Learn how to crochet this beautiful little panda sitting on a swing with our step-by-step pattern. If you’re looking to practice crocheting in the rounds this is the perfect pattern to practice with! This detailed pattern comes with easy-to-follow written instructions and photo tutorial. This amigurumi design makes it a truly unique and special toy that your child or friend will cherish for years to come. The pattern is very detailed and contains a lot of step-by-step pics along with full pattern instructions and tips for crocheting.
SUPPLIES YOU NEED
cotton yarn (e.g. Schachenmayr Catania 125m/50g) in the following colors: brown color, white and black, some yarn rests for the flowers and swing, crochet hook 3 mm, scissors, tapestry needle, Fiberfil stuffing. safety eyes or two black buttons.
SKILL LEVEL
I would classify this free crochet pattern as intermediate. It is necessary to have some experience with amigurumi before creating this project.
SIZE
The ready amigurumi is approx. 15 cm high, from bottom to top, can be made bigger or smaller depending on the yarn and hook you use.
SKILLS YOU NEED
chain, single crochet, double crochet, half double crochet, slip stitch, increase, decrease
ABBREVIATIONS
Ch =chain
St = stitch
Sc = single crochet
Sl st = slip stitch
dec = decrease stitch (two single crochets together)
inc = increase stitch (two single crochets in the one stitch)
Dc = double crochet
Hdc = half double crochet
Tc = triple crochet
Rnd = Round
* = repeat the instructions for the times indicated
(...) = total amount of stitches
TIPS
- Do not join rounds, work in a continuous spiral.
- Use a stitch marker or piece of yarn to keep track of the last stitch in each round
- All stitches are worked into both loops, unless stated otherwise in the pattern.
- When filling with polyester stuffing, pull apart each large chunk into many smaller chunks. This ensures an even distribution of firmness within the amigurumi
- Amigurumi can be made in any desired colors.
Seamless way of changing color when working in the round
Pick up the new color at the end of the round: inset your hook into the stitch, yarn over the new color and pull through the stitch and the loop on your hook to complete the stitch.
To make a magic ring
- Loop the thread twice around your middle finger
- Put the hook under both loops, pull the yarn under the loops and hook the thread again
- Pull the thread through the new loop. The first crochet stitch is ready!
- Repeat the number of times needed.
- Pull the inner threads to tighten the ring.
INSTRUCTIONS
The panda consists of several parts which you crochet separately and then sew them together.
ARM (2x)
Crochet with black colored yarn.
Round 1: 6 single crochets into Magic Ring.
Round 2: increase 6 times (12 stitches)
Round 3: *single crochet in the next 3 stitches, increase* (15 stitches)
Rounds 4-6: single crochet in each of next 15 stitches
Stuff slightly.
Round 7: *decrease, single crochet in each of next 3 stitches* (12 stitches)
Rounds 8-17: single crochet in each of next 12 stitches
Bind off. Work the second arm the same way.
LEG (2x)
Start with white colored yarn.
Round 1: 6 single crochets into Magic Ring.
Round 2: increase 6 times (12 stitches)
Round 3: *single crochet in the next stitch, increase* (18 stitches)
Round 4: (*single crochet in the next stitch, increase*, repeat from* to* three times. single crochet in each of next 3 stitches), repeat twice (24 stitches)
Round 5: single crochet in each of next 24 stitches
Change the yarn color to black
Round 6 (working into the back loop): single crochet in each of next 24 stitches
Round 7: single crochet in each of next 24 stitches
Round 8: *decrease* five times, single crochet in each of next 6 stitches, decrease, single crochet in each of next 6 stitches (18 stitches)
Do not fasten off, continue crocheting in rounds.
Round 9: single crochet in each of next 18 stitches
Stuff the leg firmly.
Round 10: *decrease, single crochet in each of next 4 stitches*, repeat from* to* 3 times (15 stitches)
Rounds 11-18: single crochet in each of next 15 stitches
Round 19: *decrease, single crochet in each of next 3 stitches*, repeat from* to* 3 times (12 stitches)
Round 20: single crochet in each of next 12 stitches
Fasten off. Work another leg the same way.
BODY and HEAD
Work shift stitch every 3-4 round.
SHIFT STITCH
Sometimes during the work of the spiral amigurumi, you need to keep the work symmetrically. As work tends to twist to the right you need to adjust position of the marker periodically (beginning of the round).
Shift stitch is an extra stitch you work at the end of a round to make your work look symmetrical. If you notice that marker moves right, you need to work one extra stitch in the end of the round and move marker for one stitch (now the second stitch of the round becomes 1st). This is a shift stitch.
The shift stitch is not included in the round description. To check if it’s time to work shift stitch fold your work in half and check if marker still goes straight or use a yarn that marks a straight line.
You may think this is an increase, but it isn’t. This way you don’t increase or decrease the number of stitches. The stitches count remains the same.
Round 1: 6 single crochets into Magic Ring
Round 2: increase 6 times (12 stitches)
Round 3: *single crochet in the next stitch, increase* (18 stitches)
Round 4: *single crochet in each of next 2 stitches, increase* (24 stitches)
Round 5: *single crochet in each of next 3 stitches, increase* (30 stitches)
Round 6: *single crochet in each of next 4 stitches, increase* (36 stitches)
Round 7: *single crochet in each of next 5 stitches, increase* (42 stitches)
Round 8: *single crochet in each of next 6 stitches, increase* (48 stitches)
Round 9: single crochet in each of next 48 stitches
In the next round attach the legs (ensure that the legs are located in the middle and make several shift stitches if needed):
Round 10: single crochet in each of next 9 stitches, 6 single crochets both through hand and body, single crochet in each of next 18 stitches, 6 single crochets both through hand and body, single crochet in each of next 9 stitches.
