Sirius the Squirrel: A Free Crochet Amigurumi Pattern and Step-by-Step Tutorial
If you’ve been searching for the perfect woodland creature to add to your amigurumi collection, look no further. Sirius the Squirrel is a charming, beginner-friendly crochet pattern with just enough detail to make him look absolutely adorable sitting on a shelf, tucked into a gift basket, or gifted to a little one who loves nature. This free crochet pattern walks you through every step, from his round little body to his signature fluffy tail, so grab your hook and let’s get started.
What Is Amigurumi and Why You’ll Love Making Squirrels
Amigurumi is the Japanese art of knitting or crocheting small stuffed animals and characters. The word itself combines the Japanese words for “knitted” (編み, ami) and “stuffed doll” (包み, nuigurumi). What makes amigurumi so appealing to crafters of all skill levels is that the basic technique — working in continuous rounds using single crochet stitches — stays the same for almost every pattern. Once you learn the foundation, you can create hundreds of different characters simply by changing the shape, color, and details.
Squirrels are a particularly popular subject for amigurumi makers because they have such recognizable features: round ears, a big fluffy tail, chubby cheeks, and tiny paws. Sirius captures all of those features while remaining approachable for crocheters who are still building their skills. If you’ve made a few amigurumi pieces before, you’ll find this pattern moves quickly. And if Sirius is one of your first, don’t worry — the step-by-step tutorial format here will guide you through everything with clear instructions.
Materials You’ll Need
Before you dive into the pattern, gather your supplies. Having everything within reach before you start will make the process much smoother.
Yarn: Worsted weight yarn in the following colors — warm brown or chestnut for the body (approximately 80 yards), cream or off-white for the belly (approximately 30 yards), and a small amount of dark brown or black for the nose and any accent details. You can also use grey tones if you’d prefer a grey squirrel variation.
Hook: A 3.5 mm or 4.0 mm crochet hook. The smaller hook will give you a tighter stitch definition and prevent the stuffing from showing through, which is ideal for amigurumi.
Safety eyes: Two 9 mm or 10 mm black safety eyes.
Polyester fiberfill: Enough to stuff the body, head, tail, and limbs firmly.
Stitch marker: To mark the beginning of each round since amigurumi is worked in a continuous spiral.
Yarn needle: For sewing pieces together and weaving in ends.
Scissors: For trimming your yarn.
Optional: A small amount of pink embroidery floss or yarn for the inner ear detail, and blush-colored makeup or craft chalk for giving Sirius rosy cheeks.
Abbreviations Used in This Pattern
This pattern uses US crochet terminology. Here’s a quick reference list:
MR — Magic ring (also called magic circle)
ch — Chain
sl st — Slip stitch
sc — Single crochet
inc — Increase (2 single crochets in the same stitch)
dec — Invisible decrease (insert hook through the front loops of the next two stitches and complete as a single crochet)
BLO — Back loop only
FLO — Front loop only
st — Stitch
sts — Stitches
rnd — Round
( ) — Repeat the instructions inside the parentheses the indicated number of times
Gauge and Sizing
Using worsted weight yarn and a 3.5 mm hook, Sirius measures approximately 6 inches tall when seated (not including his tail, which adds another 3 to 4 inches). Gauge is not critical in amigurumi, but working tightly enough that stuffing doesn’t show through your stitches is important. If you find your stitches are too loose, move down a hook size.
Pattern Instructions
Part One: The Head
Start with your warm brown yarn.
Rnd 1: MR, 6 sc into the ring. (6 sts)
Rnd 2: Inc in each st around. (12 sts)
Rnd 3: (Sc 1, inc) repeat 6 times. (18 sts)
Rnd 4: (Sc 2, inc) repeat 6 times. (24 sts)
Rnd 5: (Sc 3, inc) repeat 6 times. (30 sts)
Rnd 6: (Sc 4, inc) repeat 6 times. (36 sts)
Rnd 7: (Sc 5, inc) repeat 6 times. (42 sts)
Rnds 8–14: Sc in each st around. (42 sts) — Work 7 rounds even.
