Amigurumi Panda

I’m in my plushie era.

Ever since I finished the Amigurumi Teddy Bear, I haven’t been able to stop thinking up new variations. I have a loooong list of future plushie patterns, everything from farm animals to jungle animals to fantasy creatures. If only I could publish as quickly as I can think!

But alas, here we are at (published) amigurumi #2: the Panda. I think he’s so sweet!

So if you’re ready to take on the (and I use this word very loosely) fun of black yarn, make sure you have a nice bright light and a good dose of patience, and scroll down for this adorable FREE pattern.

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If you prefer working from the convenience of a beautiful, ad-free PDF pattern, consider becoming a Yarn + Chai All-Access Passholder. It’s a sweet, inexpensive deal that gives you access to all of my PDF patterns, including this one! (You even get most of them before they hit the blog!)

And now, on to the pattern…

AMIGURUMI PANDA

Difficulty: Easyish

Crochet Language: American Standard

Finished Size: 12″ tall

Yarn: #5 (bulky) velvet or chenille yarn recommended. (Sample is made with Bernat Velvet and Big Twist Baby Bear.) The approximate amounts needed are:

• COLOR A (BLACK)  (I used Bernat Velvet in “Blackbird”):  160 yds
• COLOR B (WHITE)  (I used Big Twist Baby Bear in “Powdered Sugar”):  150 yds

You’ll also need a very small amount of thinner black yarn and white yarn for embroidering the facial features.

Hook: 4.0mm (G) hook

Gauge: 18 CSC x 20 rows = 4″ square

You’ll also need: 
Yarn needle (long)
Polyester Fiber-Fill
(2) 15mm animal eyes

Terms and Abbreviations:

• ST/STS (stitch/stitches)
• CH/CHS (chain/chains)
• SL ST (slip stitch)
• CSC (crossed single crochet: Insert your hook, yarn UNDER, draw yarn through stitch (2 loops on hook), yarn over, draw through both loops.)
• BLO (back loop only) 
• FLO (front loop only) 
• INC (2 CSC in same ST)
• DEC (Insert hook into FLO of ST, then immediately insert it into the FLO of the next ST as well; yarn UNDER, draw yarn through stitch (2 loops on hook), yarn over, draw through both loops.)

Notes:
(1) CHANGING COLORS: In the stitch before a color change, complete the final step of the stitch with the new color; so you’ll work the stitch right before the change, and when it’s time to pull through the final loops, you’ll drop the first color and pull through with the new color.

(2) When pattern instructs with a number followed by a stitch
(ex: “5 CSC”), it means to work one CSC in each of the next 5 stitches (not to work 5 CSC in one stitch).

(3) Repeats are represented in (parentheses). Make sure you complete everything in the parentheses before repeating it. For example:

“(CSC, INC, CSC) 3 times”
means
CSC, INC, CSC | CSC, INC, CSC | CSC, INC, CSC

(4) Yarn, hook size and gauge are only meant as a guide, and this pattern will work with any yarn you choose; just use a hook that is smaller than the yarn’s recommended size for a nice tight fabric, and keep in mind your yarn amounts and finished dimensions will be affected by any changes.

ARMS (make 2)

To begin: With COLOR A, CH6.

Round 1: Starting in 2nd CH from hook, and working into only the back loop of each chain stitch, INC, 3 CSC, INC. Working around the chain* to the other side: INC, 3 CSC, INC. (14)

Round 2: INC, 5 CSC, INC, INC, 5CSC, INC. (18) 

Rounds 3-8: CSC in each ST around. (18) 

Round 9: DEC, 16 CSC. (17)

Round 10: DEC, 15 CSC. (16)

Round 11: DEC, 14 CSC. (15) 

Round 12: DEC, 13 CSC. (14) 

Round 13: DEC, 12 CSC. (13) 

Round 14: DEC, 11 CSC. (12)

Round 15: DEC, 10 CSC. (11) 

Round 16: DEC, 9 CSC. (10)

To finish: Stuff lightly, then CSC closed by holding sides of opening together and working through both sets of corresponding loops across. (4 or 5 CSC, depending on the number you decide fits best; just be consistent with both arms.)

