Easy Hedgehog Amigurumi Crochet Pattern — Totally Free
If you’ve ever wanted to crochet your own tiny, spiky little companion, you’re in the right place. This easy hedgehog amigurumi crochet pattern is completely free, beginner-friendly, and results in the most adorable little creature you’ll ever hold in the palm of your hand. Whether you’re new to amigurumi or just looking for a quick and satisfying project, this hedgehog pattern is going to become one of your favorites.
Amigurumi — the Japanese art of crocheting small, stuffed yarn figures — has taken the crafting world by storm, and it’s easy to see why. There’s something deeply satisfying about turning a ball of yarn into a three-dimensional character with personality. Hedgehogs, with their round little bodies and sweet faces, are one of the most popular amigurumi designs out there, and this free pattern is designed to be as simple as possible without sacrificing any of the charm.
Let’s get into everything you need to know, from materials to stitches to the finishing touches that make your hedgehog look absolutely irresistible.
What You’ll Need
Before you pick up your hook, gather your materials. One of the best things about amigurumi is that it doesn’t require a huge investment — you likely already have most of what you need.
Yarn: You’ll need two colors of worsted weight yarn (size 4). Choose a medium brown, tan, or gray for the belly and face area, and a darker color — deep brown, charcoal, or even black — for the spines and back. About 50 grams of each color is more than enough for one hedgehog.
Crochet Hook: A 3.5mm hook is ideal for worsted weight yarn when crocheting amigurumi. Using a slightly smaller hook than the yarn label suggests creates a tighter fabric that holds stuffing well and prevents gaps.
Safety Eyes: Two 9mm or 12mm safety eyes give your hedgehog that classic amigurumi look. If you’re making this for a child under three years old, embroider the eyes with black yarn instead, as safety eyes are a choking hazard for very young children.
Polyfill Stuffing: Standard polyester fiberfill stuffing works perfectly. You want your hedgehog to feel firm but not rock-hard.
Yarn Needle: You’ll need this for sewing pieces together and weaving in ends.
Stitch Markers: These are incredibly helpful for marking the beginning of each round. You can use a commercial stitch marker or just a small piece of contrasting yarn.
Scissors: Any sharp pair will do.
Optional but fun: a small amount of pink or light pink yarn for a tiny nose detail, or a piece of black embroidery floss for stitching on a smile.
Abbreviations and Stitches Used
This pattern uses standard US crochet terminology. Here’s a quick reference for every stitch you’ll encounter:
MR — Magic ring (also called a magic circle)
ch — Chain
sl st — Slip stitch
sc — Single crochet
inc — Increase (2 single crochets into the same stitch)
dec — Invisible decrease (insert hook through front loops of the next two stitches, yarn over and pull through both front loops, yarn over and pull through both loops on hook)
BLO — Back loop only
FLO — Front loop only
If you’re new to the magic ring, don’t let it intimidate you. It’s the foundation of nearly every amigurumi piece because it allows you to start crocheting in the round without leaving a hole in the center. There are plenty of video tutorials online if you prefer to see it demonstrated before diving in.
The invisible decrease is another technique worth practicing before you start. Unlike a standard decrease, the invisible version is nearly undetectable in your finished piece and gives amigurumi that smooth, professional look.
A Note on Gauge
Amigurumi isn’t especially strict about gauge the way garment patterns are, but consistency matters for sizing. Your finished hedgehog should be approximately 3.5 to 4 inches tall and about 3 inches wide at the widest point. If your tension is very loose, go down a hook size. If it’s very tight and your hands are cramping, go up half a size.
Pattern: The Body
The body is crocheted from the bottom up in one piece using the darker yarn for the spine area, transitioning to the lighter yarn for the belly. You’ll work in a continuous spiral, so don’t join rounds unless instructed.
Round 1: Using dark yarn, MR, 6 sc into ring. (6 stitches)
Round 2: Inc in each stitch around. (12 stitches)
Round 3: Sc 1, inc repeat around. (18 stitches)
Round 4: Sc 2, inc repeat around. (24 stitches)
Round 5: Sc 3, inc repeat around. (30 stitches)
Round 6: Sc 4, inc repeat around. (36 stitches)
Round 7: Sc 5, inc repeat around. (42 stitches)
Rounds 8–14: Sc in each stitch around. (42 stitches per round)
Now switch to your lighter yarn. The color change creates the natural belly coloring of a hedgehog.
