Free Crochet Mini Plush Animals

Free Crochet Workshop: Mini Plush Animals by Elizaveta Igoshina (@plushatoys)

In this free crochet tutorial by Elizaveta Igoshina (@plushatoys), you will learn how to crochet three adorable mini plush animals: a bunny, a kitten, and a bear. All three animals are made using the same crochet pattern, with slight differences in their ears and tails. For their faces, you’ll need plastic eyes and noses, as well as black and white embroidery threads for detailing. The heads are shaped with a bit of tightening (sculpting) for a cute effect.

Materials and Tools

  • Plush yarn (e.g., Wоlans Bunny Baby, Himalaya Dolphin Baby, etc.)
  • Cotton-blend yarn (e.g., YarnArt Jeans)
  • 01-White (for eyes)
  • 53-Black (for eyes, eyebrows, and nose details)
  • Crochet hook: 3.5 mm
  • Toy safety eyes: 8 mm
  • Toy nose: 7×9 mm
  • Pink (for bunny and kitten)
  • Black (for bear)
  • Toy stuffing
  • Stitch markers
  • Pins
  • Needle for sewing pieces together
  • Scissors

Crochet Symbols

  • KA — Magic ring
  • вп — Chain stitch
  • сс — Slip stitch
  • сбн — Single crochet (sc)
  • пр — Increase
  • уб — Decrease
  • (…) х n — Repeat n times

Crochet Pattern for Plush Animals (Bunny, Kitten, Bear)

Upper Legs (2 pieces)

  1. Make 5 sc in KA or 2 ch in the second stitch from the hook, then 5 sc (5)
  2. Increase in each stitch around (10)
  3. 3-6. 10 sc in each stitch (10)
  4. Lightly stuff the bottom of the legs.
  5. Fold the piece in half, crochet 2 dec (decreases), slip stitch.
  6. Leave a long thread for sewing.

Lower Legs (2 pieces)

  1. Make 6 sc in KA or 2 ch in the second stitch from the hook, then 6 sc (6)
  2. Increase in each stitch around (12)
  3. 3-7. 12 sc (12)
  4. On the first leg (the right one), finish with a slip stitch. Continue crocheting the body on the second leg.

Body

  1. Chain 2, join with the left leg and crochet 12 sc, 2 sc in the chain stitches, 12 sc in the right leg, 2 sc in the chain stitches
  2. 5 sc, increase (side increase), 13 sc, increase (side increase), 5 sc, (1 sc, increase) x 2 for the tummy
  3. 3-6. 32 sc
  4. (6 sc, dec) x 4 (28)
  5. (5 sc, dec) x 4 (24)
  6. Start stuffing the legs and body.
  7. (4 sc, dec) x 4 (20)
  8. (3 sc, dec) x 4 (16)
  9. (2 sc, dec) x 4 (12)
  10. (1 sc, dec) x 4 (8)
  11. Now, continue crocheting the head.

Head

  1. Increase in each stitch (16)
  2. (1 sc, increase) x 8 (24)
  3. (2 sc, increase) x 8 (32)
  4. 4-6. 32 sc (32)
  5. (6 sc, dec) x 4 (28)
  6. (5 sc, dec) x 4 (24)
  7. (4 sc, dec) x 4 (20)
  8. (3 sc, dec) x 4 (16)
  9. Insert the eyes between rounds 7 and 8, leaving about 3-4 sc between them. Stuff the head, paying special attention to the neck. Gently push the stuffing into the neck area to ensure the head stays upright.
  10. (2 sc, dec) x 4 (12)
  11. (1 sc, dec) x 4 (8)
  12. Dec x 2, then pull tight with a crochet hook or needle.

Ears for the Bunny

  1. Make 5 sc in KA or 2 ch in the second stitch from the hook, then 5 sc (5)
  2. Increase in each stitch around (10)
  3. 3-7. 10 sc (10)
  4. Fold in half, crochet 5 sc. Fold again, crochet 2 sc, and finish with a slip stitch.
  5. Leave a long thread for sewing.

Tail for the Bunny

  1. Make 6 sc in KA or 2 ch in the second stitch from the hook, then 6 sc (6)
  2. 6 sc (6)
  3. Leave a long thread for sewing.

Ears for the Bear

  1. Make 6 sc in KA or 2 ch in the second stitch from the hook, then 6 sc (6)
  2. (1 sc, increase) x 3 (9)
  3. 9 sc (9)
  4. Fold in half, crochet 3 sc together, and finish with a slip stitch.
  5. Leave a long thread for sewing.

Tail for the Bear

  1. Make 6 sc in KA or 2 ch in the second stitch from the hook, then 6 sc (6)
  2. 6 sc (6)

Ears for the Kitten

  1. Make 3 sc in KA or 2 ch in the second stitch from the hook, then 3 sc (3)
  2. Increase in each stitch around (6)
  3. (1 sc, increase) x 3 (9)
  4. Fold in half, crochet 4 sc together.
  5. Leave a long thread for sewing.

Tail for the Kitten

  1. Chain 11
  2. Starting in the second stitch from the hook, make 10 sc.
  3. Leave a long thread for sewing.

Tightening and Shaping the Face

Cut a length of thread for tightening the eyes and face.

To tighten the eyes:
  1. Insert your needle at the bottom of the first row of the head, near the inner corner of the eye you want to tighten.
  2. Pull the thread through to the outside of the eye, then pass the thread to the inside.
  3. Pull the needle and thread through the same row, but 1 sc to the side. Secure the tightening of one eye.
  4. Repeat the process for the second eye.
  5. Create a knot in the center between the eyes.

Use the remaining thread to tighten the face. Insert the needle with the thread between the eyes, pull it through the first row where you started, and tighten.

Assembling the Plush Animals

  1. Arms: Attach the arms between rounds 10 and 11 of the body. Align them with the lower legs, positioning the upper legs directly above them.
  2. Ears: Attach the ears as you prefer. Pin them to the head first to check placement before sewing them on.
  3. Tail: Attach the tail to the lower back of the animal.

Your Plush Mini Animals are Ready!

Enjoy your adorable mini plush animals! Please make sure to tag the author on social media — @plushatoys.