Free Animal Amigurumi

A few months ago I designed a set of six animal patterns for LoveCrochet. This is a site that started off selling yarn but now also sells patterns (you'll find most of mine on there), and has now started selling their own brands of yarn. One of those is Paintbox, which comes in a really good range of colours. I used the Simply DK for these animals, which is an acrylic yarn perfect for amigurumi, but they also have acrylic yarn in aran and chunky weights, and cotton DK yarn.

I designed the animals to be (hopefully) cute and cuddly, and fairly simple for anyone new to making amigurumi. They include Zachary the Frog, Alfie the Duckling, Amelie the Mouse, Jamie the Kitten, Sam the Puppy and Tilly the Piglet. They're all free for you to download at LoveCrochet, just click on the name to go straight to the pattern.

Yarn party, and ideas for Christmas

A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to be invited along to LoveKnitting/LoveCrochet's Flock launch party, a get together for various craft bloggers. You can find more information about it here, but basically it was a great chance to meet the lovely people at LoveKnitting and other designers and bloggers - a real treat for someone who works at home, getting to chat to people who love crochet and knitting. Oh, and there was lots of prosecco!

That's me, checking out all the lovely yarn samples, chatting about crochet, and drinking prosecco!

I've been impressed with LoveKnitting as a company - they sell yarn and all the accessories you need to knit or crochet, but they also sell patterns, (you can find all of mine on there, just search for 'Lucy Collin') and now they've produced their own range of yarn, Paintbox.

Paintbox comes in acrylic DK, aran and chunky, and cotton DK, and all of them in a really good range of colours that makes them perfect for making amigurumi. If you want to try out the acrylic DK they are currently selling an advent calendar with a 10g ball of yarn behind each window (get it here in the sale that ends tonight). They had jars full of these tiny balls at the party, and I think everyone who saw them immediately squealed with happiness at seeing them, they look so cute! They very kindly let me have some to try out, and I really like the feel of the yarn for making amigurumi, soft and smooth.

The cute little mini balls with a 100g ball for comparison

You might be wondering what on earth you can make with such tiny balls of yarn, but apart from the free patterns you get with the advent calendar, I've got loads of free patterns here that would be perfect. There's a full list of my free patterns on the right, but here are a few that you will be able to make with one of those tiny 10g balls, with some of them you'd only use half of one, or even less. Of course, you could just use any scraps of yarn that you have.

Since the point of an advent calendar is to lead up to Christmas, any of my Christmas amigurumi patterns would be perfect to make as decorations, including my Little Christmas Mouse, Tiny Crochet Penguin, Mini Snowman, Tiny Christmas Robin and Mini Father Christmas.

Other cute little things to make, maybe as stocking fillers, would be my mini Teddies, Frogs, Monkeys, Octopuses, Elephants and Turtles.

Hopefully these little things will be quick and easy to make in the 24 days before Christmas. Have fun!

Little Pumpkin Mice - free amigurumi pattern

I made Little Kissing Mice for Valentine's Day and a Little Christmas Mouse for (you've guessed it!) Christmas, so now that autumn is here I thought it would be fun to make some Pumpkin Mice.

I’m not sure if these mice have eaten their way through tiny pumpkins or if they’re wearing little costumes but either way they’re cute, and they make perfect decorations for autumn and Halloween.

Abbreviations:

ch = chain

st = stitch or stitches

ss = slipstitch

sc = single crochet (US), double crochet (UK)

dc = double crochet (US), treble crochet (UK)

tog = together

sc2tog = decrease by working two sc together

FLO = work in front loop only

FO = fasten off

Approximate size: 5cm/2" long without tail.

General instructions:

Work in rounds unless otherwise stated and do not join rounds unless told to. Use a stitch marker to mark the start of a round - a small piece of different coloured yarn placed under the stitch at the start of the round will do. To start a round, you can use the magic ring method, but I prefer to ch 2, and work the appropriate number of sc into 1^st ch. If you work the sc over the tail of yarn as well you can use that to pull the hole tight.

When changing from one colour of yarn to another work the stitch before the change until there are two loops left on the hook. Then use the new colour for the final yarn over hook and pull through.

Stuff as you go along.

Work through both loops of stitches unless otherwise indicated.

You will need:

Small amounts of yarn in a natural colour for the head and tail, and orange for the pumpkin, double knitting or worsted weight.

Small amounts of black yarn to embroider eyes.

Small amount of stuffing.

3.5mm (E) hook.

Tapestry needle.

Start with natural colour yarn.

Round 1: Ch 2, work 4 sc into 1^st ch - 4 st.
Round 2: [2 sc in next st, sc in next st] 2 times - 6 st.

