Free Halloween Crochet Patterns: Easy Amigurumi Plushies for Beginners
Halloween and crochet are a match made in crafting heaven. There is something deeply satisfying about sitting down with a skein of orange and black yarn as the nights grow longer, slowly bringing a little stuffed pumpkin or grinning ghost to life stitch by stitch. If you have been wanting to try amigurumi — the Japanese art of crocheting small stuffed figures — Halloween is honestly one of the best times to start. The projects are small, the designs are forgiving, and the finished plushies make perfect decorations, gifts, or even party favors that people genuinely love to receive.
This guide is written with beginners firmly in mind. You do not need years of experience or a collection of exotic tools. If you can work a magic ring, single crochet, and increase or decrease a stitch, you already know most of what you need. We will walk through everything from materials to finished projects, with detailed pattern notes for several classic Halloween amigurumi plushies — all completely free.
What Is Amigurumi and Why Is It Perfect for Halloween?
Amigurumi (pronounced ah-mee-goo-roo-mee) is a Japanese craft that combines the words “ami,” meaning knitted or crocheted, and “nuigurumi,” meaning stuffed doll. The style originated in Japan in the 1980s and spread globally in the early 2000s thanks to the internet and crafting communities. The hallmark of amigurumi is a round, oversized head on a small body, with simple limbs and big safety eyes that give every creature an irresistible, cartoonish charm.
Halloween themes are practically tailor-made for amigurumi. The shapes involved — round pumpkins, balloon-like ghosts, spherical cat heads, lumpy mummies — all translate naturally into the continuous rounds that form the backbone of amigurumi construction. The color palette is limited and iconic, which means even beginners working with just two or three colors can produce something that looks polished and intentional. And because the projects are small (most take just a few hours), you can make an entire Halloween collection before October arrives.
Materials You Will Need
Before diving into patterns, let’s cover the basics. Gathering your supplies ahead of time makes the process much smoother.
Yarn: For most amigurumi, worsted weight (size 4) yarn works beautifully for beginners. It is easy to handle, widely available, and gives you clearly defined stitches. For Halloween plushies, you will want to stock up on orange, black, white, and a deep purple. A small amount of green is useful for pumpkin stems. Brands like Lion Brand, Red Heart, and Caron Simply Soft are all affordable and widely available at craft stores or online.
Hook: A 3.5mm or 4.0mm crochet hook pairs well with worsted weight yarn for amigurumi. You actually want to go slightly smaller than the yarn’s recommended hook size to create a tighter fabric that holds the stuffing without gaps showing through.
Safety Eyes: These are the little plastic eyes with a washer backing that snap in place. They come in packs and are available in sizes ranging from 6mm to 24mm. For most beginner-sized amigurumi, 9mm to 12mm safety eyes are ideal. If you are making plushies for very young children, skip safety eyes and embroider the eyes with black yarn instead — safety eyes are small enough to be a choking hazard.
Polyfill Stuffing: Standard polyester fiberfill is what you need. Do not overstuff or understuff — the plushie should feel firm but still have a little give when squeezed.
Yarn Needle: A blunt tapestry needle is used to weave in ends and sew parts together.
Stitch Markers: These clip onto your work to mark the beginning of each round. You can use actual stitch markers, small safety pins, or even a piece of contrasting yarn.
Scissors: Any pair will do.
Essential Stitches and Techniques for Beginners
If you are brand new to crochet, here is a quick reference for the stitches used in every pattern below.
Magic Ring (MR): Also called a magic circle. This is how most amigurumi rounds begin. Create a loop with your yarn, insert your hook, and pull up a loop to chain and then single crochet. When you pull the tail, the ring closes tightly with no hole in the center.
Single Crochet (sc): The most fundamental crochet stitch. Insert the hook, yarn over, pull through, yarn over, pull through both loops.
Increase (inc): Work two single crochets into the same stitch. This adds stitches and makes your circle grow outward.
Decrease (dec): The most common method for amigurumi is the invisible decrease — insert your hook through the front loop of one stitch, then the front loop of the next, yarn over and pull through both front loops, yarn over and pull through remaining two loops. This creates a smooth, nearly invisible reduction.
Slip Stitch (sl st): Used to join rounds or finish off. Insert the hook, yarn over, pull through stitch and loop on hook at once.
Chain (ch): The foundation of crochet. Yarn over and pull through the loop on the hook.
