Looking for a fun and eye-catching crochet project for the holiday season? These crochet Christmas wind spinner patterns are a creative way to add handmade charm to your Christmas decorations.
Crochet wind spinners are made with clever increases that naturally create a twisting, spiral shape. Once finished, they can be hung from a Christmas tree, doorway, window, porch, mantel, or anywhere you want to add a little movement and color.
From classic Santa designs and tiny Christmas trees to snowmen, boho ornaments, and even a playful Grinch-inspired spinner, this collection includes plenty of ideas for your holiday crochet list.
Many of these projects are relatively small, making them perfect for using leftover yarn from other Christmas projects. They can also make thoughtful handmade gifts, stocking stuffers, craft-fair items, or Christmas tree ornaments.
If you’re planning even more holiday crochet projects, don’t miss these 10 festive free Christmas crochet patterns for more seasonal inspiration.
What Is a Crochet Wind Spinner?
A crochet wind spinner is a long crocheted spiral that twists naturally because multiple stitches are worked into each stitch or chain along the project.
The increasing number of stitches causes the fabric to curl into its recognizable corkscrew shape.
Christmas versions take that simple idea and add festive colors and decorations. You might find red and white Santa spinners, green Christmas trees, snowman faces, stars, beads, bells, pom-poms, or other holiday details.
Because many designs require only a small amount of yarn, Christmas wind spinners can also be a practical stash-busting project.
Here are 11 crochet Christmas wind spinner patterns and tutorials to inspire your next festive make.
1. Santa Christmas Wind Spinner
A Santa-themed wind spinner is a fun way to combine the classic crochet spiral with one of the most recognizable symbols of Christmas.
This design from Start Crochet uses traditional Christmas colors to create a cheerful Santa-inspired decoration. The long spiral shape makes it especially attractive when hung somewhere it can move and twist.
Try hanging your finished spinner near a window, on a door handle, from your Christmas tree, or as part of a festive wall display.
Its relatively compact size also makes it a useful project when you want to create several handmade Christmas decorations without committing to a large crochet project.
Get the pattern: Santa Christmas Wind Spinner by Start Crochet
If you love handmade tree decorations, you may also want to browse these 10 free crochet Christmas ornament patterns.
2. Christmas Tree Wind Spinner
This adorable Christmas Tree Wind Spinner turns the traditional spiral concept into a miniature festive tree.
Designed by Sian Maloney, the project uses lightweight fingering-weight yarn and a 2.5 mm crochet hook, creating a delicate finished decoration.
The smaller scale makes this design especially suitable for Christmas tree ornaments. You could crochet several in coordinating colors and scatter them throughout your tree.
Traditional green is always beautiful, but you could also experiment with white for a snowy Christmas tree, metallic yarn for a glamorous look, or pastel yarn for modern holiday decor.
These little trees could also be attached to wrapped presents as reusable handmade gift toppers.
See the pattern: Christmas Tree Wind Spinner on Ravelry
3. Crochet Snowman Wind Spinner
Snowmen and Christmas crochet are a natural combination, and this Crochet Snowman Wind Spinner from Crafty Crochet Castle is a particularly playful version.
Instead of making a traditional stuffed crochet snowman, this design incorporates snowman details into a twisting wind spinner.
The tutorial uses familiar crochet techniques including chains, slip stitches, single crochet, half double crochet, double crochet, front-loop-only stitches, and back-loop-only stitches.
That makes this an interesting project for crocheters who already know the basic stitches and want to use them in a more decorative way.
The white spiral gives the spinner a snowy appearance, while the snowman details make the finished project instantly festive.
Watch the tutorial: Crochet Snowman Wind Spinner by Crafty Crochet Castle
These would look especially cute hanging beside handmade stockings, along a staircase, or from the branches of a Christmas tree.
4. Mini Wind Spinner Christmas Tree Ornament
If you’re searching for a small crochet Christmas ornament, this mini wind spinner tree is worth adding to your project list.
The design from Knit Crochet Christmas combines the familiar spiral wind-spinner shape with a miniature Christmas tree.
One of the best things about projects like this is how easy they are to personalize.
You could use traditional red, green, and white yarn or match the colors of your existing Christmas decorations. Metallic thread, sparkly yarn, beads, bells, or miniature stars could make each spinner unique.
