Totoro Bag Charm Crochet Pattern by Amber Faull-Cryant: A Complete Guide to Making Your Own Adorable Studio Ghibli Accessory
If you’ve ever wanted to carry a little piece of the enchanted forest with you wherever you go, this Totoro Bag Charm crochet pattern by Amber Faull-Cryant is exactly what you’ve been looking for. Small enough to dangle from a zipper pull, sturdy enough to survive daily adventures, and absolutely bursting with the gentle charm of Studio Ghibli’s most beloved spirit, this miniature crochet project has captured the hearts of crafters all over the world. Whether you’re a seasoned crocheter looking for a satisfying afternoon project or a newer maker eager to practice your amigurumi skills, this pattern is a wonderful place to put your hook to work.
In this guide, we’ll walk through everything you need to know about the Totoro Bag Charm pattern — the materials, the techniques, the step-by-step process, and some helpful tips to make yours look as polished and magical as possible. We’ll also explore why this pattern has become such a popular choice among crochet enthusiasts and gift-givers alike. Let’s dive in.
Who Is Amber Faull-Cryant?
Before we get into the pattern itself, it’s worth taking a moment to appreciate the designer behind it. Amber Faull-Cryant is a talented independent crochet pattern designer whose work leans into the sweet, whimsical, and pop-culture-inspired corner of the craft world. Her designs have a knack for capturing beloved characters and creatures in miniature amigurumi form without losing any of their personality or recognizability — and the Totoro Bag Charm is a perfect example of that skill at work.
Amber’s patterns are known for being well-written, beginner-accessible without being overly simplified, and thoughtfully constructed so that the finished objects are both cute and structurally sound. If you enjoy this pattern, it’s well worth exploring more of her work, as she has a wonderful catalog of similarly charming designs.
Why Make a Totoro Bag Charm?
My Neighbor Totoro, the 1988 Studio Ghibli film directed by Hayao Miyazaki, has become one of the most culturally enduring animated films ever made. Totoro himself — that soft, wide-eyed, rotund forest spirit — has become a kind of universal symbol for gentle wonder, childhood magic, and the comfort of nature. It’s no surprise that his image appears on everything from tote bags to phone cases to home décor.
But there’s something especially special about making a Totoro yourself. When you crochet him by hand, stitch by stitch, choosing your yarn colors and tucking in his little embroidered details, the finished charm carries a warmth that a mass-produced keychain simply can’t replicate. It becomes a tiny handmade object with its own story — one you made during a quiet evening, or while watching a favorite movie, or as a gift for someone who needed a bit of whimsy in their day.
As a bag charm, this little Totoro is practical, too. He can live on a tote bag, a backpack zipper, a purse, a travel bag, or even a set of keys. He’s compact enough not to be in the way and adorable enough to spark conversation wherever he goes. People stop and ask about him. They want to know where you got him. And you get to say you made him yourself.
Materials You’ll Need
One of the things that makes the Totoro Bag Charm pattern so appealing is that it requires very little in the way of supplies. Amigurumi projects are excellent for using up small amounts of leftover yarn, and this one is no exception. Here’s a general overview of what you’ll need before you get started.
Yarn: You’ll need a small amount of grey yarn for Totoro’s body, cream or off-white yarn for his belly, and black yarn for the smaller grey Totoro variations or for working certain details. If you want to make the classic large Totoro, a medium grey is your primary color. Sport weight or DK weight yarn works beautifully for this scale, though you can adjust hook size and yarn weight if you prefer a slightly larger or smaller finished charm.
Crochet Hook: A 2.5mm or 3mm hook is typically recommended for this type of miniature amigurumi work, depending on your tension and yarn weight. Working with a smaller hook than the yarn label suggests creates a tighter fabric, which is important for amigurumi — it prevents the stuffing from showing through and gives your finished piece a cleaner, more polished look.