Working in Continuous Rounds: Unlike flat crochet, amigurumi is worked in a spiral without joining or turning. This is why stitch markers are so important — they mark where each new round begins.
Free Pattern 1: The Classic Amigurumi Pumpkin
This cheerful little pumpkin is the quintessential Halloween amigurumi. It works up quickly, requires only one main color, and the ribbed body is achieved with a simple technique using slip stitches. Finished size is approximately 4 inches tall.
You Will Need: Orange yarn (main color), green yarn (small amount for stem), black yarn (for face embroidery), 9mm safety eyes, polyfill stuffing, 3.75mm hook, yarn needle, stitch marker.
Abbreviations: MR = magic ring, sc = single crochet, inc = increase, dec = invisible decrease, sl st = slip stitch, ch = chain.
The Body:
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)
Round 6: [Sc 4, inc] repeat around. (36 stitches)
Rounds 7 through 12: Sc in each stitch around. (36 stitches, 6 rounds even)
Round 13: [Sc 4, dec] repeat around. (30 stitches)
Round 14: [Sc 3, dec] repeat around. (24 stitches)
Before continuing, attach your safety eyes between rounds 9 and 10, spaced about 8 stitches apart. Embroider a simple triangle nose and jagged mouth with black yarn. Stuff the body firmly with polyfill.
Round 15: [Sc 2, dec] repeat around. (18 stitches)
Round 16: [Sc 1, dec] repeat around. (12 stitches)
Round 17: Dec around. (6 stitches)
Fasten off and weave in the end, closing the hole if needed with a few extra stitches pulled through.
To Create the Pumpkin Ridges: Thread your yarn needle with orange yarn and sew a long stitch from the bottom center to the top center of the pumpkin, pulling slightly to create an indented ridge. Repeat this 4 to 6 times evenly around the pumpkin to give it that classic segmented look.
The Stem: With green yarn, ch 6, then sc back along the chain for a simple rolled stem. Sew it to the top of the pumpkin securely.
Free Pattern 2: Friendly Ghost Amigurumi
Nothing says Halloween like a little white ghost, and this one is designed to look more cute than scary. The wavy bottom is what gives this pattern its ghostly silhouette. Finished size is approximately 5 inches tall.
You Will Need: White yarn (main color), black yarn (small amount for embroidered mouth), 12mm safety eyes, polyfill stuffing, 3.75mm hook, yarn needle, stitch marker.
The Head and Body (worked top to bottom as one piece):
Round 1: MR, 6 sc. (6)
Round 2: Inc in each stitch. (12)
Round 3: [Sc 1, inc] repeat. (18)
Round 4: [Sc 2, inc] repeat. (24)
Round 5: [Sc 3, inc] repeat. (30)
Rounds 6 through 10: Sc around. (30 stitches, 5 rounds even)
Round 11: [Sc 3, dec] repeat. (24)
Round 12: [Sc 2, dec] repeat. (18)
Attach safety eyes between rounds 7 and 8, about 6 stitches apart. Embroider a small open oval mouth below the eyes with black yarn. Begin stuffing.
Round 13: [Sc 2, inc] repeat. (24) — this flares the body back out
Round 14: [Sc 3, inc] repeat. (30)
Rounds 15 and 16: Sc around. (30)
Wavy Bottom Edge: Instead of decreasing to close the bottom, you will create a wavy, uneven edge that suggests a flowing ghost tail. Work as follows: [Sc 1, ch 3, sl st back into first ch, sc 2] repeat around until you reach your starting point, sl st to finish. This creates little points along the bottom hem that flutter beautifully.
Finish stuffing before closing the bottom rounds, and weave in all ends.
Free Pattern 3: Mini Black Cat Amigurumi
This little black cat is a Halloween staple. The pointed ears and bright safety eyes give it personality. Finished size is approximately 3.5 inches tall — perfect for a tiny decoration or cat collar charm.
You Will Need: Black yarn (main color), small amount of pink yarn (for inner ears), green or yellow 9mm safety eyes, polyfill stuffing, 3.75mm hook, yarn needle, stitch marker, black wire or pipe cleaner (optional for tail).
The Head:
Round 1: MR, 6 sc. (6)
Round 2: Inc around. (12)
Round 3: [Sc 1, inc] repeat. (18)
Round 4: [Sc 2, inc] repeat. (24)
Rounds 5 through 9: Sc around. (24)
Round 10: [Sc 2, dec] repeat. (18)
Attach safety eyes between rounds 6 and 7, about 5 stitches apart. Stuff the head.
