Amigurumi Koala Bear - A Free Crochet Pattern



I'm so excited to introduce you to Katie the Koala! She has been a special design! The first stuffed animal we gave our two older girls (almost 6 years now, wow!) was a koala. So naturally, I really wanted to crochet one too!

Usually I stick with themes but this one is on its own so far. Feel free to leave me a comment below of other animals you would like to see in a series with Katie!

She is a little bit larger than most of my patterns but very similar to my amigurumi cow pattern!

*While my post says Katie the Koala Bear it should technically read Katie the Koala because they in fact are not a bear at all! A fun fact that I knew but too quickly forgot about!*

The legs and body are made as one piece and the head is sewn on separately to add extra strength at the neck!

Feel free to exclude the bow and eyelashes for a super cute boy koala! 

If you are new to crocheting stuffed animals, head over to my Tips to Learning Amigurumi page to get started. I go over a lot of the common techniques you'll see in the pattern, plus photos to help you through it! 

Be sure to also join the Grace and Yarn Crochet Group on Facebook so you can share your work and ask any questions you have along the way! 

If you plan to make this for a little one under 3 I recommend these crochet eyes as an alternative to the plastic safety eyes! 

You may make and sell items made from this pattern but please do not sell, share or reproduce the actual pattern. If you sell finished items online (Etsy, etc) please provide a link to the pattern and credit to me as the designer, thank you. I hope you enjoy this pattern! 

Pattern

- PIN this pattern to your favorite board to save for later 

- Get an ad-free printable version from my Etsy or Ravelry shop 

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Materials
  • Size 4 worsted weight yarn (150g of light grey, small amounts of white, dark grey, and color for bow) 
  • 3.5 mm crochet hook (these are my favorites!
  • 15mm safety eyes
  • Black crochet/embroidery thread for eyelashes (optional) 
  • Scissors 
  • Tapestry needle (bent tips work great for amigurumi!) 
  • Stuffing 
  • Stitch markers 
Abbreviations: US terminology

MC- Magic circle

SC- Single crochet

SC INC- Single crochet increase

INV DEC- Invisible decrease

HDC – Half double crochet

DC- Double crochet

Sl st – Slip stitch

St(s)- Stitch(es)



Katie the Koala measures about 12 inches tall

Slowly stuff as you go, you want it to be firm but not stretched. You will be working in the round, I like using a stitch marker at the beginning of each round.

Legs and Body-

Legs: Make 2 - Using white

Round 1: Create a magic circle with 6 SC

Round 2: SC INC in each st (12 SC)

Round 3: SC in the first st, SC INC in the next, repeat around (18 SC)

Round 4: SC in the first 2 sts, SC INC in the next, repeat around (24 SC)

Round 5: SC in the back loops only (24 SC)

Rounds 6-7: SC around (24 SC) Change to light grey

Rounds 8-21: SC around (24 SC)

Fasten off (when you finish the 2nd leg do not fasten off, proceed to round 22)

*Round 22 joins the legs together and starts the body

Round 22: Chain 3 and attach to the first leg with a SC, SC in the remaining stitches around the leg, when you reach the chain make a SC across each of the 3 chains, SC in the remaining stitches of the next leg and SC across each of the 3 chains (you will have SC on both sides of the 3 chains now) (54 SC) This completes your join and is where your next round will start.

This completes your join and is where your next round will start.



Rounds 23-38: SC around (54 SC)

Round 39: SC in the first 7 sts, INV DEC in the next, repeat around (48 SC)

Round 40: SC around (48 SC)

Round 41: SC in the first 6 sts, INV DEC in the next, repeat around (42 SC)

Round 42: SC around (42 SC)

Round 43: SC in the first 5 sts, INV DEC in the next, repeat around (36 SC)

Round 44: SC around (36 SC)

Round 45: SC in the first 4 sts, INV DEC in the next, repeat around (30 SC)

Rounds 46-47: SC around (30 SC)

Fasten off and leave a long tail for sewing

Nose 

With dark grey

Round 1: Create a magic circle with 6 SC

Round 2: SC INC in each st around (12 SC)

Round 3: SC in the first st, SC INC in the next, repeat around (18 SC)

Round 4: 3 sl st, 3 SC, 6 DC, 3 SC, 3 sl st (18 SC)

Fasten off and leave a long tail for sewing

Head

With light grey

Round 1: Create a magic circle with 6 SC

Round 2: SC INC in each st around (12 SC)

Round 3: SC in the first st, SC INC in the next, repeat around (18 SC)

Round 4: SC in the first 2 sts, SC INC in the next, repeat around (24 SC)

Round 5: SC in the first 3 sts, SC INC in the next, repeat around (30 SC)

Round 6: SC in the first 4 sts, SC INC in the next, repeat around (36 SC)

Round 7: SC in the first 5 sts, SC INC in the next, repeat around (42 SC)

Round 8: SC in the first 6 sts, SC INC in the next, repeat around (48 SC)

Round 9: SC in the first 7 sts, SC INC in the next, repeat around (54 SC)

Rounds 10: SC in the first 8 sts, SC INC in the next, repeat around (60 SC)
Rounds 11-21: SC around (60 SC)

NOTE: Here is where we will attach the safety eyes. Place them 6 sts apart between rounds 17-19. (If you would like eyelashes you will want to sew them on before securing your safety eyes). Next, sew the nose centered between the eyes, lightly stuffing as you go.



