Free Tigger Crochet Pattern Amigurumi: Bring the Bouncy Tiger to Life
There is something undeniably magical about Tigger. Whether you grew up reading A.A. Milne’s original Winnie-the-Pooh stories or fell in love with the animated Disney version, Tigger has a way of leaping into your heart and staying there. His boundless energy, his iconic striped coat, and that unforgettable catchphrase — “The wonderful thing about Tiggers is I’m the only one!” — make him one of the most beloved characters in children’s literature and animation history. Now imagine holding a handmade, squishy version of him, crafted stitch by stitch with your own two hands. That is exactly what this free Tigger crochet pattern amigurumi guide is all about.
Amigurumi, the Japanese art of crocheting small stuffed animals and characters, has exploded in popularity over the past decade. Crafters around the world have discovered that it is one of the most satisfying forms of crochet — each project is compact, the results are adorable, and the finished pieces make incredibly thoughtful gifts. A Tigger amigurumi in particular is a timeless project. It can sit on a nursery shelf, decorate a desk, or become a child’s best friend. And the best part? You can make one for free, right here, with this complete pattern guide.
This post covers everything you need: materials, gauge, abbreviations, step-by-step instructions for each part of Tigger’s body, assembly tips, and finishing touches to capture his personality perfectly. Whether you are a beginner getting comfortable with working in the round or an experienced amigurumi maker looking for a fun character project, this pattern is written to be accessible and enjoyable.
Materials You Will Need
Before you pick up your hook, gather everything you need so the process goes smoothly from start to finish.
Yarn: You will need worsted weight yarn (size 4) in the following colors — orange (main body color), black (stripes and features), white or cream (belly and muzzle area), and a small amount of red for the mouth.
Hook: A 3.5mm crochet hook is ideal for amigurumi worked in worsted weight yarn. The tighter tension helps prevent the stuffing from showing through and gives the finished piece a firm, clean shape. If your gauge tends to run loose, try a 3.25mm hook.
Stuffing: Polyfill fiberfill stuffing is standard for amigurumi. Use enough to give Tigger a firm, bouncy body that holds its shape without being rock-hard.
Safety eyes: Two 12mm black safety eyes. If you are making this for a child under three years old, embroider the eyes with black yarn instead, as safety eyes can become a choking hazard.
Yarn needle: A blunt tapestry needle for sewing pieces together and weaving in ends.
Stitch markers: At least two locking stitch markers to track the beginning of each round.
Scissors: Sharp fabric scissors for clean cuts.
Understanding Gauge and Sizing
Gauge matters in amigurumi more than some crafters realize. With this pattern and a 3.5mm hook, your finished Tigger should measure approximately 8 to 10 inches tall when seated. If you want a larger Tigger, you can go up a hook size or switch to bulky yarn and adjust your hook accordingly. A smaller version can be achieved with fingering weight yarn and a 2.5mm hook, though the details become a bit more fiddly to work.
Abbreviations Used in This Pattern
This pattern uses US crochet terminology throughout.
MR — Magic ring (also called magic circle)
ch — Chain
sl st — Slip stitch
sc — Single crochet
inc — Invisible increase (single crochet twice into the same stitch)
dec — Invisible decrease (insert hook through front loops only of next two stitches and sc them together)
BLO — Back loops only
FLO — Front loops only
st(s) — Stitch(es)
rnd — Round
rep — Repeat
The Pattern: Step by Step
Head
The head is worked in orange yarn. Tigger’s head should be slightly larger proportionally than the body, giving him that classic cartoon look.
Rnd 1: MR, 6 sc into ring. (6 sts)
Rnd 2: Inc in each st around. (12 sts)
Rnd 3: (Sc 1, inc) rep around. (18 sts)
Rnd 4: (Sc 2, inc) rep around. (24 sts)
Rnd 5: (Sc 3, inc) rep around. (30 sts)
Rnd 6: (Sc 4, inc) rep around. (36 sts)
Rnd 7: (Sc 5, inc) rep around. (42 sts)
Rnd 8: (Sc 6, inc) rep around. (48 sts)
Rnds 9–17: Sc in each st around. (48 sts) — 9 rounds even
Rnd 18: (Sc 6, dec) rep around. (42 sts)
Rnd 19: (Sc 5, dec) rep around. (36 sts)
At this point, insert safety eyes between rounds 12 and 13, spaced about 10 stitches apart. If you are embroidering the eyes, you will add them during assembly. Stuff the head firmly before continuing.
