30 VINTAGE CIRCUS Crochet Patterns (maximalist, clowncore, whimsical)

Pierrot the Little Clown by Cara Engwerda, see the pattern here. 

First is the Pierrot the Little Clown by Cara Engwerda. This piece is worked in the round and it more intermediate to create, and is inspired by Pierrot. It measures 24 cm or 9.5 inches tall. It’s worked with basic stitches and it bit of decreasing as well as being comfortable working in the back loops only. And this one is free on Ravelry. 

 

Pierrot Clown by Amy Gaines, see the pattern here. 

The next piece is the Pierrot Clown by Amy Gaines. It measure 11 inches tall and 4.5 inches wide. This pattern is also intermediate-level , and you do need to be comfortable with single crochet decreasing and increasing, and is a paid pattern on Ravelry. I love all the details on this one, and the face is embroidered with a pair of black safety eyes.

Magnus the Ringmaster Music by Lemon Yarn, see the pattern here. 

I also liked the Magnus the Ringmaster Mouse by Lemon Yarn. This pattern contains plenty of step-by-step pictures and is worked in rounds, and uses a toothpick for the cane, make up blush for details and safety eyes to finish him off, and this little guy is also a paid pattern over on Ravelry. 

 

Harlequin Jester Clown Doll by Chy Perry, see the pattern here. 

Next is this Harlequin Jester Clown Doll by Chy Perry. This one is a paid pattern on their Etsy and has so many fun details like the little stars on the jester hat and I love the pattern on the dress and the eyes. Special stitches for this are the single and half double crochet increases, bobble stitches and working into the back loop and front loop only. It’s more intermediate level to make and is very comprehensive with 21 pages of instructions and 58 pictures to guide you along. 

Killer Clown by Chanell Parfait, see the pattern here. 

Or make this Killer Clown Lovey by Channel Parfait. It’s worked with worsted yarn so is a bit bigger measuring 18 inches from point to point, so the perfect size for a baby blanket. Because it is worked with thicker yarn it could be a good project to level up your skills if you are a confident beginner. This one is a paid pattern on Ravelry, and I love the hair and little collar on this killer clown. 

 

Pennywise by Darth Makers, see the pattern here. 

I also liked this Pennywise the Creepy Clown by Darth Makers. The finished doll measures 15 cm and the pattern is available in English and Portuguese. This one is a paid pattern in their Etsy shop and I loved the balloon detail as well as the little teeth and crochet button details on this design. 

 

Clown by Sandra Scherndl, see the pattern here. 

This Clown by Sandra Scherndl is a great pattern and free on their Ravelry. It’s available in German but can be translated into English, this one is inspired by Stephen King’s Pennywise. It measures 20 cm tall without the hat, and I love the little pom pom addition and special stitches used are the v-double, decreases, and working into the back and front loop only. 

 

Cobble Cat Charm by Red Heart Design Team, see the pattern here. 

You could also make the Cobble the Cat clown charm by Red Heart Design Team, it’s free to make and available on Yarnspirations. This pattern is beginner friendly to make and measures about 5 inches or 12.5 cm tall, and the special stitches used to make it are single crochet two together, and to create it you start with a magic ring and make the head, then the ears, nose, body and face and finish it off with the next ruffle, hat and pompom. 

 

 

Clothing:Harlequin Cardigan by Lesley Arnold Hopkins, see the pattern here. 

First is the Harlequin Cardigan by Lesley Arnold Hopkins. This pattern is more intermediate level to make, and is written in UK terminology. The special stitches are the treble 3 together, double crochet from back slip stitch from the back, joining stitch and joining stitch from the back. There are 6 different sizes that fit bust size 34 to 53 inches or 87 to 137 cm, and this one is a free pattern on the love crafts website. 

 

 

Circus Sweater by L F Crochet Pattern, see the pattern here. 

The next pattern is this Circus Sweater by L F Crochet Patterns. It’s a circular design that gives a classic look. It reminds me of a the circus tent designs. There are sizes Small measuring 76 cm or 30 inches bust size in width to 2XL measuring 104 cm or 41 inches in width. To create it uses basic stitches and is more intermediate level to make but has a lot of pictures to help with creating it. The sweater is worked from the top down in the round, and it’s a paid pattern in their Etsy shop.

 

Harlequin Shawl by Selina Veronique Crochet, see the pattern here. 

