Crochet Plush Rat Amigurumi — Full Pattern

There is something irresistible about a crocheted rat. Maybe it is the long scaly tail you can make from a simple chain, or the little rounded ears that sit so perfectly on top of a round head, or the way the whole creature ends up looking simultaneously ridiculous and endearing. Whatever the reason, the amigurumi rat has become one of the most beloved small crochet projects in the crafting community, and once you make one, you will almost certainly find yourself making a dozen more.

This pattern is written for confident beginners and intermediate crochet enthusiasts. If you have made amigurumi before, you will feel right at home. If this is your first time, you will want to know how to work magic rings, single crochet, increases, decreases, and slip stitches before you begin. The finished rat stands roughly six to seven inches tall when seated, with a long curved tail. It is the perfect size for display, gifting, or photographing on your windowsill next to a tiny wedge of cheese.

Let us get into it.

Materials You Will Need

Before you cast on — or rather, before you pull up your first loop — gather everything together. There is nothing more frustrating than getting halfway through a head and realizing you are out of the right color yarn.

Yarn: You will need a main color (MC) for the body, a contrast color (CC) for the inner ears and nose area if desired, and a pink or pale blush yarn for small accent details. Worsted weight yarn works beautifully here and gives the finished rat a pleasingly plump, pillow-like texture. You can also use DK weight for a slightly smaller, more delicate rat — just size your hook down accordingly.

Hook: A size 3.5mm (E/4) hook is ideal for worsted weight yarn. You want to crochet tightly enough that the stuffing does not show through, so if your gauge tends to run loose, drop down a hook size.

Stuffing: Polyester fiberfill stuffing is the go-to for amigurumi. Make sure to stuff firmly as you go rather than all at once at the end — this gives you more control over the shape.

Eyes: Two 9mm black safety eyes give the most classic amigurumi look. If you are making this rat for a child under three years old, embroider the eyes with black yarn instead, as safety eyes can be a choking hazard.

Notions: Stitch markers, a yarn needle for sewing and weaving in ends, scissors, and optional pipe cleaners or wire armature for poseable legs and tail. Pink embroidery floss for the nose and mouth details.

Abbreviations

All stitches in this pattern are standard US terminology.

MR — magic ring
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, pull through both loops, yarn over, pull through two loops on hook)
CH — chain
SL ST — slip stitch
BLO — back loop only
FLO — front loop only
ST — stitch
RND — round

The Head

The head is the star of the show. Rats have longer, more tapered snouts than many amigurumi animals, so this head is slightly elongated compared to a standard round ball.

Rnd 1: MR, 6 SC into ring. (6 sts)

Rnd 2: INC in each st around. (12 sts)

Rnd 3: SC 1, INC repeat around. (18 sts)

Rnd 4: SC 2, INC repeat around. (24 sts)

Rnd 5: SC 3, INC repeat around. (30 sts)

Rnd 6: SC 4, INC repeat around. (36 sts)

Rnd 7: SC 5, INC repeat around. (42 sts)

Rnds 8–14: SC around. (42 sts, 7 rounds even)

Now place your safety eyes between rounds 11 and 12, about 10 stitches apart. The eyes should sit slightly toward the sides of the head rather than directly front-facing — this gives a more naturalistic rat silhouette.

Rnd 15: SC 5, DEC repeat around. (36 sts)

Rnd 16: SC 4, DEC repeat around. (30 sts)

Rnd 17: SC 3, DEC repeat around. (24 sts)

At this point, begin stuffing the head firmly. You want it to feel solid but not stretched. Continue stuffing as you work the remaining decrease rounds.

Rnd 18: SC 2, DEC repeat around. (18 sts)

Rnd 19: SC 1, DEC repeat around. (12 sts)

Rnd 20: DEC around. (6 sts)

Cut yarn leaving a long tail. Thread through remaining 6 stitches and pull tight to close. Weave in end.

The Snout

The snout is what makes a rat a rat rather than a mouse or a generic amigurumi blob. Mice have more rounded, petite snouts. Rats have a longer, more prominent muzzle, and this separate snout piece is what sells it.

Using your contrast color or your main color — whichever you prefer — make a small oval muzzle.

