completed sample. Small leftover balls may be plenty for the leaves and decorative cords.

You won't need purchased ribbon, plastic decorations, a wire frame or a separate peppermint charm. Every visible decoration is made from yarn.

Before You Begin

Keep your red and cream yarn in separate balls or bobbins. You'll be switching between them as you crochet the candy cane, and the strands can become tangled if you're not paying attention.

Make the candy cane body before cutting the yarn for the smaller pieces. That way, if you need to adjust your hook size or gauge, you can make the leaves and peppermint to suit the finished cane.

Finished Size, Gauge and Skill Level

The ornament is designed to be large enough for the little peppermint and ribbon details to show, but still small enough to hang from a Christmas-tree branch.

Skill level: Intermediate. You'll need to know how to crochet in continuous rounds, change yarn colors within a round, increase and decrease, and sew small crocheted pieces together.

Expected Finished Measurements

• Candy cane height after shaping: approximately 6 1/2–8 inches, not including the hanging loop
• Width across the candy cane crook: approximately 2 1/2–3 1/2 inches
• Overall width including both green leaves: approximately 3–4 inches
• Diameter of stuffed candy cane tube: approximately 3/4–7/8 inch
• Green leaves: approximately 1 1/2 inches long each
• Peppermint centerpiece: approximately 1 1/4 inches across
• Ribbon tails: approximately 1 1/4–1 1/2 inches long
• Cream hanging loop: approximately 1–1 1/2 inches above the crook

These are expected measurements calculated from the planned gauge and proportions, not measurements taken from a physically completed ornament.

Target Crochet Gauge

A useful starting gauge is approximately 19–20 single crochet stitches and 27–30 rounds over 4 inches, using the same yarn and hook you'll use for the ornament.

Once you've reached 12 stitches around the candy cane tube, its circumference should be approximately 2 3/8–2 1/2 inches before stretching. That gives you a tube roughly 3/4–4/5 inch across. Light stuffing can increase the diameter slightly.

After 20 straight rounds, measure the length of that section. At the target gauge, 20 rounds should measure approximately 2 2/3–3 inches.

If your tube measures much wider than 7/8 inch, try a smaller hook before going farther. If the stitches are so tight that you struggle to insert the hook, move up one hook size instead.

Don't stuff the tube until it's hard. You'll need some flexibility to form that familiar candy cane hook.

Crochet Stitches and Pattern Notes

This pattern uses U.S. crochet terminology.

• MR: Magic ring
• ch: Chain
• sc: Single crochet
• sl st: Slip stitch
• st/sts: Stitch or stitches
• inc: Work 2 single crochet stitches in the same stitch
• sc2tog: Single crochet the next 2 stitches together
• rnd: Round
• RS: Right side
• FO: Fasten off

Turning chains do not count as stitches. Unless a section says otherwise, work the candy cane body in continuous rounds without joining or turning.

How the Candy Cane Stripes Work

The red-and-cream stripes are part of the crocheted tube itself. They aren't separate yarn strips wrapped around a finished candy cane.

You'll work 12 single crochet stitches in every regular striped round. Six stitches are red and six are cream, but their positions move by one stitch on each successive round.

That's what makes the colors travel diagonally around the candy cane instead of forming straight horizontal bands.

Place a marker in the first stitch of each round and move it upward as you work. Always begin the next color-chart sequence at that marked position.

At a color change, work the preceding single crochet until two loops remain on the hook. Yarn over with the new color and draw through both loops to finish the stitch. The next stitch is now ready to work in the new color.

Carry the unused yarn loosely along the inside of the tube. Catch a longer float under a working stitch every few stitches so it doesn't form a loose loop inside. Keep the carried yarn relaxed. If it pulls tight, the cane will pucker.

How the Pieces Fit Together

You'll make the main striped tube first and shape its upper end into a crook. The two green leaves sit across the front where the crook meets the straight stem.

The cream ribbon tails hang beneath the leaves. A small raised peppermint swirl covers the point where those pieces meet.

The hanging loop goes at the highest point of the crook. It doesn't attach to the downward-facing tip.

Keep the decorative pieces separate until you've shaped the candy cane. It's much easier to adjust their positions before they're sewn down.

How to Crochet the Spiral-Striped Candy Cane Body

Start at the rounded bottom of the candy cane and work upward. The tube is crocheted in one piece, so you won't have to sew a separate hook onto the straight stem.

The finished cane needs a rounded crook, not a sharp bend. We'll form that curve after the tube is complete, using the softer inner edge and concealed yarn stitches to hold its shape.

