Amigurumi Panda Free Crochet Pattern: Make Your Own Adorable Stuffed Panda Bear
There is something undeniably magical about creating a stuffed animal entirely from yarn and your own two hands. Amigurumi, the Japanese art of crocheting or knitting small stuffed creatures, has captured the hearts of crafters all over the world — and among all the animals you can make, the panda is one of the most beloved. With its striking black-and-white coloring and irresistibly round face, an amigurumi panda makes a perfect gift, a charming décor piece, or simply a satisfying project to keep your hooks busy on a rainy afternoon.
This free crochet pattern will walk you through every step of creating your very own amigurumi panda from start to finish. Whether you are a beginner just finding your footing in the world of amigurumi or an experienced crocheter looking for a fun new project, this pattern is designed to be approachable, clear, and completely free to use. By the end, you will have a soft, squeezable panda that looks like it wandered straight out of a bamboo forest and into your living room.
What Is Amigurumi?
Before we dive into the pattern itself, it helps to understand the craft we are working with. Amigurumi (pronounced ah-mee-goo-roo-mee) is a portmanteau of the Japanese words “ami,” meaning knitted or crocheted, and “nuigurumi,” meaning stuffed doll. The style originated in Japan and became a global phenomenon in the early 2000s, largely thanks to the internet and the explosion of crafting communities online.
Most amigurumi figures share a few key characteristics: they tend to be worked in continuous rounds rather than joined rows, they use a tight gauge to prevent stuffing from showing through, and they rely heavily on the magic ring (also called a magic circle) as a starting point. The finished pieces are typically small enough to hold in one hand, though larger versions absolutely exist.
The panda is a classic amigurumi subject, and it is easy to understand why. The high-contrast black and white coloring is simple to execute in yarn form, the round body and head are quintessential amigurumi shapes, and those trademark dark eye patches give the finished piece instant personality.
Materials You Will Need
Gathering your materials before you start is one of the best habits you can build as a crocheter. Here is everything you will need for this amigurumi panda pattern.
Yarn: You will need worsted weight (size 4) yarn in white and black. The amounts are fairly small — roughly 100 grams of white and 50 grams of black should be more than enough for one panda of medium size. You can use any brand you like, though cotton or acrylic both work beautifully for amigurumi. Acrylic tends to be more forgiving and easier to find in a wide range of colors.
Crochet hook: A 3.5mm (E/4) hook is recommended. Because amigurumi relies on a tighter-than-normal tension to keep the stuffing from peeking through the stitches, you will want to size down slightly from what the yarn label recommends.
Polyester fiberfill stuffing: This is what gives your panda its plush, rounded shape. Standard craft store fiberfill works perfectly. Avoid overstuffing or understuffing — the goal is a firm but squeezable toy.
Safety eyes: Two 12mm black safety eyes give your panda a bright, realistic look. If you are making this panda for a child under three years old, skip the safety eyes and embroider the eyes with black yarn instead for safety.
Yarn needle: You will use this for sewing pieces together and weaving in your ends.
Stitch markers: These are invaluable in amigurumi because you work in continuous rounds without joining. A simple split-ring stitch marker or even a small piece of scrap yarn works fine.
Scissors: A good sharp pair for clean cuts.
Abbreviations and Stitch Guide
This pattern uses standard US crochet terminology. Here is a quick reference for the abbreviations used throughout:
MR — magic ring
ch — chain
sl st — slip stitch
sc — single crochet
inc — increase (two single crochets in the same stitch)
dec — invisible decrease (insert hook through front loops of next two stitches, yarn over and pull through, yarn over and pull through both loops on hook)
st — stitch
sts — stitches
BLO — back loop only
FLO — front loop only
R — round
Pattern Notes
Work in continuous rounds throughout. Do not join at the end of each round unless specifically instructed. Keep a stitch marker in the first stitch of each round to help you keep count.
The invisible decrease is strongly recommended over a standard decrease because it creates a much smoother, less bumpy surface on your finished piece.
Leave long tails when you finish each piece — these will be used for sewing the parts together.
Stuff each piece as you go, before the opening becomes too small to fit your fingers through.
The Pattern
Head
Start with white yarn.