Ch 4.

Rnd 1: Starting in the second chain from hook, SC 2, SC 3 in last ch, then working along the opposite side of the chain: SC 1, INC in first ch. (8 sts)

Rnd 2: INC, SC 1, INC 3 times, SC 1, INC 2 times. (14 sts)

Rnd 3: SC around. (14 sts)

Rnd 4: SC around. (14 sts)

Stuff lightly — you want just enough fiberfill to give the snout a little dimension without making it look inflated. Sew the snout to the front of the head, centered between and just below the eyes. Use your yarn needle and mattress stitch around the perimeter, leaving the bottom edge slightly open if you want a more pronounced 3D effect.

Once the snout is attached, use pink embroidery floss to stitch on a small Y-shaped nose and mouth. Place the nose at the very tip of the snout and bring two small lines downward to form a subtle smile. Less is more here — a few careful stitches will look much better than a large embroidered nose.

The Body

The rat’s body is slightly pear-shaped, wider at the bottom than at the top, which gives the seated rat a stable, grounded look.

Rnd 1: MR, 6 SC. (6 sts)

Rnd 2: INC in each st. (12 sts)

Rnd 3: SC 1, INC repeat. (18 sts)

Rnd 4: SC 2, INC repeat. (24 sts)

Rnd 5: SC 3, INC repeat. (30 sts)

Rnd 6: SC 4, INC repeat. (36 sts)

Rnd 7: SC 5, INC repeat. (42 sts)

Rnds 8–10: SC around. (42 sts)

Rnd 11: SC 5, DEC repeat. (36 sts)

Rnds 12–15: SC around. (36 sts)

Rnd 16: SC 4, DEC repeat. (30 sts)

Rnds 17–19: SC around. (30 sts)

Rnd 20: SC 3, DEC repeat. (24 sts)

Rnds 21–22: SC around. (24 sts)

Rnd 23: SC 2, DEC repeat. (18 sts)

Stuff the body firmly. The bottom should be quite full so the rat can sit upright on its own.

Rnd 24: SC 1, DEC repeat. (12 sts)

Rnd 25: DEC around. (6 sts)

Close off the same way as the head. Sew the head to the body using your yarn needle, positioning it so the snout points slightly forward and upward — this gives the rat an alert, curious expression that is very true to life for anyone who has ever met a real rat.

The Ears

Rat ears are large relative to their body, rounded, and slightly cupped. These crocheted ears capture that quality beautifully.

Make two of each: one outer ear in your main color and one inner ear in a lighter pink or contrast color.

Outer Ear (make 2):

Rnd 1: MR, 6 SC. (6 sts)

Rnd 2: INC in each st. (12 sts)

Rnd 3: SC 1, INC repeat. (18 sts)

Rnd 4: SC 2, INC repeat. (24 sts)

Rnd 5: SC around. (24 sts)

SL ST to finish. Do not stuff.

Inner Ear (make 2):

Rnd 1: MR, 6 SC. (6 sts)

Rnd 2: INC in each st. (12 sts)

Rnd 3: SC 1, INC repeat. (18 sts)

Rnd 4: SC around. (18 sts)

SL ST to finish. Do not stuff.

Hold one inner ear on top of one outer ear with wrong sides together. Using your yarn needle and either color, whipstitch around the perimeter to join the two pieces. The inner ear will be smaller than the outer ear, creating a subtle cupped, dimensional effect.

Fold the bottom edge of each ear slightly before attaching to create a gentle cup shape. Pin the ears to the top of the head, roughly centered between the snout and the back of the head, and spaced about 6 stitches apart. Sew them on securely using your yarn needle, making sure they stand upright rather than flopping forward.

The Arms

Rat arms are small and relatively delicate. These are worked in the round from the tip.

Make 2.

Rnd 1: MR, 6 SC. (6 sts)

Rnd 2: SC 1, INC repeat. (9 sts)

Rnds 3–8: SC around. (9 sts)

Stuff lightly — just a small pinch of fiberfill at the paw end. The upper arm should be floppy and soft. Flatten the open end and sew it closed with a few stitches, then sew each arm to the side of the body, positioned at about round 20 of the body. Angle them slightly forward so the rat looks like it is ready to hold something tiny and interesting.