Or make the Harlequin Shawl by Selina Veronique Crochet. This pattern is beginner friendly and is one size, the finished shawl measures 35 inches by 63 inches at the largest point. It uses basic stitches to create, and the border is crocheted using the v-stitch to create a lovely lacy effect, and the last row has shell stitch edging that adds dimension to the project. This one is free on their blog, and I like the more pastel colorway she used here as well. 

 

Clown College Sweater by Aidan Wells, see the pattern here. 

The next pattern is Clown College Sweater by Aidan Wells. This pattern is more intermediate level to make and is a paid pattern on their Ravelry. Special stitches and techniques used are color changing, reading a crochet graph, half double crochet in the back loop only, half double crochet decreasing and increasing and single crochet ribbing in the back loop only to create the intarsia or fair isle crochet effect, although the creator recommends using a mix of both. There are sizes XS to 5XL, and I also loved that there is a happy face and sad face chart depending on what face you want to create for your design. 

 

Harlequin Coat by Free Vintage Crochet, see the pattern here. 

This harlequin coat by free vintage crochet is a great make. It’s more intermediate level to make and there are sizes small, medium and large for this one. Each motif is a 3.5 or 4 inch square and it’s free on the free vintage crochet website. It uses basic stitches, and there is a bit of folding and seaming to finish it off, and a really helpful diagram to make it.

 

 

Accessories:

No-Sew HDC Collar by Autumn Olive Crochet, see the pattern here. 

Next is the Vintage Clown Mask and Collar by Stephanie Pokorny. It’s designed to be fully shaped so it curves around your face, and there is space from the front of your nose to fit into for comfort. There is also a small open space on the mouth to actually breathe as well which is important and even slip a straw through so you can drink. It’s rated intermediate to make. The pattern is 23 pages long with 40 images so it’s very comprehensive and it’s a paid pattern on their Ravelry. I thought that the craftsmanship and attention to detail was amazing on this one, and it’s truly a work of art.

 

Vintage Clown Mask by Stephanie Pokorny, see the pattern here. 

Next is the Vintage Clown Mask and Collar by Stephanie Pokorny. It’s designed to be fully shaped so it curves around your face, and there is space from the front of your nose to fit into for comfort. There is also a small open space on the mouth to actually breathe as well which is important and even slip a straw through so you can drink. It’s rated intermediate to make. The pattern is 23 pages long with 40 images so it’s very comprehensive and it’s a paid pattern on their Ravelry. I thought that the craftsmanship and attention to detail was amazing on this one, and it’s truly a work of art. 

 

Silly Jester Hat by Rolling Yarn Crochet, see the pattern here. 

Another great pattern to make is the Silly Jester Hat by Rolling Yarn Crochet. This one is a free pattern on their Ribblr and is intermediate to make. It uses basic stitches to make. It’s also made to measure so you can adjust it to fit you which is great, and I love the little bells that are added to truly give it that whimsical effect and perfect the look.

 

Marvelous Marquee Pouch by Helen Smith, see the pattern here.  

Next is the Marvelous Marquee Pouch by Helen Smith. It measures 5.5 by 8 inches or 14 cm wide by 20 cm tall. It’s rated advanced beginner or intermediate to create as well. This one is a paid pattern on the love crafts website, and I loved all the details on this one and colors are so fun and perfect for adding a little circus vibe to your space or ensemble. I think it would be fun to even make it a bit taller and turn it into a crossbody bag to put a water bottle or something into. 

 

Clown Collar with Frills by Linn Jacobsen, see the pattern here. 

You could also make this Clown Collar with Frills by Linn Jacobsen. This one is beginner friendly, and includes a lot of step-by-step photos to make it. To create you begin with a snug choker base that fits you neck comfortably, then add the frills, and change colors as you like and you can also add less or more frills as you like. And this one is a paid pattern on their Etsy and I like the black and white color scheme that she used. 

 

Triangle Clown Hat by Vandal Yarns, see the pattern here. 

Next is the Triangle Clown Hat by Vandal Yarns. This pattern is beginner friendly and the hat includes two ties and pompoms. It includes detailed instructions with pictures on how to construct the body, add the ties and decorate your hat. There are instructions for how to make pompoms with and without the pompom maker which is helpful. There is an accessory section at the end of the pattern with pompoms alternatives and appliqués which is cool. You just need to know how to do basic stitches. This one is a paid pattern on their Ravelry and does require metal wiring and polyfill or even yarn scraps to fill the hat and give it structure and you can make it in an hour or two which is cool. 

 

Clown Frill by Gabrielle Baker, see the pattern here. 