Because it’s a small project, it’s also a useful option for leftover yarn.
Make several and use them as:
- Christmas tree ornaments
- Gift toppers
- Garland decorations
- Window decorations
- Handmade stocking stuffers
Get the pattern: Mini Wind Spinner Christmas Tree Ornament
5. Crochet Pattern for Christmas Wind Spinner
Sometimes the simplest Christmas decorations are the most effective.
This colorful Christmas Wind Spinner designed by Ciara from The Fairy Thorn uses lightweight cotton yarn and a 4 mm crochet hook.
Cotton is particularly nice for crochet decorations because it provides good stitch definition and can help the spiral hold its shape.
Choose classic Christmas shades or experiment with combinations such as:
- Red and white
- Green and gold
- Burgundy and cream
- White and silver
- Forest green and natural beige
You could even make a collection using different combinations and hang them together for a colorful handmade display.
Get the free pattern: Crochet Christmas Wind Spinner by The Fairy Thorn
For another cozy handmade decoration, take a look at this Christmas candle crochet pattern.
6. Crochet Christmas Tree Wind Spinner
Here’s another creative way to turn the classic spiral crochet technique into a festive Christmas tree.
This Crochet Christmas Tree Wind Spinner tutorial comes from the YouTube channel Make It Yourself By Papari.
Its long spiral tree shape makes it particularly suitable for hanging decorations.
Try displaying it:
- Near an entryway
- From a Christmas tree branch
- Beside a window
- From a mantel
- On a covered porch
- Along a holiday garland
When suspended, the spiral shape can gently turn and move, giving the decoration more visual interest than a flat ornament.
Watch the tutorial: Crochet Christmas Tree Wind Spinner by Make It Yourself By Papari
7. Wind Spinner Crochet Christmas Tree
If you love textured crochet, this Wind Spinner Crochet Christmas Tree from Fosbas Designs is another project worth exploring.
The pattern incorporates textured bobble details into the tree, giving the finished decoration extra dimension.
That texture helps distinguish it from simpler spiral ornaments and makes the tree interesting even when it isn’t moving.
You can display the finished project as part of your Christmas decorating scheme or make several for handmade holiday gifts.
Green is the obvious choice for a traditional Christmas tree, but don’t be afraid to experiment. Cream, white, gold, or even soft pink can create beautiful modern versions.
Get the free pattern: Wind Spinner Crochet Christmas Tree by Fosbas Designs
If miniature Christmas trees are your favorite holiday projects, you’ll also love this small crochet Christmas tree pattern.
8. Crochet Dual-Toned Christmas Tree Wind Spinner
Using two colors is an easy way to make the spiral effect of a wind spinner stand out even more.
This Dual-Toned Christmas Tree Wind Spinner tutorial from Crochet Anywhere combines contrasting shades to highlight the twisting construction.
The version shown features green Christmas-tree details, white ruffled edging, and a yellow star at the top.
That combination gives the project a traditional festive look while still feeling playful and handmade.
You could also experiment with combinations such as green and red, green and gold, white and blue, or red and cream.
The design works particularly well as a hanging Christmas decoration because the contrasting colors remain visible as the spinner turns.
Watch the tutorial: Dual-Toned Christmas Tree Wind Spinner by Crochet Anywhere
9. Boho Wind Spinner Ornament Crochet Pattern
Not every Christmas decoration needs to feature Santa, snowmen, or traditional red and green colors.
This Boho Wind Spinner Ornament from Rich Textures Crochet offers a more understated alternative.
Its textured spiral design can fit beautifully into rustic, farmhouse, bohemian, neutral, or Scandinavian-inspired Christmas decor.
Use natural shades such as cream, beige, sage, terracotta, or dusty pink for a softer look.
One particularly useful aspect of this project is its versatility. Depending on the size and yarn you choose, the spinner can work as more than just a Christmas ornament.
You could use it as a:
- Tree ornament
- Keychain
- Bag charm
- Zipper pull
- Gift decoration
- Small hanging decoration
Get the pattern: Boho Spinner Ornament by Rich Textures Crochet
10. Christmas Crochet Wind Spinners
Can’t decide whether you want to crochet Santa, a candy cane, a snowflake, or a gingerbread-inspired decoration?
