Crochet Hedgehog Amigurumi Pattern – Free Step-by-Step Tutorial
If you’ve ever wanted to make the most adorable little spiky friend with nothing but a hook and some yarn, you’ve landed in exactly the right place. This free crochet hedgehog amigurumi pattern walks you through every single step, from the very first magic ring to the final embroidered nose. Whether you’re a seasoned amigurumi maker or you’ve only recently discovered the joy of crocheting tiny creatures, this tutorial is written with enough detail to guide you confidently all the way through.
Hedgehogs have become one of the most beloved amigurumi subjects, and it’s easy to understand why. They’re compact, characterful, and that signature spiky texture translates beautifully into crochet. By the time you finish this project, you’ll have a charming little hedgehog that looks wonderful on a shelf, makes a heartfelt handmade gift, or becomes the first in a growing collection of woodland amigurumi creatures.
Let’s get started.
What Is Amigurumi?
Before diving into the pattern itself, a quick note for anyone who is new to the craft. Amigurumi is the Japanese art of knitting or crocheting small stuffed animals and creatures. The word combines the Japanese words for “knitted” and “stuffed doll.” The style is characterized by oversized heads, small bodies, and expressive safety eyes that give each piece its signature cuteness.
Most amigurumi patterns are worked in continuous rounds rather than joined rounds, which creates a smooth, seamless fabric that’s ideal for three-dimensional shapes. If you’ve crocheted flat pieces before and are new to working in the round, don’t worry — this tutorial explains each step clearly.
Materials You’ll Need
Gathering your supplies before you begin makes the whole process much smoother. Here’s what you’ll need for this hedgehog amigurumi pattern.
Yarn: You’ll need two colors. Choose a medium brown, dark brown, or warm gray for the body and spines, and a lighter color — cream, beige, or tan — for the belly and face. Worsted weight yarn (size 4) works well for this pattern and produces a hedgehog that’s approximately 4 to 5 inches tall when finished.
Crochet Hook: A size 3.5mm (E/4) or 4mm (G/6) hook works well with worsted weight yarn for amigurumi. Using a hook slightly smaller than the yarn label recommends creates a tighter fabric that holds stuffing in without gaps.
Safety Eyes: Two 9mm or 12mm black safety eyes. If you’re making this hedgehog for a baby or young child, substitute with embroidered eyes using black yarn for safety.
Polyfill Stuffing: A good handful of polyester fiberfill. You want the finished piece to feel firm but not rock-hard.
Yarn Needle: For weaving in ends, sewing pieces together, and embroidering the nose.
Stitch Marker: To mark the beginning of each round. A simple loop of contrasting yarn works perfectly.
Scissors
Abbreviations and Stitches Used
This pattern uses US crochet terminology. Here’s a quick reference for all abbreviations used throughout.
MR — Magic ring (also called a magic circle)
ch — Chain
sl st — Slip stitch
sc — Single crochet
inc — Increase (2 single crochets in the same stitch)
dec — Invisible decrease (insert hook through the front loop of the next two stitches and sc through both)
BLO — Back loop only
st(s) — Stitch(es)
rnd — Round
Pattern Notes
This hedgehog is worked in continuous rounds. Do not join at the end of each round unless the pattern specifically instructs you to. Move your stitch marker up at the start of each new round to keep track of where you are.
The spines are created using a simple loop stitch technique worked into the back loops of stitches on the body. This gives the finished hedgehog that wonderfully textured, prickly appearance without any complicated techniques.
All pieces are crocheted separately and then sewn together at the end. The assembly is straightforward, and the sewing guide at the end of this tutorial will help you position everything correctly.
Part One: The Body
The body is the largest piece and the foundation of the whole project. Start with your main color (the brown or gray you’ve chosen for the spines).
Round 1: MR, 6 sc into the ring. (6 sts)
Round 2: Inc in each st around. (12 sts)
Round 3: Sc 1, inc repeat around. (18 sts)
Round 4: Sc 2, inc repeat around. (24 sts)
Round 5: Sc 3, inc repeat around. (30 sts)
Round 6: Sc 4, inc repeat around. (36 sts)
Round 7: Sc 5, inc repeat around. (42 sts)
Now you’ll begin working the spine texture. Rounds 8 through 16 use the loop stitch in the back loops only. To make a loop stitch, wrap the yarn over your index finger to create a loop about an inch long, insert your hook into the stitch, pull up two strands (both the working yarn and the loop strand), then complete the stitch as a single crochet. The loop will sit on the wrong side of the fabric, but since amigurumi is worked inside out, the loops will appear on the outside of the finished piece.