Step 1: Crochet the Rounded Bottom

With cream yarn, make a magic ring.

Round 1: Work 6 sc into the magic ring. Pull the ring closed. (6 sc)

Round 2: Work 2 sc in every stitch around. (12 sc)

The bottom should look like a small rounded cup as you begin the next rounds.

Place a marker in the first stitch of Round 3. You'll keep 12 stitches around the tube until the very end, when the upper tip is closed.

Step 2: Follow the Red-and-Cream Spiral Chart

Use the following chart for Rounds 3 through 74. Each chart row represents one complete round containing exactly 12 single crochet stitches.

R means red. C means cream.

Read every sequence from left to right, beginning at your round marker. Work one single crochet per letter, changing yarn colors when the next letter changes. Each chart row contains six red stitches and six cream stitches.

Chart Row	12-Stitch Color Sequence
1	RRRRRRCCCCCC
2	CRRRRRRCCCCC
3	CCRRRRRRCCCC
4	CCCRRRRRRCCC
5	CCCCRRRRRRCC
6	CCCCCRRRRRRC
7	CCCCCCRRRRRR
8	RCCCCCCRRRRR
9	RRCCCCCCRRRR
10	RRRCCCCCCRRR
11	RRRRCCCCCCRR
12	RRRRRCCCCCCR

Step 3: Complete the Striped Tube

Rounds 3–14: Work chart rows 1–12 once. (12 sc in each round)

Rounds 15–26: Repeat chart rows 1–12. (12 sc in each round)

Rounds 27–38: Repeat chart rows 1–12. (12 sc in each round)

Rounds 39–50: Repeat chart rows 1–12. (12 sc in each round)

Rounds 51–62: Repeat chart rows 1–12. (12 sc in each round)

Rounds 63–74: Repeat chart rows 1–12 one final time. (12 sc in each round)

You've now completed 72 striped rounds, with 12 stitches in each round. That's 864 single crochet stitches in the striped section, split evenly between the red and cream yarn.

There are six complete 12-row color repeats. At the end of each repeat, the color sequence returns to its starting position, so the diagonal pattern continues rather than starting over with an unrelated stripe.

Step 4: Add Stuffing as You Work

Start adding small amounts of fiberfill after approximately Round 15. Keep working and add more stuffing every 10–12 rounds.

Use little pieces instead of one large wad. Push the filling into the lower end with the blunt end of your crochet hook or a suitable stuffing tool.

Keep the tube full enough to hold its round shape, but leave the upper 4–5 inches more lightly stuffed. That's the part you'll bend into the crook.

Don't pack it tightly. An overstuffed tube can become difficult to bend and may develop gaps between the stitches.

Step 5: Check the Length

After Round 74, lay the tube straight and measure it.

At the target gauge, the 72 striped rounds should measure approximately 9 3/5–10 2/3 inches. The beginning and ending caps add a small amount to the overall straight length.

If your tube is more than an inch shorter or longer, check your round gauge before continuing. A slightly shorter cane is fine, but a very short upper section won't have enough length for the rounded hook and its downward-facing tip.

If you're deliberately adjusting the length, add or remove complete 12-round chart repeats so the spiral sequence stays consistent. One 12-round repeat changes the tube length by approximately 1 3/5–1 3/4 inches at the target gauge.

Step 6: Round Off the Upper Tip

After completing Round 74, change to red yarn. The remaining rounds close the end of the crook.

Round 75: (Sc in next 4 sts, sc2tog) twice. (10 sc)

Round 76: (Sc in next 3 sts, sc2tog) twice. (8 sc)

Round 77: (Sc in next 2 sts, sc2tog) twice. (6 sc)

Add the final small pinch of fiberfill now, keeping this short tip soft enough to curve downward.

Round 78: Sc2tog three times. (3 sc)

Fasten off, leaving a 10-inch yarn tail. Thread the tail through the front loops of the three remaining stitches and draw them together.

Pass the needle through the closed tip and back out through the fabric a little farther along the tube. Secure the yarn and hide the end inside.

You should now have one continuous, softly stuffed, red-and-cream striped tube with rounded ends.

Step 7: Shape the Candy Cane Crook Without Wire

Lay your tube vertically with the cream starting end at the bottom and the red finished end at the top.

Gently bend approximately the upper 4–4 1/2 inches into a rounded hook that curves to the right. Bring the red tip downward, leaving an open space between the tip and the straight stem.

Pin or clip the curve temporarily while you check its shape. The long stem should stay straight, and the hook shouldn't look like a tightly folded hairpin.

We're going to hold that shape with small concealed stitches along the inside edge of the curve.

