Amigurumi Pig Free Pattern: How to Crochet an Adorable Little Piggy from Scratch
If you’ve been searching for the perfect amigurumi pig free pattern, you’ve come to the right place. Whether you’re a complete beginner picking up a crochet hook for the first time or an experienced maker looking for a charming new project to add to your collection, this step-by-step guide has everything you need to create a sweet, squishy little pig you’ll absolutely love. By the end of this post, you’ll have all the instructions, tips, and tricks to crochet your very own amigurumi pig — no purchase required.
What Is Amigurumi and Why Is It So Beloved?
Amigurumi is the Japanese art of crocheting or knitting small, stuffed yarn creatures. The word itself comes from the Japanese words “ami” (crocheted or knitted) and “nuigurumi” (stuffed doll). These little figures have taken the crafting world by storm, and it’s not hard to see why. They’re compact, expressive, endlessly customizable, and incredibly satisfying to make. The characteristic oversized head, tiny limbs, and round body give every amigurumi creature — including our little pig — that irresistible kawaii charm.
Pigs, in particular, are one of the most popular amigurumi subjects. They’re naturally rounded and plump, which makes them an ideal shape for the medium. Their little snout, curly tail, and tiny ears translate perfectly into yarn form. Plus, you can customize the color — classic pink, a dusty rose, or even a fantasy palette of lavender and gold — to make each one completely your own.
Materials You’ll Need
Before diving into the pattern, let’s gather everything you need. The good news is that amigurumi projects are wonderfully economical. You likely already have many of these supplies at home.
Yarn: Worsted weight yarn in your chosen pig color (pink is traditional, but feel free to experiment). You’ll also want a small amount of a darker shade for the nostrils and details, and black or dark brown for the eyes if you’re embroidering them.
Crochet hook: A 3.5mm or 4.0mm crochet hook works well with worsted weight yarn for amigurumi. You want a slightly smaller hook than what the yarn label recommends so your stitches are tight and the stuffing doesn’t show through.
Safety eyes: 9mm or 12mm black safety eyes are the most popular choice for amigurumi pigs. If you’re making this toy for a young child under three, skip the safety eyes and embroider the eyes with black yarn instead to eliminate any choking hazard.
Polyfill stuffing: A good amount of polyester fiberfill will give your pig that perfect, squishy roundness.
Yarn needle: You’ll need a blunt tapestry needle to sew pieces together and weave in ends.
Stitch markers: These are helpful for marking the beginning of each round, especially if you’re new to crocheting in continuous rounds.
Scissors: A sharp pair for cutting yarn cleanly.
Optional: Pink embroidery floss for adding blush cheeks, a small piece of wire or pipe cleaner for a curly tail, or fabric stiffener if you want the ears to hold a particular shape.
Understanding the Basic Stitches
This pattern uses only a handful of stitches, making it very approachable even for newer crocheters. Here’s a quick reference:
Magic ring (MR): A slip knot foundation that creates a closed, adjustable circle at the center of your work. If you’re unfamiliar with this technique, there are plenty of tutorials online, but the basic idea is to wrap the yarn around your fingers, insert the hook, and pull up a loop.
Single crochet (sc): The primary stitch in amigurumi. Insert hook, yarn over, pull through — two loops on hook — yarn over, pull through both loops.
Increase (inc): Work two single crochets into the same stitch. This expands the circle outward.
Decrease (dec): An invisible decrease is preferred for amigurumi. Insert hook into the front loop of the first stitch, then the front loop of the next stitch, yarn over and pull through both loops, yarn over and pull through the two remaining loops. This closes the circle inward.
Slip stitch (sl st): Used to join rounds or finish pieces. Insert hook, yarn over, pull through both loops in one motion.
Chain (ch): The foundation of many starting points. Yarn over and pull through the loop on your hook.
All rounds in this pattern are worked in continuous rounds (no joining unless specified). Use a stitch marker to keep track of where each round begins.
The Pattern
Head
The head is crocheted first because it’s the most prominent part of the amigurumi pig and you’ll attach the eyes before closing it up.