Round 8: Working in BLO, loop stitch in each st around. (42 sts)
Round 9: Loop stitch in each st around. (42 sts)
Round 10: Loop stitch in each st around. (42 sts)
Round 11: Loop stitch 5, dec repeat around. (36 sts)
Round 12: Loop stitch in each st around. (36 sts)
Round 13: Loop stitch 4, dec repeat around. (30 sts)
Round 14: Loop stitch in each st around. (30 sts)
Round 15: Loop stitch 3, dec repeat around. (24 sts)
Round 16: Loop stitch in each st around. (24 sts)
Now switch to your lighter color (cream or beige) for the belly section.
Round 17: Switch color, sc in each st around. (24 sts)
Round 18: Sc 2, dec repeat around. (18 sts)
Round 19: Sc 1, dec repeat around. (12 sts)
Before closing completely, insert your safety eyes between rounds 10 and 11, spaced about 6 stitches apart. Stuff the body firmly with polyfill now.
Round 20: Dec around. (6 sts)
Fasten off, leaving a short tail. Thread through the remaining 6 stitches with a yarn needle, pull tight to close, and weave in the end.
Part Two: The Head
The head is worked in two sections — the snout, which is crocheted first in the lighter color, and then the main head, which starts in the lighter color and transitions to the darker spine color.
Snout:
Round 1: MR, 6 sc. (6 sts)
Round 2: Inc in each st around. (12 sts)
Round 3: Sc 1, inc repeat around. (18 sts)
Rounds 4–5: Sc in each st around. (18 sts)
Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing. Set aside.
Main Head:
Round 1: MR, 6 sc in your lighter color. (6 sts)
Round 2: Inc in each st around. (12 sts)
Round 3: Sc 1, inc repeat around. (18 sts)
Round 4: Sc 2, inc repeat around. (24 sts)
Round 5: Sc 3, inc repeat around. (30 sts)
Round 6: Sc 4, inc repeat around. (36 sts)
Rounds 7–8: Sc in each st around. (36 sts)
Now switch to your darker color.
Round 9: Switch color, working in BLO, loop stitch in each st around. (36 sts)
Round 10: Loop stitch in each st around. (36 sts)
Round 11: Loop stitch 4, dec repeat around. (30 sts)
Round 12: Loop stitch in each st around. (30 sts)
Round 13: Loop stitch 3, dec repeat around. (24 sts)
Round 14: Loop stitch 2, dec repeat around. (18 sts)
Place safety eyes on the face portion (the lighter colored section) between rounds 6 and 7, spaced approximately 8 stitches apart. Before continuing, pin the snout to the center-lower portion of the face and sew it in place securely. Embroider a small nose onto the snout using dark yarn or black embroidery floss.
Round 15: Loop stitch 1, dec repeat around. (12 sts)
Stuff the head firmly.
Round 16: Dec around. (6 sts)
Fasten off, close the remaining stitches, and weave in the end.
Part Three: The Ears
Make two ears in your darker color.
Round 1: MR, 6 sc. (6 sts)
Round 2: Inc in each st around. (12 sts)
Round 3: Sc in each st around. (12 sts)
Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing. Do not stuff the ears. Pinch them slightly before sewing so they have a natural curved shape.
Part Four: The Legs
Make four legs. The front and back legs are worked the same way. Use your lighter color.
Round 1: MR, 6 sc. (6 sts)
Round 2: Inc in each st around. (12 sts)
Round 3: Sc in each st around. (12 sts)
Round 4: Sc 1, dec repeat around. (8 sts)
Rounds 5–8: Sc in each st around. (8 sts)
Fasten off, leaving a long tail. Stuff lightly — the legs don’t need to be very firm.
Part Five: The Tail
The tail is a tiny optional detail that adds a sweet finishing touch.
Round 1: MR, 6 sc in lighter color. (6 sts)
Round 2: Inc in each st around. (12 sts)
Round 3: Sc in each st around. (12 sts)
Round 4: Sc 1, dec repeat around. (8 sts)
Fasten off with a long tail. Don’t stuff it; leave it flat.
