Turkey Tissue Dispenser – Free Crochet Pattern

Crochet Turkey Tissue Cover

If you are searching for crochet turkeys to make this fall or Thanksgiving, this free pattern for a crochet turkey has a special talent…this crochet turkey dispenses tissues! It makes a wonderful addition to your autumn home decor that is also very practical!

This crochet turkey sits on top of a square tissue box (exact sizing below), making it a wonderful Thanksgiving tissue box cover with bright, beautiful fall colors and a lovely textured (and easy) stitch. Plus, the turkey is wearing a top hat, making it perfect for fancy occasions like Thanksgiving dinner!

With this crochet turkey free pattern, you will learn how to crochet a turkey, how to make the top of the tissue box cover, the textured tissue box cover body, the turkey’s top hat and the beaks.

For the eyes, I just used googly eyes from the dollar store and attached them with a glue gun. However, you can use whatever you’d like for the eyes such as 2 small black or 2 small white buttons (and sew them on with thread). You could also use snap on eyes that are used when making stuffed animals or any other type of craft eyes.

This crochet turkey pattern is definitely one of my favorites and brings so much joy to our house!

Use the Table of Contents below to jump to any section of this pattern or keep scrolling down for all the details and the written instructions. 

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Pattern Details

Skill Level

Easy

Sizing

The pattern is designed to fit a square tissue box that measures 4.5” x 4.5” wide and 5” high. The finished size of the pattern is 5.25” x 5.25” wide and 5” high.

Gauge

4” x 4” = 13 sts and 12 rows.  Pattern for gauge (as a flat swatch with an even number of sts in a row): Each row: *Sc in next st. Dc in next st.* Repeat from * to * across. Ch 1 and turn.

Materials

Yarn: Any worsted weight / medium (4) yarn. I used Impeccable by Loops and Threads, Solid. The size is 4.5 oz / 127.5 g. A skein is 285 yd./260m. 

Exact colors I used & amount of yarn required for each (approx.):

• Brown (“Soft Taupe”): 25 yds 
• Green (“Fern”): 20 yds 
• Red (“Cherry”): 55 yds 
• Orange (“Pumpkin”): 40 yds 
• Yellow (“Sunny Day”): 45 yds 
• Black (“Black”): 5 yds

Hook: H/8 (5.00 mm) or size needed to obtain gauge and D/3 (3.25mm) for the beak. 

Other Materials: yarn needle, scissors, measuring tape, a 4.5” x 4.5” wide x 5” high square tissue box and 2 “eyes” (I used googly eyes – attached with a glue gun but you could sew on white or black buttons or use any type of craft eyes). I did not use stuffing for the top of the head but you could. 

Terminology

The pattern is written in English using standard US crochet terminology.

Abbreviations

ch = chain
st = stitch
sts = stitches 
sl st = slip stitch 
sk = skip 
sc = single crochet
hdc = half double crochet 
dc = double crochet
tr = triple / treble crochet 
sc2tog = single crochet two together
hdc2tog = half double crochet two together 
RS = right side
WS = wrong side 
BLO = back loops only 

Pattern Notes

• The pattern is worked from the top down. It is worked in the round. The instructions will state whether or not to turn after a round. 
• Always work into the 1st st (the st attached to the chain). If the instructions for the first st of the round say “next st,” work into the first st (the st attached to the chain).
• Chains never count as stitches. 
• Change colors when instructed by placing the new color on your hook and pulling the new color through the loop of your current color.

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Pattern Instructions

Turkey Head

Start: With H/8 (5.00 mm) hook and brown yarn, make a Magic Ring/Circle. 

Round 1: Make 10 hdc into the Magic Ring. Pull end of Magic Ring tight to close. (10 sts). Sl st into top of 1st hdc to join. 

Round 2: Ch 1. Do not turn. 2 hdc in each st around. (20 sts). Sl st into top of 1st hdc to join.

Round 3: Ch 1. Do not turn. Hdc in each st around. (20 sts). Sl st into top of 1st hdc to join.

Rounds 4 & 5: Repeat Round 3. 

Round 6: Ch 1. Do not turn. Hdc in next 7 sts. Ch 6. Sk next 6 sts. Hdc in last 7 sts. (14 hdc made + 6 chains – not including the ch 1 at the beginning). Sl st into top of 1st hdc to join.