Round 1: Start with a magic ring, sc 6 into the ring. (6 stitches)
Round 2: Inc in each stitch around. (12 stitches)
Round 3: Sc 1, inc — repeat 6 times. (18 stitches)
Round 4: Sc 2, inc — repeat 6 times. (24 stitches)
Round 5: Sc 3, inc — repeat 6 times. (30 stitches)
Round 6: Sc 4, inc — repeat 6 times. (36 stitches)
Round 7: Sc 5, inc — repeat 6 times. (42 stitches)
Rounds 8–14: Sc in each stitch around. (42 stitches) — 7 rounds even
Round 15: Sc 5, dec — repeat 6 times. (36 stitches)
Round 16: Sc 4, dec — repeat 6 times. (30 stitches)
At this point, attach your safety eyes between Rounds 10 and 11, approximately 8–10 stitches apart. This is the moment to get the placement right, so hold them up and adjust before locking them in. If you want the pig to look forward sweetly, center the eyes on the face with good symmetry. Once clicked in from the inside, they’re permanent.
Round 17: Sc 3, dec — repeat 6 times. (24 stitches)
Round 18: Sc 2, dec — repeat 6 times. (18 stitches)
Begin stuffing the head firmly. You want it round and full, like a little balloon.
Round 19: Sc 1, dec — repeat 6 times. (12 stitches)
Round 20: Dec around. (6 stitches)
Fasten off, leaving a long tail. Use your needle to close the remaining opening by weaving the tail through the front loops of each remaining stitch and pulling gently. Weave in the end inside the head so it disappears.
Body
The body is slightly smaller and more oval than the head, giving the pig that classic chunky shape.
Round 1: Magic ring, sc 6 into the ring. (6 stitches)
Round 2: Inc in each stitch. (12 stitches)
Round 3: Sc 1, inc — repeat 6 times. (18 stitches)
Round 4: Sc 2, inc — repeat 6 times. (24 stitches)
Round 5: Sc 3, inc — repeat 6 times. (30 stitches)
Round 6: Sc 4, inc — repeat 6 times. (36 stitches)
Rounds 7–14: Sc in each stitch around. (36 stitches) — 8 rounds even
Round 15: Sc 4, dec — repeat 6 times. (30 stitches)
Round 16: Sc 3, dec — repeat 6 times. (24 stitches)
Round 17: Sc 2, dec — repeat 6 times. (18 stitches)
Stuff the body firmly before the opening becomes too small.
Round 18: Sc 1, dec — repeat 6 times. (12 stitches)
Round 19: Dec around. (6 stitches)
Fasten off and close the opening as you did with the head. Leave a long tail for sewing to the head later.
Snout
The snout is what gives the pig so much of its personality. It’s a simple flat circle you’ll sew onto the front of the head.
Round 1: Magic ring, sc 6. (6 stitches)
Round 2: Inc in each stitch. (12 stitches)
Round 3: Sc 1, inc — repeat 6 times. (18 stitches)
Rounds 4–5: Sc in each stitch around. (18 stitches)
Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing. Use a contrasting yarn or embroidery floss to stitch two small oval nostrils onto the snout before attaching it to the head. They should be centered and sit near the outer edges of the snout for the most piggy-looking effect.
Ears (Make 2)
Round 1: Magic ring, sc 6. (6 stitches)
Round 2: Inc in each stitch. (12 stitches)
Round 3: Sc 1, inc — repeat 6 times. (18 stitches)
Round 4: Sc in each stitch around. (18 stitches)
Fold the ear in half and sc across the open edge to close it flat. Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing. The folded shape gives the ear a natural, floppy look that reads as undeniably pig.
Legs (Make 4)
Round 1: Magic ring, sc 6. (6 stitches)
Round 2: Inc in each stitch. (12 stitches)
Round 3: Through back loops only (BLO): sc in each stitch around. (12 stitches) — This creates the flat bottom of the hoof.
Rounds 4–8: Sc in each stitch around. (12 stitches) — 5 rounds even
If you’d like, you can use a slightly darker pink or brown for the first two rounds to suggest hooves before switching to your main color on Round 3. It’s a small detail that adds a lot of character.
Stuff the legs lightly — you want them to stay somewhat firm but not so stuffed they splay outward. Fasten off, leaving a long tail.
Tail
The curly tail is one of the most fun parts of this amigurumi pig free pattern to make. Chain 15. In each chain stitch, work 3 single crochets. This will naturally curl the piece into a little spiral. Fasten off, leaving a tail for sewing onto the back of the body. You can also insert a small piece of pipe cleaner before sewing it on, then shape the spiral yourself for extra flair.
Assembly
Now comes the satisfying part — putting your little pig together.
