Easy crochet pattern to make your own amigurumi lion.
This tutorial will show you how to crochet your own amigurumi lion. You will find this cute safari animal pattern very easy to follow, with lots of process photos. To make this crochet lion pattern, you will need to know basic amigurumi knowledge such as changing colors, increase, decrease and joining.
This little lions mane is so soft and fluffy that everyone will love to touch, especially small children and babies. Your crochet lion will make a wonderful gift for birthdays, baby showers, or any occasion. Looking for a cute toy or something to add some colour to your nursery this lion will make a great addition to any kids room. Click here for more safari animal patterns.
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This lion plush is about 20 cm or 8 inches (in the sitting position), when made with Paintbox Yarns Cotton DK. For the best results, I recommend using a light to medium weight yarn [size (2)โ(4)] in cotton or acrylic. You can find more information about the yarn I used to crochet this amigurumi pattern below.
Lion Pattern Info & Difficulty
- Skill Level: Easy
- Includes both US & UK Crochet Terminology
- Photo tutorials
- Finished Size of this lion is approx 20 cm or 8 inches (using paintbox cotton dk)
Permission to sell the finished lion (kindly link to Just A Little Crochet as the designer when possible)
Abbreviations and Skills Required to make this crochet lion
- mc = magic circle
- ch = chain stitch
- sl st = slip stitch
- sc = single crochet (US) same as double crochet (UK)
- st = stitch
- inc = 2 sc in the same stitch
- dec = single crochet 2 stitches together
Crochet techniques used to make this amigurumi toy:
Changing colours, Increase, Decrease & joining amigurumi.
Materials
Full list of materials you will need to make this easy crochet animal pattern.
- 2.5 mmโcrochet hook size (My favourite crochet hooks)
- DK yarn in 3 colours
- Yellow – 234 yards (210 meters)
- Brown – 103 yards (188 meters)
- White – 69 yards (60 meters)
- see below for the yarn brand and colors I used
- Black embroidery thread or 4ply yarn (for nose and eyes)
- Safety eyes (8 mm)
- Yarn needle
- Scissors
- Toy stuffing
- Stitch markers
- Pins
NOTE: Plastic safety eyes are not recommended for children under three. This pattern will show you how you can easily make your amigurumi eyes using yarn.
This lion crochet pattern PDF is also available for instant download on Ravelry, Etsy and Love Crafts.
To purchase the finished lion toy, see the following link for my handmade Etsy shop:
Have a question about this pattern?
You will find this crochet tutorial very easy to follow with clear written instructions and lots of process pictures to help you on your way. If you need help at any point or have questions or feedback regarding this pattern, you can send me a message here
Yarn I used to make this amigurumi lion.
The yarn I used to make this crochet lion is Paintbox Yarns Cotton DK.
- Yellow โ Melon Sorbet โ 2 x 50g balls approx [200-220m]
- Brown โ Soft fudge โ 1 x 50g ball
- White โ Champagne White โ 1 x 50g ball
I chose the colour melon sorbet to make my lion as it is a nice bright yellowโorange shade. Paintbox yarn has a really nice selection of colours to choose from. The yarn is available in DK, Aran and more recently 4ply and with 56 colours to choose from, you should have no problem finding colors to make this lion or your next project.
(You can find the yarn here @ Love Crafts)
Another yarn I love to use to make my amigurumi patterns is Rainbow cotton yarn from Hobbii, this yarn is available in 8/4 = 4ply, 8/8 = dk and they also do a 8/6 which is somewhere in-between the other two. You can find them here!
Choosing The Best Yarn for Amigurumi Toys
This lion amigurumi pattern is best suited to cotton or acrylic yarn. However, you can make your crochet plush using most yarn types. To achieve the finished size of 20cm you should use a DK weight yarn. In order to create a larger lion, you can thicker yarn instead such as aran or a worsted weight yarn. With this in mind, you will also need to increase your hook size.
Choosing your crochet hook size
The crochet hook you choose will depend on the thickness of the yarn you are using to make your stuffed animal. For example, use a smaller crochet hook than what is on your yarn label to make your amigurumi, as this will prevent your toy stuffing from showing through your work. My favourite crochet hooks to use are clover hooks you can them here at Hobbii.
For more amigurumi tips check out my post 6 TIPS AND TRICKS FOR BETTER AMIGURUMI.