Polyfill Stuffing: A small amount of polyester fiberfill is all you need. Because this charm is so small, a little goes a very long way. You can also use scraps of yarn as stuffing if you don’t have fiberfill on hand.
Safety Eyes: Tiny black safety eyes give Totoro his characteristic wide, sweet expression. Sizes around 4mm to 6mm work well for this scale. If you’re making the charm for a very young child, you may want to embroider the eyes instead for safety reasons.
Embroidery Floss or Tapestry Needle: You’ll use a tapestry needle to weave in your ends and to stitch any embroidered details like Totoro’s belly markings or his nose.
Swivel Clasp or Split Ring: To attach your finished Totoro to your bag, you’ll need a small swivel clasp, lobster claw clasp, or split ring. These are inexpensive and easy to find at craft stores or online. You’ll thread a short length of yarn or a small jump ring through your charm’s top to connect it.
Stitch Markers: Optional but helpful, especially if you’re newer to crocheting in the round. Placing a stitch marker at the beginning of each round helps you keep track of your progress without losing count.
Skills and Techniques Involved
The Totoro Bag Charm pattern uses techniques common to amigurumi, which is the Japanese art of crocheting small stuffed figures. If you’ve done any amigurumi before, you’ll feel right at home. If this is your first time working in the round, don’t let that intimidate you — it’s a skill that clicks very quickly once you start.
Magic Ring: Most amigurumi pieces begin with a magic ring (also called a magic circle or adjustable ring), which allows you to start crocheting in the round with a closed center. This gives you a neat, hole-free starting point that’s essential for the rounded shapes of an amigurumi body or head.
Crocheting in the Round: The body and head of Totoro are worked in continuous rounds rather than rows. This means you spiral upward, increasing and decreasing stitches as directed to shape the piece. Continuous rounds create a seamless, smooth surface.
Increases and Decreases: Shaping your amigurumi comes down to strategic increases (adding stitches) and decreases (reducing stitches). The pattern will guide you through exactly where these go to create Totoro’s rounded, slightly tapered body shape.
Invisible Decrease: Many experienced amigurumi makers prefer the invisible decrease (also called the slip-stitch decrease or flat decrease) over the standard single crochet two together because it creates a cleaner, less visible join. If you’re not familiar with it, a quick search will show you the technique and you’ll find it becomes second nature almost immediately.
Joining Pieces: Once you’ve crocheted the separate components — the body, the ears, and any additional pieces the pattern calls for — you’ll sew them together using a tapestry needle and your yarn tail. This is a satisfying step because suddenly all the separate little pieces come together into a recognizable, delightful Totoro.
Step-by-Step Overview of the Pattern
While the full written pattern belongs to Amber Faull-Cryant and is available through her shop, here is a general overview of the construction process to help you understand how the pieces come together and what to expect as you work.
Starting with the Body: The body is typically the largest and most involved piece. You’ll begin with a magic ring and work your increases through the first several rounds to create the rounded base, then maintain even rounds through the middle section of the body, and finally work decreases toward the top to close up the piece before adding the head or working the head as a continuation of the body, depending on how the pattern is structured.
Ears: Totoro’s distinctive pointed ears are worked separately and then sewn onto the top of his head. They are small pieces worked in just a few rounds, but they make an enormous difference in how recognizable the finished figure is. Position them carefully — a slightly off-center placement can change the entire expression of the character.
Facial Details: Once your safety eyes are inserted (do this before closing up the piece fully, as safety eyes are nearly impossible to add after the gap has been closed and stuffed), you’ll embroider his nose and any additional facial markings using embroidery floss or yarn. Take your time with this step. The face is what brings the whole charm to life.
Belly Markings: Totoro’s iconic cream-colored belly with its chevron-shaped markings is one of his most recognizable features. The pattern will guide you through how to add this detail, whether through a separately crocheted belly piece that gets sewn on or through color changes within the main body. This is one of the most satisfying moments in the process.