R1: MR, 6 sc into ring (6 sts)
R2: inc in each st around (12 sts)
R3: (sc 1, inc) repeat around (18 sts)
R4: (sc 2, inc) repeat around (24 sts)
R5: (sc 3, inc) repeat around (30 sts)
R6: (sc 4, inc) repeat around (36 sts)
R7: (sc 5, inc) repeat around (42 sts)
R8–R14: sc in each st around (42 sts) — 7 rounds even
R15: (sc 5, dec) repeat around (36 sts)
R16: (sc 4, dec) repeat around (30 sts)
At this point, attach your safety eyes. Position them between rounds 10 and 11, spaced roughly 8–10 stitches apart. If you are adding eye patches (which we will make separately), you can position the eyes once you have the patches placed — but it is easier to do it now and embroider or sew on the patches afterward.
R17: (sc 3, dec) repeat around (24 sts)
Begin stuffing the head firmly now. Continue stuffing as you close.
R18: (sc 2, dec) repeat around (18 sts)
R19: (sc 1, dec) repeat around (12 sts)
R20: dec around (6 sts)
Fasten off, leaving a long tail. Use your yarn needle to close the remaining hole, then weave in the end securely.
Body
Start with white yarn.
R1: MR, 6 sc into ring (6 sts)
R2: inc in each st around (12 sts)
R3: (sc 1, inc) repeat around (18 sts)
R4: (sc 2, inc) repeat around (24 sts)
R5: (sc 3, inc) repeat around (30 sts)
R6: (sc 4, inc) repeat around (36 sts)
R7–R16: sc in each st around (36 sts) — 10 rounds even
R17: (sc 4, dec) repeat around (30 sts)
R18: sc in each st around (30 sts)
R19: (sc 3, dec) repeat around (24 sts)
R20: sc in each st around (24 sts)
R21: (sc 2, dec) repeat around (18 sts)
Stuff the body firmly before the opening gets too small.
R22: (sc 1, dec) repeat around (12 sts)
R23: dec around (6 sts)
Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing.
Arms (Make 2)
Start with black yarn.
R1: MR, 6 sc into ring (6 sts)
R2: inc in each st around (12 sts)
R3: sc in each st around (12 sts)
R4: sc in each st around (12 sts)
R5: sc in each st around (12 sts)
Switch to white yarn.
R6–R12: sc in each st around (12 sts) — 7 rounds even
Lightly stuff the arms — they should feel squishy but not rigid. Flatten the opening and sc across to close (6 sts). Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing.
Legs (Make 2)
Start with black yarn.
R1: MR, 6 sc into ring (6 sts)
R2: inc in each st around (12 sts)
R3: (sc 1, inc) repeat around (18 sts)
R4: sc in each st around (18 sts)
R5: sc in each st around (18 sts)
R6: (sc 1, dec) repeat around (12 sts)
Switch to white yarn.
R7–R14: sc in each st around (12 sts) — 8 rounds even
Stuff the legs firmly. Flatten the opening and sc across to close (6 sts). Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing.
Ears (Make 2)
Use black yarn.
R1: MR, 6 sc into ring (6 sts)
R2: inc in each st around (12 sts)
R3: (sc 1, inc) repeat around (18 sts)
R4: sc in each st around (18 sts)
Do not stuff the ears. Flatten and sc across to close (9 sts). Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing.
Eye Patches (Make 2)
Use black yarn.
R1: MR, 6 sc into ring (6 sts)
R2: inc in each st around (12 sts)
R3: (sc 2, inc) repeat around (16 sts)
Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing. These oval-ish patches will be sewn around the eyes to create the panda’s signature markings.
Nose
Use black yarn.
R1: MR, 6 sc into ring (6 sts)
R2: inc in each st around (12 sts)
Fasten off, leaving a long tail. Do not stuff. Flatten and sew this small piece onto the center-front of the head to form the nose.
Assembly
Assembly is where your panda truly comes to life, and it is worth taking your time here. Use your yarn needle and the long tails you left on each piece to sew everything together.
Start by sewing the eye patches onto the front of the head, positioning them symmetrically around the safety eyes. The patches should overlap the eyes slightly so that when viewed from the front, only the black button of the safety eye peeks through the center of the patch. Sew all the way around each patch using a whip stitch or mattress stitch, tucking the edges down cleanly.
Next, attach the nose just below and between the eye patches, roughly centered. You can embroider a small smile below the nose using black yarn if you like — a simple curved line of three or four stitches creates an endearing expression.
