Father’s Day is around the corner and we all celebrate in different ways. My family’s celebration usually consists of a special lunch and spoiling my dad with a few gifts.This year, I wanted to crochet my dad’s Father’s Day gift.
I scoured the internet looking for crochet patterns, but it was so difficult to find patterns for men that did not include hats, scarves, blankets or sweaters! It took time, but I did narrow down the crochet patterns for Father’s Day into 5 categories: cards, trinkets, valet trays, toiletry bags, and slippers.
All of the crochet patterns within these categories are practical and useful gifts for dad, something that dad would actually want (or at least use). Not to mention, they are all quick to work up, making this a great list for last minute crochet Father’s Day gifts. I invite you to take a look and let me know which patterns you are interested in!
1. Card
Cards are the most fundamental gift. They are great because you can personalize the card and give it as is, fill it with a gift card (or something of the like), or adorn the top of a gift. They fit every budget, don’t take long to make, and make great keep sakes for dad.
Pro Tips: Think of an item that symbolizes your relationship with dad, that describes his favorite hobby, or that represents a memory you share. Then google for “free crochet applique patterns” for the item you chose. Crochet the item, draw on the card if desired, and glue the crochet applique onto the card. Color (or not). Write a sweet note inside and give on Father’s Day.
Cards are usually what I start with, as they are the easiest for me to make and they get my creativity flowing. This Father’s Day was no exception.
I chose to crochet a fish and the pattern I chose can be found on the blog Jenny and Teddy (it was so easy!). Next, I found an image on Google (click the link to view) of the scene I wanted to create. I copied the image onto cardstock paper, colored the scene, then glued the fish into the proper place. Altogether, it created a scene where father and daughter are comparing their catch on their fishing poles. Take a look below to see the actual card I am gifting my dad.
We try to go on a trip together every summer along with the other members of my family that want to join. Often, we end up in the mountains of Colorado camping. And we like to fish for a couple of days, thus the scene on my card. I have loads of memories with my dad, including last year when we caught like 11 fish total (shh don’t tell…), but threw them all back. It was the most fun I ever had fishing!
My hope is that when my dad sees the card, all of the good memories from camping and fishing will come to him. This is one of the ways that I can show my love and thanks to him for being the best dad I could’ve asked for. And my hope is the same for you, whatever you choose to crochet and put onto a card!
2. Trinkets
For the category of “Trinkets”, I include magnets and keychains. Both items are great last minute Father’s Day gifts because they are easy, take little time, and use up scrap yarn.
Like in the previous category, look for a crochet applique or amigurumi patterns that remind you of your dad. Crochet the item. Then either glue the item onto a magnet, or attach a keychain to the top. It would make a really cute and simple gift.
I was also thinking that magnets could be gifted with a few pictures of the family. This way the whole family can be displayed on the fridge. I just like the idea of crocheting a little something and pairing it with other items and gifting as a set.
Now, I got really silly with this idea…
I had a thought that I could crochet my dad a poop emoji keychain (find the pattern I used here). Hear me out! First of all, I thought that I could write “Dad, you’re the s**t” inside of his Father’s Day card as a joke. I don’t take credit for that, I probably saw that somewhere on Pinterest. But secondly, I call my dad “cowpatty”. I promise it is a term of endearment! If you are curious, I explain in more detail the exact reason I call him that in the video I made for this post.
3. Valet Tray
Next up on the list is valet trays. These are small trays/bowls that are designed to hold the items that a person may carry in their pockets. I got this idea because of my dad. Every day when he gets home, he empties out his pockets onto the same spot of the bar. However, he has nothing to hold the items.
Valet trays are decorative, yet functional which makes them extremely versatile. Another reason they are a great gift idea. If dad wouldn’t use it as a catchall, he could use it in the bathroom, on the bed side table, on a desk, or on a shelf. The choice is up to him!
When you gift this to dad, remember to add a few of his favorite things. Gift cards would fit nicely, cigars, candy, etc.
I found a few valet tray crochet patterns that might be of interest to you. Take a look below!
The Valet by Debrosse
Technically, this pattern is a DIY not crochet. BUT, I put it on here because this was the first pattern I immediately thought of when valet trays were brought up. It’s simple, sleek, and very neutral. I think this would be a great choice if you are looking for a fast and easy Father’s Day gift.
Find the pattern on the Debrosse website (or click on the photo).
