Free Crochet Pattern: Bat in Comic Style

Today, I want to introduce you to a new crochet pattern: a small egg-shaped bat in a comic style! This cute creation is inspired by my visits to an ecological station near my home that maintains bat boxes. The fascinating world of bats has completely captivated me there.

Did you know that bats, with about 1,400 species, are the second-largest order of mammals after rodents? They are true survivors and have adapted to a wide variety of habitats – from dry deserts to dense rainforests. But bats are not only diverse, they are also incredibly useful. Some species are important pollinators and help spread seeds, which is essential for the health of many plant species. Other bats help control insect populations by consuming large quantities of pests.

The idea to crochet a bat came to me one evening at the station when I watched the bats emerge from their boxes and fly through the twilight. These little flying mammals are simply fascinating! With this pattern, you can create your own little bat and bring a piece of this fascination into your home.

So, grab your crochet hooks and some yarn, and let's crochet a small, charming bat together! Have fun and happy hooking!

Preparation:

Materials List:

• Crochet hook size 4 mm

• Cotton or acrylic yarn suitable for the hook size in dark grey, light grey, black, and white, or choose yarn to match the hook size. You can choose any yarn thickness as long as you use the same thickness for all parts of the bat to maintain the proportions, only the size will change accordingly.

• Stitch markers or a different colored thread

• Stuffing

• Safety eyes 6 mm

• Embroidery thread for stitching in white and black

Abbreviations:

sc - single crochet                            dec - crochet 2 stitches together

ch - chain stitch                                inc - increase 1 stitch

sl st - slip stitch                                rep - repeat st - stitch

Notes: Unless explicitly stated, all parts are crocheted in spiral rounds, even if the pattern states "3 rounds of sc," for example. The numbers before each step indicate the row/round number. The number in parentheses at the end of each step indicates the number of stitches at the end of that step.

Body:

            in dark grey

            2 chains or Magic Ring

Round 1: 6 single crochets (6)

Round 2: double each st (12)

Round 3: double every 2nd st (18)

Round 4: double every 3rd st (24)

Round 5: double every 4th st (30)

Round 6: double every 5th st (36)

Round 7: double every 6th st (42)

Round 8: double every 7th st (48)

Round 9: double every 8th st (54)

Round 10: double every 9th st (60)

Rounds 11 - 20: 10 rounds of single crochet (60)

Round 21: single crochet together every 9th and 10th st (54)

Round 22: single crochet (54)

Round 23: single crochet together every 8th and 9th st (48)

Round 24: single crochet (48)

Round 25: single crochet together every 7th and 8th st (42)

Round 26: single crochet (42)

Round 27: single crochet together every 6th and 7th st (36)

Round 28: single crochet (36)

Round 29: single crochet together every 5th and 6th st (30)

Round 30: single crochet (30)

Round 31: single crochet together every 4th and 5th st (24)

                  Stuff the body well.

Round 32: single crochet together every 3rd and 4th st (18)

Round 33: single crochet together every 2nd and 3rd st (12)

                  If necessary, stuff again well.

Round 34: single crochet together every 1st and 2nd st (6)

Slip stitch into the next stitch, cut the yarn, and close the small hole. To do this, thread the needle through the front loop of each of the 6 stitches from the outside, then pull the yarn tight to close the hole. It will close by itself ;)

Feet (make 2):

                   in light grey
                   2 chains or Magic Ring
Round 1: 6 single crochets (6)
Round 2: double each st (12)
Round 3: double every 2nd st (18)
Rounds 4 – 6: 3 rounds of sc (18)
Round 7: crochet together every 2nd and 3rd st (12)
Rounds 8 – 9: 2 rounds of sc (12)
Stuff the foot, then crochet 1 more sc. Now pinch the top edge so that the front and back stitches align exactly. Close the foot by inserting the hook through both the front and back stitches, creating a clean edge with a row of sc.

Tail:

             in dark grey
             2 chains or Magic Ring
Round 1: 6 single crochets (6)
Round 2: double every 2nd st (9)
Round 3: double every 3rd st (12)
Round 4: single crochet (12)
Slip stitch into the next stitch, cut the yarn long enough for sewing, and lightly stuff the tail.

Ears (make 2):

               in light grey
              2 chains or Magic Ring
Round 1: 6 single crochets (6)
Round 2: double each st (12)
Round 3: double every 2nd st (18)
Slip stitch into the next stitch, cut the yarn long enough for sewing. Fold the inner sides of the ears about 1 cm and sew firmly with the remaining thread.

Nose:

               in black
               2 chains or Magic Ring
Round 1: 6 single crochets (6)
Round 2: double every 2nd st (9)
Slip stitch into the next stitch, cut the yarn long enough for sewing.

 

Eyes (make 2):

               in white
               chain 3 + 1 turning chain
Note: Although a turning chain is crocheted here, continue working in spiral rounds.
Round 1: 1 sc in the next 2 chains, 3 sc in the 3rd chain, then on the other side 1 sc in the next chain, in the first chain work 2 sc
Round 2: 1 sc in the turning chain, then 1 sc in the next 3 sc, 3 sc in the next st, 1 sc in the next 3 sts, 2 sc in the next st, and finish with a slip stitch in the first stitch. Cut the yarn long enough for sewing.

Wings (make 2):

                in black
                chain 4 + 1 turning chain
Row 1: 4 sc + 1 turning chain (4)
Row 2: 4 sc + chain 2 + 1 turning chain (6)
Row 3: 6 sc + 1 turning chain (6)
Row 4: 6 sc + chain 2 + 1 turning chain (8)
Row 5: 8 sc + 1 turning chain (8)
Row 8: 8 sc (8)
Cut the yarn long enough for sewing, then finish by pulling the remaining thread through the working loop.

Finishing:

First, sew the eyes together about halfway. Then attach the safety eyes – preferably not exactly in the center, but slightly higher and offset to the left.

Next, pin the feet and tail to the body so that the formed triangle provides a good stand (or seat) for the bat. Once you are satisfied with the positioning, sew the three parts in place.

After that, position the eyes and wings. The eyes should be placed in the center between the feet, and the wings should be attached at the level of the lower edges of the eyes and centered on the body from a top view.

Finally, attach the ears and the nose. Again, pin them first, then sew them in place.

Tip: To achieve a clean sewing edge for both the eyes and the nose, I initially insert the needle from behind through the two loops of the stitch, then from the front in the next stitch (this makes the thread wrap around the bar between the two stitches and the loops form a clean edge). Then, insert the needle around a stitch on the body. I repeat this until I have gone all the way around.

Now it's time to add the details.
The feet get small claws. To do this, first sew a loop over the foot to serve as a divider for the toes. Then secure this loop so it doesn't slip. To do this, come out with the needle at a spot next to or under the thread, pass the working thread over the toe thread, and reinsert the needle at the same spot you just came out from.

In the picture, you can see how the loop for the toe is initially placed, and in the second picture, how it is secured by coming out next to this thread again.

In addition to the toes, embroider a mouth and possibly small lines in the ears. I also outlined the eyes with black thread (by the way, done the same way as the toes – first make a large loop around and then secure it) to enhance the "comic look". However, this is a matter of taste and can be omitted if preferred ;)

I hope you enjoyed the pattern, and if you have any questions or issues, please leave me a comment. I would also love to receive positive feedback :)

Otherwise, have fun crocheting, and feel free to check out my other free blog posts or browse around my shop, where you'll find many more sewing and crochet patterns for practical items, cute stuffed animals, and amigurumi.