How to Crochet a Big Chick Amigurumi — Free Pattern Tutorial Coming Soon to YouTube!
If you’ve been following along on this channel for a while, you already know how much I love creating adorable, squishy amigurumi characters — and this next one might just be my favorite yet. I am so excited to announce that a brand-new Big Chick amigurumi tutorial is coming very soon to my YouTube channel, and I cannot wait to share every single stitch with you.
Whether you’re a seasoned crocheter who could whip up a granny square in your sleep, or someone who just picked up a hook for the first time last week, this tutorial is going to be designed with you in mind. Today I want to walk you through everything you can expect, answer some common questions about amigurumi for beginners, and get you prepped and ready so that the moment the video drops, you can grab your yarn and dive right in.
Why a Big Chick?
Okay, let me be real with you for a second. There are approximately one million amigurumi chick patterns floating around the internet, so why make another one?
Because this one is big.
I know, I know — tiny amigurumi are undeniably charming. A little chick that fits in the palm of your hand? Precious. But there is something uniquely satisfying about making an oversized, statement-piece amigurumi that you can actually display on a shelf, gift to a child without any worry about small parts, and squeeze when life gets a little stressful. (Don’t tell me you’ve never hugged a stuffed animal as an adult. I won’t believe you.)
This Big Chick is going to be soft, round, full of personality, and absolutely irresistible. It’s the kind of project that makes people stop and say, “Wait, you made that?” And yes, you get to say yes, with full confidence.
What You’ll Need Before the Tutorial Goes Live
One of the best things you can do right now, before the video is even published, is gather your materials. That way, the second you hit play, you’re ready to crochet along in real time without any interruptions. Here’s a general idea of what this project will call for.
Yarn: You’ll want a chunky or bulky weight yarn in a cheerful yellow — that classic baby chick yellow is what we’re going for here. Something soft and squishy works beautifully for amigurumi because it gives your finished piece that irresistible, huggable quality. I’ll share the exact yarn I used in the video description once it’s live, but in the meantime, look for something labeled as a weight 5 (bulky) or weight 6 (super bulky) in your local craft store or online shop.
Hook Size: Because we’re going bigger with this design, you’ll be working with a larger hook than you might use for typical small amigurumi. I’ll confirm the exact size in the tutorial, but having a 5.0mm to 6.5mm hook on hand is a smart starting point. If you want a very dense, firm fabric (which helps amigurumi hold its shape), you can size down slightly from the yarn’s recommended hook size.
Safety Eyes: For the big chick, we’ll be using larger safety eyes to match the scale of the project. I personally love the look of 18mm or even 24mm safety eyes for a piece this size — they give that wide, expressive, cartoon-like look that makes amigurumi so endearing. Make sure you have a pair ready before you start attaching pieces, because inserting them before closing up the head is much easier than doing it after the fact. (Ask me how I know.)
Stuffing: Polyfill stuffing is the go-to for amigurumi, and you’ll want a generous amount for a project this size. Don’t be shy with it — a well-stuffed amigurumi has a much more satisfying shape than one that feels floppy.
Orange or Yellow Felt or Foam: For the beak! We’ll be making a cute little triangular beak, and felt or craft foam works wonderfully. You could also crochet a small beak separately and sew it on — I’ll walk through both options so you can choose whichever works best for you.
Tapestry Needle and Scissors: Essential for every crochet project, amigurumi especially. You’ll use the tapestry needle to weave in ends and to sew pieces together.
Stitch Markers: These are lifesavers in amigurumi work, where you’re crocheting in continuous rounds without joining. Mark the first stitch of each round and you’ll never lose your place.
A Quick Amigurumi Beginner’s Guide
If you’re newer to amigurumi specifically — even if you’ve crocheted before — here are a few foundational things that will make the Big Chick tutorial go a lot more smoothly for you.
Understanding the Magic Ring: Almost every amigurumi piece starts with a magic ring (also called a magic circle). It’s a technique that lets you start crocheting in the round with a tight, seamless center — no hole at the top of your sphere. If you’ve never done a magic ring before, I’d recommend watching a quick standalone tutorial on it before the Big Chick video drops. Once it clicks, you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it.
Crocheting in Continuous Rounds: Unlike many flat crochet projects, amigurumi is worked in a continuous spiral rather than joined rounds. This is what creates that seamless, 3D ball shape. The only downside is that it can be tricky to keep track of where each round begins and ends — which is exactly why stitch markers are non-negotiable.
Increases and Decreases: The shapes in amigurumi — spheres, ovals, cones — are all created by strategically increasing (adding stitches) and decreasing (removing stitches) throughout your rounds. An increase is simply two single crochets worked into the same stitch. A decrease, often called an invisible decrease in amigurumi, is a technique that pulls two stitches together without leaving a visible gap on the right side of the fabric. The Big Chick’s body is primarily a large sphere, so you’ll get lots of practice with both.
Single Crochet is Your Best Friend: The vast majority of amigurumi is worked in single crochet, which is one of the most basic stitches in all of crochet. If you know how to single crochet, you already have the most important skill you need. The rest is just knowing when to increase and when to decrease, and following the pattern round by round.
Sewing Pieces Together: Assembling an amigurumi is honestly half the fun. Pinning pieces in place before sewing helps you get the positioning just right. Take your time with this step — a well-assembled amigurumi looks infinitely more polished than one that was rushed.