Rnd 15: (Sc 5, dec) repeat 6 times. (36 sts)
Rnd 16: (Sc 4, dec) repeat 6 times. (30 sts)
At this point, attach the safety eyes between rounds 10 and 11, spacing them approximately 10 stitches apart. This gives Sirius that classic wide-eyed, curious squirrel expression. Once the eyes are secured, begin stuffing the head firmly with fiberfill.
Rnd 17: (Sc 3, dec) repeat 6 times. (24 sts)
Rnd 18: (Sc 2, dec) repeat 6 times. (18 sts)
Rnd 19: (Sc 1, dec) repeat 6 times. (12 sts)
Rnd 20: Dec 6 times. (6 sts)
Close the opening by cutting the yarn with a 6-inch tail, threading it through your yarn needle, and weaving it through the front loops of the remaining 6 stitches. Pull tight to close and weave in the end. Set the head aside.
Part Two: The Muzzle
Using your cream or off-white yarn, work a small oval for Sirius’s chubby cheek muzzle. This is what gives him that signature squirrel look — those puffed-up cheeks.
Rnd 1: MR, 6 sc into the ring. (6 sts)
Rnd 2: (Sc 1, inc) repeat 3 times. (9 sts)
Rnd 3: (Sc 2, inc) repeat 3 times. (12 sts)
Rnd 4: Sc in each st around. (12 sts)
Fasten off with a long tail for sewing. Lightly stuff the muzzle before attaching it to the head, centering it between and slightly below the eyes. Use your yarn needle and the long tail to whipstitch the muzzle to the head all the way around. Once attached, use a small piece of dark brown or black yarn to embroider a small Y-shape in the center of the muzzle to form the nose and mouth.
Part Three: The Body
Using your warm brown yarn:
Rnd 1: MR, 6 sc into the ring. (6 sts)
Rnd 2: Inc in each st around. (12 sts)
Rnd 3: (Sc 1, inc) repeat 6 times. (18 sts)
Rnd 4: (Sc 2, inc) repeat 6 times. (24 sts)
Rnd 5: (Sc 3, inc) repeat 6 times. (30 sts)
Rnd 6: (Sc 4, inc) repeat 6 times. (36 sts)
Rnds 7–8: Sc in each st around. (36 sts)
Now switch to your cream yarn for the belly section:
Rnds 9–16: Sc in each st around. (36 sts) — Work 8 rounds in cream.
Switch back to brown:
Rnd 17: (Sc 4, dec) repeat 6 times. (30 sts)
Rnd 18: (Sc 3, dec) repeat 6 times. (24 sts)
Rnd 19: (Sc 2, dec) repeat 6 times. (18 sts)
Stuff the body firmly before closing.
Rnd 20: (Sc 1, dec) repeat 6 times. (12 sts)
Rnd 21: Dec 6 times. (6 sts)
Close and fasten off as before. The body should be egg-shaped, slightly wider at the bottom than the top.
Part Four: The Ears
Make two ears in brown with an optional cream or pink inner ear detail.
Rnd 1: MR, 6 sc. (6 sts)
Rnd 2: Inc in each st around. (12 sts)
Rnd 3: (Sc 1, inc) repeat 6 times. (18 sts)
Rnd 4: Sc in each st around. (18 sts)
Do not stuff. Flatten the ear and work a row of sc across the opening to close it flat. If you want the inner ear detail, use pink or cream yarn to embroider or surface stitch a small oval shape on the flat front side of each ear. Fasten off with a long tail for sewing. Repeat for the second ear.
Part Five: The Arms
Make two arms in brown.
Rnd 1: MR, 6 sc. (6 sts)
Rnd 2: Inc in each st around. (12 sts)
Rnds 3–4: Sc in each st around. (12 sts)
Rnd 5: (Sc 2, dec) repeat 3 times. (9 sts)
Rnds 6–11: Sc in each st around. (9 sts)
Stuff lightly — just enough to give the arms a little shape without making them stiff.
Rnd 12: (Sc 1, dec) repeat 3 times. (6 sts)
Close and fasten off with a long tail for sewing. The wider end is the paw and the narrower closed end is the shoulder. Repeat for the second arm.
Part Six: The Legs
Make two legs in brown.