Mark the shaping positions: Locate Rounds 72, 69, 66, 63, 60, 57, 54 and 51 of the candy cane body. These are your eight shaping positions, beginning near the red tip and continuing toward the straight stem.

At each listed round, mark the stitch on the inside edge of the planned curve. Keep all eight markers aligned along the same inner-edge area of the tube. The opposite edge must remain free to form the longer outside of the bend.

First shaping stitch: Thread a yarn needle with matching red or cream yarn. At the marker on Round 72, catch a small horizontal strand of the crochet fabric along the inside edge. Next, catch a matching strand on Round 70, two rounds closer to the straight stem.

Bring the two points gently together without sewing through the entire tube. Secure the tuck with a second stitch in the same area.

Remaining shaping positions: Repeat this method at Round 69, connecting it to Round 67. Continue with Rounds 66 and 64, 63 and 61, 60 and 58, 57 and 55, 54 and 52, and finally 51 and 49.

Draw each marked pair gently together to shorten the inside edge of the curve. Keep the securing stitches and yarn ends concealed. After every two or three tucks, set the cane down, check the curve and adjust the tension before continuing.

You want a rounded candy cane hook, not eight separate sharp corners. If one position puckers noticeably, loosen that tuck and spread the adjustment across the neighboring positions.

Final curve adjustment: If the hook still springs too straight, remove and remake selected shaping stitches so they catch loops three rounds apart instead of two. Don't simply pull all the original tucks tighter. A few slightly deeper tucks, distributed evenly, are less likely to make a sharp crease.

Keep adjusting until the red tip points down and the inner opening remains visible. The result should be a softly shaped decorative crook, not a stiff wire-supported frame.

Weave in the shaping yarn securely. Leave the red tip free rather than sewing it against the straight stem.

Candy Cane Body Checkpoint

• The bottom end is closed and rounded.
• The body is a continuous tube, not two sewn strips.
• The red and cream colors travel diagonally around the tube.
• The long lower stem hangs straight.
• The crook curves right and ends in a downward-facing red tip.
• The opening inside the crook remains visible.
• No stuffing shows between the stitches.
• There is no wire or other rigid reinforcement inside.

If all those features are in place, you're ready for the peppermint and leaves. Keep the cane nearby so you can check the size of the decorations as you make them.

Crochet the Two Green Leaves

The leaves give the peppermint its little finishing flourish. They're not ordinary round holly leaves, and they don't need berries. The example has two pointed olive-green leaves stretching out from behind the peppermint, one to each side.

Make two identical leaves. Both are worked flat, from the narrow inner end to the pointed outer tip.

Leaf Pattern: Make Two

With olive-green yarn, leave a starting tail approximately 10 inches long for sewing.

Row 1: Ch 3. Sc in the second ch from the hook and in the next ch. Turn. (2 sc)

Row 2: Ch 1, inc in first st, sc in next st. Turn. (3 sc)

Row 3: Ch 1, sc in first 2 sts, inc in last st. Turn. (4 sc)

Row 4: Ch 1, inc in first st, sc in next 2 sts, inc in last st. Turn. (6 sc)

Row 5: Ch 1, sc in each stitch across. Turn. (6 sc)

Row 6: Ch 1, sc2tog, sc in next 2 sts, sc2tog. Turn. (4 sc)

Row 7: Ch 1, sc2tog, sc in next 2 sts. Turn. (3 sc)

Row 8: Ch 1, sc in first st, sc2tog. Turn. (2 sc)

Row 9: Ch 1, sc2tog. (1 sc)

The single stitch at the end of Row 9 forms the leaf tip.

Finish the Leaf Edges

Don't turn after Row 9. Ch 1 at the pointed tip.

Work one loose slip stitch along each of the eight row ends down the first long side of the leaf.

Work 2 slip stitches along the foundation edge at the narrow root.

Continue up the opposite side, working one loose slip stitch along each of the eight row ends. Join with a slip stitch at the pointed tip.

Fasten off and weave in this finishing end. Keep the original long starting tail at the root for attaching the leaf to the candy cane.

Repeat all nine rows and the edging for the second leaf.

Check the Leaf Shape

Each leaf should have a narrow inner root, a wider center and a pointed outer tip. At the target gauge, expect approximately 1 1/2 inches in length, including the edging.

Lay the two leaves side by side. They should be close to the same size, but a tiny difference won't matter once they're angled outward.

Place the narrow roots together and turn the pointed ends in opposite directions. The finished pair should form a shallow V behind the peppermint center.

