How to Crochet a Puppy (Beginner Amigurumi)

Lay out your yarn first. Pick beige for the body (sport-weight cotton if you want a small giftable puppy, or chunky chenille if you want a fluffier plush), brown for the ears, white for the snout, black for the eyes and nose, and a small amount of orange or red for the bow at the neck.

Match the hook to the yarn: 2.5 mm for cotton, 5.0 mm for chenille. The pattern itself is identical either way. You'll also need a tapestry needle, scissors, stitch markers, and a bag of polyester fiberfill stuffing.

Start the body with a magic ring in beige. Wrap the yarn around your finger twice, hook through both loops, pull through, and chain one to lock the ring. Work six single crochets into the ring, then pull the short tail to cinch it closed.

From there you'll crochet in continuous spiral rounds, increasing on rounds 2 and 3 the way amigurumi typically does (double every stitch, then alternate sc and increase). Place a stitch marker in the first stitch of each new round so you don't lose your place. Keep going until the body is big enough to hold the puppy's head and torso shape - the pattern is in the video description, but the rhythm is sc rounds with occasional increase rounds until it's the size you want.

Between rounds 9 and 10 of the body, pause and embroider the two eyes in black yarn. Thread black yarn onto a tapestry needle, push through from inside the body to the front, sew over the same spot four or five times to build up a nice rounded eye, then push the needle back through to the inside and knot off.

Place the second eye seven stitches across from the first so they sit symmetrically. Once both eyes are done, pick the body back up and continue with round 10 and onward.

Start a fresh magic ring in white yarn and crochet a small snout - six single crochets into the ring, then a single increase round to 12 stitches, then a plain sc round to round it off. Fasten off and leave a long tail for sewing.

Embroider the black nose onto the snout between rounds 1 and 2, two stitches wide, stacking the stitches up to give the nose some height. Then stuff the snout lightly and pin it to the front of the body just under the eyes. Whip-stitch around the edge of the snout using the long tail.

For each ear, start a magic ring in brown and work six single crochets into it. Round 2 is an increase round to 12 stitches. From there work even sc rounds until the ear is the length you want, then fasten off with a long tail.

Make two ears identical. Pin them to round six of the body so they sit symmetrically across from each other and flop forward over the face. Whip-stitch each ear onto the body along its top edge, then add a few extra stitches on the inside of the ear so it stays pressed against the head instead of sticking straight out.

Each leg starts the same way as the ears: magic ring with six single crochets, increase round to 12, then sc rounds until the leg is short and cylindrical. Fasten off with a long tail.

Lightly stuff each leg. Sew the legs onto the body between rounds 17 and 21, one on each side at the bottom front so the puppy looks like it's sitting up. Whip-stitch around the top edge first, then add a second pass of stitches along the inside of the leg so it stays pressed flush against the body.

The arms are made the same way as the legs but a touch smaller - magic ring, six sc, then plain sc rounds for the length. No increase round this time. Fasten off with a long tail.

Sew the arms onto the body over round 16, one on each side at shoulder height so the puppy has its arms slightly forward. Whip-stitch around the top of each arm. Stuffing is optional - if you want softer arms, leave them unstuffed and they'll have a more natural drape.

Start a magic ring in beige and work five single crochets into it (not six this time - the tail is smaller around). Pull the ring closed and work plain sc rounds for a few rows until the tail is short and stumpy. Fasten off with a long tail.

Sew the tail onto round 19 at the back of the body so it sticks up and slightly forward like the puppy is wagging it. Whip-stitch around the base.

The bow is what sells the puppy as a photo subject. Start with a small foundation chain in orange (or red, or whatever contrast color you like), slip-stitch the chain into a ring, then work two chain stitches and a row of half double crochets all the way around - 12 hdc total. Slip-stitch into the first hdc to close the round.

Cut a long tail of yarn before you fasten off - you'll need it for the next step.

Flatten the bow piece you just made and wrap the long yarn tail tightly around the middle of it three or four times. That cinches the flat ring into the classic bow shape with two loops on either side. Knot the tail securely at the back of the bow.

Pin the bow to the front of the puppy just under the chin and sew it on. Weave in any remaining yarn tails from all the pieces using your tapestry needle, then fasten off for the last time. Stand the puppy up, photograph it next to a coffee cup for scale, and you're done.