Round 7: Ch 1. Do not turn. Note: when you get to the chains (from the ch 6 from the previous round, work into each ch as you would for regular sts). *Hdc2tog. Hdc in the next 3 sts.* Repeat from * to * around. (16 sts). Sl st into top of 1st hdc to join.

Round 8: Ch 1. Do not turn. *Hdc2tog. Hdc in the next 3 sts.* Repeat from * to * around until there is 1 st left. In last st, hdc. (13 sts). Sl st into top of 1st hdc to join.

Round 9: Ch 1. Do not turn. *2 hdc in next st. Hdc in next 3 sts.* Repeat from * to * around until there is 1 st left. In last st, hdc. (16 sts). Sl st into top of 1st hdc to join.

Round 10: Ch 1. Do not turn. *2 hdc in next st. Hdc in next 3 sts.* Repeat from * to * around. (20 sts). Sl st into top of 1st hdc to join.

Round 11: Ch 1. Do not turn. *2 hdc in BLO of next st. Hdc in BLO of next st.* Repeat from * to * around. (30 sts). Sl st into both loops of the top of the 1st hdc to join. Do not fasten off. 

After Round 11, bottom circle of Turkey Head from end to end should measure approx. 3.25” across. 

Top of Tissue Box

Round 12: Change colors: attach green yarn and fasten off brown yarn. With green, ch 1. Do not turn. *In the next st, 3 dc in same st. Hdc in next 2 sts. Sc in next 3 sts. In the next st, 2 hdc in same st. In the next st, 3 dc in same st. Hdc in next 2 sts. Sc in next 3 sts. Hdc in next 2 sts.* Repeat from * to * (completing the instructions a total of 2 times). (40 sts). Sl st into top of 1st dc to join. 

Round 13: Ch 1. Do not turn. Hdc in each st around, making 3 dc in each corner st. (48 sts). Sl st into top of 1st hdc to join.

After Round 13, square should measure approx. 4” x 4”

Round 14: Ch 2. Do not turn. Dc in each st around, making 5 dc in each corner st. (64 sts). Sl st into top of 1st dc to join.

After Round 14, square should measure approx. 5.25” x 5.25”

Round 15: Ch 1. Do not turn. Sc in the BLO of each st around. (64 sts). Sl st into both loops of the top of the 1st sc to join. Do not fasten off. 

Tissue Box Body

Round 16 (RS): Change colors: attach red and fasten off green. With red, ch 1. Do not turn. *Sc in next st. Dc in next st.* Repeat from * to * around. (64 sts). Sl st into the top of the 1st sc to join.

Note: You will now turn at the start of each round. On Right Side (RS) rounds, the outside of your work will be facing you. On Wrong Side (WS) Rounds, the inside of your work will be facing you.

Round 17 (WS): Ch 1 and turn. Sk the st attached to the chain. Sc in next st (the top of the dc from the previous round). Dc in next st (the top of the sc from the previous round). *Sc in next st. Dc in next st.* Repeat from * to * around. (64 sts). Sl st into the top of the 1st sc to join.

Round 18 (RS): Change colors: attach orange yarn. You can leave red yarn hanging along the inside of your work. With orange, repeat Round 17.

Round 19 (WS): Repeat Round 17. 

After Round 19, height (measured from the start of Round 16/top of red) should measure approx. 1.75” 

Round 20 (RS): Change colors: attach yellow yarn. You can leave orange yarn hanging along the inside of your work. With yellow, repeat Round 17. 

Round 21 (WS): Repeat Round 17. 

After Round 21, height (measured from the start of Round 16/top of red) should measure approx. 2.25”

Round 22 (RS): Change colors: attach red. You can leave yellow hanging along the inside of your work. With red, repeat Round 17. 

Round 23 (WS): Repeat Round 17. 

Round 24 (RS): Change colors: attach orange yarn. You can leave red yarn hanging along the inside of your work. With orange, repeat Round 17.

Round 25 (WS): Repeat Round 17. 

After Round 25, height (measured from the start of Round 16/top of red) should measure approx. 3.5”

Round 26 (RS): Change colors: attach yellow yarn. Fasten off orange. With yellow, repeat Round 17. 

