Looking for a tiny crochet penguin with a rounded belly and sweet embroidered beak? This pattern takes you from the first ring to the final facial details.
Small details give this crochet penguin its personality, from the grey-and-white colorwork to the two bobble stitches that form its feet. Its compact stuffed shape also makes the crochet pattern manageable while still giving you several techniques to practice.
Beginners who are comfortable with single crochet can follow the pattern round by round, while the color changes, back-loop stitches, decreases, and facial placement deserve a little extra attention. The instructions below keep the shaping and stitch counts clear so you can check your work as the penguin takes shape.
Credit Po Handmade
Project Overview & Materials
Skill Level: Advanced Beginner / Intermediate (due to tapestry color changes and bobbles)
Finished Size: Approx. 5β7 cm tall (mini amigurumi)
Yarn: Sport / DK weight cotton or acrylic blend yarn in:
Main Color (MC): Grey (or Black)
Contrasting Color (CC): White
Accent Color: Small strand of Yellow / Mustard
Crochet Hook: 2.5 mm
Eyes:
Two 5 mm black safety or bead eyes (for the Penguin Hat)
Two 4 mm black safety or bead eyes (for the Mushroom Face)
Notions: Fiberfill stuffing, yarn tapestry needle, stitch markers, scissors, fabric/hot glue.
Pattern Notes & Techniques
Joined Rounds: Unlike continuous amigurumi spirals, this pattern is worked in joined rounds. At the end of every round, work a slip stitch (sl st) into the first single crochet of that round, then chain 1 (ch 1) to begin the next round. The slip stitch and chain 1 do not count as stitches.
Color Changes (Tapestry Style): When changing colors midway through a round, work the last stitch until 2 loops remain on your hook. Drop the current color and pull the new color through those 2 loops to complete the stitch. Carry the inactive yarn along the back loosely (do not pull tight to avoid puckering the work).
Split Increase Stitches: In rounds with color transitions on an increase (
inc), the 2 single crochets in the same stitch are worked in different colors (e.g., 1 sc in White + 1 sc in Grey).Bobble Stitch (
Bo): A 4-dc cluster worked into a single stitch:Yarn over, insert hook into the indicated stitch, yarn over and pull up a loop, yarn over and pull through 2 loops on hook (2 loops remain on hook).
Repeat this 3 more times in the exact same stitch (you will have 5 loops on your hook).
Yarn over and pull through all 5 loops on the hook to close the bobble.
Abbreviations (US Terminology)
MR: Magic Ring
ch: Chain stitch
sc: Single crochet
inc: Increase (2 sc in the same stitch)
dec: Invisible decrease (single crochet 2 together in front loops only)
sl st: Slip stitch
Bo: Bobble stitch (4-dc cluster)
FLO: Front loops only
BLO: Back loops only
[G]: Grey yarn
[W]: White yarn
st(s): Stitch(es)
Step-by-Step Instructions
PART 1: PENGUIN MUSHROOM CAP & BRIM
Begin with Grey [G] yarn.
Round 1: In Grey, make a MR, ch 1, work 6 sc into the ring. Sl st to the first sc to join, ch 1.
(6 sts)
Round 2: 2 sc in each of the 6 sts (6 inc). Sl st to the first st, ch 1.
(12 sts)
Round 3: (Colorwork starts)
In
[G]: 1 sc, 1 inc, 1 sc (switch to [W] on the last pull-through)In
[W]: 1 sc, start an inc (work 1 sc in[W], switch to[G]and work the 2nd sc in[G]into the same stitch)In
[G]: 1 sc, start an inc (work 1 sc in[G], switch to[W]and work the 2nd sc in[W]into the same stitch)In
[W]: 1 sc (switch to [G])In
[G]: 1 inc, 1 sc, 1 inc.Sl st to the first st, ch 1.