Rnd 20: (Sc 4, dec) rep around. (30 sts)
Rnd 21: (Sc 3, dec) rep around. (24 sts)
Rnd 22: (Sc 2, dec) rep around. (18 sts)
Rnd 23: (Sc 1, dec) rep around. (12 sts)
Rnd 24: Dec around. (6 sts)
Fasten off and close the opening with your needle. Leave a long tail if you plan to attach the head to the body using this same yarn.
Muzzle
Work in white or cream yarn.
Rnd 1: MR, 6 sc. (6 sts)
Rnd 2: Inc in each st around. (12 sts)
Rnd 3: (Sc 1, inc) rep around. (18 sts)
Rnds 4–5: Sc in each st around. (18 sts)
Fasten off and leave a long tail for sewing. Do not stuff the muzzle — it should lie flat against the face. Before sewing, embroider a red mouth curve and two small black nostrils using your yarn needle.
Ears (Make 2)
Work in orange yarn.
Rnd 1: MR, 6 sc. (6 sts)
Rnd 2: Inc in each st around. (12 sts)
Rnd 3: (Sc 1, inc) rep around. (18 sts)
Rnds 4–5: Sc in each st around. (18 sts)
Flatten the ear and sc across the opening to close it (about 9 sts). Fasten off and leave a tail for sewing. The ears sit on top of the head, positioned slightly toward the back.
Body
Work in orange yarn.
Rnd 1: MR, 6 sc. (6 sts)
Rnd 2: Inc in each st around. (12 sts)
Rnd 3: (Sc 1, inc) rep around. (18 sts)
Rnd 4: (Sc 2, inc) rep around. (24 sts)
Rnd 5: (Sc 3, inc) rep around. (30 sts)
Rnd 6: (Sc 4, inc) rep around. (36 sts)
Rnd 7: (Sc 5, inc) rep around. (42 sts)
Rnds 8–20: Sc in each st around. (42 sts) — 13 rounds even
Rnd 21: (Sc 5, dec) rep around. (36 sts)
Rnd 22: (Sc 4, dec) rep around. (30 sts)
Stuff the body firmly at this point.
Rnd 23: (Sc 3, dec) rep around. (24 sts)
Rnd 24: (Sc 2, dec) rep around. (18 sts)
Fasten off and leave a long tail for sewing. The open end is the top, which will attach to the head.
Belly Patch
Work in white or cream yarn. This oval patch is sewn flat onto the front of the body before you attach the head.
Rnd 1: Ch 7, sc in second ch from hook, sc across (5 sts), 3 sc in last ch, continue along other side of chain, sc across (5 sts), 3 sc in starting ch. (16 sts)
Rnd 2: Inc, sc 5, inc 3, sc 5, inc 2. (22 sts)
Rnd 3: Sc 1, inc, sc 5, (sc 1, inc) 3 times, sc 5, (sc 1, inc) twice. (28 sts)
Rnd 4: Sc in each st around. (28 sts)
Fasten off and leave a long tail for sewing. Pin this to the center front of the body before sewing.
Arms (Make 2)
Work in orange yarn.
Rnd 1: MR, 6 sc. (6 sts)
Rnd 2: Inc in each st around. (12 sts)
Rnd 3: (Sc 1, inc) rep around. (18 sts)
Rnds 4–6: Sc in each st around. (18 sts)
Rnd 7: (Sc 1, dec) rep around. (12 sts)
Rnds 8–16: Sc in each st around. (12 sts)
Lightly stuff the hand (the wider rounded section) but leave the arm itself unstuffed so it droops naturally. Flatten and close the top with a few slip stitches or by sewing across. Leave a tail for attaching to the body.
Legs (Make 2)
Work in orange yarn.
Rnd 1: MR, 6 sc. (6 sts)
Rnd 2: Inc in each st around. (12 sts)
Rnd 3: (Sc 1, inc) rep around. (18 sts)
Rnds 4–6: Sc in each st around. (18 sts) — for the foot
Rnd 7: Sc 5, (dec) 4 times, sc 5. (14 sts) — shaping the ankle
Rnds 8–16: Sc in each st around. (14 sts)
Stuff the foot firmly and the leg lightly. Close the top as with the arms and leave a tail for sewing.