Fasten off and hide ends inside. Set arms aside for later.

LEGS (make 2)

To Begin: With COLOR A, make a Magic Circle; CH1.

Round 1: 7 CSC in MC. (7)

Round 2: INC in each ST around. (14)

Round 3: (INC, CSC) around. (21)

Round 4: (CSC, INC, CSC) around. (28)

Round 5: In BLO, (3 CSC, INC, 3 CSC) around. (32)

Rounds 6-7: CSC in each ST around. (32)

Round 8: (3 CSC, DEC, 3 CSC) around. (28)

Round 9: 10 CSC, 4 DEC, 10 CSC. (24)

Round 10: 8 CSC, 4 DEC, 8 CSC. (20)

Rounds 11-22: CSC in each ST around. (20) 

Fasten off. Add stuffing. (I stuff the bottom part of the leg quite densely, then lightly stuff the skinnier part and leave about 1/2” at the top completely unstuffed. This helps the legs stay flexible.)

Continue on to “BODY”.

Continue on to BODY.

BODY

To Begin: Place legs side by side, fronts facing away from you. On the inner sides that sit closest together, locate the centermost stitch on each leg. With COLOR A, join legs together by joining yarn through top loops of BOTH opposing stitches; CH1.

Round 1: CSC in same ST as your CH1 on the left leg, and moving clockwise, CSC in each remain- ing ST around left leg (20 CSC). Continue to the right leg, and CSC again in the same ST as your initial CH1; continue to CSC in each ST around the right leg (20 CSC). (40)

NOTE: When you come to the part on each leg that has the “dropoff” created by the end of the final round, simply CSC until the dropoff and continue immediately to the next unworked stitch after it. (Pretend the dropoff isn’t even there.

Switch to COLOR B; fasten off COLOR A.

Round 2: With a looser tension, SL ST in each ST around. (40)

Round 3: In BLO for this round only, (INC, 3 CSC) around. (50)

Rounds 4-12: CSC in each ST around. (50)

Round 13: (4 CSC, DEC, 4 CSC) around. (45)

Round 14: CSC in each ST around. (45)

Round 15: (DEC, 7 CSC) around. (40)

Round 16: CSC in each ST around. (40)

Switch to COLOR A; fasten off COLOR B.

Round 17: With a looser tension, SL ST in BLO of each ST around. (40)

Round 18: In BLO, (3 CSC, DEC, 3 CSC) around. (35)

Round 19: CSC in each ST around. (35)

Round 20: (DEC, 5 CSC) around. (30)

Along Round 20, use stitch markers to mark 4 or 5 STS for each arm (depending on how many STS you used to seam the arms).

Round 21:  CSC in each ST around, attaching arms as you go by inserting hook into corresponding ST on arm AND body. (30)

Round 22: (DEC, 3 CSC) around. (24)

Stuff as desired. Continue on to “HEAD”.

HEAD

Continuing from Round 22 (BODY), switch to COLOR B; fasten off COLOR A.

Round 23: With a looser tension, SL ST in BLO of each ST around. (24)

Round 24: In BLO, (CSC, INC, CSC) around. (32)

Round 25: (INC, 3 CSC) around. (40)

Round 26: (2 CSC, INC, 2 CSC) around. (48)

Round 27: (INC, 11 CSC) around. (52)

Round 28-38: CSC in each ST around. (52)

Round 39: (DEC, 11 CSC) around. (48)

Round 40: (2 CSC, DEC, 2 CSC) around. (40)

Round 41: (DEC, 3 CSC) around. (32)

Round 42: (CSC, DEC, CSC) around. (24)

Stuff here, and continue to add stuffing as desired until you close it up.

Round 43: (DEC, CSC) around. (16)

Round 44: DEC around. (8)

To finish: Fasten off with a long tail. Thread tail through a yarn needle and weave the needle in and out of the outer loops of the previous round, all the way around. Slowly pull circle closed. (Be careful if you’re using single-ply yarn, it breaks easily!)  

Tie a knot, then hide knot and tail inside head.

SNOUT

To Begin: With COLOR B, CH4. 