(18 sts total: 13 Grey, 5 White)
Round 4:
In
[G]: 1 sc, 1 inc, 2 sc, 1 inc (switch to [W])In
[W]: 5 sc (switch to [G])In
[G]: 1 sc (switch to [W])In
[W]: 1 inc, 2 sc, start an inc (work 1 sc in[W], switch to[G]and work 2nd sc in[G]into the same stitch)In
[G]: 2 sc, 1 inc, 1 sc.Sl st to the first st, ch 1.
(24 sts total)
Round 5:
In
[G]: 7 sc (switch to [W])In
[W]: 11 sc (switch to [G])In
[G]: 6 sc.Sl st to the first st, ch 1.
(24 sts)
Round 6:
In
[G]: 7 sc (switch to [W])In
[W]: 11 sc (switch to [G])In
[G]: 6 sc.Sl st to the first st, ch 1.
(24 sts)
Round 7 (Mushroom Hat Brim):
Work this entire round in Grey in the Front Loops Only (FLO).
(3 sc, 1 inc) Γ 6.
Sl st to the first st, ch 1.
(30 sts)
Round 8 (Brim Edge):
Work through both loops.
(2 sc, 1 inc, 2 sc) Γ 6.
Sl st to the first st.
(36 sts)
Fasten off Grey yarn, pull through, cut, and weave in all loose tail ends inside the cap.
PART 2: MUSHROOM BODY / STALK
Turn the cap upside down. Locate the exposed unworked Back Loops (BLO) from Round 6.
Join White [W] yarn to the first back loop directly behind the seam/slip stitch.
Round 9: Ch 1, 1 sc in the same st, work 1 sc in each of the remaining 23 back loops around. Sl st to the first st, ch 1.
(24 sts)
Round 10: 1 sc in each of the 24 sts around. Sl st to the first st, ch 1.
(24 sts)
Round 11: 1 sc in each of the 24 sts around. Sl st to the first st, ch 1.
(24 sts)
Round 12 (Arms Round):
7 sc
1 Bo (first arm)
8 sc (across the belly)
1 Bo (second arm)
7 sc.
Sl st to the first st, ch 1.
(24 sts: 22 sc + 2 bobbles)
Round 13: 1 sc in each of the 24 sts around (work normally into the tops of the bobbles). Sl st to the first st, ch 1.
(24 sts)
Round 14: 1 sc in each of the 24 sts around. Sl st to the first st, ch 1.
(24 sts)
Round 15 (Feet Round):
9 sc
1 Bo (first foot)
5 sc (space between feet)
1 Bo (second foot)
8 sc.
Sl st to the first st, ch 1.
(24 sts: 22 sc + 2 bobbles)
Round 16: In FLO, 12 dec around. Sl st to the first st, ch 1.
(12 sts)
Stuffing: Pull a large loop so stitches do not unravel. Stuff the head and mushroom body firmly with fiberfill, shaping the body evenly.
Round 17: In FLO, 6 dec around. Sl st to the first st.
(6 sts)
Fasten off leaving a 15β20 cm tail. Thread the tail onto a yarn needle, weave through the front loops of the final 6 stitches, pull tightly to cinch the bottom closed, and bury the yarn tail securely inside the body.
PART 3: DETAILS & ASSEMBLY
Mushroom Face:
Place the 4 mm eyes into the White body between Round 11 and Round 12, centered between the two arms, leaving 4 stitches between them. Glue or attach with safety backs.
(Optional) Add a tiny blush under each eye with pink embroidery floss or powdered blush.
Penguin Hat Beak:
Thread a piece of Yellow/Orange yarn onto a tapestry needle.
Locate the center of the penguinβs face on the cap: embroider a small horizontal bar over 1 stitch on the grey cap directly above the white face patch. Wrap it 2β3 times for thickness, knot inside, and bury ends.
Penguin Hat Eyes:
Glue or attach the two 5 mm eyes onto the Grey cap on either side of the embroidered yellow beak.