Round 15: Sc in each stitch around. (42 stitches)
Round 16: Sc 5, dec repeat around. (36 stitches)
Round 17: Sc 4, dec repeat around. (30 stitches)
Before continuing, insert your safety eyes between rounds 12 and 13, about 6–8 stitches apart. Attach them now while you still have easy access to the inside of the body. If you’re embroidering the eyes instead, you’ll do that after the piece is fully assembled.
Round 18: Sc 3, dec repeat around. (24 stitches)
Round 19: Sc 2, dec repeat around. (18 stitches)
Now stuff the body firmly. Use small pieces of stuffing and pack it in gradually for an even result. The body should feel solid and hold its round shape when you set it down.
Round 20: Sc 1, dec repeat around. (12 stitches)
Round 21: Dec around. (6 stitches)
Fasten off, leaving a long tail. Use your yarn needle to close the remaining hole by threading through the front loops of the last 6 stitches and pulling tight. Weave in the end.
Pattern: The Head
The head is crocheted separately using the lighter yarn and then sewn onto the body. This is where your hedgehog’s personality really comes through.
Round 1: MR, 6 sc into ring. (6 stitches)
Round 2: Inc in each stitch around. (12 stitches)
Round 3: Sc 1, inc repeat around. (18 stitches)
Round 4: Sc 2, inc repeat around. (24 stitches)
Round 5: Sc 3, inc repeat around. (30 stitches)
Rounds 6–10: Sc in each stitch around. (30 stitches per round)
Round 11: Sc 3, dec repeat around. (24 stitches)
Round 12: Sc 2, dec repeat around. (18 stitches)
Stuff the head firmly. Pay special attention to the nose area — you want a nicely rounded snout.
Round 13: Sc 1, dec repeat around. (12 stitches)
Round 14: Dec around. (6 stitches)
Fasten off and close the hole the same way you did for the body.
Pattern: The Ears (Make 2)
The ears are small and simple, which makes them perfect for beginners.
Round 1: MR, 6 sc into ring. (6 stitches)
Round 2: Sc 1, inc repeat around. (9 stitches)
Round 3: Sc 2, inc repeat around. (12 stitches)
Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing. Do not stuff the ears — they should be flat.
Pattern: The Legs (Make 4)
Round 1: MR, 6 sc into ring. (6 stitches)
Round 2: Inc in each stitch around. (12 stitches)
Rounds 3–5: Sc in each stitch around. (12 stitches per round)
Fasten off, leaving a long tail. Stuff lightly — just enough to give the legs a little shape. You don’t want them so firm that they stick out awkwardly.
Pattern: The Nose (Optional Detail)
If you want a cute little button nose, make a very small circle:
Round 1: MR, 6 sc into ring. (6 stitches)
Fasten off with a long tail and leave unstuffed. This tiny circle gets sewn onto the tip of the snout for an adorable finishing detail. Alternatively, you can use a French knot in black or pink embroidery floss placed directly on the tip of the snout, which gives a slightly more refined look.
Assembling Your Hedgehog
Assembly is where your hedgehog truly comes to life, and taking your time here makes a huge difference in the final result.
Step 1: Attach the head to the body. Position the head so that the snout points slightly forward and upward — this gives your hedgehog that classic curious expression. Pin it in place before sewing to make sure you’re happy with the angle. Use a yarn needle and the tail from the head to whipstitch around the entire base of the head, catching the body stitches as you go. Pull gently but firmly so there are no gaps between the pieces.
Step 2: Sew on the ears. Place the ears on either side of the head at about round 3 or 4. They should sit a little behind the eyes, angled slightly upward and outward. Again, pin before sewing. Stitch around the flat base of each ear.