Start by sewing the head to the body. Position the head so it sits just slightly forward of center on the body, giving the pig a perky, looking-ahead expression. Use the long yarn tail from the body and your tapestry needle, and sew all the way around the base of the head through both pieces, making sure there are no gaps. The seam will be hidden between the two pieces once you pull the yarn snug.
Next, attach the snout to the center of the face, centered between the eyes and slightly below them. Sew all the way around the edge of the snout circle, then weave in any ends inside the head.
Attach the ears to the top of the head, one on each side. Angle them slightly toward the sides of the head rather than sitting flat on top, and sew them down at the base so the folded portion flops forward naturally.
Sew the four legs to the underside of the body. Place the front two legs toward the front of the body and the back two toward the rear, spacing them evenly so the pig can sit flat and upright without tipping. If your pig keeps falling over, add a small flat piece of cardboard inside the body or adjust the stuffing to redistribute the weight.
Finally, sew the curly tail to the back of the body, right where the body rounds down toward the bottom. A few secure stitches at the base are all you need.
Finishing Touches
Now step back and look at your creation. If you’d like to add a little extra warmth to the face, use a small circle of pink felt or a dab of pink embroidery floss to add blush marks on the cheeks. This tiny addition makes the pig look absolutely charming and is especially sweet on gift pigs.
If you embroider the eyes rather than using safety eyes, work a few small stitches of black yarn in a tight V or dot shape, then add a tiny white stitch inside each eye to suggest a highlight. This reflects light and gives the eyes a bright, lively look.
Weave in all remaining ends securely. Trim any stray yarn. Give your pig a gentle squeeze to fluff the stuffing into all the corners, and you’re done.
Tips for Getting the Best Results
The tighter your stitches, the better your amigurumi will look. If stuffing is visible through the fabric, try going down half a hook size. A 3.0mm hook with worsted weight yarn creates an especially dense, professional-looking fabric.
Stuff as you go whenever a piece starts to close up. It’s far easier to add stuffing incrementally than to try to push it in through a tiny opening at the end.
If you want a firmer pig that holds its shape over time, add a small weighted pellet pouch inside the body before fully stuffing it. This also helps the pig sit upright without leaning.
Block your finished pieces if you notice any edges curling or ears that won’t lie flat. A light mist of water and a gentle pinning session on a foam mat can work wonders.
Don’t stress over perfection. The beauty of handmade amigurumi is precisely that each one is unique. Small variations in tension, stitch count, or assembly mean no two pigs will ever be exactly alike — and that’s what makes yours special.
Customization Ideas
One of the best things about this amigurumi pig free pattern is how easily it can be modified. Here are a few ideas to spark your creativity.
Try crocheting the pig in an unexpected color — mint green, pale yellow, or a deep mauve — for a fantasy pig character. Add a tiny crochet bow to one ear for a feminine touch. Crochet a little outfit using simple rectangle shapes: a striped sweater, a tiny pair of overalls, or a flower crown made from small crocheted petals.
You can also scale the pattern up or down by simply changing your yarn weight and hook size. Use bulky yarn and a 6mm hook for a large, pillow-sized pig. Use fingering weight yarn and a 2mm hook for a tiny, palm-sized version perfect for keychains or ornaments.
Make a whole family of pigs in graduated sizes for a gift set, or create a litter of piglets with slightly fewer increase rounds so they’re smaller than the parent.
Who Is This Pattern Perfect For?
This amigurumi pig free pattern is genuinely suited to a wide range of skill levels. If you’re a beginner who has already practiced the magic ring and single crochet, you have everything you need to complete this project. The shapes are all simple spheres and cylinders, which are the foundational building blocks of all amigurumi. The only slightly tricky step is the invisible decrease, and with a few practice attempts you’ll find it becomes second nature.
For intermediate and advanced makers, this pattern is a quick, satisfying project you can finish in a weekend. It also makes a wonderful base for experimentation — swap out stitches, add surface embroidery, or create a whole narrative scene with multiple pigs.
It’s also a fantastic gift project. Handmade amigurumi pigs are beloved by children, adults, and anyone who appreciates the care and skill that goes into a handcrafted toy. They make charming baby shower gifts (use embroidered eyes for safety), birthday surprises, Valentine’s Day keepsakes, or just a spontaneous “I made this and thought of you” present that’s far more meaningful than anything you could find in a store.
Caring for Your Finished Pig
If you’ve used ac