Round 3: [2 sc in next st, sc in next 2 st] 2 times - 8 st.

Round 4: [2 sc in next st, sc in next 3 st] 2 times - 10 st.

Round 5: Sc in each st around – 10 st.

Round 6: [2 sc in next st, sc in next 4 st] 2 times - 12 st.

Round 7: Sc in next 6 st, [ear, in FLO of next st: ss, ch 2, 5 dc, ch 2, ss], sc in next 3 st, [ear as before], sc in next st – 12 st (counting each ear as one st).

Round 8: Sc in next 2 st, 2 sc in next st, sc in next 3 st, sc in back loop behind ear, sc in next st, sc2tog, sc in back loop behind ear, sc in next st – 12 st.

Change to orange yarn.

Round 9: [2 sc in next st] 6 times, sc in next 6 st – 18 st.

Round 10: [2 sc in next st, sc in next 5 st] 3 times – 21 st.

Round 11 - 16: (6 rounds) Sc in each st around – 21 st.

Round 17: [Sc2tog, sc in next 5 st] 2 times, sc2tog, sc in next 3 st, change to natural colour yarn, [tail: ss in next st, ch 20, miss ch next to hook, ss 19, ss back into original st and change back to orange yarn], sc in next st – 18 st.

Round 18: Sc2tog 2 times, sc in next 6 st, sc2tog 4 times – 12 st.

Round 19: Sc2tog 6 times – 6 st.

FO, leaving a length of yarn about 15”/40 cm long. Finish stuffing and use black yarn to sew eyes. Using the length of yarn, sew up the bottom of the mouse neatly. Then sew six lines evenly spaced around the pumpkin, from the neck down to the bottom (the bottom point shouldn’t be the hole you sewed up, just a little in front of that will be better and will make the mouse sit up properly). Pull each line through tightly so your mouse has a flat base.

Little Christmas Mouse - free pattern

My next free pattern for Christmas is a slight variation on my Little Kissing Mice pattern, so you can make a cute little mouse with a Christmassy red and green stripy sweater. You can add a loop so you can hang it on your Christmas tree, give it as a sweet little stocking filler, or fill it with catnip as a present for your cat.
 

Abbreviations:

ch = chain
st = stitch or stitches
ss = slipstitch
sc = single crochet (US), double crochet (UK)
dc = double crochet (US), treble crochet (UK)
tog = together
sc2tog = decrease by working two sc together
FLO = work in front loop only
FO = fasten off

Approximate size: 5cm/2" long without tail.

General instructions:

Work in rounds unless otherwise stated and do not join rounds unless told to. Use a stitch marker to mark the start of a round - a small piece of different coloured yarn placed under the stitch at the start of the round will do. To start a round, you can use the magic ring method, but I prefer to ch 2, and work the appropriate number of sc into 1^st ch. If you work the sc over the tail of yarn as well you can use that to pull the hole tight.

When changing from one colour of yarn to another work the stitch before the change until there are two loops left on the hook. Then use the new colour for the final yarn over hook and pull through.

Work through both loops of stitches unless otherwise indicated.

You will need:

Small amounts of double knitting or worsted weight yarn:
A natural fur colour for the head and tail.
Two colours of yarn, such as red and green, for the body.
Small amount of black yarn to embroider eyes.
Small length of cotton yarn.
Small amount of stuffing.
3.5mm (E) hook.
Tapestry needle.

Pattern:
 Start with natural fur colour yarn.
Round 1: Ch 2, work 4 sc into 1^st ch - 4 st.
Round 2: [2 sc in next st, sc in next st] 2 times - 6 st.
Round 3: [2 sc in next st, sc in next 2 st] 2 times - 8 st.
Round 4: [2 sc in next st, sc in next 3 st] 2 times - 10 st.
Round 5: Sc in each st around – 10 st.
Round 6: [2 sc in next st, sc in next 4 st] 2 times - 12 st.
Round 7: Sc in next 6 st, [ear, in FLO of next st: ss, ch 2, 5 dc, ch 2, ss], sc in next 3 st, [ear as before], sc in next st – 12 st (counting each ear as one st).
Round 8: Sc in each st around, working into the back loop behind each ear – 12 st.
Stuff head and use black yarn to sew eyes.
Change to first yarn colour for body.
Round 9: [2 sc in next st, sc in next st] 3 times, sc in next 6 st – 15 st.
Round 10: [2 sc in next st, sc in next 4 st] 3 times – 18 st.
Change to second yarn colour for body.
Round 11: Sc in each st around – 18 st.
Change to first yarn colour for body.
Round 12: [Sc in next 2 st, 2 sc in next st, sc in next 3 st] 3 times – 21 st.
Change to second yarn colour for body.
Round 13: Sc in each st around – 21 st.
Change to first yarn colour for body.
Round 14 - 15: (2 rounds) Sc in each st around – 21 st.
Change to natural fur colour yarn.
Round 16: [Sc2tog, sc in next 5 st] 2 times, sc2tog, sc in next 2 st, [tail: ss in next st, ch 20, miss ch next to hook, ss 19, ss back into original st], sc in next 2 st – 18 st.
Round 17: Sc2tog 2 times, sc in next 6 st, sc2tog 4 times – 12 st.
Round 18: Sc2tog 6 times – 6 st.
FO, leaving a length of yarn. Using cotton yarn, sew a loop behind the head if you want to hang your mouse as a decoration. Finish stuffing and sew up bottom of mouse neatly - if you stuff the body well it will sit up nicely.

