I present to you my first-ever free amigurumi crochet pattern.
Percy Bear is an inquisitive soul with a gentle nature and a kind heart. His stitches and patches are a testament to the many adventures that he has been on. He’s ready for one final adventure, to become your best friend and live out his days by your side.
Over the years I have enjoyed making many kinds of crochet creations. From big, chunky, warm and comforting blankets to ultra fine, delicate, elegant thread doilies, and everything in between; toys, jumpers, scarves, baskets, I’ll give anything crochet a try at least once.
But no matter what I crocheted, I kept coming back to toys; stuffed figures that I enjoyed bringing to life. Only I couldn’t really call them toys because they were for me, and I was a grown up! So what could I call them? Stuffed animals? Soft figurines? It was several months before I discovered a new word for them, “amigurumi”. I loved the word, it sounded so exotic and special. It told the insecure 20-something me that it was ok to continue to make and keep them and so my collection grew. I made loads for family and friends, yet for everyone that I gave away, I made another one for me to keep. And I was rapidly running out of space!
I came up with a brainwave! I couldn’t grow my house but I could shrink my creations. And so my miniature range of amigurumi came to life.
This is the first original amigurumi that I created. Strictly speaking this is Percy Bear Version Two. It was a steep learning curve learning how to shrink my creations and although I love the first bear I created, I learnt much from the progress and put all the improvements into the pattern I give to you now.
Below is my free amigurumi crochet pattern for you. An ad-free printer-friendly version of this pattern can be purchased.
This is an easy pattern suitable for those that have practised the basics of crochet and are ready for their next project. There is no set gauge for this pattern, however the finished size should be approximately 10-13 cm standing. Here is what you will need:
Materials
- You can use any DK or light weight yarn. I used the following acrylic yarn. You don’t need much, I needed less than 50g of each colour.
- Stylecraft Special Double Knit in Pistachio (yarn A)
- Stylecraft Special Double Knit in Buttermilk (yarn B)
- Patons Smoothie DK in black (approx 250 cm)
- Polyester stuffing
- 2.5mm crochet hook
- Yarn needle and long sewing needle
- Stitch marker or scrap piece of yarn
- Sewing pins to position the limbs before attaching (optional)
- Four 6mm buttons (optional)
- Upholstery thread (optional)
- Two washers approx. 2cm in diameter (optional – you can also use two one-cent coins or pennies)
Special Techniques
This pattern uses a magic adjustable ring to start. It also uses invisible decreases.
Invisible decrease: insert hook into the front loops of the next 2 stitches, yarn over, pull through the first 2 loops of the hook, yarn over, pull through the final 2 loops on the hook. This counts as 1 sc.
Notes
- I have used US crochet stitch terms for this post. Check out Tutorials & Resources in the main menu for a US to UK stitch conversion guide. The PDF version has both US and UK instructions.
- Unless the patterns specifies, work in continuous (spiral) rounds with the right side facing you at all times. Do not turn or join at end of each round unless the pattern says to do so. I find it handy to use a stitch marker or scrap piece of yarn to mark the beginning of each round and move marker up as each round is complete.
- Keep your stitches tight to produce a solid looking fabric. You don’t want gaps between your stitches.
- When you add the stuffing, you do not want to overstuff to the point that the stuffing is visible.
- To change colour, work the last stitch of old colour to the last yarn over. Yarn over with new colour and draw through all loops on hook to complete stitch. You can then continue with new colour. Knot and trim loose ends on the inside of the crochet fabric to hide the join.
Safety Caution
If you are making this as a gift for younger children DO NOT weight the feet or use buttons to joint the limbs. Please instead securely sew the arms and legs to the body.
Head
Make one.
With yarn A, make 2 ch, work 8 sc in 2nd ch from hook. (8 sts, do not include the 1st ch in the stitch count)
Round 1. 2 sc in each sc to end. (16 sts)
Round 2. 1 sc in BL of each sc to end. (16 sts)
Round 3. 1 sc in each sc to end. (16 sts)
Round 4. *2 sc in FL of next sc, 1 sc in FL of next sc; rep from * to end. (24 sts)
Round 5-6. 1 sc in each sc to end. (24 sts)
Round 7. *1 ch, 1 dc in FL of next sc, 1 ch, 3 tr in FL of next sc, 1 ch, 1 dc in FL of next sc, 1 ch, 1 sc in each of the next 5 sc; rep from * 1 time, 1 sc in each of the next 8 sc. (24 sts, do not include the ear stitches in the stitch count, instead count the sc and the BLs of the sc that were crocheted into).
Round 8. 1 sc in each of the 3 BLs behind the ear, 1 sc in each of next 5 sc, 1 sc in each of the 3 BLs behind the ear, 1 sc in each of next 13 sc. (24 sts).
Round 9. 1 sc in each sc to end. (24 sts)
Round 10. *1 sc in each of next 2 sc, inv dec; rep from * to end. (18 sts)
Round 11. *1 sc in next sc, inv dec; rep from * to end. (12 sts)
Stuff firmly.
Round 12. inv dec 5 times. (5 sts, leave the last 2sts unworked)
Fasten off, leaving a long tail. Use tail to close hole, weave in ends.
Body
Make one.
With yarn A, work 7 sc into a magic adjustable ring. Pull tail to close.
