Chubby & Cheerful: Your Own Crochet Totoro Amigurumi Pattern
There is something quietly magical about turning a skein of yarn into a round, squishy creature that looks like it just wandered out of a forest in the Japanese countryside. If you have ever watched My Neighbor Totoro and felt the urge to reach through the screen and hug that enormous, wide-eyed spirit, you are far from alone. The good news is that with a crochet hook, some worsted weight yarn, and a little patience, you can have your very own Totoro sitting on your shelf, watching over your living room with those perfectly serene eyes.
This pattern guide covers everything you need to know to create a chubby, cheerful Totoro amigurumi from scratch. Whether you are a seasoned crocheter who just needs a new project or an intermediate maker ready to take on your first character plush, this tutorial walks you through the supplies, the stitches, the shaping, and all the little details that make Totoro unmistakably Totoro. By the end, you will have a finished amigurumi somewhere between six and eight inches tall, stuffed firmly enough to hold its shape, and adorable enough to become the most photographed item in your home.
What You Will Need Before You Start
Getting your materials together before you sit down with a hook is one of those small habits that makes the entire process feel smoother. Here is what the pattern calls for.
Yarn: The body of a classic gray Totoro calls for a medium gray worsted weight yarn, sometimes labeled as weight four. You do not need a full skein for the body alone, but having a complete skein on hand gives you peace of mind. You will also need a small amount of cream or off-white yarn for the belly, a tiny bit of white yarn for the eye highlights if you are not using safety eyes, and a few yards of dark gray or charcoal yarn for the ear tips and chest markings. If you want to make Chu-Totoro (the medium blue one) or Chibi-Totoro (the tiny white one), simply swap the main body color.
Hook: A 3.5 mm or 4.0 mm crochet hook works well with worsted weight yarn for amigurumi. You want your stitches tight enough that the stuffing does not show through, so if you tend to crochet loosely, go down a hook size.
Safety eyes: Two black safety eyes in either 15 mm or 18 mm size give Totoro that signature wide, slightly stunned expression. If you are making this for a child under three, embroider the eyes with black yarn instead, since safety eyes can become a choking hazard.
Polyester fiberfill: A standard bag of polyester stuffing is all you need. Stuff the body firmly as you go rather than waiting until the end, which gives you better control over the shape.
Stitch markers: At least two locking stitch markers to track the beginning of your rounds.
Yarn needle: For weaving in ends and sewing pieces together.
Scissors: A small, sharp pair makes trimming ends much cleaner.
Optional: A small piece of cardboard or plastic canvas cut in a circle and placed inside the base of the body before you close it up keeps Totoro sitting upright rather than tilting to one side.
Abbreviations and Stitches Used
This pattern uses standard US crochet terminology throughout.
MR stands for magic ring. SC means single crochet. INC means increase, which is two single crochets worked into the same stitch. DEC means invisible decrease, worked by inserting your hook through the front loops only of two consecutive stitches and completing as a single crochet. SL ST is a slip stitch. CH means chain. BLO means back loop only. FLO means front loop only. Rd means round.
If you are comfortable with these stitches, you are ready to start. If the invisible decrease is new to you, practice it on a small swatch first. It creates a much cleaner finish than the traditional single crochet two together decrease and is particularly worth learning for amigurumi.
The Body
The body is the largest piece and the one you will spend the most time on. Totoro’s signature shape is essentially a rounded teardrop, wider at the bottom and tapering slightly toward the shoulders, with almost no visible neck.
Start with your magic ring and work 6 SC into it. Pull the ring closed snugly. Place a stitch marker in the first stitch of every round so you can keep track of where each round begins and ends.
Rd 1: 6 SC into magic ring.
Rd 2: INC in each stitch around. (12 stitches)
Rd 3: (SC 1, INC) repeat around. (18 stitches)
Rd 4: (SC 2, INC) repeat around. (24 stitches)
Rd 5: (SC 3, INC) repeat around. (30 stitches)
Rd 6: (SC 4, INC) repeat around. (36 stitches)
Rd 7: (SC 5, INC) repeat around. (42 stitches)
Rd 8: (SC 6, INC) repeat around. (48 stitches)
Rd 9: (SC 7, INC) repeat around. (54 stitches)
Rd 10: (SC 8, INC) repeat around. (60 stitches)
Rd 11 through Rd 18: SC in each stitch around. (60 stitches, 8 rounds even)
Rd 19: (SC 8, DEC) repeat around. (54 stitches)
Rd 20: SC in each stitch around. (54 stitches)
Rd 21: (SC 7, DEC) repeat around. (48 stitches)
Rd 22: SC in each stitch around. (48 stitches)
Rd 23: (SC 6, DEC) repeat around. (42 stitches)
Rd 24: (SC 5, DEC) repeat around. (36 stitches)
At this point, attach your safety eyes between rounds 15 and 16, spacing them about 8 to 10 stitches apart from each other. The placement feels a little high when you first push them in, but once the head rounds close up and the stuffing fills everything out, they settle into exactly the right position. If you are embroidering the eyes, you will do that after closing the body entirely.