Don't sew them onto the cane yet. You'll attach the leaves after you've made the ribbon tails, so everything can be positioned together.

Make the Red-and-Cream Peppermint Swirl

Now for the extra piece of Christmas candy! The peppermint sits right in the middle of the leaves and ribbon tails, taking the place of an ordinary bow knot.

Keep this one fairly small. If you make the peppermint too large, you'll lose the green leaves behind it, and those are part of what gives the ornament its distinctive look.

Step 1: Crochet the Red-and-Cream Peppermint

We're going to work the red and cream sections directly into the peppermint instead of adding separate narrow lines afterward. That gives the little candy broader color sections and a more recognizable peppermint look.

Use both red and cream yarn, changing colors within each round. Keep the unused yarn loose along the wrong side so it doesn't pull the disc out of shape.

Work in continuous rounds with a stitch marker. For the color sequences below, R means red and C means cream. Each letter represents the color of one completed single crochet stitch.

Round 1: Make a magic ring. Work 6 sc into the ring, alternating red and cream: R, C, R, C, R, C. Pull the ring closed. (6 sc)

Round 2: Work 2 sc into each stitch around. Follow this 12-stitch color sequence:

C R R C C R R C C R R C

(12 sc: 6 red and 6 cream)

Round 3: (Sc in next st, inc in next st) six times. Follow this 18-stitch color sequence:

C C R R R C C C R R R C C C R R R C

(18 sc: 9 red and 9 cream)

The color sections shift slightly from round to round, giving the peppermint a pinwheel-like arrangement rather than six straight lines radiating from the center.

Join with a slip stitch to the first stitch of Round 3. Fasten off the red yarn, but leave its ends accessible on the wrong side until you've checked the colorwork tension.

Fasten off the cream yarn, leaving a 12-inch sewing tail for attaching the peppermint to the candy cane.

The finished peppermint should be approximately 1 1/8–1 3/8 inches across at the target gauge. This is an expected measurement, not a measurement taken from a physically completed sample.

Step 2: Shape and Check the Peppermint

Lay the completed peppermint flat with its right side facing up.

Check that the red and cream sections are visible from the center toward the outer edge. The color transitions should give the little candy a gently rotating appearance.

If the disc cups or puckers, check whether the unused yarn carried along the wrong side is pulling the stitches together. Gently ease any tight strands before securing the ends. If the fabric still puckers, undo and remake the affected round with more relaxed tension.

Once the peppermint front lies reasonably flat, weave the red yarn ends securely into the wrong side. Keep the 12-inch cream sewing tail free for attaching the finished peppermint to the ornament.

Keep the red-and-cream peppermint front flat while you make its backing. The two layers will be joined around their edges, with a very small amount of filling enclosed between them. This will give the peppermint a softly raised shape without leaving loose stuffing behind the decoration.

Step 3: Crochet the Peppermint Back

With cream yarn, make a magic ring.

Round 1: Work 6 sc into the magic ring. Pull the ring closed. (6 sc)

Round 2: Work 2 sc in every stitch around. (12 sc)

Round 3: (Sc in next st, inc in next st) six times. (18 sc)

Do not fasten off. Keep the working loop on your hook.

The cream backing and the red-and-cream peppermint front should each have 18 stitches around their outer edges.

Step 4: Join and Lightly Stuff the Peppermint

Place the two circles together with their wrong sides facing each other and their right sides facing outward. The red-and-cream pinwheel should face forward, and the plain cream backing should face the back.

Align the first stitch of Round 3 on the front with the first stitch of Round 3 on the backing. Keep the long cream sewing tail from the peppermint front outside the pieces so it remains available for assembly.

Using the working yarn attached to the backing, insert your hook through both loops of the first stitch of Round 3 on each circle. Make one slip stitch through both layers.

Continue around the edges, working one loose slip stitch through each matching pair of stitches. Skip the joining slip stitch on the peppermint front when counting its 18 stitches.

After joining 15 pairs of stitches, stop. Three matching pairs should remain unjoined.

Place a very small, loose pinch of polyester fiberfill between the two circles. Start with no more than a pea-sized amount. Spread it gently beneath the center rather than packing it into a firm ball.

Join the final three matching stitch pairs with one slip stitch through both layers for each pair. You should have 18 joining slip stitches around the complete perimeter.

Before fastening off the backing yarn, lay the completed peppermint on a flat surface with its red-and-cream front facing up.

Check that the center is softly raised, the filling is evenly distributed and the outer edge remains smooth and round.

If the joining stitches pull the edge inward, undo the affected slip stitches and remake them more loosely. If the peppermint is too firmly stuffed, undo the final three joining stitches, remove a little filling and close the opening again.