Round 1. *2 sc in next sc, 1 sc in next sc; rep from *2 times, 2 sc in next sc. (11 sts)
Round 2. *1 sc in next sc, 2 sc in next sc; rep from *4 times, 1 sc in next sc. (16 sts)
Round 3-4. 1 sc in each sc to end. (16 sts)
Round 5. *1 sc in each of next 3 sc, 2 sc in next sc; rep from * to end. (20 sts)
Round 6. 1 sc in each sc to end. (20 sts)
Round 7. *1 sc in next sc, 2 sc in next sc; rep from * to end. (30 sts)
Round 8. 1 sc in each sc to end. (30 sts)
Round 9. 1 sc in each of next 18 sc, *1 sc in next sc, 2 sc in next sc; rep from * to end. (36 sts)
Round 10. *1 sc in next sc, inv dec; rep from * to end. (24 sts)
Round 11. *1 sc in next sc, inv dec; rep from * to end. (16 sts)
Stuff firmly.
Round 12. inv dec to end. (8 sts)
Round 13. inv dec once. (1 st)
Fasten off, leaving a long tail. Use tail to close hole, weave in ends.
Leg
Make two.
With yarn B, work 6 sc into a magic adjustable ring. Pull tail to close.
Round 1. 2 sc in each sc to end. (12 sts)
Round 2. *2 sc in next sc, 1 sc in next sc; rep from * to end, finish last st with yarn A. (18 sts)
Round 3. With yarn A, work 1 sc in BL of each sc to end. (18 sts)
Round 4. 1 sc in each sc to end. (18 sts)
If weighting the feet, insert the coin or washer into the base of the foot (DO NOT weight the feet if making for younger children).
Round 5. 1 sc in each of next 6 sc, inv dec to end. (12 sts)
Round 6. 1 sc in each of next 6 sc, inv dec to end. (9 sts)
Round 7-8. 1 sc in each sc to end. (9 sts)
Stuff firmly. Do not continue to stuff the leg.
Round 9-10. 1 sc in each sc to end. (9 sts)
Round 11. Flatten the leg together and close with 1 sc in each of next 3 sc going through both sides. (3 sts).
Fasten off, weave in ends.
Arm
Make two.
With yarn A, work 6 sc into a magic adjustable ring. Pull tail to close.
Round 1. 2 sc in each sc to end. (12 sts)
Round 2. 1 sc in each sc to end. (12 sts)
Round 3. *1 sc in next sc, inv dec; rep from * to end. (8 sts)
Round 4-9. 1 sc in each sc to end. (8 sts)
Stuff lightly.
Round 10. Flatten the arm together and close with 1 sc in each of next 3 sc going through both sides. (3 sts). See photo above.
Fasten off, weave in ends.
Patch for Body
Make one.
With yarn B, make 4 ch.
Row 1. 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook, 1 sc in each ch to end of row, 1 ch, turn. (3 sts, do not include ch sts in stitch count)
Row 2. 1 sc in each sc to end, 1 ch, turn. (3 sts, do not include 1 ch in stitch count)
Row 3. 1 sc in each sc to end. (3 sts)
Fasten off, leaving a long tail. Use tail to sew patch to body. Weave in ends.
Patch for Head
Make one.
With yarn B, make 4 ch.
Row 1. 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook, 1 sc in each ch to end of row, 1 ch, turn. (3 sts, do not include ch sts in stitch count)
Row 2. 1 sc in each sc to end. (3 sts)
Fasten off, leaving a long tail. Use tail to sew patch to body. Weave in ends.
Assembly
1. Attach head to body using matching yarn. The front of the body is identifiable by the little tubby belly.
2. Attach arms and legs using matching yarn. For movable limbs attach by button jointing.
SAFETY CAUTION. If making for younger children DO NOT make with buttons, instead securely sew the arms and legs to the body.
3. Embroider on the face (following the tutorial below).
4. Sew on the patches. The body patch goes over the heart, and the head patch goes behind one of the ears. Then use the long tail from the patch to securely sew it on. Cut approx 50 cm of the black yarn and separate it into the individual strands. Use one strand to sew around the patches to give the appearance of little repair stitches. Additional stitches can be sewn on to give the impression of additional repair.
Face – Eyes and Eyebrows
Placement: The eyes are one stitch wide. There is a space of two stitches in between the eyes. The eyebrows are directly above the eyes and are two stitches wide. The nose is an upside-down triangle with the bottom point in the centre of the muzzle.
1. Thread the black yarn (approx. 100 cm) through yarn needle, line both ends of the thread up to sew using doubled thread.
2. Insert the needle into the bottom of the face. Bring the needle out to where the first eye will go.
3. Sew across the stitch four times to make the eye, then carry thread under face to the next eye.
4. Sew across the stitch four times to make the next eye, then carry thread under face to the start of the first eyebrow.
5. Sew the eyebrows on.
6. Thread the needle back through the face, bringing it out exactly in the same place where the needle was first inserted.
7. Knot both parts of the yarn securely. Fasten off and hide loose ends within the head.
Face – Nose
1. Thread the black yarn (approx. 100 cm) through yarn needle, line both ends of the thread up to sew using doubled thread.
2. Insert the needle into the bottom of the face. Bring the needle out to the centre of the muzzle.
3. Sew an upside-down triangle for the nose. Embroider the nose on carefully, ensuring the yarn remains flat.
4. To sew the mouth, push the yarn into the centre of the muzzle and bring the needle out directly underneath at the bottom of the muzzle. Then insert the needle back into the centre of the muzzle, bringing it out exactly in the same place where the needle was first inserted.
5. Knot both parts of the yarn securely. Fasten off and hide loose ends within the head.
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And there you go, I hope you enjoy making your own Percy Bear using this free crochet amigurumi pattern. Why not make two? One for a loved one and one to start your own miniature amigurumi collection. Why not check out these other free patterns to add to your new collection.
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