Tail
Work in orange yarn. Tigger’s tail is long, slightly tapered, and ends with a darker tip. You can use black yarn for the final few rounds or simply add a black tip with embroidery.
Rnd 1: MR, 6 sc. (6 sts)
Rnds 2–4: Sc in each st around. (6 sts)
Rnd 5: Inc in each st around. (12 sts)
Rnds 6–10: Sc in each st around. (12 sts)
Rnd 11: (Sc 3, inc) rep around. (15 sts)
Rnds 12–18: Sc in each st around. (15 sts)
Switch to black yarn for rounds 19–22, sc in each st around. Fasten off. Lightly stuff the tail and sew the open end closed. Attach to the back of the body, slightly above center.
Adding Tigger’s Stripes
The stripes are what truly make this Tigger look like himself. There are a few ways to approach this. The simplest method is surface slip stitch embroidery, where you draw black yarn up through the surface of the crocheted fabric with your hook and create lines of slip stitches across the body, head, and tail. You can also use a yarn needle and black yarn to embroider long satin stitches across the orange sections in sweeping curves to mimic Tigger’s natural stripe pattern.
Study a reference image of Tigger before you start. His stripes are distinctive — they fan outward from his spine across his back, curve around his belly area, and appear on his forehead, cheeks, arms, and legs. You do not need to be perfectly precise; amigurumi always has a charming handmade quality, and your Tigger will look wonderful even if the stripes are slightly asymmetrical.
Assembly Tips
Assembly is the step where your Tigger really comes to life, and it is worth slowing down here. Use pins (T-pins work wonderfully for amigurumi) to position each piece on the body before you sew anything permanently. Step back and look at your arrangement from a slight distance to check proportions and symmetry.
Sew the belly patch onto the body first, using the tail of cream yarn and a yarn needle. Then attach the head, making sure the face points slightly forward and downward rather than straight up — this gives a more natural, expressive look. Sew the ears onto the top of the head, folded slightly so they curve forward. The muzzle goes onto the lower center of the face, positioned between and slightly below the eyes.
Attach the arms on either side of the upper body, positioned so they hang naturally downward or angle slightly outward. The legs attach at the bottom of the body on either side. The tail goes at the back, curving upward if you want a playful, bouncy pose.
Final Touches and Customization Ideas
Once everything is assembled, use a yarn needle threaded with black yarn to add any final facial details you want to enhance — additional eyebrow lines, whisker dots, or extra definition around the eyes. A few small stitches of white yarn at the top of each eye can create a simple highlight that gives Tigger a bright, lively expression.
Some crafters like to add a small tuft of yarn on the very top of Tigger’s head, trimmed short, to mimic the fluff of his animated counterpart. To do this, cut several short lengths of orange yarn, fold them in half, and pull them through the top of the head with your crochet hook, then trim to a uniform length and lightly brush with a stiff brush for a fluffy effect.
You can also pose your Tigger by adjusting how firmly you stuff each section. A more firmly stuffed body will sit upright on its own. Legs stuffed with a slight bend will give a seated pose. Some amigurumi makers add wire armatures inside limbs to allow for poseable figures, though this is optional and adds complexity.
Caring for Your Tigger Amigurumi
If this Tigger is destined for a child, you will want to know how to keep it clean. Most acrylic worsted weight yarn is machine washable on a gentle cycle in cold water. Place the amigurumi in a mesh laundry bag to protect it during washing. Reshape it while damp and allow it to air dry completely before returning it to play. Avoid high heat, as this can distort the shape of the stuffing and potentially affect the yarn.
Why Amigurumi Makes the Perfect Gift
Handmade gifts carry a kind of warmth that store-bought toys simply cannot replicate. When you give someone a Tigger amigurumi you made yourself, you are giving them not just a toy but hours of your care and attention worked into every stitch. For a Winnie-the-Pooh fan of any age, a handmade Tigger is a treasure. It is unique — there is no other exactly like it in the world.
If you are crocheting Tig