Continue stuffing the body firmly as you work the next rounds.
Rd 25: (SC 4, DEC) repeat around. (30 stitches)
Rd 26: (SC 3, DEC) repeat around. (24 stitches)
Rd 27: (SC 2, DEC) repeat around. (18 stitches)
Rd 28: (SC 1, DEC) repeat around. (12 stitches)
Rd 29: DEC around. (6 stitches)
Add your final bit of stuffing, push the cardboard circle into the base if you are using one, and close the opening by threading your yarn needle through the front loops of the remaining 6 stitches and pulling tight. Weave in the end securely.
The Belly Patch
Totoro’s cream-colored belly is one of his most recognizable features. It is an oval worked flat, then sewn onto the front of the body.
With cream or off-white yarn, make a magic ring and work 6 SC into it.
Rd 1: INC in each stitch. (12 stitches)
Rd 2: (SC 1, INC) repeat around. (18 stitches)
Rd 3: (SC 2, INC) repeat around. (24 stitches)
Rd 4: SC in each stitch around. (24 stitches)
To make the oval shape, work one more round where you increase on the two short ends and work even on the long sides. Slip stitch to close, leave a long tail for sewing, and fasten off. Pin the belly piece onto the front of the body, centered between rounds 10 and 22 or so, and sew it on neatly with the yarn tail. Once it is attached, use a length of dark gray yarn to embroider the curved arrow-shaped markings on the chest. These are the small chevron-like dashes that appear on Totoro’s front, and they are best done with a simple straight stitch in three short lines, slightly curved, stacked vertically in the center of the belly patch.
The Ears
Totoro has two large, pointed ears that give him a slightly owl-like profile. Each ear is worked flat as a triangle shape.
With your main gray yarn, chain 2.
Row 1: 3 SC into the second chain from the hook. Turn.
Row 2: CH 1, INC, SC 1, INC. (5 stitches) Turn.
Row 3: CH 1, INC, SC 3, INC. (7 stitches) Turn.
Row 4: CH 1, INC, SC 5, INC. (9 stitches) Turn.
Row 5: CH 1, INC, SC 7, INC. (11 stitches) Turn.
Row 6: CH 1, SC in each stitch across. (11 stitches) Turn.
Do not fasten off. Work a single crochet border all the way around the edge of the triangle, working 3 SC into each corner to keep it flat. Switch to dark gray or charcoal yarn and work one more round of SC around the edge only of the top portion, the tip of the triangle, to create the darker ear tip that Totoro has. Fasten off and leave a long tail.
Make two ears. Pin them to the top of the head, symmetrically placed, with the flat base of each triangle flush against the top of the head. The ears should angle very slightly outward rather than standing perfectly straight up, which gives the finished amigurumi that characteristic friendly, curious look. Sew them on firmly through several passes.
The Arms
Totoro’s arms are short, stubby, and wonderfully round. They are worked in the round as small tubes with a slightly rounded end.
Make 2. Start with a magic ring.
Rd 1: 6 SC into magic ring.
Rd 2: INC in each stitch. (12 stitches)
Rd 3: (SC 1, INC) repeat around. (18 stitches)
Rd 4 and Rd 5: SC in each stitch around. (18 stitches)
Rd 6: (SC 1, DEC) repeat around. (12 stitches)
Rd 7 through Rd 10: SC in each stitch around. (12 stitches)
Stuff the arm lightly, just enough to give it a little body without making it rigid. You want the arms to have a soft, floppy quality. Leave the opening flat and sew it closed. Attach the arms to the sides of the body at approximately round 22, angling them very slightly forward. This gives the impression that Totoro is holding his arms out in that gentle, welcoming way.
The Legs
The legs are even simpler than the arms, worked as small rounded ovals.
