Crochet Rat Amigurumi With A Strawberry Pattern: A Complete Step-by-Step Guide
There is something undeniably charming about a tiny crocheted rat clutching an equally tiny strawberry. Whether you are new to amigurumi or an experienced crafter looking for your next project, this crochet rat amigurumi with a strawberry pattern is the kind of project that brings pure joy from the very first stitch to the finished little creature sitting on your shelf. Rats might not be the most obvious choice for a cute plush toy, but in the world of amigurumi, these whiskered friends have earned a devoted fanbase — and once you finish yours, you will completely understand why.
This guide will walk you through everything you need to know: materials, abbreviations, gauge, the full pattern for the rat body, ears, limbs, tail, and of course the adorable little strawberry accessory that makes this design so special. By the end, you will have a finished amigurumi rat roughly 5 to 6 inches tall (depending on your tension and yarn weight) with a strawberry that is perfectly sized for its tiny paws.
Why Rat Amigurumi?
The rat has become a beloved figure in the amigurumi community for a few great reasons. First, their body shape is wonderfully suited to the craft — a round, plump body, a long tapered tail, and those adorable round ears make for a satisfying sculpted result without requiring advanced shaping techniques. Second, rats are endlessly customizable. You can make yours realistic in grey or brown, go fantasy-inspired with pastel colors, or create a whole themed collection. Pairing your rat with a miniature food item like a strawberry adds a playful, storybook quality that makes these little figures irresistible as gifts, nursery decorations, or simply as a delightful personal project.
The strawberry, in particular, is a perfect companion piece. It is small enough to feel like a proper accessory, complex enough to be satisfying to make, and it photographs beautifully alongside the rat’s soft grey fur.
Materials You Will Need
Before you begin, gather all of your supplies so you can work through the pattern without interruption.
Yarn: You will need a light worsted weight or DK weight yarn (approximately 200 to 250 yards) in your main color for the rat body. Light grey, warm beige, soft brown, or even dusty pink are all wonderful choices. For the strawberry, you will need a small amount of red or deep coral yarn, a small amount of green for the leaves and stem, and optionally a tiny bit of yellow or cream for the seeds. Amigurumi works best with cotton or a cotton-acrylic blend because of the stitch definition, but any smooth yarn that shows your stitches clearly will work well.
Hook: A 2.5mm or 3.0mm crochet hook is ideal for tight, even stitches that will prevent any stuffing from showing through. Adjust based on your personal tension and the yarn label’s recommended hook size.
Stuffing: Polyester fiberfill is the standard choice. Have enough on hand to firmly stuff both the rat and the strawberry — a firmly stuffed amigurumi holds its shape much better and photographs more clearly.
Safety eyes: Two 6mm black safety eyes for the rat. If you are making this for a child under three years old, use embroidered eyes instead for safety reasons.
Wire or pipe cleaners (optional): If you want your rat’s tail to be poseable, you can insert a pipe cleaner before sealing. This is a lovely touch that lets you curl the tail into different positions.
Yarn needle: For sewing pieces together and weaving in ends.
Stitch markers: To mark the beginning of each round.
Scissors, pins for positioning, and optional blush or chalk: A little blush applied with a cotton swab on the rat’s cheeks and inside the ears adds a wonderful lifelike softness.
Abbreviations Used in This Pattern
MR — magic ring
sc — single crochet
inc — increase (2 sc in the same stitch)
dec — invisible decrease (insert hook through front loops of next two stitches, yarn over, pull through, yarn over, pull through both loops)
sl st — slip stitch
ch — chain
BLO — back loop only
FLO — front loop only
st(s) — stitch(es)
rnd — round
(x) — number of stitches at the end of a round
Gauge and Sizing Notes
With a 3.0mm hook and DK weight yarn, the finished rat should measure approximately 5.5 inches from base to the top of the head when seated. The strawberry will be about 1.5 inches tall. If your rat comes out larger or smaller, that is perfectly fine — amigurumi sizing is very forgiving, and a slightly bigger or smaller rat is just as charming.
The Rat Body
The rat is worked from the bottom up in a continuous spiral. Do not join rounds unless the pattern specifies.