This video tutorial from Crochet Cuties provides inspiration for several different Christmas crochet wind spinners.
Using multiple holiday characters and motifs makes this idea especially useful if you’re planning to crochet an entire set.
You could create a collection and use them throughout the house, or give each family member a different design.
They could also make fun handmade additions to Christmas gift baskets.
Because the spiral construction provides a consistent theme, different characters can still look coordinated when displayed together.
Watch the tutorial: Christmas Crochet Wind Spinners by Crochet Cuties
11. Crochet Grinch Wind Spinners
For something a little different, consider a Grinch-inspired crochet wind spinner.
This playful design by Mary L. Wise takes the recognizable green Christmas character and turns it into a twisting hanging decoration.
The bright green coloring immediately makes the design stand out among more traditional red, white, and gold holiday decorations.
These could be especially fun for children’s rooms, Christmas parties, playful holiday displays, or anyone who enjoys character-inspired decorations.
Unlike most of the free patterns and tutorials included above, this is a paid digital crochet pattern sold through Etsy, so check the listing for current details before purchasing.
See the pattern: Crochet Grinch Wind Spinner Digital Pattern on Etsy
Ways to Use Crochet Christmas Wind Spinners
One reason wind spinners are so much fun to make is their versatility.
They’re especially attractive when hung somewhere the spiral can move naturally. Even indoors, the twisting construction adds dimension to your holiday decorations.
Try using your crochet Christmas wind spinners on Christmas trees, windows, doorways, mantels, garlands, cabinet handles, staircases, or gift packages.
Small versions can also be attached to handmade Christmas cards or incorporated into holiday wreaths.
If you’re selling handmade crochet items at Christmas markets, wind spinners may also be useful as small seasonal projects because you can experiment with many different color combinations and themes.
Best Yarn for Crochet Wind Spinners
The ideal yarn depends on the individual pattern, so always check the designer’s recommendations first.
In general, yarns with good stitch definition work particularly well for decorative spirals.
Cotton is a popular choice because it tends to produce defined stitches and structured fabric. Acrylic yarn can also work well and offers a huge variety of inexpensive colors.
For Christmas projects, consider yarn in shades such as:
- Christmas red
- Forest green
- Snow white
- Gold
- Silver
- Burgundy
- Cream
- Emerald
- Candy-cane red and white
Sparkle or metallic yarn can add an extra festive finish, although textured specialty yarn can sometimes make individual stitches harder to see.
Are Crochet Wind Spinners Beginner Friendly?
Many crochet wind spinner patterns are suitable for confident beginners.
The basic spiral effect is usually created through increases rather than complicated construction. If you’re comfortable with chains and basic stitches such as single crochet, half double crochet, and double crochet, you’ll likely recognize many of the techniques used in these projects.
The difficulty can increase when a design includes additional pieces such as stars, faces, bobbles, character details, or embellishments.
If you’re new to crochet, start with one of the simpler spiral designs before trying a detailed Santa, snowman, or character version.
Can You Use Leftover Yarn for Crochet Wind Spinners?
Absolutely.
Many small wind spinner ornaments are excellent scrap yarn crochet projects.
Christmas colors are particularly easy to reuse because small amounts of red, green, white, yellow, and brown yarn can be transformed into stars, hats, trims, snowmen, trees, gingerbread details, and other decorations.
Before buying new yarn, check your leftover yarn stash from previous Christmas crochet projects.
You may already have everything you need.
Make Your Christmas Decorations Handmade This Year
Crochet Christmas wind spinners are a simple way to add movement, texture, and personality to your holiday decorations.
Whether you choose a classic Santa wind spinner, a tiny crochet Christmas tree, an adorable snowman, a neutral boho spinner, or a playful character design, there are plenty of ways to make the project your own.
Change the yarn colors, add beads or bells, experiment with different sizes, or crochet several coordinating designs for a complete handmade Christmas display.
And if you’re building your holiday crochet list, continue with these 10 festive free Christmas crochet patterns and 10 free crochet Christmas ornament patterns.
You can also make this Christmas candle crochet pattern or add a cute small crochet Christmas tree to your handmade holiday decor.
Happy crocheting, and enjoy filling your Christmas season with handmade decorations!