For optional paw detail, use a few stitches of dark yarn to make three small lines across the paw end, suggesting little fingers.

The Legs

The back legs are stout and sturdy, giving the seated rat its grounded posture.

Make 2.

Rnd 1: MR, 6 SC. (6 sts)

Rnd 2: INC in each st. (12 sts)

Rnd 3: SC 1, INC repeat. (18 sts)

Rnds 4–5: SC around. (18 sts)

Rnd 6: SC 6, DEC 3 times, SC 6. (15 sts)

Rnd 7: SC 6, DEC 2 times, SC 5. (13 sts) — This shapes the heel.

Rnds 8–13: SC around. (13 sts)

Stuff firmly. Flatten the open end and sew closed. Sew the legs to the underside of the body, angling them outward slightly so the rat sits in a natural haunched position. The feet should point forward and the thighs should tuck up under the belly.

The Tail

This is everyone’s favorite part. The tail is simply a long crocheted chain or a very narrow tube, and it can be left straight or shaped into a graceful curve.

Option 1 — Chain Tail (quicker):

With pink or light gray yarn, chain 60 to 80 stitches. Work one SC back along each chain to give the tail a little body and prevent it from being too floppy. Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing.

Option 2 — Tube Tail (more polished):

Rnd 1: MR, 4 SC. (4 sts)

Work in continuous rounds of SC for 40 to 50 rounds, or until the tail reaches your desired length. Leave unstuffed, or thread a pipe cleaner inside for a poseable tail.

Sew the tail to the base of the rat’s back, positioning it at the very bottom of the body. If you used a pipe cleaner, you can curl the end into a graceful loop or drape it around the rat’s side.

Finishing Touches and Styling

Once all pieces are assembled, take a moment to refine the details. Use a stitch marker or toothpick to adjust the embroidered nose and mouth. Give the ears a gentle pinch to help them hold their cupped shape. Fluff the body with your fingers if any areas look uneven.

If you want to add whiskers, cut six short lengths of nylon thread or thin white embroidery floss and thread them through the snout using a yarn needle, three on each side. Tie a knot close to the snout on each side to keep them in place and trim to a pleasing length.

For display purposes, you can pose your rat holding a small prop — a crocheted mushroom, a miniature book, a tiny coin — which photographs beautifully and makes these rats extremely giftable.

Tips for a Great Result

Working tight, even tension throughout makes a significant difference in the finished amigurumi. If your work looks loose or you can see the stuffing through the fabric, switch to a smaller hook. It is much easier to work slightly tight than to try to fix gaps after the fact.

Always stuff as you go rather than at the end. For the head especially, closing those final rounds is much easier when the stuffing is already inside and you are just cinching the hole closed.

When sewing pieces together, use the long yarn tails you left when fastening off rather than cutting a new length of yarn. This minimizes the number of ends you have to weave in and keeps the join tidier.

If you are making multiple rats — and you very likely will be — consider working assembly-line style. Crochet all the heads in one session, all the bodies in the next, and so on. This keeps your hands in the rhythm of each piece and speeds up the process considerably.

Sizing Variations

This pattern as written produces a rat that is approximately 6 to 7 inches tall when seated. To make a smaller rat, use DK or fingering weight yarn with an appropriately sized hook. To make a larger, fluffier rat, use super bulky yarn with a 6mm or 7mm hook and increase your magic ring starting stitch count from 6 to 8 for all pieces.

You can also adjust the color palette endlessly. Rats come in a remarkable range of natural colors — black, gray, brown, cream, agouti, hooded (dark body with a pale belly), and everything in between. A hooded rat effect is easy to achieve by switching colors at the neck join and working the head and top of the body in a darker shade while keeping the belly and underside in cream or white.

A Note on Gifting This Pattern

Crocheted rats make surprisingly wonderful gifts. Many people who claim not to like rats in real life find themselves charmed by the amigurumi version, possibly because the crafted version captures everything appealing about rats — their bright eyes, their inquisitive posture, their clever little hands — without any of the things that make some people uneasy about live ones. They are beloved by pet rat