Round 22: SC in the first 8 sts, INV DEC in the next, repeat around (54 SC)

Round 23: SC in the first 7 sts, INV DEC in the next, repeat around (48 SC)

Round 24: SC in the first 6 sts, INV DEC in the next, repeat around (42 SC)

Round 25: SC in the first 5 sts, INV DEC in the next, repeat around (36 SC)

Round 26: SC in the first 4 sts, INV DEC in the next, repeat around (30 SC)

Round 27: SC in the first 3 sts, INV DEC in the next, repeat around (24 SC) *Continue to stuff the head firmly

Round 28: SC in the first 2 sts, INV DEC in the next, repeat around (18 SC)

Round 29: SC in the first st, INV DEC in the next, repeat around (12 SC)

Round 30: INV DEC around (6 SC)

Fasten off and sew remaining part closed, weave in your end

Ears

Make 2 front and 2 back pieces

Front – With white

Round 1: Create a magic circle with 6 SC

Round 2: SC INC in each st around (12 SC)

Round 3: SC in the first st, SC INC in the next, rep around (18 SC)

Round 4: SC in the first 2 sts, SC INC in the next, rep around (24 SC)

Change to light grey

Round 5: SC in the first 3 sts, SC INC in the next, repeat around (30 SC)

Fasten off and leave a long tail for sewing

Back – With light grey

Round 1: Create a magic circle with 6 SC

Round 2: SC INC in each st around (12 SC)

Round 3: SC in the first st, SC INC in the next, rep around (18 SC)

Round 4: SC in the first 2 sts, SC INC in the next, rep around (24 SC)

Round 5: SC in the first 3 sts, SC INC in the next, repeat around (30 SC)

Fasten off and leave a long tail for sewing

Sewing the ears together-

Place a front and back ear with wrong sides facing each other and sew together. Complete this step with the second ear.



Bow


With color of choice chain 20

Row 1: HDC in the 2nd chain from hook and in each chain across (19 HDC)

Rows 2: Chain 1 and turn, HDC in each chain across (19 HDC)

Fasten off leaving a long tail

Using your tail whip stitch the two ends together to make a tube, placing your sewn side in the middle wrap your yarn tightly around the middle 7 times to form your bow. Secure it in the back and save the remaining tail to sew onto the ear.



Arms

Make 2 stuffing lightly

With white

Round 1: Create a magic circle with 8 SC

Round 2: SC INC in each st around (16 SC)

Round 3: SC in the back loops only (16 SC)

Round 4: SC around (16 SC) Change to light grey

Rounds 5-23: SC around (16 SC)

At the end of round 23 pinch the arm flat and make 8 SC across the top to close, fasten off and leave a long tail to sew onto the body.



Belly Patch

With white

Round 1: Create a magic circle with 6 SC

Round 2: SC INC in each st around (12 SC)

Round 3: SC in the first st, SC INC in the next, repeat around (18 SC)

Round 4: SC in the first 2 sts, SC INC in the next, repeat around (24 SC)

Round 5: SC in the first 3 sts, SC INC in the next, repeat around (30 SC)

Round 6: SC in the first 4 sts, SC INC in the next, repeat around (36 SC)

Round 7: SC around (36 SC)

Slip stitch into the next 3 stitches and fasten off leaving a long tail
Attaching everything together-

- Sew the ears onto the head starting at round 8 and ending at round 13



- Next, sew the bow onto the ear

-Sew the head onto the body, making sure to have the facial features centered. Add extra stuffing as you go to keep it firm and less wobbly.

- Next, sew the arms onto the body centered with the head at round 46.

- Lastly sew the belly patch on


Your koala is complete! I hope you have enjoyed making this pattern!

~Stephanie

8 comments

  1. Stephanie, your koala is absolutely gorgeous and I intend to make her very soon!
    But one thing FYI - a koala is NOT a bear. It's a marsupial. We have lots of marsupials in Australia, but NO bears.
    Thank you for the free pattern. xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Anne! I too quickly forgot that fact and can’t change my title but I agree, she should be Katie the Koala! So glad you’ve enjoyed the pattern!

      Delete
  2. Stephanie, is there any chance this can be made smaller? I love it, but would rather have one no taller than 6 to 8 inches tall instead of 12 inches tall. Again, I am making for OCC boxes for church. Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi! I have planned to make a smaller version in the next month or so, should work out to be about 7 inches tall when I have it done!

      Delete
  3. Cute pattern! I am working on the head right now, but you do not mention when to work in the back loops. How does the head get a round shape? Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi! Working in the back loops aren’t needed for the head, as you work through the pattern the roundness will form. The middle rounds have no increases or decreases and this helps give height, then when you decrease at the end and stuff it will round out :)

      Delete
  4. Can I sell the Koala's that i make from this pattern?

    ReplyDelete
  5. I plan on making this soon for a little girl that wants one. She saw this picture of the koala bear. She loves it.

    ReplyDelete

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