Free Crochet Lion Tutorial


Free Crochet Lion Tutorial

Translation: Khabalina G.V.

This guide provides step-by-step instructions for crocheting a lion. You can use any acrylic, cotton, or half-cotton yarn suitable for amigurumi, along with an appropriate crochet hook.

Materials and Tools

  • Yarn: Yellow, cream, brown, orange
  • Crochet Hook
  • Toy eyes (15 mm)
  • Stuffing
  • Needle for attaching details
  • Scissors

All the necessary materials can be purchased here.

Abbreviations

  • KA – Magic ring
  • ch – Chain stitch
  • sl st – Slip stitch
  • sc – Single crochet
  • dc2tog – Double crochet two together
  • inc – Increase
  • dec – Decrease
  • BLO – Crochet through the back loop only
  • (…) x n – Repeat n times

Crochet Instructions for Amigurumi Lion

Paws and Legs

Instead of attaching separate pads for the paws and legs, you can start with cream yarn for the hands (1–3 rows) and for the feet (1–4 rows), and then switch to yellow yarn for the remaining rows. I prefer to crochet separate pads, but attaching them immediately can be easier.

Head Shaping

Cut a piece of yarn approximately 3–5 cm long. Tie a secure knot at one end and thread the other end through a yarn needle.
Insert the needle through the back of the head and sew between the two points where you plan to place the eyes.
Tighten the yarn to create a depression. Tie a knot and hide the yarn tail inside the head.

Head

Using yellow yarn:

  1. 6 sc in KA (6)
  2. inc in each stitch (12)
  3. (sc, inc) (18)
  4. sc, inc, (2 sc, inc) x 5, sc (24)
  5. (3 sc, inc) (30)
  6. 2 sc, inc, (4 sc, inc) x 5, 2 sc (36)
  7. (5 sc, inc) (42)
  8. 3 sc, inc, (6 sc, inc) x 5, 3 sc (48)
  9. (7 sc, inc) (54)
  10. 4 sc, inc, (8 sc, inc) x 5, 4 sc (60)
    11–20. sc in each stitch (60)
  11. 4 sc, dec, (8 sc, dec) x 5, 4 sc (54)
  12. (7 sc, dec) (48)
  13. 3 sc, dec, (6 sc, dec) x 5, 3 sc (42)
  14. (5 sc, dec) (36)
  15. 2 sc, dec, (4 sc, dec) x 5, 2 sc (30)

Fill the head with stuffing up to ¾ full. Decide on the placement for the eyes, sew them between the two marks, and secure them.

  1. (3 sc, dec) (24)

Finish stuffing, secure, and leave a long tail for attachment.

Snout

Using cream yarn:

  1. Start with a chain: ch 5, inc in the 2nd stitch from the hook, 2 sc, 5 sc in the last stitch. On the reverse side of the chain, 2 sc, 3 sc in the last stitch (14)
  2. inc, 4 sc, (inc) x 3, 4 sc, (inc) x 2 (20)
  3. inc, 6 sc, (inc) x 2, sc, inc, 6 sc, (inc) x 2, sc (26)
  4. inc, 8 sc, (inc, sc) x 2, inc, 8 sc, (inc, sc) x 2 (32)
  5. inc, 10 sc, inc, 2 sc, inc, sc, inc, 10 sc, inc, 2 sc, inc, sc (38)
    6-7. sc in each stitch (38)
  6. sc in each stitch, crochet the last 3 stitches together (36)

Secure and leave a long tail for attachment. Attach the snout to the head, ¾ around the circle, leaving a small opening for stuffing. Fill and finish stitching the remaining ¼.