Round 1: Starting in 2nd CH from hook, and working into only the back loop of each chain stitch, INC, CSC, INC. Working around to the other side of the CH, and working in the unworked loops of each chain stitch, INC, CSC, INC. (10)

Round 2: 2 INC, CSC, 4 INC, CSC, 2 INC. (18)

Round 3: INC, CSC, INC, 2 CSC, (INC, CSC) 4 times, CSC, INC, CSC, INC, CSC. (26)

Rounds 4-5: CSC in each ST around. (26)

To finish: SL ST in next ST. Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing.

ATTACHING THE SNOUT

Use finishing tail to sew snout to face. Add stuffing when halfway around, and continue to add stuffing as desired until finished. Knot and hide finishing tail inside head.

Bottom of snout should be just a round or two above the crease of the neck, extending up to about the 10th round of the head.

EARS

To Begin: With COLOR A, CH4.

Round 1: Starting in 2nd CH from hook, and working into only the back loop of each chain stitch, INC, CSC, INC. Working around to the other side of the CH, and working in the unworked loops of each chain stitch, INC, CSC, INC. (10)

Round 2: INC, 3 CSC, 2 INC, 3 CSC, INC. (14)

Round 3: INC, 5 CSC, 2 INC, 5 CSC, INC. (18)

Rounds 4-5: CSC in each ST around. (18)

To finish: SL ST in each of the next 2 STS; remove hook. Secure and trim starting tail, then CSC ear closed by folding in half along the starting chain, and working through both sets of corresponding loops across. Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing. 

ATTACHING THE EARS

Use finishing tail to sew ears to sides of head. (Mine are attached halfway back on the head starting at the 4th round down from the top of the head.) Tie a knot at the base of the ear and hide knot and tail inside head.

EYE PATCHES

To Begin: With COLOR A, CH5. 

Round 1: Starting in 2nd CH from hook, and working into only the back loop of each chain stitch, INC, 2 CSC, INC. Working around to the other side of the CH, and working in the unworked loops of each chain stitch, INC, 2 CSC, INC. (12)

Round 2: 4 CSC in next ST, INC, DEC, INC, 4 CSC in next ST. SL ST in next ST and leave the rest unworked. (13 + SL ST)

Fasten off with a long tail for sewing to face.

ADDING THE EYES

Attach eyes close to the edge of each eye patch, making sure to attach them at opposite ends as shown.

ATTACHING THE EYE PATCHES

Use finishing tail to sew eyes to face: Place eyes up against snout, with about 3-4 stitches between them above the snout. Secure tail with a knot; hide knot and tail inside head.

FACIAL DETAILS

EMBROIDERING THE NOSE

Determine your nose placement. (The bottom point of mine starts between Rounds 2 and 3 of the snout, and the top edge is one round up from there, 4 stitches wide.) With COLOR A, entering from a stitch on the back of the head, “draw” the V that will form the bottom of the nose.

Build in the nose by drawing several more lines that fill in the space between the V. All of the lines should meet at the bottom point of the V. (Tip: Don’t pull too tight, or you’ll start to warp the bottom of the nose.) Then, draw a line across the top to clean up the top edge.

ADDING THE MOUTH AND EYEBROWS

With a thinner black yarn, and entering through the back of the head, draw the mouth and eyebrows as shown.Exit the back of the head through the same stitch you entered, tie a knot, and hide the knot and tail inside the head.

TAIL

To Begin: With COLOR A, make a Magic Circle; CH1.

Round 1: 6 CSC in MC. (6)

Round 2: INC in each ST around. (12)

Rounds 3-5: CSC in each ST around. (12)

To Finish: SL ST in next ST. Remove hook; secure and trim starting tail. Reinsert hook and CSC tail closed by holding sides of opening together, and working through both sets of corresponding loops across. (This is the same technique you used to seam the arms.) Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing. 

ATTACHING THE TAIL

Use pins to hold tail in place, if desired. Sew tail to back of body. (I sewed my tail so that the top was in line with Rounds 6-7 of the body.) When finished, knot and hide finishing tail inside body.

That’s it!
I hope you’ve enjoyed this pattern.
Thank you for your support!