Easy Market Valet Tray by Jill Forrester
These circular valet trays are the perfect size for holding smaller items such as keys, change, jewelry, and paperclips. There are 3 sizes of baskets included and they look very sturdy. The crochet pattern is beginner level and will work up very quickly because of it’s size and the bulky yarn used. Again, this would be a good last minute gift to crochet for Father’s Day.
The pattern can be found on Love Crafts here or click on the photo.
Square Basket Made of Jute by 88 Klubkov
This particular pattern is bigger than a valet tray, although the size could always be modified, so I was thinking this would be more of a gift basket. It is neutral though and a good size, so dad could use it to organize items and keep on a shelf in his office or in the closet. Or tell him the basket was for transportation and keep it for yourself! Ha, I won’t tell…
The best part of this pattern is that it looks like so much crochet, but only the sides are crocheted. The bottom is a wooden base with holes along the side that you crochet into on the foundation row. The following rows are then crocheted on top, which gives it height and the handles are added as you go.This is a really cool technique that I have yet to try myself.
The jute basket is a pattern from a Russian YouTube channel, so subtitles were necessary for me. The host is very easy to follow, so in conjunction with subtitles, I found the tutorial fairly easy. I would say it is probably easier for someone with a background in crochet, but I don’t want to discourage anyone interested in this pattern. It is totally doable! I have the tutorial linked below!
4. Toiletry Bag
Toiletry bags were items that I thought of because my dad used to travel a lot with his previous jobs. I was picturing a felted bag with a zipper and a small leather strap in the front (just Google men’s toiletry bag to know what I mean). I searched for crochet patterns and found a couple, but I never found a pattern that was exactly what I wanted because none of them were felted.
Cube Crochet Toiletry Bag by Creativa Atelier
Hear me out, this toiletry bag looks super girly, but the pattern is pretty neutral. All you would need is to choose a more neutral pallette or a solid color. The design is so creative. You crochet a really odd shape, then sew it together and add a zipper. The blog post has really instructional photographs and charts to help with the written instructions. Check out the free pattern on the blog Creativa Atelier.
Aunt Lydia’s Makeup Bag
Again, this was obviously designed with females in mind to hold all their cosmetic items. However, with the right color choice, this would also make a great toiletry bag for a male. It is the traditional oblong shape with a zipper. This pattern is also free from Yarnspirations which you can grab from here.
5. Slippers
The last category on this list is slippers. I understand that Father’s Day is in June and it’s summer time where I live. But house shoes are still practical in the summer. My parents have tile floors in their house and that is cold to the touch no matter what time of year it is. Plus, tile and non-carpeted floors are hard to keep clean 24/7. For those 2 reasons, I think that slippers are still a great gift for Father’s Day.
Pro tip: gift slippers together with a gift certificate for a massage. Because that is what my dad would enjoy 🙂
Crochet slippers or house shoes are not hard to come by if you search online. But I wanted to highlight a few that caught my eye.
Saturday Slippers by Make & Do Crew
These slippers look so easy to make. It uses a super bulky yarn which means they will work up quickly and they use only simple stitches. The pattern is free on their blog and there is even a little promotional video showing you an overview of the process for making them.
While I haven’t crocheted these slippers, I have made another pair by this blog. You can see me show them off in my Crochet Stashbusting Project Ideas video. I can attest that their patterns are written clearly and it is possible to achieve what is pictured.
Slipper Clogs
Now these slippers look like the comfiest things ever. I want to make myself a pair actually! And, if you ask me, they look store bought, which means dad will be impressed that you made them. I must say I have not purchased this pattern, so I cannot speak from experience, but the ratings were overwhelmingly 5 stars. You can access the crochet pattern from the Etsy shop PDFPatternDesign.
Converse Slippers
Converse slippers would make the cutest gift for a new dad. You can crochet dad and baby a matching pair and have a cute photoshoot for Father’s Day. I got this idea from the numerous t-shirts and onesies floating around for sale that are meant to be a cute way to match with father and baby. For example, there are shirts that say “papa bear” and “baby bear”.
Again, there are a lot of converse slipper patterns out there. Some are free, some are not. I found this really great looking pair from an Etsy shop called Crochetmilie. They are adult sized. Now, I haven’t purchased this pattern so I can’t vouch for it. But there are many 5 star ratings for the pattern suggesting that they loved the pattern.
