Amigurumi Highland Cow

In an email to my awesome community, I asked what type of plushie you wanted next. One of the most popular responses?

A highland cow! 

Originating from Scotland, these furry, friendly creatures have gained so much popularity in art and home decor in recent years. I’m just as smitten with them as anybody, so of course I had to answer the call for a highland cow pattern.

I hope you love him as much as I do! 

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And now, on to the pattern…

AMIGURUMI HIGHLAND COW

Difficulty: Easyish

Crochet Language: American Standard

Finished Size: 12″ tall

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

• COLOR A (I used “Toffee”):  30 yds
• COLOR B (I used “Brown Sugar”):  220 yds
• WHITE FOR HORNS (I used “Powdered Sugar”):  20 yds

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

Hook: 4.0mm (G) hook

Gauge: 18 CSC x 20 rows = 4″ square

You’ll also need: 
Yarn needle (long)
Polyester Fiber-Fill

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.

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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)

Round 3: CSC in each ST around. (18)

Switch to COLOR B; fasten off COLOR A.

Round 4: With a loose tension, SL ST in BLO of each ST around. (18)

Round 5: CSC in BLO of each ST around. (18)

Rounds 6-8: 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.

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)

Switch to COLOR B. Fasten off COLOR A.

Round 5: With a loose tension, SL ST in BLO of each ST around. (28)

Round 6: In BLO, (3 CSC, INC, 3 CSC) around. (32)

Rounds 7-8: CSC in each ST around. (32)

Round 9: (3 CSC, DEC, 3 CSC) around. (28)

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

Round 11: 8 CSC, 4 DEC, 8 CSC. (20)

Rounds 12-22: 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.

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 B, 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.)

(Photos show technique in a different yarn.)

Round 2: In FLO for this round only, (INC, 3 CSC) around. (50)

Rounds 3-11: CSC in each ST around. (50)

Round 12: (4 CSC, DEC, 4 CSC) around. (45)

Round 13: CSC in each ST around. (45)

Round 14: (DEC, 7 CSC) around. (40)

Round 15: CSC in each ST around. (40)

Round 16: (3 CSC, DEC, 3 CSC) around. (35)

Round 17: CSC in each ST around. (35)

Round 18: (DEC, 5 CSC) around. (30)

Along Round 18, use stitch markers to mark 4 or 5 STS for each arm (depending on how many STS you used to seam the arms).

Round 19:  CSC in each ST around, attaching arms as you go by inserting hook into corresponding ST on arm AND body. (30)

Round 20: (DEC, 3 CSC) around. (24)

Stuff as desired. Continue on to “HEAD”.

HEAD

Continuing from Round 20 (BODY),

Round 21: In FLO for this round only, (CSC, INC, CSC) around. (32)

Round 22: (INC, 3 CSC) around. (40)

Round 23: (2 CSC, INC, 2 CSC) around. (48)

Round 24: (INC, 11 CSC) around. (52)

Round 25-35: CSC in each ST around. (52)

Round 36: (DEC, 11 CSC) around. (48)

Round 37: (2 CSC, DEC, 2 CSC) around. (40)

Round 38: (DEC, 3 CSC) around. (32)

Round 39: (CSC, DEC, CSC) around. (24)

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

Round 40: (DEC, CSC) around. (16)

Round 41: 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 A, CH13. 

Round 1: Starting in 2nd CH from hook, and working into only the back loop of each chain stitch, INC, 10 CSC, INC. Working around the chain to the other side: INC, 10 CSC, INC. (28)

Round 2: 2 INC, 10 CSC, 4 INC, 10 CSC, 2 INC.  (36)

Rounds 3-4: CSC in each ST around. (36)

Fasten off, leaving a long tail for attaching to head.

NOSTRILS

Use black yarn and a yarn needle to “draw” the nostrils, using photo for reference. 

• The bottom of the nostrils begin at the line between Rounds 1 and 2, and are 6 stitches apart.
• Each nostril ends one stitch up and one stitch over (leaning away from each other) from its starting point.
• With the yarn needle, go up through the starting point and down through the ending point several times, alternating guiding each strand to the left and right of the strand before it, until you have formed a shape that you like. I used #5 weight yarn and 5 strands per nostril. 
• When both nostrils are done, secure in back and trim. You can hide them inside the snout later.