Once the shape is correct, fasten off the backing yarn and weave its end securely between the two layers.

Keep the original long cream sewing tail from the peppermint front available for attaching the completed centerpiece to the ornament.

Hold it in front of the two green leaves. Both pointed tips should remain visible on either side.

Keep the long cream sewing tail available for assembly.

Peppermint Checkpoint

Your finished peppermint should have alternating red-and-cream sections arranged in a small pinwheel-like circle.

It should measure approximately 1 1/8–1 3/8 inches across at the target gauge. These are expected dimensions, not measurements from a completed sample.

The completed peppermint should have a softly raised center and a smooth outer edge. If the edge curls after joining, reopen the affected joining stitches and adjust their tension or the amount of filling before attaching the peppermint to the ornament.

Hold the peppermint in front of your two green leaves. Both leaf tips should remain visible on either side. If they disappear, the peppermint is too large for the arrangement.

Crochet the Two Ivory Ribbon Tails

The ribbon tails are another detail that makes this ornament a little different. They look like decorative Christmas ribbon, but they're crocheted from the same cream and red yarn as the candy cane.

You'll make two small cream tails, give each one a red border and add a narrow twisted candy-striped cord down the front.

They don't need large bow loops. The peppermint already takes care of the center, and big loops would hide too much of the striped cane.

Step 1: Crochet the Cream Ribbon Shape

Make two identical ribbon tails.

With cream yarn, ch 4.

Row 1: Sc in second ch from hook and in each remaining ch. Turn. (3 sc)

Row 2: Ch 1, sc in each stitch across. Turn. (3 sc)

Row 3: Ch 1, inc in first st, sc in next 2 sts. Turn. (4 sc)

Row 4: Ch 1, sc in each stitch across. Turn. (4 sc)

Row 5: Ch 1, sc in first 3 sts, inc in last st. Turn. (5 sc)

Row 6: Ch 1, sc in each stitch across. Turn. (5 sc)

Row 7: Ch 1, sc in each stitch across. Turn. (5 sc)

Row 8: Ch 1, sc in each stitch across. Turn. (5 sc)

You'll now have a narrow top and a slightly wider lower end.

Step 2: Make the Small Split Ribbon End

The bottom of each ribbon tail has a little split rather than one completely straight edge.

Split End A: Ch 1, sc in the first 2 stitches of Row 8. Fasten off.

Split End B: Count the five stitches of Row 8 from the side where you worked Split End A. Join cream yarn in the fifth stitch. Work 1 sc in that fifth stitch and 1 sc in the fourth stitch, moving toward the center. Fasten off.

The third stitch of Row 8 remains unworked between the two short extensions. Each extension contains 2 sc, leaving a small notch in the middle.

Repeat the entire ribbon pattern, including the split end, for the second tail.

Step 3: Add the Red Ribbon Edging

With red yarn, join at one narrow upper corner of the first ribbon tail.

Work loose slip stitches down the outside edge, placing approximately one slip stitch into each row end.

Continue around the first 2-stitch split end, into the center notch and around the second 2-stitch split end.

Work back up the opposite long edge and across the narrow foundation end. Join with a slip stitch at the starting point.

Fasten off, leaving a long red sewing tail at the narrow top.

The edging should frame the cream ribbon without pulling it out of shape. If the sides curl inward, loosen the slip stitches before fastening off.

Repeat the red border around the second cream ribbon tail.

Step 4: Crochet the Candy-Striped Ribbon Cords

The example also has slender red-and-cream cords running down the front of the ribbon tails. Make four cords in total: two red and two cream.

Red Cord 1: With red, ch 11. Sl st in second ch from hook and in every remaining ch. (10 sl sts) Fasten off.

Red Cord 2: Repeat exactly. (10 sl sts)

Cream Cord 1: With cream, ch 11. Sl st in second ch from hook and in every remaining ch. (10 sl sts) Fasten off.

Cream Cord 2: Repeat exactly. (10 sl sts)

Twist one red cord with one cream cord and compare the finished pair with a ribbon tail. It should reach from the narrow upper end to just above the lower split. If it's too short, remake both cords with one or two additional foundation chains. If it's too long, remake both with fewer chains. Keep the two color cords equal in length.

Step 5: Attach the Striped Cords to the Ribbon Tails

Place one twisted cord down the center of each cream ribbon tail.

Start at the narrow upper end and let the cord follow the length of the tail toward the split tip.

Use a yarn needle and matching yarn to sew the cord to the front of the cream ribbon at several points. Keep the stitches small and out of sight.

