Amigurumi Squirrel Free Crochet Pattern
This free crochet pattern for my amigurumi squirrel is a great project for intermediate and seasoned crocheters! You can use it to crochet a grey or a red squirrel and I also included a little acorn.
If you are not comfortable with making lots of color changes yet you could crochet the squirrel in one color only, making the project more beginner friendly.
The comes with a free video tutorial on my YouTube channel in case you need visual guidance.
If you would like a PDF version of this pattern you can purchase it for a small fee on Etsy or Ravelry. I also have an interactive version with integrated video on Ribblr.
I would love to see your little amigurumi squirrel! Share your creation on Instagram and tag me @stellasyarnuniverse for the monthly chance to win a pdf pattern of your choice from my Etsy shop! Winners are announced on my Instagram page @stellasyarnuniverse every 1st of the month!
You can find the free written pattern in US terms below. I also recorded a video 3-part tutorial for this amigurumi otter crochet pattern. Hope you’ll enjoy it!
All you need to know to crochet this little amigurumi otter is how to single crochet (double crochet in British terms), half double crochet (half treble crochet in British terms), double crochet (treble crochet in British terms), make a magic ring, and invisible decreases with single crochet (British double crochet).
It will also be helpful to know:
How to fasten off closed projects
Materials and tools you need for the amigurumi squirrel
DK / light worsted weight cotton yarn in gray, white and caramel, or rusty red and white (I used Paintbox Yarns Cotton DK in Slate Grey (406) and Champagne White (403) and Rico Creative Ricorumi in Caramel (053))
2.5mm / C-2 or B-1 crochet hook
4mm / 0.16″ safety eyes
Black or brown embroidery floss
Large eyed sewing needle
Abbreviations
St = stitch
Ch = chain
Sc = single crochet (double crochet in British terms)
Hdc = half double crochet (half treble crochet in British terms)
Dc = double crochet (treble crochet in British terms)
Inc = sc increase: single crochet 2 in same st
Dec = invisible sc decrease: Insert hook in front loops of next 2 sts, yarn over, pull through both front loops, yarn over, pull through 2 remaining loops
BLO = back loops
(…) = stitches that are repeated in the rd
*… = number of repetitions
Instructions for the amigurumi squirrel
Crochet the head
Gray squirrel
Change colors in the last stitch before a stitch is made in a new color. Carry the yarn(s) that you are not currently using through the stitches. If you need help with this please watch my free video tutorial or you can purchase the PDF pattern with many step-by-step images for a small fee.
W = white
B = beige or light brown
G = gray
Make a magic ring in white.
Rnd 1: W: 4sc, B: 2sc in magic ring (6)
Rnd 2: W: 4sc, B: 2sc (6)
Rnd 3: Sc, W: sc in same st, 3inc, B: 2inc (12)
Rnd 4: 2sc, W: sc in same st, [sc, inc]*3, B: 2sc, G: sc in same st, sc, inc (18)
Rnd 5: Sc, B: 2sc, W: 9sc, B: 2sc, G: 4sc (18)
Rnd 6: Sc, B: 3sc, W: 8sc, B: 3sc, G: 3sc (18)
Embroider the nose and mouth and attach the safety eyes
Secure the last stitch with a stitch marker. Cut a 30 cm / 12” long piece of black embroidery floss and thread it on a large-eyed sewing needle.
When embroidering the nose and mouth, try to stitch through the fibers of the yarn instead of through the gaps in between stitches. This gives you more control over the placement of the stitches.
1. Insert the needle slightly below the center of the magic ring from the inside out and pull most of the thread through, only leaving a short end to tie together later.
2. Make a horizontal stitch (almost in between rounds 1 and 2) from one white-to-beige color change to the other. If you are making a red squirrel leave 2 stitches space for the nose.
3. Make a vertical stitch from just below the magic ring center down to a spot in between rounds 1 and 2.
4. Make a diagonal downward stitch from just below the magic ring center to a spoton round 2 where you would like the corner of the mouth to go. The mouth is more or less as wide as the nose.