Step 3: Attach the legs. The front legs go on either side of the body near the head, roughly at rounds 15–16 of the body. The back legs attach near the bottom of the body, a little more toward the rear. They should all point slightly downward and outward so the hedgehog appears to be sitting rather than floating.
Step 4: Sew on the nose. If you made the small nose circle, attach it to the very tip of the snout. If you’re using embroidery floss, now is the time to add a French knot or a small horizontal stitch.
Step 5: Add a smile. Use black embroidery floss or a single strand of dark yarn to stitch a tiny curved line just below the nose. This is one of those details that transforms a good amigurumi into a great one. Keep it subtle — just a gentle curve is all you need.
Step 6: Weave in all remaining ends. Thread each yarn tail through your needle and bury it inside the body of the piece by going through the stuffed interior, then trim close to the surface. This keeps everything secure and neat.
Making the Spines
This is the feature that makes this hedgehog pattern really special. The spines are created using a simple loop stitch technique worked directly into the back rounds of the body, giving your hedgehog a wonderfully textured appearance.
Go back to the dark yarn and attach it to any stitch in round 7 of the body (the uppermost part of the spine section). Working in back loops only, create loop stitches by wrapping the yarn around two fingers before pulling through. Aim for loops about half an inch to an inch long. Work your way down in loose rows across the back of the hedgehog, covering approximately the top half of the body from the head attachment down toward round 14.
The loops don’t need to be perfectly uniform — a little variation actually looks more natural and spine-like. If you want your spines to stand up more stiffly, cut each loop after you’ve finished all of them and trim them to a consistent length, then lightly separate the strands for a fluffier look.
Alternatively, if the loop stitch is too advanced right now, you can skip it and simply use the color change between light and dark yarn to suggest the spines. Your hedgehog will still be adorable.
Customizing Your Hedgehog
One of the best things about making your own amigurumi is how easily you can make each one unique.
Try a cream or white belly yarn paired with deep chocolate brown for the back — this combination looks incredibly lifelike. Or go full fantasy and use a dusty rose body with silver-gray spines for a magical woodland creature vibe. You could even make a tiny hedgehog family in different sizes by adjusting your hook size and yarn weight — a bulky yarn version with a 6mm hook makes a larger, chubbier hedgehog that’s just as charming.
Adding a tiny crocheted accessory like a bow, a scarf, or even a small mushroom hat takes this pattern into gift-giving territory. A hedgehog with a little autumn-colored scarf and a stitch-marker pumpkin next to it makes for an incredible seasonal display.
Tips for Amigurumi Beginners
If this is your first amigurumi project, a few practical tips will save you a lot of frustration.
Work with good light. Amigurumi uses tight stitches and it can be genuinely hard to see what you’re doing in dim conditions, especially with dark yarn.
Count your stitches at the end of every round, at least until you’re confident in your tension. Losing a stitch or accidentally adding one can cause your shape to go slightly lopsided, and it’s much easier to fix early than to discover the problem ten rounds later.
Don’t rush the stuffing. It’s the last thing most beginners want to think about, but how you stuff your piece determines how it sits and holds its shape for years. Use small pieces and pack them evenly.
The invisible decrease really is worth learning. A regular decrease leaves a small visible bump on the surface, while the invisible version blends into the surrounding stitches. Spend five minutes practicing it on a small swatch before you start the pattern.
Finally, don’t be afraid to rip back and redo. Frogging (unraveling your work) is a normal part of crochet, not a sign of failure. Every experienced crocheter has a project they’ve started three times before getting it right.
Final Thoughts
This free easy hedgehog amigurumi crochet pattern is exactly the kind of project that reminds you why you fell in love with crochet in the first place. It’s manageable enough to finish in a single weekend, satisfying enough to keep you engaged the whole time, and the result is something you’ll genuinely treasure — or give as a gift that gets remembered for years.
Whether you’re crocheting your first amigurumi or your fiftieth, there’s always something special about a hedgehog. They have an expression that’s naturally endearing, a shape that’s perfectly suited to amigurumi construction, and a size that makes them the ideal project to tuck into a bag and work on wherever you go.
Happy crocheting, and don’t forget to share your finished hedgehog — the world can never have too many tiny crocheted spiky friends.
