Happy Lunar New Year! This year, Lunar New Year celebrations start a little earlier than usual, on January 22, 2023. It’s the year of the Rabbit! If you’ve been following me for a while, you’ll know that I try my best to put out at least one new Lunar New Year pattern each year. This year is no exception!
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Yarn I Used
I used Paintbox Yarns Cotton Aran for this crochet amigurumi toy, but you can use any soft cotton yarn as long as you correspond your hook to the weight of your yarn. You can also easily size up/down by using thicker/thinner yarn, just make sure to change the size of your hook accordingly.
I used about 38g of Vanilla Cream, 15g of Red Wine, 6g of Candyfloss Pink. The amount of yarn you will need will vary based on your tension and the type of stitch you use. Each skein is 50g.
Gauge
5 Round Circle = 1.5” with a 3.25mm (D) hook
Note: I am working with the x-stitch (yarn under single crochet). If you are working a standard sc, go down a hook size.
Gauge isn’t super important for amigurumi, but I included it just in case you want to check your gauge. Being a little off should not affect the final product too much. You can learn more about how to measure gauge for amigurumi here!
Free Year of the Rabbit Stuffed Animal Lunar New Year Crochet Amigurumi Pattern
The difficulty level of this pattern is Intermediate and this pattern is written in US crochet terminology.
If you have any questions, you can also reach out to me for help. I will respond quickest through DMs on Instagram, but you can also just fill out a contact form here.
This toy is roughly 6.75 in (17.15cm) tall.
Please do not reprint, redistribute, sell or claim the pattern as your own. If you wish to share this pattern, you may link to the free pattern on the blog. Please do not copy and post the pattern onto your site.
TERMINOLOGY
st(s): stitch(es)
ch: chain
sl st: slip stitch
sc: single crochet
hdc: half double crochet
inc: two single crochet in one stitch
dec: invisible decrease- single crochet two stitches together through the front loops only (typical patterns will call invisible decreases “invdec”, but I’m using “dec” just to make it simpler to read)
BLO: crochet only in the back loops (loop away from you) of each stitch
YO: yarn over
2-dc Bobble: bobble stitch made with 2 double crochet stitches (see Notes & Guides)
(…) x #: repeat anything in the parenthesis however many times the number indicates
[#]: total number of stitches for that row
#sc/inc/dec: one sc/inc/dec in the following # stitches
(x, y) in the next st: work everything in the parenthesis into the same st
THINGS YOU NEED
- Paintbox Yarns Cotton Aran – 38g of Vanilla Cream, 15g of Red Wine, 6g of Candyfloss Pink (White Rabbit). For the brown rabbit, the dress is made with discontinued colours, but the body is made with the colour Soft Fudge. The amount you use will vary based on your tension and stitch type.
- 3.25mm (D) Crochet Hook (Go down a hook size if you are working the regular single crochet stitch)
- 8mm Safety Eyes with Matching Backings (Optional, you can also embroider in the eyes instead)
- Scissors
- Darning Needle
- Locking Stitch Markers (Optional)
- Polyfil Stuffing
- DMC 6-Strand Embroidery Floss – Black
- Embroidery Needle
- Wire or Pipe Cleaners (Optional)
- Tacky or Fabric Glue (Optional)
Notes & Guides
This pattern is worked in continuous rounds unless otherwise stated. Mark the first stitch of the round with a stitch marker to help keep track of where the beginning of the round is.
Seamless Join in the Round – Cut your yarn tail, fasten off, and thread your yarn tail onto a darning needle. Locate the 2nd st of the round, insert your needle under that stitch and pull through. Insert your needle into the centre of the final st of the round and out the back. Weave the tail into the back of the work. Doing so creates a false stitch on top of the first stitch of the round.
Jogless transition to BLO/FLO – Before transitioning into a BLO/FLO round, fasten off, seamless join in the round and weave the tails in. To pick up a stitch, start with a slip knot on your hook, insert your hook into the FLO/BLO of the false stitch from when you seamless joined in the round. Work the next stitch like you normally would into the FLO/BLO. Doing so reduces the “step” you get when transitioning into a BLO/FLO round and will make the back of your work look neater.
2dc-Bobble – YO, insert hook into designated stitch, YO and draw a loop up. You should have three loops on your hook. YO and draw it through two loops. Then, YO, insert hook into the same stitch, YO and draw a loop up. You should have four loops on your hook. YO and draw it through two loops, you should now have three loops on your hook. Finally, YO (see photo below) and draw it through the remaining three loops on your hook.