Secure any extra cord length neatly on the back of the ribbon tail. Don't let loose ends dangle below the split tips.

Keep the upper sewing tails available for assembling the ornament.

Ribbon Tail Checkpoint

Lay your two finished tails side by side. Each should have a cream center, a narrow red border, a small split at the lower end and one red-and-cream twisted cord running down its front.

They should be approximately 1 1/4–1 1/2 inches long, depending on your gauge and edging.

Arrange the narrow upper ends together and turn the wider ends slightly outward. You'll want both tails showing beneath the peppermint instead of one hiding the other.

That's enough decoration. Let the peppermint take center stage.

Make the Cream Hanging Loop

The final crocheted piece is the hanging loop. Keep it cream to match the lighter stripes on the candy cane.

There's no need for a separate ribbon or metal ornament hook. You'll crochet the loop directly onto the highest point of the candy cane crook.

Crocheted Hanging Loop

Lay the shaped candy cane on the table with the crook curving right.

Find the highest point along the outside of the curved top, approximately above the center of the crook.

Insert your hook beneath two firm crochet loops at that position and draw through a loop of cream yarn.

Step 1: Ch 18.

Step 2: Sl st into the same anchored position on the candy cane to form a closed hanging loop.

Step 3: Working around the new loop, make 1 slip stitch in each of the 18 chain stitches to reinforce the cord. Work loosely enough that the loop doesn't twist or curl.

Step 4: Join with a slip stitch at the base and fasten off, leaving an 8-inch tail.

Step 5: Thread the tail onto a yarn needle and make several small securing stitches through the base of the loop and the candy cane fabric.

Weave the tail into the stuffed tube and hide the end.

Lift the candy cane by the new loop. Its straight stem should hang downward, and the crook should keep the same general shape you formed earlier.

If the ornament tips sideways, remove the loop and move the anchor point slightly toward the center of the crook. It's easier to correct the balance now than after sewing on all the decorations.

When you're happy with the position, the hanging loop is finished.

Assemble the Crochet Candy Cane Ornament

Now you get to put all those little pieces together! Lay everything out before you pick up your yarn needle. The peppermint, leaves and ribbon tails need to sit together like one decoration, rather than looking like three unrelated things sewn onto a candy cane.

Keep the finished example image nearby while you work. You don't need to match every tiny stitch in the photograph, but you do want the same overall arrangement.

Step 1: Position the Candy Cane

Lay the candy cane flat with its long straight stem pointing down and the rounded crook curving to the right.

Turn the cane until the striped front looks the way you want it. The small concealed shaping stitches should stay along the inside edge of the crook.

Make sure the red tip curves downward without touching the straight stem.

Choose the front-facing position now. You'll use it as your reference when arranging the leaves and peppermint.

Step 2: Attach the Two Green Leaves

Place the narrow root of one green leaf on the upper front of the straight stem, close to where the stem begins curving into the hook.

Angle its pointed end outward and slightly upward to the left.

Place the second leaf on the opposite side, with its pointed end angled outward and slightly upward to the right.

Let the narrow roots overlap a little at the center. The peppermint will cover that overlap later.

Thread the starting yarn tail from the first leaf onto your yarn needle.

Make several small stitches through the narrow root of the leaf and the front surface of the candy cane tube. Catch the crochet stitches firmly without pulling the leaf down into the stuffing.

Secure approximately the inner third of the leaf. Leave the outer pointed portion free so it stands away from the cane.

Repeat with the second leaf.

Check the pair from the front. Both leaves should be visible, with their tips spreading outward behind the future peppermint center.

Don't add berries. The red-and-cream peppermint is the center of this particular decoration.

Step 3: Position the Cream Ribbon Tails

Take your two finished ribbon tails and place their narrow upper ends together immediately below the green leaf roots.

Let one tail angle down-left and the other angle down-right.

The red-edged cream faces should point forward, with the little candy-striped cords visible on top.

Check their length against the cane. Both split ends should remain visible below the peppermint, but they shouldn't extend halfway down the straight stem.

Use the sewing tail from the first ribbon to attach its narrow upper end to the front of the candy cane.

Make several firm stitches through the upper portion of the ribbon and the tube beneath it.

Repeat with the second ribbon tail, keeping the upper ends close together.

Leave the lower portions of the ribbon tails free so they can hang naturally.

Step 4: Position the Peppermint Centerpiece

Now place the raised peppermint swirl over the point where the two green leaves and the two cream ribbon tails meet.

Center it on the front of the candy cane.