5. Make a slightly diagonal stitch from the center of the mouth in between rounds 1and 2 to the other corner of the mouth on round 2.
6. Insert the needle at the center of the mouth in between rounds 1 and 2 and bring the thread to the inside of the head.
7. Tie both ends together and hide them in the head.
8. Insert the safety eyes in between rounds 4 and 5 with about 5 stitches space in between.
Fill the head with fiberfill.
Continue crocheting the head:
Rnd 7: [sc, dec]*6 (12)
Rnd 8: 6 dec (6)
Fasten off and close the round. Weave in the yarn end.
Red squirrel
The head of the red squirrel is crocheted in red only.
Rnd 1: 6sc in magic ring (6)
Rnd 2: 6sc (6)
Rnd 3: 6inc (12)
Rnd 4: [sc, inc]*6 (18)
Rnd 5 and 6 (2 rnds): 18sc (18)
Embroider the nose and mouth and attach the safety eyes as explained above.
Fill the head with fiberfill.
Rnd 7: [sc, dec]*6 (12)
Rnd 8: 6dec (6)
Fasten off and close the round. Weave in the yarn end.
Crochet the ears (make 2)
Crochet the ears in beige or light brown for the gray squirrel and in red for the red squirrel.
3 ch
2sc (starting in 2nd ch from hook)
Fasten off leaving a long yarn end for sewing.
Make fluffy tassels for the red squirrel’s ears
Cut 2 x 10 cm / 4” long pieces of red yarn and pull them through the tips of the ears.
Tie both ends together firmly and cut them 1 cm / 0.4” short.
Unravel the fibers of the yarn ends to fray out the ends and give the ears fluffy tips.
Sew the ears on round 7 of the head with about 2 stitches space in between.
Crochet the body
The body is crocheted in the same way for both squirrels. In the description below, I am crocheting the red squirrel. If you are making the gray squirrel replace R (red) with G (gray). W stands for white.
Change colors in the last stitch before a stitch is made in a new color. Carry the yarn that you are not currently using through the stitches. Watch my free video tutorial if you need help with this step.
Tip: Give the white yarn that you carry through the stitches a gentle pull before changing back to white. This prevents it from showing through the contrast-coloured stitches.
Rnd 1: R: 6sc in magic ring (6)
Rnd 2: 6inc (12)
Rnd 3: [sc, inc]*6 (18)
Rnd 4: In BLO: 3inc, 3ch, 2hdc (starting in 2nd ch), 4sc, 3ch, 2hdc (starting in 2nd ch), 3inc, 8sc (24, not counting the ch and hdc stitches because you will not crochet in them in the next round)
Rnd 5 (see detailed breakdown of this round below): 6sc, W: 4sc, R: 14sc (24)
In the next round, you will join the white yarn just before crocheting over the little hdc-feet that you crocheted in the previous round.
Bend the foot down towards you to keep it out of the way and crochet in the next stitch.
Carry the red or gray yarn through the white stitches.
Change color to red or gray just before crocheting over the second foot.
Bend the foot down towards you to crochet in the next stitch.
Now, carry the white yarn through the red or gray stitches.
Rnd 6 and 7 (2 rnds): 6sc, W: 4sc, R: 14sc (24)
Rnd 8: 3dec, sc, W: 3sc, R: 3dec, 8sc (18)
Rnd 9: 4sc, W: 3sc, R: 11sc (18)
In the next round, you will crochet openings out of which you will later crochet the forelegs.
Meanwhile, you continue changing colors and carrying the red or gray yarn through the white stitches and vice versa.
Rnd 10: 3sc, 2ch , sk 1, sc, W: 2sc, R: sc, 2ch, sk 1, 9sc (20)
In the next round, you will crochet in the back loops of the chains that you made in the previous round. This way you will be able to work in the front loops of the chains when crocheting the forelegs later on.
