JOY Jar Covers – Free Christmas Crochet Pattern

If you are looking for a super quick, free Christmas crochet pattern, then these cute crochet jar covers are just the ticket.

These little crochet jar covers are so, so quick to work up. And as each one uses a very small amount of yarn, they are also perfect scrap yarn crochet projects!

I think it’s a lovely Christmas gift idea to crochet small projects like these as a set, so I added a simple monogram letter to each one. You could really customize your crochet jar covers in any way you like – spell out someone’s name, add a few more to spell out another festive phrase, the possibilities are endless :-).

Crochet Candle Holders

I decided to crochet around glass candle holders, rather than jars, but these would also look great wrapped around mason jars with a simple tea-light inside. Or fill jars with sweets, a hot chocolate kit, or even a little succulent! All of these would make gorgeous homemade holiday gifts.

Beginner-friendly crochet pattern

If you can make a single crochet and a slip stitch, then you can make these jar covers :-).

They honestly couldn’t be simpler. The main panel is worked flat using just single crochet stitches. Once your piece is the size that you want, you will use surface crochet slip stitches to “draw” on your letters. Single crochet is a perfect base for surface crochet, as it gives you an almost perfect “grid” to work on.

Customize your jar cover

The pattern has instructions on how to customize your cover to fit your particular container. It’s actually really easy – you want your finished piece to be a little bit smaller than the circumference of your container, just to get a nice snug fit.

For the surface crochet letters, the PDF version of the pattern has a chart illustrating how to position your slip stitches. But even if you don’t have the chart, it’s still really easy to crochet these letters freehand. You’ll just need to keep an eye on your work as you go.

What you’ll need to make these crochet jar covers

Any #4/medium/worsted weight yarn will work perfectly for this pattern. I used Stylecraft Yarns Special Aran with Wool, but if wool allergies are a concern, then any #4 acrylic yarn would work great.

I used a 5mm/H-8 crochet hook and this should work fine for most #4/worsted weight yarns.

I think that this is a great project to make in batches. You could easily get 3 or more flat panels done in an hour, with Netflix (or a good crochet podcast!) on in the background, and then finish the surface crochet in another sitting. I’m not the fastest crocheter in the world, so chances are you’ll be a lot more efficient than I am 🙂

More Crochet Patterns for Christmas & Gifting

Ombre Coasters | Free Crochet Pattern

Modern Crochet Christmas Tree Pillow – Free Pattern

Crochet Zipper Pouch | Free Pattern

Crochet Throw Pillow (Free Pattern)

Notes

Skill Level

Construction

The jar cover is worked flat, and then seamed.

Surface Crochet Letters

• You will create each letter using the surface crochet technique (full instructions are provided in the Surface Crochet Tutorial at the end of the pattern).
• For each letter, you can crochet free-hand, or if you would like to purchase the ad-free PDF version of the pattern, you will find a chart for each of the 3 letters).
• For my jar cover, the total row count is 14 rows, so I allowed 2 rows above and 2 rows below each letter.
• If your jar cover has a different row count, then simply make sure to allow the same number of rows above and below the letter.

General Pattern Notes

• Ch 1 at the start of each row does not count as a st.
• Stitch counts are given in [ ] at the end of each row.

Finished Measurements

Finished measurements will depend on your container size.

The jar cover is crocheted flat and should wrap around the container with a gap of approx. 1” / 2.5cm.

When seamed, the cover will stretch to fit snugly around the container.

As an example, my container (a glass candle holder) and cover measure as follows:

Container measurements      

Diameter: 3” / 7.5 cm

Height: 3.25” / 8.25 cm         

Crochet cover measurements (laid flat)

Width: 8.5″ / 21.5 cm

Height: 3″ / 7.5 cm

Gauge

13 sts x 16 rows = 4″ x 4″ / 10 cm x 10 cm measured over sc.

Note: gauge is not critical for this project.

Materials

Hook

5mm (H-8)

Yarn

Any #4/Medium/Worsted yarn.

The amounts given here are for Stylecraft Yarns Special Aran with Wool (816m (892yds) per 400g skein; #4/Medium; 80% Acrylic, 20% Wool).

One Jar Cover (as per measurements above):

Main Color (MC): Starling – approx.. 35 yds / 32m (16g)

Contrast Color (CC): Black – approx. 50 / 125cm

Written Pattern

Abbreviations (US Terms)

ch = chain                                                                 

st = stitch       

sl st = slip stitch                     

sc = single crochet     

MC = Main Color

CC = Contrast Color

Jar Cover Panel

N.B. These instructions are for a jar/container measuring approx. 3” / 7.5 cm in diameter and 3.25” / 8.25 cm in height. If your jar has different dimensions, you will want to adjust your measurements as outlined in the Notes above.

Make 3 panels as follows.

With MC, ch 30, (or any number that will wrap around your container when slightly stretched. Your piece will pull in slightly as you work, so the starting chain should be approx. the same circumference as your container.)

Row 1: Sc in second ch from hook and each in ch across, turn. [29]

Row 2: Ch 1 (does not count as a st, here and throughout), sc in each st across, turn.       

Repeat Row 2 until your work measures slightly less than the height of your jar/container.

Letters

Crochet each letter using the surface crochet technique.

For a detailed photo tutorial on how to surface crochet using slip stitches, please see Surface Crochet Tutorial below.

Finishing

Fold jar cover panel in half (with WS facing out), and whip stitch edges together.

Weave in remaining ends.

Turn jar cover the right way around.

All done!

Surface Crochet Tutorial

This tutorial will show you how to create the letter “O” with surface crochet slip stitches.

1. Start with your flat crochet piece and a small length of your contrast color (about 50″ / 125 cm).

2. Tie a slip knot at one end of your yarn.

3. Keep yarn (and slip knot) at the back of your work. Insert hook through your work at the point you want to start your surface slip stitches.

Note: In this case, I inserted my hook through a space beneath the second last row, just left-of-center of my work.

4. Pull yarn through to front, keeping slip knot to the back

5. Begin surface slip stitches

1. Insert hook into next “space” in the direction you want to go. In this case I am working from left to right in between 2 rows.
2. Yarn over (the yarn is still at the back of your work), and pull up a loop. First sl st made.

6. Continue to work in surface sl sts. You can crochet free-hand, or follow the chart for the letter “0” above.

Note: Make sure to allow the same number of rows above and below the letter.

7. To finish, cut yarn and pull through.

8. Insert hook from back-to-front into same space as the final sl st, and pull tail through to back.

9. Weave in ends.

All done!

If you wish, you can purchase an inexpensive, ad-free PDF version of this pattern through Ravelry or Etsy.

I hope you have enjoyed this pattern, if you have questions at all, please don't hesitate to contact me. And be sure to tag your finished project on Instagram or Facebook using @nedandmimi or #nedandmimi!

Happy crocheting!

Sarah