The peppermint should cover the overlapping leaf roots and the upper ends of both ribbon tails, giving the arrangement a finished, bow-like appearance.

Before sewing, check that you can still see both green leaf tips and both cream ribbon tails.

If the peppermint covers too much of either leaf, slide the leaves outward slightly. If the ribbon tails look uneven, adjust their angles.

Once the whole arrangement looks right, pin or clip the peppermint in place.

Step 5: Sew the Peppermint Securely

Thread the long cream sewing tail from the peppermint front onto a yarn needle.

Hold the completed, lightly stuffed peppermint against the front of the candy cane. Center it over the overlapping green leaf roots and the narrow upper ends of both ribbon tails.

The red-and-cream pinwheel should face forward, with the plain cream backing against the ornament.

Begin by securing the center of the cream backing to the candy cane. Pass the needle through a stitch on the backing and catch a firm stitch on the front surface of the cane. Make a second small anchoring stitch nearby.

Keep these stitches within the cream backing. Don't pass the needle through the red-and-cream peppermint front or compress the filling.

Next, add several small attachment stitches around the back of the peppermint where the backing overlaps the green leaf roots and ribbon-tail tops.

Catch firm stitches in those underlying pieces, spacing the attachments around the supported portions of the peppermint.

Don't pull the unsupported outer edges inward toward the narrow candy cane tube. The peppermint is wider than the cane, and those edges should retain their rounded shape.

Check the ornament from the front. The peppermint should sit securely over the leaf and ribbon junction, with a softly raised center and both colors clearly visible.

Both green leaf tips and both ribbon tails should remain visible around it.

If the peppermint leans to one side, add a small hidden stitch through the cream backing and the nearest supported area beneath it.

Once the centerpiece is secure, weave the cream sewing tail through several stitches on the back of the work. Reverse direction and weave through a few more stitches before trimming.

There should be no loose filling outside the peppermint, and no visible assembly stitches across its red-and-cream front.

Step 6: Check the Arrangement from a Distance

Set the finished candy cane upright or hang it from its cream loop.

Look at it from a few feet away. You should see a familiar Christmas candy cane first, with the peppermint and leaves adding something extra.

If the decorations lean too far to one side, add a few hidden stitches to hold the peppermint and ribbon arrangement in place.

Make sure the green leaves haven't folded behind the cane and that the two ribbon tails aren't lying directly on top of each other.

The peppermint should be the center of the decoration, but it shouldn't hide all that lovely red-and-cream striping.

Step 7: Secure the Hanging Loop and Finish

Lift the ornament by the hanging loop and check the balance again.

If the candy cane hangs reasonably straight, leave the loop where it is.

If the upper crook leans or twists, check the loop attachment point and the concealed crook-shaping stitches. Correct the source of the twist rather than pulling the hanging loop sideways.

Check every decorative attachment before trimming the remaining yarn tails.

Weave each tail through several stitches on the back of the work, reverse direction and weave through a few more stitches. Trim only after the end is secure.

Remove all temporary pins, clips and stitch markers.

Finished Ornament Checklist

• One dimensional red-and-cream spiral-striped candy cane
• A rounded upper crook curving right
• A free downward-facing red tip
• Two green pointed leaves extending outward
• One raised peppermint swirl centered between the leaves
• Two cream ribbon tails with red edging
• One red-and-cream decorative cord on each ribbon tail
• A securely attached cream hanging loop
• No exposed stuffing, wire, beads or loose assembly threads

That's your finished candy cane ornament, complete with its double helping of Christmas candy!

Displaying Your Finished Candy Cane

I would give this ornament a little breathing room on the Christmas tree. The red and cream stripes already make a statement, and you don't want the peppermint or ribbon tails disappearing behind another decoration.

Try hanging it against a section of evergreen where the two green leaves and the little cream ribbons can still be seen.

It would also make a pretty decoration on a wrapped gift or a handmade Christmas keepsake display.

If you're putting together several crocheted Christmas decorations, you can mix this candy cane with the designs in my crochet Christmas garland project. For another way to use green crochet leaves in holiday crafts, see my crochet holly leaf pattern.

There's no need to add another bow or a cluster of berries. The peppermint, paired leaves and ribbon tails are enough.

Caring for the Ornament

Spot clean gently with cool water and a little mild detergent if the ornament becomes dusty or soiled.

Press out excess moisture with a towel. Don't wring the stuffed cane or twist the peppermint and leaves.

Let the ornament dry completely before storing it. If the crook has relaxed slightly, gently reshape it while the yarn is damp, without pulling on the decorative pieces.

