Crochet your own small Lion Amigurumi toy using this free pattern and video. These palm sized stuffies are the ideal size to carry around and use as key rings, rattles and many more.

Please purchase this inexpensive ad-free PDF version of the Lion Amigurumi Pattern from HERE. *Will be updated soon*

This Lion Amigurumi pattern is for intermediate level crocheters, who have already had experience making crochet toys. Please refer the video to understand how the arms are joined, how the mane is crocheted and where the sewing has to take place.

small crochet lion amigurumi sitting

Pattern Notes:

  • Work in continuous rounds.
  • Work through the entire stitch, not FLO or BLO (unless specified otherwise)
  • The instructions in brackets are to be repeated the number of times stated after the bracket.
  • Count your stitches.
  • Work tight.

Lion Amigurumi Pattern:

We are going to crochet the lion’s arms along with body and not sew them separately, so start making the arms first.

Arms 

  1. Magic circle, 2sc, 4hdc, 2sc. (8) 
  2. [BLO] sc, sc, ( loop * 4 times) sc, sc.(8) //Watch video to learn how to make the loops
  3. Sc around. (8) 

4-9. Sc around. (8) 

Make two of these front arms/legs for the lion.

Crochet legs

Lion’s Body

Crochet from the bottom of the lion, please watch video when you are trying to join leg to understand where the 5th stitch of the leg is.

  1. Magic circle, 6 sc. (6) 
  2. 2sc in each st. (12) 
  3. [sc, inc] * 6 times. (18) 
  4. [sc, sc, inc] * 6 times. (24) 
  5. [sc, sc, sc, inc] * 6 times. (30) 
  6. [BLO] sc around. (30) 
  7. 9sc, [2sc, sc] * 6 times, 9sc. (36) 
  8. Sc around. (36) 
  9. Sc around. (36) 
  10. Sc around. (36) 
  11. Sc around. (36) 
  12. 9sc, [Dec, sc] * 6 times, 9sc. (30) 
  13. 28sc, Join leg at the 5th stitch[8sc], Dec. (29+8) 
  14. Join leg at the 5th stitch[8sc], 7sc, [Dec, sc] * 5 times, 6sc. (8+23) 
  15. Skip 1st stitch on leg, 6sc, skip 3 stitches, 7sc, 23sc. (36) 
  16. 11sc, Dec, 4sc  [Dec,sc] *5 times, 4sc. (30) 
  17. 16sc, 10hdc, 4sc. (30) 
  18. 16sc, 10hdc, 4sc. (30) 
  19. [dec, 8sc, dec], 3sc, [dec, sc] * 4 times, 3sc. (24) 

Legs

Make two of these legs, that are attached to the rear end. After crocheting only stuff half of the leg, because the thigh portion is flattened and then sewn to the lion’s body.

  1.  Magic circle, 6sc. (6) 
  2. 2sc, [2hdc] * 4 times, 2sc. (12) 
  3. [BLO] scaround. (12) 
  4. 4sc, hdcdec, hdc dec, 4sc. (10) 
  5. 3sc, dec, dec, 3sc. (8) 
  6. Sc around. (8) 
  7. Sc around. (8) 
  8. 3sc, inc, 3sc, inc. (10) 
  9. 4sc, inc, 4sc, inc. (12) 
  10. 2sc, [inc, sc] * 4times, 2sc. (16) 
  11. Sc around. (16) 
  12. Sc around. (16) 
  13. 2sc, [dec, sc] * 4 times, 2sc. (12) 
  14. 6 dec. (6) 

Lion’s head

Start at the nose of the lion’s head with white yarn, and follow the pattern below.

  1. Magic circle, 6sc. (6) 
  2. 2sc in each st. (12) 
  3. Sc around. (12) 
  4. [sc, inc] * 6 times. (18) 

Change yarn half-way through the last stitch of the previous round. Change to tan colored yarn.

  1. sc around. (18) 
  2. [5sc, inc] * 3 times. (21) 
  3. Sc around. (21) 
  4. [6sc, inc] * 3 times. (24) 
  5. Sc around. (24) 

Change yarn half-way through the last stitch of the previous round. Change to brown colored yarn. Work in Back Loops only. Work the following stitches loosely or use a 3.00 mm crochet hook.

  1. [3sc, inc] * 6 times. (30) 

11-15. Sc around. (30) 

Attach eyes between Row 7 and Row 8 before you start making the decrease rounds. Count 7 stitches from the end of the round, place one eye. (Refer video to understand better as to where the Lion’s eyes go in.)

After attaching the eyes, stuff. Remember to stuff the nose tightly. 

  1. [3sc, dec] * 6 times. (24) 
  2. [2sc, dec] * 6 times. (18) 
  3. [sc, dec] * 6 times. (12) 
  4. Dec * 6 times. 

Now, start working in the Front Loops of the stitches you made between Round 10 and Round 19. Make loopy[sl st, Ch5, sl st] stitches to crochet a furry, puffy Lion’s mane.

Pause in between Rnd 11-15. Attach/Sew the lion’s body between these rounds, and then work the loopy stitches in the areas of the head that are left.

Then follow this pattern to make the Lion’s Ears and sew in between Rnd 11 & Rnd 12.

Ears

  1. Magic circle, 6sc. (6) 
  2. 2sc in each st. (12) 
  3. 10sc[BLO]. Finish off.

Nose:  

Start with brown yarn, 

  1. Magic circle, 6sc. (6) 
  2. [2sc, inc] * 2 times. (8) 
  3. Sc around. (8) //Change to tan colour yarn at the last stitch of this round.
  4. [3sc, inc] * 2  times. (10) 

5-8.   Sc around. (10)