Or make the Clown Frill by Gabrielle Baker, and is a paid pattern on their Ravelry. It’s made to measure so gauge is not important here. The whole project used less than a skein of yarn which is nice, you don’t need too much yarn to make. And it would be fun to play around with the colorway that you use here and even add bells on the end of the collar to finish it off. 

 

Clown Skull Balaclava by Alexandria Masse, see the pattern here. 

The Clown Skull Balaclava by Alexandria Masse is another great pattern to make. This one is a paid pattern on her website and there is also a YouTube video tutorial on her channel. First you create the balaclava, then skull and triangles and lastly the ears and then some light sewing to finish it off. 

 

Harlequin Jester Hat by Made by Bear Hands, see the pattern here. 

This Hexagon Jester Hat by Made by Bear Hands is a fun make. It’s made with one skein of yarn and beginner stitches only and can be made in an hour. This one is free on their Ribblr, and this one would even be cool to make with scrap yarns. 

 

Jester Hat by What the Beck, see the pattern here. 

Or here’s another fun Jester Hat by What the Beck. It’s worked in the round and is free on their YouTube channel. I like the choice of primary colors on this one, and the pompoms on the end to finish it off. It’s really whimsical and fun. It does require working is some front post and back post double crochet, but especially if you’re a visual learner this one is beginner friendly to make. 

 

Home Decor and Appliqué:

Harlequin Blanket by Daisy Farm Crafts, see the pattern here. 

First Harlequin Blanket by Daisy Farm Crafts. The finished size is 34 inches by 34 inches, and the special stitches are the double crochet three and six together, as well as the front and back post double crochet. This pattern is pretty beginner friendly and free on their blog, and I like how this one doesn’t overtly have circus vibes but just a little bit, and the colorway it was made in is nice. 

 

Elephant Appliqué by Patricia E, see the pattern here. 

Or make the Elephant Appliqué by Patricia E, this one is a paid pattern on the love crafts website. The big elephant measure 3.5 inches by 3 inches and the baby elephant measure  3 by 2 inches, and the pattern is ranked  intermediate-level to make and only uses basic stitches to make. There are also a lot pictures to help with each step of the way of making it. 

 

Jolly Crochet Square by Keep Calm and Crochet On, see the pattern here. 

I also liked the jolly crown afghan square by keep calm and crochet on UK. This one is intermediate level to make and a paid pattern on the love crafts website. It’s made in the round and is rated beginner level to make and I love the colors on this one and the little embroidery for the eyes. And you can make so many things with these squares, and if you’re looking for ideas of what to make definitely check out my Granny Squares Projects Pattern Round-Up after this one. 

 

 

Circus Baby Blanket by Nicole Bernard, see the pattern here. 

This Circus Baby Blanket by Nicole Bernard is another great make. There are four different sizes you can make it in: stroller, baby, toddler and crib, with the smallest measuring 30 inches by 36 inches and the largest is 40 inches by 60 inches, so there are a lot of choices for sizing. The techniques used to make it are the intarsia and tapestry crochet to get that diamond design, and this one is a paid pattern on crochet.com so you can also get the materials to make it on there as well which is convenient. 

 

Happy and Sad Clown by Cass Jones, see the pattern here. 

Next is the Happy and Sad Clown Patch by Cass Jones. This one is beginner friendly and free on Ravelry. To create it you start with a square base, and then create the face with appliqué for the eyes, nose and mouth, so there is a bit of sewing that is necessary to make it, but there are a lot of pictures. And I love that you also have the choice to make the clown happy or sad for this one. 

Happy the Clown Rug by American Thread Company, see the pattern here. 

This Happy the Clown Rug by American Thread Company is a fun one, and measures 20 by 30 inches without fringe.  I love how this one has fringe and pompoms to give it some interest, and you do need to be familiar with embroidering and reading charts to create so I would say it’s more intermediate to make, and it’s free over on their website. 

Clown with Top Hat by Kerri Brown, see the pattern here. 

Or make the Clown with Top Hat by Kerri Brown. This one is beginner friendly is made with basic stitches, so as long as you’re comfortable with the magic loop, you can create it. There is also a little bit of embroidery to create the face. There are a lot of pictures to help with each step as well, and you can get really creative with how you create these and even make them with scrap yarns left over from other projects, and it’s free over on their website. 

Well I hope you enjoyed this collection of Vintage Circus inspired pieces. If so let me know which pattern was your favorite in the comments below? Also let me know if you’d like to see another specific pattern round-up sometime soon!