Free Crochet Lion Amigurumi Pattern – Cute Plush Lion Cub to Make
There is something undeniably magical about turning a simple ball of yarn into a tiny, squishy lion cub that fits in the palm of your hand. Amigurumi, the Japanese art of knitting or crocheting small stuffed animals and figures, has taken the crafting world by storm, and for good reason. These little creatures are endlessly customizable, satisfying to make, and absolutely irresistible to hold. If you have been looking for a free crochet lion amigurumi pattern that is beginner-friendly but still produces a result you will be proud to display or gift, you have come to exactly the right place.
This adorable lion cub pattern is worked in the round using basic amigurumi techniques. Whether you are new to amigurumi or have already made a zoo’s worth of crocheted animals, this lion is a wonderful project that comes together fairly quickly and rewards you with the most charming little face at the end. Get your hook ready, pick out your favorite golden yarn, and let’s bring this fuzzy king of the jungle to life.
Before You Begin: A Note on Amigurumi Basics
If you are new to amigurumi, a few things are worth knowing before you dive in. Almost all amigurumi pieces are crocheted in a continuous spiral rather than in joined rounds. This means you do not slip stitch and chain to begin a new round the way you might in other crochet projects. Instead, you keep going in a spiral, using a stitch marker to track where each round begins. A simple safety pin or piece of contrasting yarn slipped into the first stitch of each round works perfectly.
Amigurumi pieces are also worked tightly. You want your stitches to be dense enough that the polyfill stuffing does not show through the gaps. If you normally crochet loosely, try going down a hook size from what the yarn label recommends.
Finally, almost everything in amigurumi starts with something called a magic ring (also called a magic circle or adjustable ring). This technique lets you pull the starting loop closed tightly so there is no hole in the center of your flat circles, which is exactly what you want for heads, bodies, ears, and all the other pieces of this lion.
Materials You Will Need
Before you start, gather everything together so your crafting session goes smoothly. Here is what this lion pattern calls for:
Yarn: Worsted weight yarn in golden yellow or tawny orange for the body, a slightly darker brown for the mane, and a small amount of cream or off-white for the muzzle. You will also want a tiny bit of black for the nose and any additional details.
Hook: A 3.5mm crochet hook is ideal for worsted weight yarn when working amigurumi. Adjust as needed to achieve a tight, even fabric.
Stuffing: Polyester fiberfill stuffing. Use enough to make your lion feel firm but still soft and huggable.
Eyes: Two 9mm or 12mm black safety eyes. If you are making this lion for a child under three years old, embroider the eyes with black yarn instead of using plastic safety eyes.
Yarn needle: For weaving in ends and sewing the pieces together.
Scissors and stitch markers: These are essential for any amigurumi project.
Optional: A small piece of stiff felt or cardboard for the inside of the ears if you want them to hold their shape.
Abbreviations Used in This Pattern
MR – magic ring
ch – chain
sc – single crochet
inc – increase (two single crochets in the same stitch)
dec – invisible decrease (insert hook through the front loops only of the next two stitches and complete a single crochet)
sl st – slip stitch
BLO – back loop only
st – stitch
rnd – round
Finished Size
Using worsted weight yarn and a 3.5mm hook, your finished lion cub will measure approximately 7 to 8 inches tall when sitting. You can make him larger or smaller by adjusting your yarn weight and hook size accordingly. Fingering weight yarn with a 2mm hook will give you a pocket-sized lion cub roughly 3 to 4 inches tall, which is absolutely adorable.
Pattern Instructions
Head
The head is the centerpiece of any amigurumi and the first piece you will make. Work in a continuous spiral throughout.
Rnd 1: Start with a MR, sc 6 into the ring. Pull the tail to close. (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)
Rnd 8–14: Sc around. (42 sts, 7 rounds even)
Rnd 15: Sc 5, dec repeat around. (36 sts)
At this point, attach the safety eyes between rounds 10 and 11, approximately 8 to 10 stitches apart. Now is the time to do this before you continue decreasing and closing the head.