Make 2. Start with a magic ring.
Rd 1: 6 SC into magic ring.
Rd 2: INC in each stitch. (12 stitches)
Rd 3: (SC 1, INC) repeat around. (18 stitches)
Rd 4: SC in each stitch around. (18 stitches)
Rd 5: (SC 1, DEC) repeat around. (12 stitches)
Rd 6 and Rd 7: SC in each stitch around. (12 stitches)
Stuff very lightly and sew the opening closed. Attach the legs at the very base of the body, just above the bottom, slightly to the front so that Totoro appears to be sitting. Legs placed too far back give the finished piece an odd, leaning quality, so check the positioning from the front and from the side before you sew.
Finishing Details
The eyes deserve extra attention at the finishing stage. If you used safety eyes, you can enhance them by adding a tiny dot of white yarn or white craft paint as a highlight stitch just above and to one side of center. This small touch gives the eyes life and is the difference between a Totoro that looks blank and one that looks like he is thinking deeply about acorns.
The nose is a simple oval embroidered onto the face just below eye level and centered between the two eyes. Use a slightly darker gray yarn and work five or six short horizontal stitches stacked vertically to create a small, rounded nose shape.
If you want to add whiskers in the spirit of accuracy, use a length of stiff thread or thin black yarn and thread it through the face at nose level with a large yarn needle, leaving equal lengths on both sides and knotting them in place on the inside. Three whiskers per side is traditional.
Sizing Variations
The pattern as written creates a Totoro that stands about six to seven inches tall when fully stuffed. To make a larger version suitable for display on a bookshelf or as a more substantial plush, simply use a bulky weight yarn (weight five or six) with a corresponding larger hook. Your finished amigurumi will scale up proportionally, and you will need significantly more stuffing. Alternatively, use fingering or DK weight yarn with a 2.5 mm hook for a miniature Totoro about three to four inches tall, which makes a wonderful keychain or bag charm if you sew a small swivel clip to the top of the head.
For Chu-Totoro, the medium blue-gray forest spirit from the film, use a dusty blue-gray yarn as your main color and keep the body slightly smaller by stopping the increases at 54 stitches instead of 60. Chu-Totoro’s eyes are slightly smaller and more closely spaced, and he has no visible belly markings. For tiny Chibi-Totoro, use white yarn and stop the body increases at 36 stitches. His body is rounder and his ears are proportionally even larger relative to his body size.
Tips for a Polished Finish
The single detail that separates a good amigurumi from a great one is consistent tension. If your stitches are uneven, the finished piece can look lumpy or misshapen no matter how carefully you follow the pattern. Slow down when you are tired, since loose stitches happen most often when you are not paying full attention. Working in good light also makes a noticeable difference.
When you sew the pieces together, always use the same yarn as the piece you are attaching rather than a contrasting color, even if you think the seam will not show. It always shows a little, and matching yarn keeps everything looking seamless. Use a whip stitch for a clean attachment on the arms and legs, and a mattress stitch for the belly patch, which creates an almost invisible seam.
Blocking is not typically done with amigurumi the way it is done with garments or flat work, but if your finished Totoro is slightly lopsided, a very light steam on low heat with a garment steamer held several inches away can gently encourage the stuffing to redistribute. Never apply a hot iron directly to the yarn or the finished piece.
Finally, give your finished Totoro a good squeeze before you call it done. If it feels too firm, remove a small amount of stuffing and redistribute the rest. If it feels too soft or floppy, open the closest seam slightly, add more stuffing, and close it back up. The goal is a plush that feels satisfying to pick up, holds its shape when you set it down, and makes everyone who sees it immediately want to hold it.
Displaying and Caring for Your Totoro
Once your amigurumi is finished, it deserves a good home. Totoro looks wonderful on bookshelves next to plants, nestled among Studio Ghibli film collections, or sitting at a desk as quiet company during work or study sessions. Because the yarn can attract dust over time, a gentle hand wash in cool water with a small amount of mild soap is the best way to clean it when needed. Press out excess water between two towels and allow it to dry flat, reshaping as necessary. Avoid putting it in a washing machine or dryer, which can distort the shape and damage the safety eyes.
If you are making this as a gift, consider pairing the finished Totoro with a small handwritten note explaining the stitches and time that went into it. Handmade gifts carry a different weight than purchased ones, and people who receive a hand-crocheted amigurumi usually treasure it in a way that a mass-produced plush never quite
