Amigurumi Hippopotamus - A Free Crochet Pattern



Happy Friday friends! I'm excited to share this hippopotamus pattern with you. I have always loved hippos and was thrilled to create this cuddle sized friend for my daughter!

My two oldest girls turn 6 next week, one requested my variegated llama I was already working on and one wanted a purple hippo.

Because it's also Christmas time, I had the song 'I want a hippopotamus for Christmas' in my head every time I sat down to crochet. My daughters will share that I even sang it out loud from time to time! 

I made my hippo in a girl version with eyelashes but you could easily exclude them for a boy version. They would also be super cute in a grey or blue color!

You will want to be familiar with working in a magic circle, changing colors, and using invisible decreases for this pattern. I have a mini photo tutorial for each of theses methods in my Tips to Learning Amigurumi, plus some extras to help along the way.

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I use plastic safety for the majority of my projects (like this one) but when I am making them for children under 3 I love to use these as an alternative instead!



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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

An ad-free printable version is also available in my Etsy and Ravelry shop!



Materials

  • Size 4 worsted weight yarn (150g color of choice for body, small amount of white)
  • 3.5mm crochet hook
  • 15mm safety eyes 
  • Black crochet/embroidery thread for eyelashes (optional)
  • Scissors
  • Tapestry needle (I love the bent tips!)
  • Stuffing
  • Stitch markers (a piece of scrap yarn works great!)

Abbreviations - US Terminology

MC - Magic circle

SC - Single crochet

SC INC - Single crochet increase

INV DEC - Invisible decrease

DC - Double crochet

St(s) - Stitch(es)


Each hippo measures approximately 13 inches tall. We will be working in continuous rounds, I recommend using a stitch marker either at the beginning or end of each round. Slowly stuff as you go, you want it to be firm but not stretched.

Legs and Body

We will be making the legs first and then joining them together to make the body. Fasten off only on the first leg.

Legs - Make 2

With white

Round 1: Create a magic circle with 6 SC

Round 2: SC INC in each st (12)

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

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

Rounds 5-6: SC around (24)

Change to body color

Rounds 7-20: SC around (24)

Fasten off on the first leg only, continue to round 21 once your 2nd leg is complete.

Round 21: 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 again. You will now have SC on both sides of the chains, this acts as a bridge to join the legs together. (54) This completes your join and is where your next round will start.



Rounds 22-37: SC around (54)

Round 38: SC in the first 7 sts, INV DEC in the next, rep around (48)

Round 39: SC around (48)

Round 40: SC in the first 6 sts, INV DEC in the next, rep around (42)

Round 41: SC around (42)

Round 42: SC in the first 5 sts, INV DEC in the next, rep around (36)

Round 43: SC around (36)

Round 44: SC in the first 4 sts, INV DEC in the next, rep around (30)

Rounds 45-47: SC around (30)

Fasten off leaving a long tail for sewing


Nostrils

Make 2 with white

Create a magic circle with 6 SC, fasten off and pull tight leaving a long tail for sewing

Snout

This piece is worked crocheting on both sides of the foundation chain to create an oval shape. You will want to keep your chain fairly tight to help avoid the look of 'holes', we will also be working in the round.

Round 1: Chain 10, SC in the 2nd chain from hook, SC in the next 7 chains, 3SC in the last chain; working down the other side of the foundation chain (see picture below) SC in the next 7 chains, complete 2SC in the last chain (which is also the first chain we started with) (20)



Round 2: 2SC in the first st, SC in the next 7, 2SC in each of the next 3 sts, SC in the next 7, 2SC in each of the last 2 sts (26)

Round 3: 2SC in the first 2 sts, SC in the next 9 sts, 2SC in each of the next 4 sts, SC in the next 9 sts, 2SC in each of the last 2 sts (34)

Rounds 4-7: SC around (34)

Round 8: SC in the first 15 sts, INV DEC in the next, rep around (32)

Round 9: SC in the first 6 sts, INV DEC in the next, rep around (28)

Fasten off leaving a long tail for sewing. Next, sew a nostril onto each side of the snout.



