Materials
3.5 mm crochet hook
5.5 mm crochet hook (for bandana)
15mm safety eyes
Black crochet/embroidery thread for eyelashes (optional)
Scissors
Tapestry needle (I love the bent tips for amigurumi!)
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
HDC- Half double crochet
HDC DEC – Half double crochet decrease
St(s)- Stitch(es)
*Slowly stuff as you go, you want it to be firm but not stretched. You will be working in the round, I like using a stitch marker at the beginning of each round.
You will use your 3.5mm crochet hook for each part of the pattern apart from the bandana, where we will use size 5.5mm.
Instructions for the donkey and horse are the same. The difference between the two are the length of their mane.
Legs and Body-
Legs: Make 2 – Using your accent 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, repeat around (18)
Round 4: SC in the first 2 sts, SC INC in the next, repeat around (24)
Rounds 5-9: SC around (24)
Change to white
Rounds 10-11: SC around (24)
Change to main body color
Rounds 12-21: SC around (24)
Fasten off (when you finish the 2nd leg do not fasten off, proceed to round 22) *Round 22 joins the legs together and starts the body.
Round 22: Chain 3 and attach to the first leg with a SC, SC in the remaining sts around the leg. When you reach the chain make a SC across each of the 3 chains, SC in the remaining sts of the next leg and SC across each of the 3 chains again. You will have crocheted on each side of the chain. (54 SC)
This completes your join and is where your next round will start.
Rounds 23-38: SC around (54)
Round 39: SC in the first 7 sts, INV DEC in the next, repeat around (48)
Round 40: SC around (48)
Round 41: SC in the first 6 sts, INV DEC in the next, repeat around (42)
Round 42: SC around (42)
Round 43: SC in the first 5 sts, INV DEC in the next, repeat around (36)
Round 44: SC around (36)
Round 45: SC in the first 4 sts, INV DEC in the next, repeat around (30)
Rounds 46-47: SC around (30)
Fasten off and leave a long tail for sewing
Nose
With main 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, repeat around (18)
Round 4: SC in the first 2 sts, SC INC in the next, repeat around (24)
Round 5: SC in the first 3 sts, SC INC in the next, repeat around (30)
Round 6: SC in the first 4 sts, SC INC in the next, repeat around (36)
Rounds 7-10: SC around (36)
Change to white
Round 11: SC around (36)
Round 12: SC in the first 4 sts, INV DEC in the next, repeat around (30)
Fasten off leaving a long tail for sewing. With a small amount of your accent color, add two nostrils by passing once or twice through 2 stitches, I made mine about 5 stitches apart just above the middle point.
Head
With main body color
Round 1: Create a magic circle with 6 SC
Round 2: SC INC in each stitch around (12)
Round 3: SC in the first st, SC INC in the next, repeat around (18)
Round 4: SC in the first 2 sts, SC INC in the next, repeat around (24)
Round 5: SC in the first 3 sts, SC INC in the next, repeat around (30)
Round 6: SC in the first 4 sts, SC INC in the next, repeat around (36)
Round 7: SC in the first 5 sts, SC INC in the next, repeat around (42)
Round 8: SC in the first 6 sts, SC INC in the next, repeat around (48)
Round 9: SC in the first 7 sts, SC INC in the next, repeat around (54)
Rounds 10: SC in the first 8 sts, SC INC in the next, repeat around (60)
Rounds 11-22: SC around (60)
NOTE: Here is where we will attach the safety eyes. Place them 6 stitches apart between rounds 19-20. (Feel free to add eyelashes before securing the back of the eyes.)
Next, sew your nose piece centered between the eyes stuffing as you go.