You’re essentially making two incomplete double crochet stitches, then finally combining the two double crochet into one stitch.
Closing the Hole – To close the hole, fasten off and thread the yarn tail onto a darning needle. Insert the needle under the front loop of the next stitch and pull through. Repeat with the rest of the stitches, then pull on the tail to close up the hole. Weave the tail into the centre of the hole to hide the tail. I personally like to decrease down to 12 sts, then closing the hole as opposed to decreasing down to 6 sts. I find that it creates a less puckered closure. But if you are having a tough time closing the hole with 12 sts, decrease down to 6 sts with the optional extra round.
Head
with Vanilla Cream yarn
1 6sc in magic circle [6]
2 6inc [12]
3 (sc, inc) x 6 [18]
4 sc, inc, (2sc, inc) x 5, sc [24]
5 (3sc, inc) x 6 [30]
6-9 sc in all sts [30] *4 rounds in total*
10 2sc, inc, (4sc, inc) x 5, 2sc [36]
11 sc in all sts [36]
12 10sc, (inc, 2sc) x 6, 8sc [42]
13 sc in all sts [42]
If you are using safety eyes, insert safety eyes between rounds 9 & 10, in the base of the 3rd and 4th increases from round 10. This should leave 4 sts between the eyes. Snap the backings in.
Note: At this point, you can also start stuffing as you go. I personally like stuffing when I get to the second to the last round of the piece so that my hook isn’t constantly catching on the stuffing.
14 10sc, (dec, 2sc) x 6, 8sc [36]
15 2sc, dec, (4sc, dec) x 5, 2sc [30]
16 (3sc, dec) x 6 [24]
17 sc, dec, (2sc, dec) x 5, sc [18]
18 (sc, dec) x 6 [12]
Optional 19th round: 6dec [6] (See “Closing the Hole” in Notes and Guides above for more details.)
Stuff fully, fasten off, close hole, and weave tails in.
Ears
Make 2
with Vanilla Cream yarn
1 6sc in magic circle [6]
2 sc in all sts [6]
3 (sc, inc) x 3 [9]
4-8 sc in all sts [9] *5 rounds in total*
9 (sc, dec) x 3 [6]
Fasten off and leave a tail for sewing. Do not stuff the ears.
Arms
Make 2
with Vanilla Cream yarn
1 6sc in magic circle [6]
2 (sc, inc) x 3 [9]
3-10 sc in all sts [9] *8 rounds total*
Fasten off, making sure to leave a long tail for sewing.
Ruffle Sleeves
with Red Wine yarn
With a slip knot on your hook, hold the arm with the opening facing you. Start from the final stitch of the round. Work the following into the loop away from you (see highlighted loops in first photo below): (sl st, ch 2, sl st in 2nd ch from hook, sl st) into each of the next FOUR stitches. Everything in the parenthesis is worked into the same stitch. Fasten off. You can weave the tails from the sleeves into the body after you sew the arms to the body.
If you want to make the arms poseable, cut a short piece of pipe cleaner to the length of the arm and insert it into each arm, making sure to wrap the tips of the wire in to ensure the wire doesn’t poke out. If not, just stuff it lightly with the help of a chopstick.
Split the yarn tail from the arm into two bundles and whip stitch the opening shut with one of the bundles. Make sure to only whip stitch through the arm stitches and not through the ruffles (see middle photo below). Leave the other tail to sew the arm to the body when assembling.
Legs
Make 2, stuff as you go.
with Vanilla Cream yarn
1 6sc in magic circle [6]
2 6inc [12]
3 BLO, 4sc, 2-dc Bobble in the next 4 sts, 4sc [12]
4-6 sc in all sts [12] *3 rounds in total*
7 (3sc, inc) x 3 [15]
LEFT LEG
8 13sc
Fasten off the left leg.
RIGHT LEG
8 sc in all sts [15]
9 5sc
Do not fasten off the 2nd leg. We will be connecting the 2nd leg to the first leg in the next part.