Rnd 16: Sc 4, dec repeat around. (30 sts)
Rnd 17: Sc 3, dec repeat around. (24 sts)
Begin stuffing the head firmly with polyfill. Continue adding 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 tail. Use your yarn needle to weave the tail through the front loops of the remaining 6 stitches, pull tight to close, and fasten off. Weave in the end.
Body
The body is worked the same way as the head but shaped slightly differently.
Rnd 1: MR, sc 6. (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 7–13: Sc around. (36 sts, 7 rounds even)
Rnd 14: Sc 4, dec repeat around. (30 sts)
Rnd 15: Sc around. (30 sts)
Rnd 16: Sc 3, dec repeat around. (24 sts)
Rnd 17: Sc around. (24 sts)
Rnd 18: Sc 2, dec repeat around. (18 sts)
Stuff the body firmly. Do not close the body yet — you will attach the head first and then finish closing if needed, or simply continue stuffing as you sew.
Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing the head to the body.
Arms (Make 2)
Rnd 1: MR, sc 6. (6 sts)
Rnd 2: Inc in each st around. (12 sts)
Rnd 3–4: Sc around. (12 sts, 2 rounds even)
Rnd 5: Sc 2, dec repeat around. (9 sts)
Rnd 6–12: Sc around. (9 sts, 7 rounds even)
Stuff lightly — you want the arms to be slightly floppy so they hang naturally. Flatten the opening and close with a few slip stitches or whip stitches. Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing.
Legs (Make 2)
Rnd 1: MR, sc 6. (6 sts)
Rnd 2: Inc in each st around. (12 sts)
Rnd 3: Sc 1, inc repeat around. (18 sts)
Rnd 4–6: Sc around. (18 sts, 3 rounds even)
Rnd 7: Sc 1, dec repeat around. (12 sts)
Rnd 8–14: Sc around. (12 sts, 7 rounds even)
Stuff firmly, particularly the foot area. Flatten the top opening and close. Fasten off with a long tail for sewing.
Ears (Make 2)
The ears are small, simple, and made in just a few rounds.
Rnd 1: MR, sc 6. (6 sts)
Rnd 2: Inc in each st around. (12 sts)
Rnd 3: Sc 1, inc repeat around. (18 sts)
Rnd 4: Sc around. (18 sts)
Sl st to join, fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing. Do not stuff the ears. Pinch the base slightly before sewing to give them a gentle cup shape.
Muzzle
The muzzle is worked in cream or off-white yarn and sewn to the front of the face.
Rnd 1: MR, sc 6. (6 sts)
Rnd 2: Inc in each st around. (12 sts)
Rnd 3: Sc 1, inc repeat around. (18 sts)
Rnd 4: Sc around. (18 sts)
Sl st, fasten off with a long tail. Do not stuff. You will embroider the nose and mouth onto the muzzle before or after sewing it to the face — whichever feels easier for you.
Mane
The mane is what gives this lion his regal character, and it is easier to make than it looks. You have a couple of options here.
Option 1 – Fringed Mane: Cut approximately 40 to 50 strands of dark brown yarn, each about 4 inches long. Fold each strand in half, insert your hook through a stitch around the head (working in a ring around stitches 9 through 14, roughly), pull the folded loop through, then pull the two tails through the loop and tighten. Trim to an even length and fluff with your fingers or a stiff brush to create a fluffy, wild mane.
Option 2 – Crocheted Mane: Using dark brown yarn, join to the head at approximately round 9 and work a round of loops or chains directly into the stitches all the way around, skipping every other stitch. For a loopier mane, work chain loops of 5 to 7 chains, slip stitch into the same stitch, then move to the next. Work three to four rows of this technique, moving inward with each row, to build up mane density.
Either option looks wonderful. The fringed method tends to look fluffier and more dramatic, while the crocheted mane gives a tidier, more uniform result.