Round 23: SC in the first 8 sts, INV DEC in the next, repeat around (54)
Round 24: SC in the first 7 sts, INV DEC in the next, repeat around (48)
Round 25: SC in the first 6 sts, INV DEC in the next, repeat around (42)
Round 26: SC in the first 5 sts, INV DEC in the next, repeat around (36)
Round 27: SC in the first 4 sts, INV DEC in the next, repeat around (30)
Round 28: SC in the first 3 sts, INV DEC in the next, repeat around (24)
*Continue to stuff the head firmly
Round 29: SC in the first 2 sts, INV DEC in the next, repeat around (18)
Round 30: SC in the first stitch, INV DEC in the next, repeat around (12)
Round 31: INV DEC around (6)
Fasten off and sew remaining part closed, weave in your end
Ears
Make 2 with main body color
Round 1: Create a magic circle with 8 SC
Rounds 2-3: SC around (8)
Round 4: SC in the first stitch, SC INC in the next, repeat around (12)
Round 5: SC around (12)
Round 6: SC in the first 2 sts, SC INC in the next, repeat around (16)
Rounds 7-10: SC around (16)
Round 11: SC in the first 2 sts, INV DEC in the next, repeat around (12)
Fasten off leaving a long tail for sewing
Next, sew your ears onto the head starting at round 5 and ending at round 11 on each side.
Arms
Make 2 stuffing lightly at the bottom with accent color
Round 1: Create a magic circle with 6 SC
Round 2: SC INC in each stitch around (12)
Round 3: SC in the first 2 sts, SC INC in the next, repeat around (16)
Rounds 4-7: SC around (16)
Change to white
Rounds 8-9: SC around (16)
Change to main body color
Rounds 10-23: SC around (16)
At the end of round 23 pinch the arm flat and make 8 SC across the top to close, fasten off and leave a long tail to sew onto the body.
Bandana
With your 5.5mm hook and color of choice, chain 21
Row 1: HDC in the 2nd chain from your hook and in each chain across, chain 1 and turn (20)
Row 2: HDC DEC, 16 HDC, HDC DEC, chain 1 and turn (18)
Row 3: HDC DEC, 14 HDC, HDC DEC, chain 1 and turn (16)
Row 4: HDC DEC, 12 HDC, HDC DEC, chain 1 and turn (14)
Row 5: HDC DEC, 10 HDC, HDC DEC, chain 1 and turn (12)
Row 6: HDC DEC, 8 HDC, HDC DEC, chain 1 and turn (10)
Row 7: HDC DEC, 6 HDC, HDC DEC, chain 1 and turn (8)
Row 8: HDC DEC, 4 HDC, HDC DEC, chain 1 and turn (6)
Row 9: HDC DEC, 2 HDC, HDC DEC, chain 1 and turn (4)
Row 10: HDC DEC twice, chain 1 and turn (2)
Row 11: HDC DEC (1)
Border-
1. Chain 1 and SC down the side.
2. When you reach the first corner chain 10 (if you crochet tightly you may want to add a few extra chains).
3. SC in the 2nd chain from your hook and back down the chain. SC across the bottom of the bandana.
4. When you reach the next corner chain 10 again (if you added chains above be sure to make this side with the same count). SC in the 2nd chain from your hook and in each chain back to the bandana. SC across the last remaining side. At this point you will have crocheted across all 3 sides and have created 2 ties on either side.
Weave in your ends.
Assembly
1. I found it easiest to complete the mane once the head was sewn onto the body. Be sure to keep your facial features centered and continue to stuff the neck before closing. This will help ensure a strong neck.
2. Next, sew the arms onto the body centered with the head at round 46.
Mane
With your accent color cut multiple strips of yarn approximately 9 inches long for the horse and 7 inches for the donkey. You will need quite a few to fill in the mane.
– Taking 2 strands at a time and using your crochet hook, pull the strands through a stitch next to one of the ears to create a loop .
– Next, pull your ends through the loop and pull tight.
– Complete this step across the head to the other ear
Continue these steps to create extra rows working down the back of the head.
Donkey – Trim your mane to be approximately 2-3 inches long.
Horse – Trim as needed/ to your liking.
Tail
With accent color cut 9 strips of yarn approximately 15 inches long. In similar fashion to our mane pull the loops of your strands through two stitches in the back of your horse/donkey. Pull the strand through your loop and pull tight. Trim your tail as desired, I kept mine about 2-3 inches long.
Congratulations
More Amigurumi Horse and Donkey Ideas:
