Crochet Lion Plushie Free Pattern – Cute Fedya the Lion Cub Amigurumi
There is something undeniably magical about creating a stuffed animal from scratch. When you pick up a hook and a skein of yarn, you are not just making a toy — you are giving life to a character, a companion, a little soul made of fiber and love. If you have been searching for a charming amigurumi pattern that is approachable for crafters of various skill levels and absolutely adorable when finished, then this free crochet lion plushie pattern is exactly what you have been waiting for. Meet Fedya the Lion Cub — a soft, squishy, round-faced little king of the savanna who fits right in the palm of your hand.
Fedya is designed to be endearing without being complicated. His chubby body, oversized head, tiny paws, and fluffy mane come together in a way that makes him irresistible to both children and adults alike. Whether you are making him as a nursery decoration, a baby shower gift, a birthday present, or simply for yourself because you deserve something cute on your desk, Fedya will not disappoint. This pattern walks you through every single step, from the magic ring to the finishing touches, so you can feel confident as you crochet your way to a finished lion cub that you will be proud of.
About This Pattern
This free amigurumi lion cub pattern is written in American crochet terminology. It is suitable for crocheters who have a basic understanding of amigurumi construction — meaning you should be comfortable with crocheting in the round, making increases and decreases, and doing basic finishing work like sewing pieces together and adding safety eyes. If you have made at least one or two amigurumi before, you will find Fedya a very enjoyable project. If this is your very first amigurumi, do not be discouraged — take your time with the basics, work slowly through the magic ring and first few rounds, and you will get the hang of it quickly.
The finished Fedya measures approximately 18 to 20 centimeters (about 7 to 8 inches) tall when using the recommended yarn weight and hook size. Of course, you can size him up or down by changing your yarn weight — a bulky yarn will give you a larger, extra-squishy version, while fingering weight yarn and a smaller hook will produce a tiny Fedya perfect for a keychain or ornament.
Materials You Will Need
Before you begin, gather all your materials. Having everything ready before you start means you can crochet without interruption, which makes the process much more enjoyable.
For yarn, you will need approximately 150 to 200 grams of main color yarn in a warm golden yellow or caramel shade for Fedya’s body, head, and limbs. You will also need a small amount of a darker brown or tawny orange for the mane, a tiny bit of cream or off-white for the muzzle area, and small amounts of dark brown or black for any color accents. DK weight or worsted weight yarn both work beautifully for this pattern. Choose a yarn with good stitch definition so your increases and decreases look crisp and clean. Cotton-blend or soft acrylic yarns are especially nice because they keep their shape well and are easy to work with.
For your hook, a 3.5 mm hook pairs well with DK weight yarn, while a 4 mm hook suits worsted weight nicely. You want your stitches to be tight enough that the stuffing does not show through, so go down a hook size from what the yarn label recommends if needed.
You will also need polyfill stuffing, two safety eyes in black (12 mm is a good size for this pattern), a yarn needle for sewing and weaving in ends, scissors, and stitch markers to keep track of your rounds. Optional but recommended is a small piece of black embroidery floss or dark yarn for stitching Fedya’s nose.
Abbreviations Used in This Pattern
Throughout this pattern, the following abbreviations are used in standard American crochet terminology.
MR stands for magic ring. Ch means chain. Sl st is slip stitch. Sc is single crochet. Inc is an increase, which means working two single crochets into the same stitch. Dec is an invisible decrease, which means inserting your hook through the front loops of two consecutive stitches and completing them as a single crochet. BLO means working through the back loop only. FLO means working through the front loop only. St means stitch, and sts means stitches. The number in parentheses at the end of a round tells you how many stitches you should have in that round.
Crochet Lion Head
The head is the most important piece of the whole amigurumi — it is the first thing people notice and the piece that gives Fedya all his charm. Work it carefully and take your time.
Start with a magic ring. Round 1: work 6 sc into the magic ring and pull it closed. (6) Round 2: inc in each st around. (12) Round 3: sc 1, inc — repeat around. (18) Round 4: sc 2, inc — repeat around. (24) Round 5: sc 3, inc — repeat around. (30) Round 6: sc 4, inc — repeat around. (36) Round 7: sc 5, inc — repeat around. (42) Round 8: sc 6, inc — repeat around. (48) Rounds 9 through 15: sc in each st around. (48) Round 16: sc 6, dec — repeat around. (42) Round 17: sc 5, dec — repeat around. (36)
At this point, attach your safety eyes between rounds 10 and 11, spacing them about 10 to 12 stitches apart. The exact placement is a matter of personal taste, but centering them on the front of the face gives Fedya his characteristic sweet expression. Once the eyes are in and secured, continue decreasing.
Round 18: sc 4, dec — repeat around. (30) Now stuff the head firmly with polyfill. You want it to feel solid but not stretched to the point of distortion. Round 19: sc 3, dec — repeat around. (24) Round 20: sc 2, dec — repeat around. (18) Round 21: sc 1, dec — repeat around. (12) Round 22: dec around. (6) Fasten off, leaving a long tail. Use your yarn needle to close the remaining 6 stitches by weaving through the front loops of each and pulling tight. Weave in the end.
Crochet Lion Muzzle
The muzzle is worked in cream or off-white yarn and gives Fedya that adorable, slightly pouty little face.
MR. Round 1: 6 sc. (6) Round 2: inc in each st. (12) Round 3: sc 1, inc — repeat around. (18) Round 4: sc 2, inc — repeat around. (24) Rounds 5 and 6: sc in each st. (24) Sl st to close and fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing.
Before sewing the muzzle onto the head, use black embroidery floss or dark yarn to stitch a small nose on the muzzle. A simple Y-shape or upside-down triangle works perfectly. Center the nose in the upper half of the muzzle circle. Then pin the muzzle onto the lower half of the face, centered between the eyes. Sew it on using the long tail, stuffing it lightly with a tiny bit of polyfill before closing the seam completely. This gives the muzzle a pleasingly dimensional, puffed-out look.
Crochet Lion Body
The body is worked in the same golden yellow yarn as the head.
MR. Round 1: 6 sc. (6) Round 2: inc in each. (12) Round 3: sc 1, inc — repeat. (18) Round 4: sc 2, inc — repeat. (24) Round 5: sc 3, inc — repeat. (30) Round 6: sc 4, inc — repeat. (36) Rounds 7 through 14: sc in each st. (36) Round 15: sc 4, dec — repeat. (30) Round 16: sc 3, dec — repeat. (24) Round 17: sc 2, dec — repeat. (18) Stuff the body at this point, packing it firmly. Round 18: sc 1, dec — repeat. (12) Round 19: dec around. (6) Fasten off and close the remaining stitches the same way as the head. Set aside.
Crochet Lion Legs (Make Four)
Fedya’s four little legs are worked identically, so crochet all four before assembling.
MR. Round 1: 6 sc. (6) Round 2: inc in each. (12) Rounds 3 and 4: sc in each. (12) Round 5: dec, sc 4, dec, sc 4. (10) Rounds 6 through 10: sc in each. (10) Fasten off. Leave a long tail on two of the legs (these will be the front legs and will be sewn on last). Stuff lightly — you want them to be slightly floppy so Fedya can sit without tipping over.
Crochet Lion Ears (Make Two)
The ears are small and simple, but they make a huge difference in how finished and expressive the lion looks.
MR. Round 1: 6 sc. (6) Round 2: inc in each. (12) Round 3: sc 1, inc — repeat. (18) Round 4: sc in each. (18) Sl st and fasten off, leaving a long tail. Fold the ear slightly at the base to give it a natural cupped shape and sew it onto the top of the head, positioning it above and slightly outside of where the mane will go. Pin before sewing to make sure the placement looks symmetrical.
Crochet Lion Tail
The tail is a small tube with a little tuft at the end. Switch to your darker brown yarn for the tuft.
In golden yellow, ch 10, sl st to form a ring (or work in a tight, flat tube if you prefer). Work 3 rounds of sc around the chain, then switch to dark brown for 4 more rounds. Fasten off and leave a long tail for sewing. The little dark-colored tip gives Fedya a very classic lion silhouette.
Crochet Lion Mane
The mane is what transforms a regular round head into an unmistakably leonine character. You can make it as full or as sparse as you like. Use your darker brown or tawny orange yarn here.
To create a simple but effective mane, join your yarn at a point just in front of where the ear is sewn. Working around the perimeter of the face (essentially the front third of the head), work a round of sc followed by a round of ch 4, sl st into each stitch. This creates a looped fringe effect. For a fluffier mane, make longer chains — ch 6 or even ch 8 — and work multiple rounds of this fringe stitch. You can also cut individual pieces of yarn, fold them in half, and use a crochet hook to knot them directly onto the head stitches for a shaggier, more textural mane. Trim the ends if needed to create an even halo of fluffiness around Fedya’s face.
Assembling Fedya
Assembly is where the magic really happens. Lay all your finished pieces out on a flat surface before you start sewing so you can plan the placement.
Begin by sewing the head to the body. Position the head so it sits slightly forward on the body rather than perfectly centered — this gives Fedya a bit of personality, as if he is leaning in for a closer look at something fascinating. Use the yarn tail and a yarn needle to sew around the full circumference, making sure the attachment is secure. Pull the yarn firmly with each stitch but do not pull so hard that you distort the pieces.
Next, attach the back legs. Position them at the sides and slightly toward the bottom of the body, angled outward a little so that Fedya can sit stably. Sew each one securely through several stitches at the attachment point. Then attach the front legs higher up on the body, on either side of where the head meets the body. Front legs positioned at a slight downward angle look particularly charming.
Sew the tail onto the back lower section of the body. Finally, add the ears to the top of the head if you have not already, and take one last look at the mane to make sure it frames the face evenly.
Adding Final Details
At this stage, Fedya is recognizably a lion cub, but a few final details will bring him fully to life. If you have not already embroidered the nose, do it now, working from outside the head and hiding your knot inside the muzzle area. A tiny upward curl on each side of the nose can suggest the hint of a smile.
You can also add very subtle cheek blush by using a small amount of pink chalk, blush powder, or a cosmetic eyeshadow and a dry brush. Lightly dab a circle of pink on each cheek, just below and outside the eyes. This is entirely optional, but it gives amigurumi a soft, living warmth that is hard to achieve any other way.
Take a moment to shape and fluff Fedya’s mane with your fingers. Gently tug individual loops or strands to full length, and use scissors to even up any stray ends. The mane often looks best when it is slightly fuller at the top and sides, framing the face like a little sunburst.
Tips for a Beautiful Finished Lion
A few practical notes will help your Fedya come out looking his best. First, always use a tight tension when crocheting amigurumi. Loose stitches let the white polyfill show through your work, which is visually distracting and makes the finished toy look less professional. If you notice white peeking through, try going down half a hook size.
Second, stuff as you go rather than waiting until the last possible moment. Head and body shapes benefit from being stuffed before the opening gets too small to work through comfortably. Pack the stuffing firmly in the center and then add smaller amounts to fill out the edges.
Third, take your time with the safety eyes. Once they are installed and the backing is snapped on, they are nearly impossible to remove without damaging the work. Hold the head up at arm’s length and squint at it from various angles to check the placement before committing.
Fourth, when sewing pieces together, always pin first. Use sewing pins, bobby pins, or even small binder clips to hold pieces in position and check that the overall shape is balanced before you stitch anything permanently.
Customizing Your Fedya
One of the most enjoyable aspects of a pattern like this is that it can become the starting point for endless creative variations. You can give Fedya a different color palette entirely — a pale cream lion, a grey lion, even a pastel fantasy lion in lavender or mint. You can dress him up by crocheting a tiny crown or a little scarf and stitching it in place. You can give him a slightly different expression by adjusting the eye placement or embroidering eyebrows — a single horizontal stitch of dark yarn above each eye can suggest curiosity, sleepiness, or mischief depending on the angle.
Making a whole family of lions is also a beautiful project. A mama lion with a longer, more elaborate mane, a papa lion with a very full dark mane, and one or two tiny cubs with barely-there manes make a wonderful set to display together or give as a set of sibling gifts.
Sharing Your Finished Fedya
When you finish your Fedya the Lion Cub, please consider sharing a photo. Tag your work on Instagram or Pinterest with the pattern name so other crafters can find it and be inspired by your version. Seeing how different yarns, color choices, and individual makers’ tension produce such beautifully varied results is one of the greatest pleasures of the amigurumi community. No two handmade lions are ever exactly alike, and that is precisely what makes them special.
Crochet is one of the most portable, accessible, and profoundly satisfying crafts there is. A ball of yarn and a hook can go with you anywhere — on a commute, on a trip, on a quiet evening at home — and in a matter of hours, they become something that will last for years. Fedya the Lion Cub is exactly the kind of project that reminds you why you fell in love with crochet in the first place. He is small enough to finish in a weekend, charming enough to make again and again, and lovable enough that you may find it very difficult to give him away once you have finished.
Happy crocheting, and welcome to the pride.