What the Tutorial Will Cover
I want this to be a tutorial that genuinely teaches you something, not just a video you follow along with blindly and then feel lost the moment you try to make your own variations. Here’s a peek at what I’m planning to walk you through.
We’ll start from the very beginning — the magic ring — and build the body of the chick up round by round. I’ll talk through the logic of why we’re increasing or decreasing at each stage, so you start to develop an intuition for how amigurumi shapes are constructed. That kind of understanding is what eventually allows you to design your own patterns or modify existing ones.
From there, we’ll make the wings. The chick’s wings are worked flat as small oval or teardrop-shaped pieces, then pinned and sewn onto the body. I’ll show you how to position them symmetrically, which is one of those small things that makes a huge difference in the final look of any stuffed animal.
The feet are one of my favorite parts of this design — tiny, expressive little orange feet that give the chick so much personality. We’ll crochet those separately and attach them to the base of the body.
Then comes the face, which is always the most exciting moment in any amigurumi project. We’ll insert the safety eyes, attach the beak, and suddenly this round yellow ball transforms into an actual, living-looking little creature. It’s genuinely magical every single time.
Finally, I’ll walk you through stuffing and closing the body, weaving in all your ends neatly, and doing any final touches that bring the whole thing together.
Tips for Getting a Great Result
Even before the tutorial is live, there are some universal amigurumi tips I want to share with you that will apply directly to this project.
Tension is everything. In amigurumi, you want a tighter tension than you might use for, say, a blanket or a scarf. The fabric should be dense enough that the stuffing doesn’t show through the gaps between stitches. If you’re seeing a lot of holes in your fabric, try going down a hook size.
Always count your stitches. I know it feels tedious, but counting at the end of every round — especially during the increases and decreases — saves you from having to rip back several rounds when you realize something is off. Use a stitch marker and count as you go.
Don’t overstuff or understuff. This is genuinely a matter of feel and experience, but as a general rule, amigurumi should be stuffed firmly enough to hold its shape but not so firmly that it feels like a rock. For a big round body like our chick, you want it to feel like a stress ball — satisfyingly squishy but structurally sound.
Take your time with eyes and face placement. Before you commit to any position for the safety eyes, try pinning them in a few different spots and stepping back to look. Eye placement dramatically changes the expression and character of an amigurumi. A little higher makes it look surprised; a little lower can look sleepy or calm. Find the placement that makes you say “oh, that’s it” and then lock them in.
Use the right yarn for the job. For amigurumi specifically, avoid yarns that are too fuzzy or fluffy, as they obscure your stitch definition and make it harder to see what you’re doing. A smooth, tightly-plied yarn in a solid color is ideal. Save the fluffy stuff for the accent pieces if you want a little texture.
Free Pattern — Yes, Really Free
This will be a completely free pattern. The written pattern will be available alongside the tutorial video, so if you’re someone who prefers to follow a written pattern rather than a video (or alongside one), you’ll have both options.
I believe crochet is a craft that should be accessible to everyone, and I’ll continue offering free patterns for as long as I can. If you want to support the channel so I can keep doing that, the best things you can do are subscribe, leave a comment on the video when it goes live, share it with a fellow crocheter, or just make the pattern and tag me in your finished projects. Seeing your makes is genuinely the highlight of my week.
Who Is This Tutorial For?
This tutorial is designed for confident beginners and intermediate crocheters. If you’ve made at least one or two amigurumi before and are comfortable with the magic ring, continuous rounds, and basic increases and decreases, you will be able to follow along without any trouble. I’ll also be explaining each step clearly enough that a very motivated beginner — especially one willing to pause and rewind — should be able to work through it too.
If you’re completely new to crochet in general, I’d suggest starting with one of my beginner tutorials first, just to get comfortable holding a hook and working basic stitches. Then come back for the Big Chick. It’ll be worth the wait.
Don’t Miss It — Subscribe and Turn on Notifications
The Big Chick tutorial is coming very soon, and I would hate for you to miss it! If you haven’t already, make sure you’re subscribed to the channel and that you’ve turned on the notification bell so YouTube alerts you the moment the video goes live. These tutorials tend to get a lot of traffic quickly, and the comment section in the first few days is always a wonderful, lively place filled with people crocheting along in real time.
I love seeing your progress photos, your questions, your color variations, and your creativity. Every single comment means the world to me and helps the channel grow so I can keep creating free content for this community.
Final Thoughts
The Big Chick amigurumi is one of those projects that I’m genuinely proud of, and I can’t wait to share it with you. It’s cheerful, it’s satisfying to make, it works up surprisingly quickly once you get into the rhythm of it, and the finished result is just so, so cute. It would make a wonderful gift for a baby shower, a child’s Easter basket, a spring decoration, or honestly just a little companion to sit on your desk and make you smile on a hard day.
Start gathering your yellow yarn, your safety eyes, your stuffing, and your good energy — because very soon, we are going to make something wonderful together. I’ll see you in the tutorial. 🐤
Make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss the release, and drop a comment below letting me know what color you’re planning to make your Big Chick! Yellow is classic, but who says a lavender chick or a mint green chick can’t exist? The only rule in amigurumi is that there are no rules.