Sew the ears onto the top of the head, positioning them roughly at round 3 or 4, spaced evenly on either side. Because panda ears sit relatively flat and wide on the head, make sure they are angled outward slightly rather than straight up.
Attach the head to the body by sewing through the base of the head and the top of the body, working all the way around the opening to create a secure join. Stuff the neck area slightly if needed to keep the head sitting upright.
Attach the arms to either side of the body, roughly at rounds 5 or 6 from the top of the body. Make sure they are at the same height on both sides — an easy way to check is to count the rounds down from the head attachment point.
Attach the legs to the bottom of the body, positioning them slightly forward so your panda can sit with legs out in front. This gives the finished toy that classic seated amigurumi pose.
Weave in all remaining ends, pulling them through the body of the piece before trimming to hide them completely.
Tips for the Best Results
Tension is everything in amigurumi. If your stitches feel loose and you can see the stuffing through them, try going down another half or full hook size. The fabric should feel almost stiff when you pull on it slightly.
Count your stitches at the end of every round, especially during the increase and decrease rounds. A miscount in round 3 will snowball into a misshapen head by round 10, and it is much easier to rip back one round than five.
When stuffing, use small pieces of fiberfill rather than one big clump. Working in layers and poking stuffing into the curves with a pencil or the end of your hook creates a smoother, more even shape.
If your panda’s head keeps flopping to one side after assembly, try reinforcing the neck join with a few extra stitches or threading yarn back and forth through both the head and body several times before fastening off.
For a softer, more pastel version of this panda, swap the pure black for charcoal grey and the white for cream. The overall effect is much softer and makes a lovely nursery decoration.
Customizing Your Panda
One of the great joys of amigurumi is how easily you can put your own stamp on a pattern. Here are a few ideas for making this panda uniquely yours.
You could add a small bamboo stalk accessory by crocheting a thin tube in green yarn and adding small leaf shapes on either side. Tucked into your panda’s arms, it adds an immediate storytelling element.
Try giving your panda a little scarf by crocheting a long, narrow rectangle in any color you love and tying it loosely around the neck. Even a simple chain of 40–50 stitches with a few rows of sc makes a charming addition.
If you want to make a baby panda, simply use a lighter weight yarn and a smaller hook throughout. The proportions stay the same, but the finished size shrinks considerably — great for ornaments or keychains.
You can also experiment with the facial expression. Moving the placement of the eyes slightly lower and closer together creates a more babyish, wide-eyed look. Moving them higher and farther apart gives a slightly more grown-up appearance.
Caring for Your Amigurumi Panda
Once your panda is finished, you will want to keep it looking its best. Most acrylic yarn amigurumi can be gently hand washed in cool water with mild soap, then reshaped and left flat to dry. Avoid wringing or twisting the piece, as this can distort the shape.
If you used safety eyes, avoid putting the finished toy in the dryer, as high heat can warp or discolor the plastic. If you embroidered the eyes instead, the toy is generally a bit more heat-tolerant, though air drying is still the safest option.
For display pieces or toys that will not be handled too roughly, a light spritz of fabric stiffener spray can help the panda hold its shape over time, particularly the ears and limbs.
Sharing Your Finished Panda
When you finish your amigurumi panda, consider sharing it with the crochet community. Posting photos on Instagram, Pinterest, Ravelry, or in Facebook crochet groups is a wonderful way to connect with other makers, inspire beginners, and get feedback on your work. Tagging your posts with terms like amigurumi, crochet panda, or free crochet pattern helps others find your work and discover this pattern too.
If you gift your panda to someone, you will almost certainly be asked how you made it. There is no better feeling than handing someone a creature you made entirely by hand and watching their face light up.
Final Thoughts
Crocheting an amigurumi panda is one of those projects that manages to feel both relaxing and deeply satisfying at the same time. The repetitive nature of working in rounds becomes almost meditative after a while, and the moment you sew the last piece in place and hold the finished panda in your hands, there is a genuine sense of pride that no store-bought toy can replicate.
This free pattern is yours to use, enjoy, and share as much as you like. Whether you make one panda or a whole bamboo forest full of them, the process of creating something soft and lovable from a simple ball of yarn never really gets old. Happy crocheting — may your tension be even and your stitch counts always come out right.