Round 27 (WS): Repeat Round 17. 

Round 28 (RS): Change colors: attach red. Fasten off yellow. With red, repeat Round 17. 

Round 29 (WS): Repeat Round 17. 

After Round 29, height (measured from the start of Round 16/top of red) should measure approx. 5”

Fasten off and weave in all loose ends. 

Feather Base

Start: With H/8 (5.00 mm) hook and brown yarn, make a Magic Ring/Circle.

Row 1 (RS): Make 7 hdc into the Magic Ring. Pull end of Magic Ring tight to close. (7 sts). Do not join. Do not fasten off. 

Feathers 

Feather Colors: 1st is red, 2nd is orange, 3rd is yellow, 4th is red, 5th is orange, 6th is yellow and 7th is red.

Row 2 (WS): 

1st Feather: Attach red. Fasten off brown. With red, ch 1 and turn. Sc in the 1st st (the top of the last hdc completed in the base). Ch 13. In the 4th ch from hook, tr. Tr again in the same st. Dc in the next 9 sts. (11 sts made – 2 tr sts and 9 dc sts). Sl st into the same st on the base. 

Follow the instructions below for the remaining 6 feathers.

Remaining Feathers (see pics below for visuals): *Attach next feather color. Fasten off previous feather color. Sc in next st on the base. Ch 1 and turn. Working up into the previous feather’s sts, sc into the 1st st of the previous feather (the top of the last st made, not the st attached to the chain).  Sc in the next 9 sts (10 sc). Ch 3 and turn. Working down, make 2 tr into the 1st st (the st attached to the ch 3). Hdc in next 9 sts. (11 sts made – 2 tr sts and 9 hdc sts). Sl st into the same st on the base.*

Repeat from * to * until a total of 7 feathers are made. After completing the 7th feather, fasten off. 

Attaching the Feathers 

Using a brown tail from your base, attach the WS of the base to the back of the turkey head, right above where the turkey head becomes flat. Use the tails of the five middle feathers to attach them to the back of the turkey head, no higher than 1” from the base. Weave in all loose ends. 

Top Hat

Start: With H/8 (5.00 mm) hook and black yarn, make a Magic Ring/Circle. 

Round 1: Make 10 sc into the Magic Ring. Pull end of Magic Ring tight to close. (10 sts). Sl st into top of 1st sc to join. 

Round 2: Ch 1. Do not turn. Sc in the BLO of each st around. (10 sts). Sl st into both loops of the top of the 1st sc to join. 

Round 3: Ch 1. Do not turn. Sc in each st around. (10 sts). Sl st into the top of the 1st sc to join. 

Round 4: Repeat Round 3. 

Round 5 (Hat Brim): Ch 2. Make 2 hdc in the BLO of each st around. (20 sts). Sl st into both loops of the top of the 1st hdc to join. 

Leave a 12” tail and fasten off. Weave in the starting tail. 

Using the ending tail, attach the hat to the top of the Turkey Head, slightly off center by weaving the yarn in and out around Round 4 (not the hat brim). Weave in all loose ends. 

Beak

Start: Using yellow yarn and a D/3 (3.25mm) hook, leave a 12” starting tail and ch 7. 

Row 1 (RS): In the 2nd chain from hook sc. Sc in each st across. (6 sts).

Row 2 (WS): Ch 1 and turn. Sc2tog. Sc in next 2 sts. Sc2tog. (4 sts).

Row 3 (RS): Ch 1 and turn. Sc2tog. Sc2tog. (2 sts). 

Row 4 (WS): Ch 1 and turn. Sc2tog. (1 st)

Fasten off and weave in the ending tail. If you notice a gap created by the sc2tog sts, you can use the ending tail to help close the gap. 

Make two beaks. 

Using a yarn needle and the starting tails, sew one beak to the top (RS facing up) and one beak to the bottom (RS facing down) of Turkey Head’s mouth opening (in the center). 

Eyes

Use a glue gun to glue on googly eyes or use craft eyes or sew on white or black buttons as eyes. 

That’s it! Now you have a new crochet turkey tissue dispenser / tissue box cover! 

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