I tried making the handmade piece myself and it took me one evening to complete it. The result was a tiny stuffed dog sitting right inside my palm. It was looking at me like I just had a miracle. Do you want to try making this little masterpiece? Let me show you how.
First Things First — What Are We Actually Making?
A small stuffed teddy bear shaped puppy. That’s it. No special stitches or patterns that you’ve never heard of. Only a round head, round body, four small legs, two floppy ears, and a nice little snout.
Once finished, the entire creation is easily held in the hand. They can be used as something for your desk, a bag charm, a baby gift or just a fun project to do on a lazy evening. I have been giving them as a birthday gift and people really enjoy having them.
Can You Actually Do This As a Beginner?
Short answer: yes.
Long answer: If you can do these four things, you’re ready:
- Start a magic ring
- Single crochet
- Add an increase stitch
- Do an “invisible” decrease.
You have your entire toolbox for this project; there is nothing else required. If you don’t recognize one of them, spend 20 minutes on YouTube practicing one of them, then return here.
What to Gather Before You Start
Be sure to read this section carefully. Preparing in advance will save a lot of frustration later.
Yarn: Use a soft yarn – DK or worsted weight work well. The main color is for the body (tan, beige, white, brown, gray, or what color you want your breed to look like), and a little bit of the darker yarn for the ears, and a small amount of black yarn or embroidery stitching for the facial features.
Hook: Between 2.5mm and 3.5mm depending on the thickness of the yarn. My thumb rule: When you hold the fabric finished up to the light, if you can see through the holes, your hook is too large, use a smaller size.
Everything else:
- Stuffing, the polyfill (Neither too much nor too little!)
- A needle with the thread in it to join pieces together
- Safety eyes, 6mm or 8mm or black yarn to embroider them
- Scissors
Abbreviations
- MR — Magic Ring
- SC — Single Crochet
- K — Two K stitches in the same stitch
- DEC — Knit 2 together (invisible decrease)
- CH — Chain
- SL ST — Slip Stitch
- R — Round
- FO — Finish Off
Making a Puppy, Part by Part.
Starting With the Head
Use the main color. This is the largest piece and so take the time to work on it!
- R1 — Magic ring 6 SC closed.
- R2 — INC in ALL stitches (total of 12 stitches).
- R3 — SC once, then INC; repeat (18 total).
- 24 times: R4 — SC twice, then INC.
- R5-R8: SC straight around – no change (24).
- R9 — SC twice, then DEC
- Place the safety eyes between rounds 5 and 6 about 5-6 stitches apart. After it is in place, fill the head (more stuffing than you think is needed).
- R10 — SC once, then DEC; repeat (12 total).
- R11 — DEC around the entire perimeter (6 all around).
Now the Body
The same concept, but scaled down in size, or so.
- R1 — MR with 6 SC.
- R2 — INC all over (12 total).
- R3 — SC, INC, repeat (18 total).
- R4 — SC SC, INC, repeat (24 total).
- R5-R7—Straight SC (all around).
- R8 — SC SC, DEC, repeat (back to 18).
- R9 — SC, DEC, repeat (12 total).
- R10 — DEC around (6 total).
Seal and store.
Ears — You Need Two
- R1 — MR, 6 SC.
- R2 — SC, INC, repeat (9 total).
- R3 — SC SC, INC, repeat (12 total).
- R4 — SC around, stay at 12.
Cut off, making a long yarn tail on each ear to sew later.
The Snout
- R1 — MR, 6 SC.
- R2 — INC in each stitch (12 stitches).
- R3 — SC all around, stay at 12.
Complete with a long tail. Add a little stuffing for puffiness, or leave it flat; either option is great!
Four Little Legs
On each leg, do 6 SC followed by MR followed by 4 straight rounds of SC without changing, with no more SC. (This is a small tube shape.) Complete each with a long tail. Complete all four before going on to the next.
The Tail
Chain 6 & then SC around that chain to the beginning. It naturally curves in a little loop shape. Cut off and tie a tail to attach.
Putting Everything Together
This is the time when your puppy is truly a puppy. This place is pretty delicate, so take your time to assemble it carefully, it does make a difference in the overall look of the final product.Before making a permanent stitch, sew head on to the body, centered and straight.
Make sure to secure the ears before sewing. Keep the puppy in front of you and ensure that both ears are level (a little forward is natural). Securely sew them to the ground.
Attach the snout to the body in front of the face and embroider a small oval nose and a small curvy smile in black yarn just below that. It doesn’t have to be done by someone who is a master at embroidery, basic designs have an adorable quality.
When attaching the four legs, position them evenly underneath the body and allow for the puppy to stand on its own if desired. Finally sew the tail to the back end and pick up all the loose ends and weave them in. Take one final look at your puppy, fluff him out, and that’s it!
Things That Actually Help
Count your stitches. Round and round the clock. You will save yourself a ton of undoing if you do this one thing.
- Crochet tightly. Beginning knitters tend to grip the yarn too far. Looser stitches will allow you to see the stuffing and create a messy finish.
- Don’t overstuff. This is because if the amigurumi is overstuffed then it will become lumpy and lose its shape, too firm, but just squeezable.
- Close and add eyes. It’s really awful to force safety eyes through a stuffed closed piece. Do it at round 9 and reward yourself afterwards.
When Things Go Wrong
- Your stitch count changes– Place stitch markers in the first stitch of each round and count before continuing.
- Stuffing can be seen through the gaps– Drop down one size and use a bit more tension when crocheting.
- Pieces look wonky when put together – occurs when increases in early rounds were not equally spaced. Always use the pattern counts and double check.
- Joins are noticeable and rugged – Sew with the same yarn as was used for crochet; different textured yarns reflect differently in the light and are noticeable. Take your time when sewing.
Ways to Change It Up
Once you’ve made the basic version, the fun really begins.
- Try different breed colors: golden tan becomes a Retriever, black becomes a Labrador, white with black patches becomes a Dalmatian, and gray and white become a Husky.
- Add a tiny crochet collar: chain about 18–20 stitches in a contrasting color, join with a slip stitch, and wrap it around the neck. Takes five minutes and adds so much personality.
Want a bigger puppy? Go up in yarn weight. Worsted weight with a 4mm hook gives you roughly 5 inches; chunky yarn with a 6mm hook gets you close to 8 inches. Attach a keychain ring at the top, and it becomes the cutest bag charm you’ve ever seen.
Before You Go
The thing about this amigurumi for the First time Crochet Mini Puppy is that it isn’t about the puppy. It is that process of convincing yourself that you can stick to a pattern, create all the pieces, assemble them and arrive at the product that matches the original pattern.
The first time you meet your own little puppy and you know that you created it with a stick and some string? That’s a pretty real feeling. Create today, take a picture when done, and post your creation. I would like to see what breed you chose.