Store it loosely with the crook supported so heavier Christmas decorations don't flatten the candy cane.

Important Safety Note

This crocheted candy cane is intended as a decorative Christmas ornament, not a baby toy, teether or crib accessory.

Keep the ornament and its hanging loop out of reach of babies and young children. Do not place it in a crib, bassinet or other infant sleep space.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission's safe-sleep guidance recommends keeping infant sleep spaces free of soft objects and other loose items.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does this candy cane pattern use a color chart?

The chart moves the red and cream stitches around the tube a little at a time. That's what produces the diagonal candy cane stripes.

If you work several complete red rounds followed by several complete cream rounds, you'll end up with horizontal rings instead of the spiral shown in the finished example.

Can I make this crochet candy cane without wire?

Yes. The pattern uses a lightly stuffed crochet tube with small concealed shaping stitches along the inside of the crook.

The hook will remain soft rather than rigid. It's intended to keep its shape while hanging as a decoration, not to withstand repeated bending or squeezing.

What if my candy cane crook won't stay curved?

If you haven't closed the upper tip yet, remove a little stuffing from the section that will form the crook. If the tube is already closed, leave the stuffing alone and adjust the concealed shaping stitches instead.

Next, check the shaping stitches along the inside curve. If the crook still springs straight, remake selected tucks so they bring together points three rounds apart instead of two.

Spread the shaping evenly around the bend. One very tight tuck can leave a sharp angle, and that isn't the rounded shape we're after.

Why is my peppermint centerpiece puckering?

If the red-and-cream peppermint front puckers before the backing is attached, check the yarn carried along its wrong side. Tight strands can pull the stitches together and distort the circle.

Ease those strands while the back is still accessible. If necessary, remake the affected round with more relaxed tension before joining the two peppermint layers.

If the peppermint is already closed, don't try to pull on the yarn hidden inside. Undo enough of the joining stitches to correct the problem. If the peppermint has already been attached to the candy cane, carefully detach it first.

When finished, the peppermint should have a softly raised center, a smooth rounded edge and clearly visible red-and-cream sections.

Can I use bright white instead of cream?

Absolutely. Bright white will give you a sharper red-and-white peppermint look, while warm cream has a softer, slightly old-fashioned Christmas feel.

Keep the red and cream sections the same size and follow the color chart without changing the stitch counts.

Can I make a smaller crochet candy cane ornament?

Yes. I'd use lighter-weight yarn and a hook that produces a firm fabric, while keeping the same stitch counts and construction sequence.

That reduces the size of the candy cane and its decorations together. Don't simply remove half the rows from the body unless you're prepared to reshape the crook as well.

The rounded hook needs enough length to curve properly and still leave a short downward-facing tip.

Can I change the green leaves?

You can change the shade of green, but I'd keep the original pointed shape and the same two-leaf arrangement if you want your ornament to resemble the example.

Large holly leaves, berries or oversized bow loops would change the look considerably. There's nothing wrong with experimenting, of course, but those aren't part of this particular design.

Can I make the peppermint without the ribbon tails?

Yes, if you're making your own variation. The candy cane and peppermint would still work together.

For the ornament pictured here, though, the paired cream tails with their red edging are part of the finished design. I'd include them when following the complete pattern.

Is this a good ornament for baby's first Christmas?

It can be a handmade Christmas keepsake or a decoration on a tree that is safely out of a baby's reach.

It isn't designed for play, and the hanging loop and attached decorative pieces aren't appropriate for a baby to handle. Keep it away from cribs and other infant sleep spaces.

Has this crochet pattern been physically tested?

The pattern was developed from the finished-design reference, with the stitch counts, color sequences and component construction checked mathematically.

It has not yet been physically test-crocheted. The finished measurements are estimates, and the exact curve of the stuffed hook and the fit of the decorative pieces should be confirmed with a completed sample.

Use the measurement and shaping checkpoints throughout the instructions to check your progress, particularly before sewing on the peppermint and ribbon tails.

Can I make these ornaments as gifts?

Yes. They're small enough for Christmas gift exchanges, stocking decorations and handmade holiday keepsakes.

If you're making several, I'd keep the same candy cane shape and vary the yarn colors slightly rather than redesigning the decorations every time. Cream with cranberry red is especially pretty, but traditional bright red and white works just as well.

You could even make a set for a Christmas tree, with each one finished using the same peppermint, paired leaves and little ribbon tails.

Sharing This Pattern

If you'd like to share this candy cane ornament pattern with another crocheter, please send her the link to this page rather than copying the complete written instructions, chart or artwork elsewhere.