ATTACHING THE SNOUT

Use finishing tail to sew snout to head, stuffing as desired. The bottom should be aligned with the crease of the neck, and the snout will cover approximately the bottom 9 rounds of the head.

EARS (make 2)

To Begin: With COLOR B, 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)

Fasten off and leave a long tail for seaming and attaching. Weave in starting tail. Fold ear so that the “wrong side” of the stitches are facing each other and the finishing tail is at one end. Use a yarn needle to go through all 4 top loops of the nearest facing stitches. Come back the other way and repeat for the next 4 sets of matching stitches. Leave finishing tail for attaching to head. 

ATTACHING THE EARS

Use finishing tail to attach ears to sides of head. Mine are attached halfway back on the head, on Rounds 33 and 34 (13 and 14 if you’re counting up from the neck crease). The highlighted section should all be sewn and pressed against the head.

HORNS (make 2)

Stuff as you go.

To Begin: With white or ivory yarn, make a Magic Circle; CH1. 

Round 1: 4 CSC in MC. (4)

Round 2: INC in each ST around. (8)

Rounds 3-4: CSC in each ST around. (8) 

Pause and secure your starting tail, making sure your MC is pulled closed. 

Short Row*: TURN (do not chain). CSC in each of the first 4 STS, leaving the rest unworked. (4)

*WHAT IS A SHORT ROW?

A SHORT ROW is a row of stitches that ends short of the previous row/round’s stitch count, to help manipulate the crocheted fabric to curve in a way that crochet stitches don’t naturally do. It is often used in garment design, but as you can see, it is also very helpful in amigurumi, too!

Round 5: TURN (do not chain). Across the row of 4 stitches: CSC, INC, INC, CSC. Jump down to the 4 unworked stitches from Round 4 and CSC in each. (10)

Round 6: CSC in each ST around. (For the first CSC, you’ll have to jump back up to get to the next unworked stitch.) (10)

Rounds 7-8: CSC in each ST around. (10)

Rounds 9: (INC, CSC, INC, 2 CSC) 2 times. (14)

Fasten off, leaving a long tail to attach to head.

ATTACHING THE HORNS

Use finishing tail to attach horns to sides of head. Mine are attached just above and slightly more forward than the ears. 

EYES + SHAPING

To embroider the eyes, you will need a yarn needle and small amounts of black and white yarn. The sample is made with #4 weight non-fur yarns, but I have used fur yarns as well and either work fine! You will also need a small amount of your main yarn (COLOR B) for shaping the face.

For each color you use, enter through a stitch on the back of the head. When you’ve completed everything with that color, exit through the same stitch on the back of the head. Tie a knot and hide excess yarn inside the head.

PLACEMENT

The eyes will start between Rounds 30 and 31 (10 and 11 if you’re counting up from the neck crease), and are 3 rounds tall, ending between Rounds 33 and 34 (or 13 and 14). They are 6 stitches apart.

BLACK YARN

HEAD FRINGE

Cut several 4” strands of both COLOR A and COLOR B. Attach as fringe on the top of the head, then trim ends to about an inch. I aimed for approximately every other stitch or so, but you don’t have to be scientific about it. Highland cows are famous for their adorably disheveled look!

HOW TO ATTACH FRINGE

Using your hook, choose a single loop on the top of the head and draw a strand of cut yarn partway through it. (If I had trouble getting my hook under the yarn on the head, I used my yarn needle to help lift the loop up.)

TAIL

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

Round 1: 4 CSC in MC. (4)

Rounds 2-8: CSC in each ST around. (4)

Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing to body.

ATTACHING FRINGE

As you did previously with the fringe on the top of the head, cut a handful of strands (I again used a mix of COLOR A and COLOR B). Attach them in the same manner around the closed end of the tail as desired. I attached fringe to the very tip as well as every stitch on the first round. 

SEW IT ON

Use finishing tail to sew the tail to the back of the body at approximately the 6th round up from the leg crease. Secure with a knot underneath the tail and hide excess yarn inside body. 

You’re done!
I hope you’ve enjoyed this pattern.
Thank you for your support!

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