Rnd 1: Start with a magic ring, 6 sc into the ring. (6)
Rnd 2: Inc in each st around. (12)
Rnd 3: (Sc 1, inc) repeat around. (18)
Rnd 4: (Sc 2, inc) repeat around. (24)
Rnd 5: (Sc 3, inc) repeat around. (30)
Rnd 6: (Sc 4, inc) repeat around. (36)
Rnd 7: (Sc 5, inc) repeat around. (42)
Rnd 8–16: Sc in each st around. (42) — 9 rounds even
Rnd 17: (Sc 5, dec) repeat around. (36)
Rnd 18: Sc in each st around. (36)
Rnd 19: (Sc 4, dec) repeat around. (30)
Rnd 20: Sc in each st around. (30)
Rnd 21: (Sc 3, dec) repeat around. (24)
At this point, insert your safety eyes between rounds 14 and 15, approximately 8 stitches apart. Stuff the body firmly with fiberfill.
Rnd 22: (Sc 2, dec) repeat around. (18)
Rnd 23: (Sc 1, dec) repeat around. (12)
Rnd 24: Dec around. (6)
Close the opening by pulling the yarn tail through the remaining stitches, pull tight, and fasten off. Weave in the end securely inside the body.
The Head
Rnd 1: MR, 6 sc. (6)
Rnd 2: Inc in each st around. (12)
Rnd 3: (Sc 1, inc) repeat around. (18)
Rnd 4: (Sc 2, inc) repeat around. (24)
Rnd 5: (Sc 3, inc) repeat around. (30)
Rnd 6: (Sc 4, inc) repeat around. (36)
Rnd 7–13: Sc in each st around. (36) — 7 rounds even
Rnd 14: (Sc 4, dec) repeat around. (30)
Rnd 15: (Sc 3, dec) repeat around. (24)
Rnd 16: (Sc 2, dec) repeat around. (18)
Stuff the head firmly.
Rnd 17: (Sc 1, dec) repeat around. (12)
Rnd 18: Dec around. (6)
Close and fasten off, leaving a long yarn tail for sewing the head to the body. Position the head so that it sits slightly forward (rather than perfectly centered on top of the body) for a more natural, curious rat pose. Pin in place before sewing for best results.
The Snout
The snout gives the rat its characteristic pointed face and is one of the most important pieces for achieving that recognizable ratty look.
Rnd 1: MR, 6 sc. (6)
Rnd 2: Inc in each st around. (12)
Rnd 3: (Sc 1, inc) repeat around. (18)
Rnd 4–5: Sc in each st around. (18)
Fasten off, leaving a long tail. Lightly stuff the snout and sew it to the lower front of the head, centered between the eyes. Embroider a small nose at the tip of the snout using a darker yarn or embroidery floss — a simple Y shape works perfectly. You can also add two or three whiskers by threading a long piece of thin yarn or embroidery thread through the snout from side to side.
The Ears
Make two.
Rnd 1: MR, 6 sc. (6)
Rnd 2: Inc in each st around. (12)
Rnd 3: (Sc 1, inc) repeat around. (18)
Rnd 4: Sc in each st around. (18)
Sl st to close, fasten off leaving a long tail. Do not stuff the ears. Fold each ear slightly and sew the base together to give it a cupped shape. Sew the ears to the top sides of the head, positioned between rounds 4 and 7. If you have blush or chalk powder, add a little pink to the inside of each ear before sewing it down for a sweet detail.
The Arms
Make two.
Rnd 1: MR, 6 sc. (6)
Rnd 2: Inc in each st around. (12)
Rnd 3–4: Sc in each st around. (12)
Rnd 5: (Sc 2, dec) repeat around. (9)
Rnd 6–12: Sc in each st around. (9) — 7 rounds even
Lightly stuff just the bottom paw portion of the arm — leaving the upper arm unstuffed makes it easier to attach and allows it to hang naturally. Fasten off, leaving a long tail. Flatten the top of the arm and sew it to the side of the body at approximately round 18 to 20, angled slightly forward. For the paw holding the strawberry, you may want to sew the arm in a slightly bent position pointing downward and inward, so that it looks as though the rat is cradling the strawberry.
The Legs
Make two.
Rnd 1: MR, 8 sc. (8)
Rnd 2: Inc in each st around. (16)
Rnd 3: Sc in each st around. (16)
Rnd 4: (Sc 2, dec) repeat around. (12)
Rnd 5–10: Sc in each st around. (12)
Stuff lightly. Fasten off, leaving a long tail. Sew the legs to the bottom sides of the body, angled outward so the rat can sit upright. These legs are meant to give the rat a seated posture rather than a standing one, which pairs beautifully with the strawberry-holding pose.