Assembly
This is where your hedgehog comes to life. Lay all of your finished pieces out in front of you before you begin sewing so you can plan the placement.
Attaching the Head to the Body: Position the head at the front of the body so the face is looking slightly upward and forward. The lighter-colored section of the body (the belly) should be at the bottom, and the face should align with it. Pin the head in place and sew around the entire base using your yarn needle and the long tail you left when fastening off. Pull firmly to make sure the seam is secure, then weave in the end on the inside.
Attaching the Ears: Pin the ears to the top of the head, one on each side, just at the transition between the lighter face section and the darker spine section. Sew each ear down using the long tail, working around the entire base of the ear. The slight pinch you added earlier will give them a gentle cup shape.
Attaching the Legs: Position the two front legs on either side of the lower front of the body, just below where the head meets the body. The back legs sit further back, toward the middle-rear of the body on either side. All four legs should angle slightly downward and outward so the hedgehog appears to be standing or walking. Sew each one securely.
Attaching the Tail: Sew the tail to the very back of the body, at the base, centered. Because it’s small and unstuffed, it will lie flat against the body and look naturally proportioned.
Tips for Getting the Best Results
Working amigurumi tightly is the single most important technical habit to develop. Loose stitches create gaps that let the stuffing peek through and make the finished piece look less polished. If you find your stitches are looser than you’d like, try going down half a hook size.
The invisible decrease (working through the front loops of two stitches together) creates a much neater finish than a standard single crochet decrease. It’s worth practicing on a small swatch before you start if this technique is new to you.
When stuffing each piece, add a little at a time and check the shape as you go. It’s easy to add more but hard to take it out once the opening is closed. The head and body should feel firm and hold their shape well; the legs can be a bit softer.
For the loop stitch spines, consistency in your loop size makes a big difference to the finished look. Try wrapping the yarn over the same finger at the same point each time to keep the loops a uniform length.
Yarn Substitutions and Color Ideas
This pattern is wonderfully flexible when it comes to color. The classic hedgehog colorway of warm brown and cream is always charming, but there’s no reason you have to stick with naturalistic colors.
A pale gray body with a white belly gives a more stylized, modern look. Deep charcoal with a blush pink belly creates something that feels very contemporary and gift-ready. For an entirely whimsical take, try jewel-toned spines — deep teal, burgundy, or forest green with a contrasting pale belly — for a hedgehog that could live in a fairy tale.
You can also experiment with yarn textures. A chenille yarn for the body creates an incredibly soft and plushy spine effect without the loop stitch technique, though the spines will be less defined. A subtle variegated yarn in earthy tones gives the spines a natural, dappled appearance that looks lovely.
Sizing Variations
The pattern as written produces a hedgehog approximately 4 to 5 inches tall. To make a smaller hedgehog, use fingering weight or sport weight yarn with a correspondingly smaller hook (around 2mm to 2.5mm). This produces a miniature version that’s incredibly sweet as a keychain or bag charm, though the loop stitch spines become quite delicate at that scale and you may prefer to skip them in favor of a smooth finish.
For a larger hedgehog, bulky weight yarn with a 5.5mm or 6mm hook scales the pattern up nicely. A bigger hedgehog makes an adorable decorative pillow companion or a more substantial stuffed animal for older children.
Caring for Your Finished Hedgehog
Because polyfill stuffed amigurumi can’t be wrung out easily and safety eyes don’t do well with high heat, hand washing in cool water with a small amount of gentle detergent is the safest cleaning method. Gently press out excess water — don’t wring — and reshape the piece before laying it flat to dry. This keeps the loops looking their best and preserves the shape.
If you’ve made the hedgehog as a gift for a child, consider labeling it as a surface-wash or spot-clean item to make caring for it easier.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a beginner make this pattern? Yes, with patience. The loop stitch is the trickiest part for newcomers, but it’s very learnable. If you can work single crochet stitches and increases and decreases, you have all the technical foundation you need. Practice the loop stitch for a few rows on a test swatch before starting the body.
What if I can’t find the right yarn colors? Almost any combination of a darker color and a lighter neutral will work. The exact shades matter far less than the contrast between them.
How long does this project take? An experienced crocheter can finish this hedgehog in three to four hours. If you’re