Rnd 1: MR, 6 sc. (6 sts)
Rnd 2: Inc in each st around. (12 sts)
Rnd 3: Sc in each st around. (12 sts)
Rnd 4: (Sc 2, dec) repeat 3 times. (9 sts)
Rnds 5–9: Sc in each st around. (9 sts)
Stuff firmly.
Rnd 10: (Sc 1, dec) repeat 3 times. (6 sts)
Close and fasten off. Repeat for the second leg.
Part Seven: The Tail
The tail is the most distinctive part of Sirius and uses a slightly different technique to give it that fluffy, curved appearance. Use brown yarn.
Rnd 1: MR, 6 sc. (6 sts)
Rnd 2: Inc in each st around. (12 sts)
Rnd 3: (Sc 1, inc) repeat 6 times. (18 sts)
Rnd 4: (Sc 2, inc) repeat 6 times. (24 sts)
Rnd 5: (Sc 3, inc) repeat 6 times. (30 sts)
Rnd 6: (Sc 4, inc) repeat 6 times. (36 sts)
Rnds 7–10: Sc in each st around. (36 sts)
Rnd 11: (Sc 4, dec) repeat 6 times. (30 sts)
Rnds 12–14: Sc in each st around. (30 sts)
Rnd 15: (Sc 3, dec) repeat 6 times. (24 sts)
Rnds 16–17: Sc in each st around. (24 sts)
Rnd 18: (Sc 2, dec) repeat 6 times. (18 sts)
Rnds 19–20: Sc in each st around. (18 sts)
Rnd 21: (Sc 1, dec) repeat 6 times. (12 sts)
Rnd 22: Sc in each st around. (12 sts)
Stuff the tail fairly firmly but leave the very tip loosely stuffed so you can curve it naturally.
Rnd 23: Dec 6 times. (6 sts)
Close and fasten off. To create the fluffy texture, you can brush the finished tail gently with a stiff-bristled brush or pet slicker brush. This gives it that characteristic bushy appearance without requiring a different yarn.
Assembly
Lay all your pieces out in front of you before you begin sewing. This helps you see the placement before committing.
Attaching the head to the body: Use your yarn needle and a length of brown yarn to sew the head to the top of the body. The head should sit slightly forward on the body rather than perfectly centered on top, which gives Sirius a more natural, life-like posture.
Attaching the ears: Pin the ears to the top of the head, spacing them evenly and slightly toward the back of the head. A seated squirrel’s ears sit fairly high and upright. Sew each ear securely through the folded base using your yarn tail.
Attaching the arms: Pin each arm to either side of the body, just below where the neck meets the shoulders. The paw end should point slightly downward or forward. Sew through both the arm and the body several times to make sure they’re secure, then weave in the end.
Attaching the legs: Sew the legs to the underside front of the body so that Sirius sits upright. Position them so they angle slightly outward, giving him a stable, seated pose.
Attaching the tail: This is the most satisfying step. Pin the tail to the lower back of Sirius’s body, curving it upward behind him. The tail should arch up and slightly over his back, the way a real squirrel’s tail rests. Use several passes of yarn through the tail and body to secure it solidly, since it carries a lot of weight and tends to pull over time.
Finishing Touches
Once all pieces are attached, take a few minutes to add the finishing details that bring Sirius to life.
Use a small amount of dark brown or black yarn to embroider two or three claws on each paw. Just a few small straight stitches at the end of each arm and leg give a lovely detail without being complicated.
If you’d like rosy cheeks, use a cotton swab and a small amount of blush-colored makeup or chalk pastel powder to add a gentle pink flush to each side of Sirius’s face, just below and outside the eyes. This is entirely optional but genuinely adorable.
Weave in all remaining yarn ends carefully, burying them inside the piece wherever possible so they don’t show on the surface.
Tips for Success
Amigurumi is forgiving, but a few small habits make a big difference in the final result. Always work in a continuous spiral rather than joining at the end of each round — this creates a seamless finish. Use a stitch marker diligently, especially in the early rounds when it’s easy to lose track of where you are. Work tightly enough that no fiberfill peeks through your stitches.
When stuffing, aim for firm but not rock-hard. Over-stuffing creates a stiff, lumpy piece and can stretch your stitches; under-stuffing results in something floppy that won’t hold its shape. The goal is a pl