The Tail
The tail is crocheted as a simple chain with single crochets worked back along it, giving it a slightly rounded texture.
Ch 25 (or longer if you prefer a longer tail).
Starting in the second chain from the hook, sl st back along the entire chain.
Fasten off, leaving a long tail to sew it to the center back of the rat’s body at the very base. If you want a poseable tail, thread a pipe cleaner through before attaching. Curl or position the tail in whatever way you find most charming — a gently curling tail adds a great deal of personality to the finished piece.
The Strawberry
Now for the star of the show. This tiny strawberry is crocheted in the round just like the rat, but it uses a slightly more pointed shaping at the base to mimic the characteristic strawberry silhouette.
With red yarn:
Rnd 1: MR, 6 sc. (6)
Rnd 2: Inc in each st around. (12)
Rnd 3: (Sc 1, inc) repeat around. (18)
Rnd 4–6: Sc in each st around. (18)
Rnd 7: (Sc 1, dec) repeat around. (12)
Rnd 8: Sc in each st around. (12)
Rnd 9: Dec around. (6)
Before closing, stuff the strawberry firmly. Fasten off and close as usual.
Seed embroidery: Using a single strand of yellow or cream embroidery floss or thin yarn, embroider small oval seed shapes scattered across the surface of the strawberry. These tiny details elevate the finished piece enormously. About 8 to 12 seeds distributed across the surface looks natural and realistic.
The Strawberry Leaves (Calyx):
With green yarn, ch 4. Starting in the second chain from the hook, sc in the next 2 chains, then in the original chain make 3 sc, then sc back up the other side (mirror of the first side). You are essentially making a small leaf shape. Make three of these leaves and sew them together at the base, then sew the whole calyx to the top of the strawberry. Add a small green chain of 4 to 6 chains as the stem.
Assembly and Final Touches
Once all of your pieces are complete, the assembly process is deeply satisfying. Lay everything out in front of you and take a moment to plan the positioning — this is the step that has the biggest effect on the personality of your finished rat.
Sew the head to the body first, as this establishes the overall posture. Then attach the ears, making sure they are evenly placed. Sew on the arms next, considering the position you want for holding the strawberry. The legs go last. Once everything is attached, do a final check on all seams, tug gently on each piece to make sure it is secure, and weave in any remaining ends.
Place the strawberry between the rat’s arms, and if you like, tack it in place with a few hidden stitches so it does not fall out of position during display or photography.
Add any final embellishments — a dot of blush on the cheeks, a tiny embroidered smile beneath the snout, or even a small ribbon bow around the neck for a whimsical touch.
Tips for a Beautiful Finished Rat
Working with tight tension throughout the body is the single most important technique for clean amigurumi. If you can see stuffing through your stitches, try going down half a hook size. Always use a stitch marker at the beginning of each round to avoid losing your place — even experienced crocheters lose track in the spiral without a marker. When sewing pieces together, use the yarn tail from each piece and a blunt yarn needle, catching both loops of the stitches on each piece for the most secure seam. Stuff gradually as you close pieces rather than all at once at the end.
Variations and Creative Ideas
One of the best things about this pattern is how easily it adapts. You can change the color of the yarn to make an albino rat with a pink body and pink eyes, a sleek black rat, a pinto rat with patches of two colors, or a fantasy rat in lavender or mint green. Swap the strawberry for a tiny crocheted cheese wedge, a mushroom, or a little book if you want to tell a different story with your figure. You can also scale the entire pattern up with bulkier yarn and a larger hook to make a bigger display piece, or scale down with fingering weight and a 1.5mm hook for a truly miniature version.
This pattern also makes a wonderful gift. A finished rat amigurumi with a strawberry, tied with a ribbon and placed in a little basket, is the kind of handmade present that people genuinely treasure. It has the charm of a toy, the craftsmanship of a keepsake, and the whimsy of something you just do not find in any shop.
Sharing Your Finished Rat
If you make this crochet rat amigurumi with a strawberry pattern, share your finished project! The amigurumi community is one of the warmest and most encouraging corners of the crafting world, and makers love to see each other’s finished work and creative variations. Tag your photos with relevant amigurumi hashtags, share in crochet communities, or simply photograph your little rat in different settings around your home — these tiny characters have a way of finding wonderful spots to live.