Another simple idea for a little tree decoration is to make one of my Little Teddies using white yarn and give it a red scarf.

For more Christmas crochet ideas, I also have a Chubby Gnome pattern in my Etsy shop which includes instructions to make these Christmas characters - a cute little Santa and Elf.

If you especially love mice and would like to make some slightly larger ones, try my Wee Mousie pattern.

Keep an eye out here and on my Facebook page as I'll be posting four totally new mini Christmas patterns.

Little Kissing Mice - free amigurumi pattern

Here’s a pattern to make a pair of sweet little mice that just love to kiss, perfect to make for Valentine's Day. They are made all in one, with no separate parts to sew on, so they are quick and easy to crochet. Make them in any colours you like, you can make them totally in a natural fur colour if you want, or choose any colour for their bodies. They will sit upright on their own, but they like snuggling up to each other even more.

 

Abbreviations:

ch = chain

st = stitch or stitches

ss = slipstitch

sc = single crochet (US), double crochet (UK)

dc = double crochet (US), treble crochet (UK)

tog = together

sc2tog = decrease by working two sc together

FLO = work in front loop only

FO = fasten off

Approximate size: 5cm/2" long without tail.

General instructions:

Work in rounds unless otherwise stated and do not join rounds unless told to. Use a stitch marker to mark the start of a round - a small piece of different coloured yarn placed under the stitch at the start of the round will do. To start a round, you can use the magic ring method, but I prefer to ch 2, and work the appropriate number of sc into 1^st ch. If you work the sc over the tail of yarn as well you can use that to pull the hole tight.

When changing from one colour of yarn to another work the stitch before the change until there are two loops left on the hook. Then use the new colour for the final yarn over hook and pull through.

Stuff as you go along.

Work through both loops of stitches unless otherwise indicated.

You will need:

Small amounts of yarn in a natural colour for the head and tail, and any colour for the body, double knitting or worsted weight.

Small amounts of black yarn to embroider eyes.

Small amount of stuffing.

3.5mm (E) hook.

Tapestry needle.

Start with natural colour yarn.

Round 1: Ch 2, work 4 sc into 1^st ch - 4 st.
Round 2: [2 sc in next st, sc in next st] 2 times - 6 st.

Round 3: [2 sc in next st, sc in next 2 st] 2 times - 8 st.

Round 4: [2 sc in next st, sc in next 3 st] 2 times - 10 st.

Round 5: Sc in each st around – 10 st.

Round 6: [2 sc in next st, sc in next 4 st] 2 times - 12 st.

Round 7: Sc in next 6 st, [ear, in FLO of next st: ss, ch 2, 5 dc, ch 2, ss], sc in next 3 st, [ear as before], sc in next st – 12 st (counting each ear as one st).

Round 8: Sc in each st around, working into the back loop behind each ear – 12 st.

Change to yarn for body.

Round 9: [2 sc in next st, sc in next st] 3 times, sc in next 6 st – 15 st.

Round 10: [2 sc in next st, sc in next 4 st] 3 times – 18 st.

Round 11: Sc in each st around – 18 st.

Round 12: [2 sc in next st, sc in next 5 st] 3 times – 21 st.

Round 13 - 15: (3 rounds) Sc in each st around – 21 st.

Round 16: [Sc2tog, sc in next 5 st] 2 times, sc2tog, sc in next 2 st, change to natural colour yarn, [tail: ss in next st, ch 20, miss ch next to hook, ss 19, ss back into original st and change back to body colour yarn], sc in next 2 st – 18 st.

Round 17: Sc2tog 2 times, sc in next 6 st, sc2tog 4 times – 12 st.

Round 18: Sc2tog 6 times – 6 st.

FO, leaving a length of yarn. Finish stuffing and use black yarn to sew eyes. Sew up bottom of mouse neatly.