Adding the Charm Attachment: Once your Totoro is fully assembled, you’ll add the hardware that turns him from a tiny figurine into a wearable accessory. A short looped piece of yarn or thread through the top of his head, connected to a swivel clasp or split ring, is all you need. The pattern will specify how and where to attach this so it hangs properly and looks neat.
Tips for a Beautiful Finished Charm
A few small habits can make a significant difference in the quality of your finished Totoro.
Work with a hook that’s slightly smaller than what your yarn recommends. This is the most important tip for amigurumi, full stop. A tighter gauge means a denser fabric, and a denser fabric means the stuffing won’t poke through and the seams will look cleaner.
Don’t overstuff. It can be tempting to pack your amigurumi pieces as full as possible, but overstuffing causes the fabric to pull apart at the stitches, revealing gaps and distorting the shape. Aim for a firm but not taut result.
Weave in your ends meticulously. On a tiny charm, a loose yarn end can unravel or snag very easily. Take the extra time to weave each tail in multiple directions and trim it close once it’s secure.
Block if needed. If your finished charm looks a little wonky or uneven, a light blocking (dampening it with water, shaping it gently, and allowing it to dry) can work wonders for evening out the fabric.
Use quality safety eyes. Cheap safety eyes can look dull or have uneven backing washers that don’t secure properly. A good pair of eyes with a satisfying click when locked in place makes a noticeable difference in both the appearance and the durability of your charm.
Gifting Your Totoro Bag Charm
This pattern is a gift-giver’s dream. The finished charm is small enough to tuck into a card, meaningful enough to feel genuinely special, and personalized in a way no store-bought gift can be. Consider making a set of Totoro charms in different sizes — the large grey Totoro, the medium blue Totoro, and the small white Totoro all together — for a gift that tells a complete forest story.
Totoro charms make wonderful gifts for Studio Ghibli fans of all ages, for crochet friends who appreciate handmade work, for teachers at the end of a school year, for friends going through a hard time who need a little whimsy, or for yourself on a day when you simply want to create something beautiful and quiet. There’s really no wrong recipient.
You can add a personalized touch by attaching the charm to a notebook, a pencil case, or a small gift bag as part of a larger present. A handmade tag with a note about the character and who made it adds another layer of warmth to the gift.
Where to Find the Pattern
The full Totoro Bag Charm pattern by Amber Faull-Cryant is available for purchase through her official channels, which you can find by searching her name on Ravelry, Etsy, or her own website. Purchasing patterns directly from independent designers is one of the best ways to support the crochet community — these designers pour enormous creativity, time, and care into their work, and buying their patterns helps them continue doing what they love.
When you purchase the pattern, you’ll receive a clearly written PDF with all the rounds, stitch counts, material recommendations, and construction details you need to complete the project. Amber’s patterns are known for being thorough and easy to follow, so even if amigurumi is relatively new territory for you, you’ll have everything you need to succeed.
Final Thoughts
The Totoro Bag Charm crochet pattern by Amber Faull-Cryant is one of those projects that manages to be genuinely fun to make while producing something you’ll actually want to use and keep. It’s small, but it has presence. It’s simple in structure, but the finished result looks impressively detailed. It connects the maker to a beloved piece of animated storytelling through the most tactile, personal medium possible — yarn worked by hand, loop by careful loop.
Whether you make one for yourself, a dozen as gifts, or simply sit with it as your quiet little afternoon project while a Ghibli film plays in the background, this charm is a reminder that some of the most meaningful things we create are also the smallest. Totoro has always been about the magic hiding in the ordinary — in the forest at the edge of the yard, in the wait at a rainy bus stop, in the company of a gentle, enormous spirit who simply wants to be near you. A tiny crocheted version of him, swinging from the zipper of your bag, carries a little of that magic into the everyday world.
Get the pattern, gather your grey yarn, and let the making begin.