Body
Note: Depending on your personal tension, you may need to adjust the number of stitches from round 8 of the left leg so that the feet are pointing the same way. When joining in round 1 of the Body, take a look at the alignment of the feet. If the left foot is pointing outwards too much, undo a stitch or two.
continue with Vanilla Cream yarn from Right Leg
1 Ch 1, sl st into the 1st st on the first leg (see left photo), this sl st is the first st of your round, 14sc, inc in the back bump of the chain (right photo), 15sc, inc in the front of the chain [34]
2 8sc, inc, 14sc, inc, 10sc [36]
3 sc in all sts [36]
switch to Red Wine yarn
4 sc in all sts [36]
5 BLO, sc in all sts [36]
6-7 sc in all sts [36]
8 5sc, dec, (10sc, dec) x 2, 5sc [33]
9 sc in all sts [33]
10 (9sc, dec) x 3 [30]
11 sc in all sts [30]
12 4sc, dec, (8sc, dec) x 2, 4sc [27]
13 sc in all sts [27]
14 (7sc, dec) x 3 [24] (Mark the front loop of the st before the 2nd decrease stitch of this round with a stitch marker. You may need to adjust the position of your marker based on your personal tension. Just make sure to mark the front loop of the stitch to the left of the stitch aligned to the centre of the body.)
switch to Vanilla Cream yarn
15 BLO, sc in all sts [24]
Fasten off, stuff fully, seamless join in the round, and leave a long tail for sewing (roughly 12”).
Skirt
starting with Red Wine yarn
With the feet facing up, locate the exposed front loops from round 4 of the Body. Start in the back of the Body. With a slip knot on your hook, pick up the first round in the exposed front loops.
1 sc in each front loop, sl st to first st [36]
2 ch 2 (this does not count as your first stitch), hdc in each st, sl st to first st [36]
switch to Candyfloss Pink yarn
3 sc in all sts [36]
Fasten off, weave tails in.
Bow
Make 2
with Red Wine yarn
Ch 7, sl st in 4th ch from hook (first photo below), ch 4, sl st into the same ch you sl st into initially (second photo below), ch 3.
Fasten off. You can either sew the excess tails into the back of the chain, or you can glue the ends to secure it and trim the yarn tails off after the glue has dried. Tie a strand of yarn over the centre of the bow, tying a double knot in the back. Leave the two strands of yarn to tie the bow onto the ears later.
Assembly & Finishing
- Pin the Ears to the top of the Head, with the inner corner of the Ears starting at round 3 of the Head. Sew the Ears in place.
- Pin the Body to the Head, making sure to align the centre of both pieces. Sew the Body to the Head.
- With Candyfloss Pink yarn, locate the stitch marker from round 14 of the Body and pick up a single crochet in the exposed front loop. Into the remaining front loops: 22sc, leaving one front loop unworked, then chain 7. Fasten off, making sure to leave a long tail for sewing.
- Position the chain diagonal across the chest of the rabbit to form the neckline of the dress. Weave the tail into the Body, then use the remaining yarn tail to embroider over the chain to represent the toggles. You can glue the strands down to further secure the embroidery.
- Pin the Arms to the sides of the Body, with the top of the Arms sitting right below the pink collar. Sew the Arms in place once you are happy with the positioning. Make sure to only sew through the Arm and NOT the ruffle sleeves.
- Weave the tails from the ruffle sleeves into the body. To secure this yarn tail more, you can weave the tail over a stitch, mimicking the look of the stitch.
- With black embroidery floss, embroider in the nose, eyelashes and mouth/teeth details. I also embroidered two pink lines for blush on the cheeks.
- For my white rabbit, I chose to cut out some felt for the mouth instead of embroidering the mouth in. For this, I used a sharp pair of scissors to cut out a kidney bean shape from my pink felt. On top of it, I glued a small square of white felt to represent the buck teeth. I chose to glue the mouth onto the face of my bunny, but you can also choose to sew it on instead.
- Tie one bow onto the base of each ear and knot it twice in the back. Trim off any excess tail.
- Optional: You can also sew some seed beads onto each side of the toggles for additional details like I did for my white rabbit.
Wishing you prosperity and good fortune for the Year of the Rabbit!
Please leave me a comment down below (or contact me) if you have any questions about this pattern. I would also love to see your creation so don’t forget to tag me (@olliehollycrochet) on Instagram or use the #olliehollycrochet! Follow me on Instagram to get updates on new patterns and to see what I’m up to on a daily.
If you find any mistakes in the pattern, please contact me and let me know! My testers and I do my best to catch my mistakes, but we will still miss things here and there. Also, I will sometimes make mistakes while formatting the blog post.
You may sell products made from this pattern in small quantities but please clearly credit the design to me, Abby Sy of Ollie + Holly and provide a link to my blog www.OllieHolly.com. Permission is NOT granted for mass production or factory manufacturing of any kind. Thank you for being respectful and for your understanding!
Please do not reprint, sell or claim the pattern as your own. If you wish to share this pattern, you may link to the shop or the free blog post. Please do not copy and post the pattern onto your site.
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