This adorable free finger puppet knitting pattern turns the classic Little Red Riding Hood story into a complete set of tiny knitted characters. Designed by Sachiyo Ishii for Clover, the collection includes Little Red Riding Hood, Grandma, the Huntsman, the Wolf and even a little Squirrel.
Each finished puppet measures approximately 8 cm tall, making this a wonderfully economical project for using tiny quantities of leftover DK and 4-ply yarn. What I particularly like about this set is the amount of personality packed into such small knits — Little Red Riding Hood gets her unmistakable red hood and plaited hair, Grandma has her little hat and collar, while the Wolf and Squirrel have tiny i-cord arms and pom-pom tails.
- Yarn weight: Mainly DK with small amounts of 4-ply and specialty yarn
- Needle size: 2.75 mm double-pointed needles
- Crochet hook: 3 mm
- Finished size: Approximately 8 cm
- Skill level: Intermediate
- Knit flat or in the round: Primarily knit flat; i-cord worked on DPNs
- Characters included: Little Red Riding Hood, Grandma, Huntsman, Wolf and Squirrel
- Techniques: Stocking stitch, increases, decreases, i-cord, seaming, embroidery and simple crochet
- Designer: Sachiyo Ishii
- Get the free pattern: Get the free Little Red Riding Hood Finger Puppet Set pattern
🧶 Yarn pick: Don’t buy five or six new balls of yarn specifically for this project — check your leftovers first. Clover actually encourages knitters to improvise with their stash because the puppets require very small amounts of numerous colors. DK is used for most of the knitting, with smaller quantities of 4-ply and specialty yarns for details. This would be a particularly good project for all those little yarn balls that are too small for most other patterns.
Materials Used in This Pattern
The exact colors vary between characters, but the project predominantly uses small quantities of DK yarn.
For Little Red Riding Hood you will need:
- Red DK: 5 g
- Skin-tone DK: Small amount
- Brown DK: Small amount
- Light brown 4-ply: Small amount
- Dark brown 4-ply: Small amount
- Stuffing
- Needles: 2.75 mm double-pointed knitting needles
The other characters introduce lilac, white, grey, yellow-green, beige, silver-grey and red-brown yarns, among others.
You’ll also need a 3 mm crochet hook, yarn needle and a small pom-pom maker for some of the finishing details.
Five Little Knitted Characters
This isn’t simply a Little Red Riding Hood doll pattern. You get enough characters to recreate the story with a complete little collection.
Little Red Riding Hood has a knitted red hood, tiny sleeves and arms, embroidered facial features and plaited hair.
Grandma is based on the same basic construction but gets her own hat, collar and distinctive hair.
The Huntsman has additional clothing details, a hat and a miniature prop.
The Wolf has separately knitted ears, i-cord arms and a fluffy pom-pom tail.
The Squirrel is another tiny woodland addition, complete with ears, arms and its own pom-pom tail.
That makes the finished set particularly fun for storytelling and imaginative play.
Similar Knitting Patterns
- Free Little Red Riding Hood Finger
- Free Three Little Pigs Knitting Pattern
- Goldilocks and the Three Bears Knitting Pattern
What You Need to Know Before Knitting
Although these finger puppets are tiny, there is quite a lot of detail involved.
The main pieces use stocking stitch with simple increases and decreases for shaping, while i-cord is used for the little arms. You’ll also need to sew small seams, stuff the heads and embroider features.
Some characters include additional techniques. The Huntsman’s belt, for example, introduces a small amount of crochet, while pom-poms are used to create the animal tails.
The stated tension is 26 stitches and 34 rows over 10 x 10 cm, although Clover notes that achieving exact tension isn’t essential for this project.
A Brilliant Scrap Yarn Knitting Project
This is exactly the sort of pattern worth saving for your leftover yarn.
You need just 5 g of red DK for Little Red Riding Hood, while many of the other colors are simply listed as requiring a small amount.
Rather than worrying about matching every original shade exactly, use the pattern as a starting point. Little Red Riding Hood obviously benefits from her recognizable red, but Grandma’s dress, the Huntsman’s clothing and even the animals can easily be adapted according to what you already have.
A collection of little leftovers suddenly becomes an entire fairy tale.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are these finger puppets knitted or crocheted?
The characters are predominantly knitted. A 3 mm crochet hook is also used for a small detail in the Huntsman, but this is fundamentally a knitting pattern.
How big are the finished finger puppets?
The finished size given by the designer is approximately 8 cm, making these genuinely tiny knitted characters.
Which Little Red Riding Hood characters are included?
The free pattern includes Little Red Riding Hood, Grandma, the Huntsman, Wolf and Squirrel.
Is this a good scrap yarn knitting pattern?
Yes. In fact, the designer specifically encourages using yarn from your stash. Most colors are required only in very small amounts, while some of the main colors require just 5–10 grams.
What yarn weight do I need?
Most of the characters are knitted using DK yarn, with smaller amounts of 4-ply and specialty yarn used for hair, facial details and other embellishments.
What knitting needles are used?
The pattern uses 2.75 mm double-pointed knitting needles. These are particularly useful for making the tiny i-cord pieces.
Do I need to knit the finger puppets in the round?
No. Much of the main knitting is worked flat in rows and then seamed. Double-pointed needles are also used for the small i-cord elements.
What knitting skills do I need?
It helps to be comfortable with knit and purl stitches, stocking stitch, basic increases and decreases, i-cord, sewing small knitted pieces together and simple embroidery.
Is gauge important for knitted finger puppets?
Not particularly. The pattern provides a tension of 26 stitches and 34 rows per 10 cm, but specifically states that exact tension is not essential.
Can I make different fairy tale finger puppets from the basic pattern?
The pattern itself provides instructions for these five Little Red Riding Hood characters, but once you understand the basic construction, the different clothing, hair and embroidered details could certainly provide inspiration for creating your own variations.
Where can I get the complete free finger puppet knitting pattern?
The complete Little Red Riding Hood Finger Puppet Set is available free from Clover. Use the link near the top of this page to access the original project, including the full knitting instructions and downloadable project sheet.