Rnd 11: 3sc, 2sc in back loops of chains, W: 4sc, R: 2sc in back loops of chains, 5sc, 2dec (18)
Rnd 12: [sc, dec]*2, W: sc, dec, R: [sc, dec]*3 (12)
Fill the body with fiberfill. Don’t overfill it, so that your squirrel will be able to sit on its flat bottom.
Rnd 13: Sc, dec, sc, W: dec, R: [sc, dec]*2 (8)
Fasten off, leaving a long yarn end for sewing. Hide the white yarn end inside the body.
Crochet the forelegs in (make 2)
The forelegs are crocheted out of the openings in round 10 of the body. They are not filled with fiberfill.
Rnd 1 (see detailed breakdown of this round below): 6sc out of the opening (6)
Join the red or gray yarn at one of the openings in round 10: Turn the body on the side and insert the hook sideways in one loop of the last stitch before the skipped stitch.
Pull the red or gray yarn through to create a loop.
Turn the body upright and make 2sc in the skipped stitch of round 10.
Turn the body on the side and insert the hook sideways in one loop of the first stitch behind the skipped stitch. Sc in this loop.
Turn the body upside down and sc in the front loops of the 2 chains. If the stitches are too tight you can loosen them up with a yarn needle.
Turn the body on the side and make a sc in the loop you first joined the yarn in.
Now the round has 6 stitches.
Rnd 2 and 3 (2 rnds): 6sc (6)
Fasten off and close the round. Weave in the yarn end.
Repeat on the other side.
Sew the head on
Pin the head in place and sew it on all around, using the long yarn end you left after crocheting the body.
Crochet the tail
Use red for the red and gray for the gray squirrel.
Rnd 1: 6sc in magic ring (6)
Rnd 2: 6inc (12)
Rnd 3: [3sc, inc]*3 (15)
Rnd 4 to 6 (3 rnds): 6dc, 9sc (15)
Rnd 7: 15sc (15)
Rnd 8: [3sc, dec]*3 (12)
Start filling the tail with fiberfill. Continue filling as you go.
Rnd 9 to 12 (4 rnds): 12sc (12)
Rnd 13: 7sc, 5dc (12)
Rnd 14: Dc, dec (this is a sc decrease), [sc, dec]*3 (8)
Rnd 15: 8sc (8)
Fasten off, leaving a long end for sewing.
Sew the tail on
Pin the tail on rounds 4 and 5 of the body, centered on the back.
Try to align the lower part of the tail with the bottom of the body so that it helps the squirrel to sit and not to fall over.
Sew on the tail around the base, using the long yarn end. Then sew rounds 10 to 15 of the tail centered on the back so that the tail stays upright, close to the body.
This also prevents the squirrel from falling over.
Acorn
Rnd 1: 6sc in magic ring in brown (6)
Rnd 2: 6inc (12)
Rnd 3: [3sc, inc]*3 (15)
Rnd 4: 15sc (15)
Sl st in next st changing to ochre. This is now the last stitch of the round.
Rnd 5: In BLO: 15sc (15) [img 4 and 5]
Rnd 6: [3sc, dec]*3 (12)
Rnd 7: 12sc (12)
Fill the acorn with fiberfill.
Rnd 8: [2sc, dec]*3 (9)
Rnd 9: [sc, dec]*3 (6)
Fasten off and close the round.
Weave in the yarn end.
Make the stem
2ch in brown
Sl st in 2nd chain from hook (2)
Fasten off.
Sew the little stem on the center of the acorn’s cap and weave in the yarn ends.
Your squirrels and acorns are now complete!
Thank you so much for visiting! And thank you for using my pattern. I hope you enjoyed it.
You can pin this little amigurumi squirrel pattern here for later.
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You are welcome to create products to sell on a small scale using this pattern. If you wish to do so, please refer back to my blog stellasyarnuniverse.com for the pattern.
Happy creating!
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