Head

With body color

Round 1: Create a magic circle with 6 SC

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Round 10: SC in the first 8 sts, SC INC in the next, rep around (60)

Rounds 11-22: SC around (60)

Here is where we will attach the facial features. Place your eyes 5 stitches apart between rounds 18-20. Add eyelashes or eyebrows to your liking.

Next, sew the snout centered between the eyes, stuffing as you go.


Round 23: SC in the first 8 sts, INV DEC in the next, rep around (54)

Round 24: SC in the first 7 sts, INV DEC in the next, rep around (48)

Round 25: SC in the first 6 sts, INV DEC in the next, rep around (42)

Round 26: SC in the first 5 sts, INV DEC in the next, rep around (36)

Round 27: SC in the first 4 sts, INV DEC in the next, rep around (30)

Round 28: SC in the first 3 sts, INV DEC in the next, rep around (24)

Continue to stuff the head firmly

Round 29: SC in the first 2 sts, INV DEC in the next, rep around (18)

Round 30: SC in the first st, INV DEC in the next, rep around (12)

Round 31: INV DEC around (6)

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


Ears

Make 2 with body color

Round 1: Create a magic circle with 6 SC

Round 2: SC INC in each st (12)

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

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

Rounds 5-7: SC around (24)

Round 8: SC in the first 2 sts, INV DEC in the next, rep around (18)

Fasten off leaving a long tail for sewing onto the head. Use part of the tail to fold the ear in half and sew across to create a fold.



Arms

Make 2, lightly stuffing at the bottom

With white

Round 1: Create a magic circle with 8 SC
Round 2: SC INC in each st (16)

Round 3: SC around (16)

Change to body color

Rounds 4-23: SC around (16)

At the end of round 23 pinch the arm flat and make 8 SC across the top to close, fasten off leaving a long tail for sewing

Attaching Everything Together

1. Sew the ears onto the head at round 9 and 10 on each side



2. Sew your head onto the body making sure to have the facial features centered. Be sure to stuff the neck firmly as you go.

3. Lastly, sew the arms onto the body at round 45.

Your hippopotamus is complete! Feel free to add a bow like the one used for Katie the Koala or a bow tie like the one used in the Berry Patch Bunny pattern!

I hope you've enjoyed making this pattern as much as I have, please let me know if you have any questions along the way, I'd be happy to help. Thanks so much for stopping by!

12 comments

  1. OMG. I was listening to this song this morning and told my husband I want a hippo and here you are sharing a pattern for free! And my favorite color purple, you are awesome!

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  2. This is an absolutely amazing pattern! And it's so wonderful of you to share it for free. I'm going to start by making one for my sister. Even though we are both old ladies now that song you mentioned always reminds her of me...I'm 14 years older...but the song came out when she was a very small child and I may have sung it to her a few times. They also say that Hippos in your home protect your home and since she lives alone I want her protected...I don't really believe in that actually but it's a good thought. Anyway, thank you so very much. I was looking all over for the right pattern and this is it.

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    1. Hi Ruth! I'm so glad you've enjoyed it! What a sweet gift for your sister, I love it!

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  3. Hiya! I'm stuck on the snout part I've done row 2 and have 26 stitches .. how ever your instructions for row 3 only add up to 24 stitches so each time I've frogged back and tried again I'm still left with 2 stitches left over at the end... can you help please?

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    1. Thank you so much for bringing this to my attention, this is a typo and I have now fixed. It should be 9 SC in between the increases as Kate has so kindly shared below!

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  4. I got stuck at the same row of the snout. i frogged back and added 9sc in between instead of 8. Thos brought the count up to 34 like pattern says. Hope this helped

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    1. Thank you Kate for sharing! I have made this correction in the pattern!

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  5. What brand of yarn did you use? Thanks!

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    1. I used Lion Brand Vanna's Choice for this pattern :)

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  6. Thank you for this. I now I pattern to make for kids to give. So excited😊

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  7. This is such a great pattern. Thank you for sharing it with us

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