Tail
Ch 20 in golden yellow yarn. Sl st back along the chain to create a thin, cord-like tail. At the tip, leave a small pom of the dark brown yarn by tying a bundle of short strands and trimming them. Sew the tail to the back of the body.
Assembling Your Lion Cub
Assembly is honestly one of the most satisfying parts of amigurumi making. You get to watch all these separate little pieces suddenly become a character.
Start by sewing the head to the body. Position the head so the face looks slightly upward and forward — this gives the lion a curious, alert expression. Use the long yarn tail from the body to whipstitch the two pieces together, going around the full circle. Pull firmly and weave in the end securely.
Next, sew the ears to the top of the head. Place them roughly between rounds 3 and 5, leaving about 6 to 8 stitches of space between them. Pinch the base of each ear as you sew to make them cup inward slightly.
Sew the muzzle to the center front of the face. Before closing it completely, you can tuck a tiny ball of stuffing underneath to give it a slightly 3D, pouffy look. Embroider the nose in black yarn using a simple triangle shape at the top center of the muzzle, and use two short straight stitches below it to form the mouth in a gentle V or Y shape.
Sew the arms to either side of the upper body, just below where the head meets the body. Sew the legs to the lower body so that the lion can sit in a stable position. The feet should angle forward slightly.
If you made a fringed mane, do this step before sewing the ears so you can trim and arrange the fringe without the ears getting in the way.
Finally, sew on the tail at the back.
Customization Ideas
One of the great joys of amigurumi is how endlessly personal you can make each piece. Here are a few ways to put your own spin on this lion cub pattern.
You can change the colorway entirely. A white or pale gold lion becomes a rare albino cub. A deep orange lion with a red-brown mane looks like a mature savanna lion. Add a tiny crocheted bowtie or a small bandana around the neck for a more whimsical, dressed-up look.
Give your lion a sleepy expression by sewing two curved lines in black yarn instead of using safety eyes. A few small black stitches can become freckles or whisker dots on the muzzle. You can also add a tiny pink tongue by making a very small oval in pink yarn and tucking it just below the muzzle.
For a gender-neutral version with a softer feel, skip the mane entirely and simply add a flower between the ears made from a small flower motif in contrasting yarn.
Tips for a Beautiful Finished Lion
Make sure you stuff every piece firmly enough that the amigurumi holds its shape over time. Under-stuffing is the most common mistake beginners make, and it leads to a finished piece that looks flat and sad rather than plump and cheerful.
When sewing pieces together, use the same yarn as the piece you are attaching from whenever possible so your seams blend in. Take your time and go around the full circle twice if you want an especially secure join.
If your lion’s head wobbles, you can add a disc of stiff craft foam or cardboard inside the body at the neck join to give it something firm to sit against.
Block your finished lion very gently with a light mist of water and let it air dry in the position you want it to hold. This helps everything settle into its final shape.
Sharing Your Make
If you make this lion cub, please share it! Tag your photos on Instagram or Pinterest so other crocheters can find inspiration in your version. Seeing the same pattern made in different yarn colors, with different expressions, with accessories and without — it is always a reminder of just how creative this community is. Every lion looks a little different, and that is exactly what makes handmade things so special.
This pattern is completely free to use for personal makes and for gifts. If you sell finished items made from this pattern, a credit back to the original pattern source is always appreciated by the crafting community.
Final Thoughts
There is a reason lion amigurumi patterns are consistently popular among crocheters of all skill levels. Lions are bold and majestic animals, but a tiny crocheted lion cub is the opposite of intimidating — it is soft, sweet, and completely huggable. This little guy would make a wonderful baby shower gift, a birthday present for an animal-loving child, a cheerful desk companion, or simply a satisfying afternoon project for yourself.
The skills you practice in making this lion — the magic ring, working in the round, shaping with increases and decreases, sewing pieces together — are the exact same skills you will use in every other amigurumi pattern you ever try. Think of this lion cub as your pride, your practice, and your proof that beautiful things really can come from a hook, some yarn, and a little patience.
Happy crocheting
