This adorable amigurumi penguin is designed with a round, cuddly body, tiny flippers, and a sweet expression. It’s beginner-friendly, works up quickly, making it ideal for last-minute gifts or fun weekend projects.
This tutorial includes how to make a beak, head, body, wings, and feet, and also includes how to switch between colors in the head and body parts.
You can make your penguin special by adding some fun details, like adding a hat or a scarf, a flower, or a bow.
It’s perfect for winter and Christmas décor, handmade gifts, amigurumi collections, nursery collections, nursery decorations, and penguin and animal lovers.
Designer: Lindsey Crochets
Materials
- 2.5 mm crochet hook
- 6 mm safety eyes
- Worsted weight yarn in colors:
- Orange, black/dark gray, ivory
Abbreviations
ch – chain stitch
sl st – slip stitch
sc – single crochet
inc – increase
dec – decrease
Beak
Use orange yarn. Do not stuff.
This will be crocheted in distinct rounds with a ch 1 at the beginning of each round and a slip stitch at the end.
Rnd 1: ch 12, sl st to the first ch you made (12)
Rnd 2: ch 1, 12 sc, sl st to the first sc you made (12)
Rnd 3: ch 1, dec x 6, sl st to the first sc you made (6)
Rnd 4: ch 1, dec x 3, sl st to the first sc you made (3)
Fasten off and tuck.weave in the ending tail. Set beak aside for later.
Head
Start with black/dark gray.
For rounds 8-16, black text indicates black/dark gray yarn, white red text indicates ivory yarn.
Rnd 1: ch 4. Starting from the 2nd ch from the hook, complete: 2 sc, inc. On the other side of the chain complete: 2 sc, inc (8)
Rnd 2: inc x 8 (16)
Rnd 3: (sc, inc) x 8 (24)
Rnd 4: (2 sc, inc) x 8 (32)
Rnd 5: (3 sc, inc) x 8 (40)
Rnd 6: 40 sc (40)
Rnd 7: (4 sc, inc) x 8 (48)
Rnd 8: 6 sc, 3 sc, 6 sc, 3 sc, 30 sc (48)
Rnd 9: 5 sc, 4 sc, 6 sc, 4 sc, 29 sc (48)
Rnd 10: 4 sc, 5 sc, 6 sc, 5 sc, 28 sc (48)
Rnd 11-12: 3 sc, 6 sc, 6 sc, 6 sc, 27 sc (48)
Rnd 13: 3 sc, (sc, inc) x 3, 6 sc, (sc, inc) x 3, 27 sc (54)
Rnd 14-15: 3 sc, 24 sc, 27 sc (54)
Rnd 16: 3 sc, sc, dec, (4 sc, dec) x 3, 3 sc, sc, dec, (4 sc, dec) x 4 (45)
The yarn tail (where you are ending and beginning each round) marks the side of the head.
Insert eyes between rounds 13 and 14, about 8-9 stitches apart. If desired, embroider white outer edges on each eye. Sew the beak onto round 13 in between the eyes (fold the beak so that the “seam” of the beak – where slip-stitched at the end each round – is at the bottom where it’s the least visible). If desired, embroider blush using pink yarn in between rounds 15-16, about 2 stitches wide, and embroider eyebrows on round 11.
Round 17 is in black/dark gray yarn.
Rnd 17: (3 sc, dec) x 9 (36)
Stuff the head so far. Continue stuffing the body as you go.
Change to dark gray/light gray yarn (the lighter of your two main contrastin colors for the body).
Rnd 18: (sc, inc) x 18 (54)
Rnd 19-23: 54 sc (54)
Rnd 24: (8 sc, inc) x 6 (60)
Rnd 25-27: 60 sc (60)
Rnd 28: (8 sc, dec) x 6 (54)
Rnd 29: (7 sc, dec) x 6 (48)
Rnd 30: (6 sc, dec) x 6 (42)
Rnd 31: (5 sc, dec) x 6 (36)
Rnd 32: (4 sc, dec) x 6 (30)
Rnd 33: (3 sc, dec) x 6 (24)
Rnd 34: (2 sc, dec) x 6 (18)
Rnd 35: (sc, dec) x 6 (12)
Rnd 36: dec x6 (6)
Fasten off and weave in the end tail.
Wings x2
Use dark gray/light gray yarn. Do not stuff.
Rnd 1: ch 2, complete 8 sc in the 2nd ch from the hook (8)
Rnd 2: inc x 8 (16)
Rnd 3-5: 16 sc (16)
Rnd 6: (6 sc, dec) x 2 (14)
Rnd 7: 14 sc (14)
Rnd 8: (5 sc, dec) x 2 (12)
Rnd 9: ch 1, fold wing in half and crochet closed with 6 sc (6)
Fasten off and leave a long tail for sewing.
Foot x2
Use black/dark gray yarn. Do not stuff.
The toes (round 8) are designed to be symmetrical.
Rnd 1: ch 2, complete 6 sc in the 2nd ch from the hook (6)
Rnd 2: inc x 6 (12)
Rnd 3-6: 12 sc (12)
Rnd 7: ch 1, fold the foot in half and crochet closed with 6 sc (6)
Rnd 8: ch 1, turn and complete the following sitches:
- 1 st stitch: sl st, ch 2, dc, ch 2
- 2nd stitch: sl st
- 3rd stitch: sl st, ch 2, dc, ch 2
- 4th stitch: sl st
- 5th stitch: sl st, ch 2
- 6th stitch: dc, ch 2, sl st
Fasten off and leave a long tail for sewing. Sew each foot near rounds 30-33 of the body.