Round 11: [Sc 1, dec] repeat. (12)
Round 12: Dec around. (6)
Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing.
The Ears (make 2): MR, 6 sc. Inc in each stitch. (12). Ch 1, turn. Sc across 4 stitches, ch 1, turn. Sc 3, ch 1, turn. Sc 2, fasten off. This creates a small triangle. Make a smaller pink version and sew it onto the ear for the inner ear. Fold each ear slightly and sew to the top of the head at a slight angle.
The Body:
Round 1: MR, 6 sc. (6)
Round 2: Inc around. (12)
Round 3: [Sc 1, inc] repeat. (18)
Rounds 4 through 7: Sc around. (18)
Round 8: [Sc 1, dec] repeat. (12)
Stuff lightly and fasten off with a long tail.
Arms (make 2): MR, 6 sc. Work 5 rounds even. Fasten off leaving a long tail. Do not stuff.
Tail: Ch 20, sl st back along the chain for a simple curved tail. Alternatively, wrap black yarn around a pipe cleaner, tie off ends, and bend into a natural curve.
Sew all pieces to the body securely.
Free Pattern 4: Simple Mummy Amigurumi
Mummies are wonderfully simple to make because the bandage wrapping effect can be achieved by surface crocheting or weaving yarn over a finished base shape. This mummy starts as a basic oval body. Finished height is approximately 4.5 inches.
You Will Need: White yarn (main color), cream or off-white yarn (for wrapping), red or orange yarn (very small amount for a few decorative stitches), 12mm safety eyes, polyfill stuffing, 3.75mm hook, yarn needle.
The Body (worked as an oval):
Ch 5 to begin (this forms the base of the oval).
Round 1: Starting in the second chain from the hook, sc 3, 3 sc in last chain, then sc 3 back along the other side of the chain, 3 sc in first chain. (12)
Round 2: Inc, sc 2, inc 3 times, sc 2, inc twice. (18)
Round 3: [Sc 1, inc] twice, sc 2, [sc 1, inc] 3 times, sc 2, [sc 1, inc] twice. (24)
Rounds 4 through 10: Sc around. (24)
Round 11: [Sc 2, dec] repeat. (18)
Round 12: [Sc 1, dec] repeat. (12)
Attach safety eyes halfway up the body, close together, with a slightly panicked or dazed angle. Stuff and close.
Wrapping the Mummy: Thread a yarn needle with off-white yarn and weave it over the body loosely in horizontal strips, leaving small gaps to reveal the base color underneath. A few diagonal wraps add visual interest. Do not pull too tightly — the loose, uneven wrapping is what makes it look authentically mummy-like. Tuck and stitch down the ends on the inside.
Tips for Getting Great Results Every Time
The most common beginner mistake with amigurumi is working stitches too loosely, which leaves visible gaps in the fabric. If you can see the white stuffing through your finished piece, try dropping down a hook size or working with slightly more tension on your yarn.
Always use a stitch marker at the beginning of every round. It is tempting to skip this step when you are in the flow of crocheting, but losing your place in a round is frustrating and can throw off your stitch counts entirely.
When sewing pieces together, use the long yarn tail you leave when fastening off. Thread it onto your tapestry needle and use a whip stitch or mattress stitch for clean seams. Pin pieces in place before sewing to make sure you are happy with the positioning.
Stuff as you go. For larger pieces, stuff as you decrease — waiting until the piece is nearly closed makes it difficult to achieve even distribution.
For embroidered facial features, a little practice on a scrap piece goes a long way. Use a single strand of yarn for delicate expressions and two strands for bolder features.
Displaying and Gifting Your Halloween Amigurumi
Once your little collection is complete, there are so many ways to enjoy them. Arrange them in a basket with some faux autumn leaves and battery-operated fairy lights for a centerpiece that gets genuine compliments. Tie a loop of twine through the top of each plushie and hang them from a branch or curtain rod for a charming garland effect.
Halloween amigurumi also make extraordinary gifts. Tuck a little ghost or pumpkin into a treat bag for a neighbor, attach one to a wrapped gift as a bow replacement, or offer them as party favors at a Halloween gathering. Handmade gifts carry a warmth that no store-bought item can match, and amigurumi are just whimsical enough to delight both children and adults.
If you sell crafts, amigurumi are consistently popular at autumn markets and on platforms like Etsy. Even the simple beginner patterns shared here produce finished pieces that look polished and professional with a little care and attention to detail.