Rounds 11-15: single crochet in each of next 48 stitches
Start stuffing the body.
Round 16: *decrease, single crochet in each of next 6 stitches* (42 stitches)
Rounds 17-18: single crochet in each of next 42 stitches
Round 19: *decrease, single crochet in each of next 5 stitches* (36 stitches)
Round 20: single crochet in each of next 36 stitches
Round 21: *decrease, single crochet in each of next 4 stitches* (30 stitches)
Change the yarn color to black
In the next round attach the hands (ensure that the hands are located in the middle and make several shift stitches if needed):
Round 22: single crochet in each of next 5 stitches, 6 single crochets both through hand and body, single crochet in each of next 9 stitches, 6 single crochets both through hand and body, single crochet in each of next 4 stitches.
Round 23: *decrease, single crochet in each of next 3 stitches* (24 stitches)
Round 24: *decrease, single crochet in each of next 2 stitches* (18 stitches)
Round 25: *decrease, single crochet in the next stitch* (12 stitches)
Stuff the body firmly. Fasten off.
HEAD
Change the yarn color to white
Continue crocheting in rounds using white colored yarn
Round 1: increase every stitch (36 stitches)
Round 2: *single crochet in each of next 5 stitches, increase* (42 stitches)
Round 3: *single crochet in each of next 6 stitches, increase* (48 stitches)
Round 4: *single crochet in each of next 7 stitches, increase* (54 stitches)
Rounds 5-12: single crochet in each of next 54 stitches
Round 13: *decrease, single crochet in each of next 7 stitches* (48 stitches)
Round 14: single crochet in each of next 48 stitches
Round 15: *decrease, single crochet in each of next 6 stitches* (42 stitches)
Round 16: *decrease, single crochet in each of next 5 stitches* (36 stitches)
Round 17: *decrease, single crochet in each of next 4 stitches* (30 stitches)
Round 18: *decrease, single crochet in each of next 3 stitches* (24 stitches)
Stuff the head firmly.
Round 19: *decrease, single crochet in each of next 2 stitches* (18 stitches)
Round 20: *decrease, single crochet in the next stitch* (12 stitches)
Round 21: *decrease*, repeat 6 times.
Fasten off. Hide yarn ends.
EAR (2x)
Crochet with back yarn.
Round 1: 6 single crochets into Magic Ring
Round 2: increase 6 times (12 stitches)
Rounds 3-4: single crochet in each of next 12 stitches
Fasten off leaving a long tail for sewing.
EYE (2x)
Crochet with back yarn.
Round 1: 6 single crochets into Magic Ring, slip stitch
Round 2: chain 2 stitches. double crochet in the same stitch as chain, 2 double crochets in the next stitch, hdc in each of next 3 stitches, single crochet in each of next 3 stitches, slip stitch in the next stitch.
Rounds 3-4: single crochet in each of next 12 stitches.
Fasten off leaving a long tail for sewing.
ASSEMBLY
Since all the elements of your amigurumi are crocheted, it´s time to sew them together. Use a blunt sewing needle.
Ears are attached to the head now. Position ears and using the yarn left sew them to the body of your panda. Be sure to step back and take a look to make sure they are even.
Eyes are attached to the head now. Mark where you want the eyes to be placed with pins and sew them with the distance of 4-6 stitches to the head of your panda. Embroider eyebrows with black color yarn. You can also add eyelashes and mouth if desired. Hide the yarn tails inside the head.
Embroider the nose. Begin with the outline of the upside-down triangle. Insert the needle through the top of the head and pull it through leaving a little bit of a tail. Then insert the needle again and pull it through where you want your bear’s nose to be. Fill in the triangle, and finish the uneven lines. At the end pull the needle out the same hole it originally went into, so that both yarn tails are coming out of the same hole. Tie a knot with both yarn tails, as close to the surface of the head as possible. Hide the yarn tails inside the head.
Add a line to the nose using black color yarn. Proceed to the smile if desired. You can also embroider eyebrows and add eyelashes. Weave in all ends.
SWING
Work using brown color yarn.
Round 1: chain 12 stitches. single crochet in the second chain from the hook, single crochet each of next 9 stitches, 2 single crochets in the next stitch, working on the other side of foundation chain: single crochet each of next 10 stitches (22 stitches).
Working in a spiral without turning or slip stitching at the end of the round:
Rounds 2-23: single crochet in each of next 22 stitches.
Seam with slip stitches.
ROPE (2x)
Work using green color yarn.
Chain stitches for approx. 42 cm (you can make it longer of course)
Fasten off leaving a long tail for sewing.
FLOWER (2x)
Work using white and yellow yarn.
Round 1: 6 single crochets into Magic Ring.
Round 2: *chain 3 stitches. double crochet in the same stitch as chain, double crochet in the next stitch, chain 3 stitches, slip stitch in the same stitch as chain, slip stitch in the next stitch*, repeat from* till the end of the round.
Fasten off leaving a long tail for sewing.
Sew rope to the swing. Attach the flowers as shown on the picture. Weave in all ends.
I hope you enjoyed crocheting the doll and found the pattern helpful. I would love to see your finished amigurumi, so share a picture here or on Instagram by tagging me @tansuluucrafthaus.
Happy crocheting! Feel free to contact me with any questions. Thank you for stopping by and have a lovely day!
