Free Piglet Knitting Pattern: How to Knit an Adorable Piglet from Scratch

There is something undeniably charming about a handmade stuffed animal, and when that animal happens to be a rosy-cheeked, curly-tailed little piglet, it becomes nearly impossible to resist. Whether you are knitting for a baby shower, a child’s birthday, a holiday gift, or simply because you love creating something soft and sweet with your own two hands, a knitted piglet is one of those projects that brings joy at every stage — from casting on the first stitches to sewing on that final tiny button nose.

This free piglet knitting pattern is designed to be accessible for knitters who have moved past the complete beginner stage. If you can knit, purl, work basic increases and decreases, and aren’t afraid to seam a few pieces together, you have everything you need to make this pattern work. The finished piglet stands approximately seven to eight inches tall when stuffed, making it the perfect cuddly size for little hands. The pattern uses worsted weight yarn and standard 4mm knitting needles, so there is no need to hunt down specialty supplies.

Let’s get into everything you need to know before you cast on.

Materials You Will Need

Before diving into the pattern itself, gather your materials so you can knit uninterrupted. One of the best parts of knitting a small amigurumi-style project like this piglet is that the materials list stays short and affordable.

For yarn, you will need approximately 100 grams of a soft worsted weight yarn in your chosen pink shade. A dusty rose or classic baby pink both work beautifully. You will also want a small amount of yarn in a darker pink or mauve for the ears and snout details, and a tiny bit of black yarn or embroidery floss for the eyes and nostrils. If you prefer a more realistic piglet, a pale peach or cream yarn also looks wonderful and gives the finished toy a more natural feel.

For needles, a set of 4mm double-pointed needles works best for the smaller rounded pieces like the head and body, giving you smooth joins and neat edges throughout. A standard pair of 4mm straight needles is fine if you prefer working flat and seaming.

You will also need a yarn needle for seaming and weaving in ends, a small amount of polyester fiberfill stuffing, stitch markers, and scissors. Optional but helpful: two small safety eyes in black (approximately 9mm) if you are knitting for an older child or adult display rather than a baby, since loose safety eyes are not appropriate for children under three years old.

Pattern Notes and Abbreviations

This pattern is written using standard US knitting abbreviations. Here is a quick reference guide before you begin.

CO means cast on. K means knit. P means purl. K2tog means knit two stitches together (a right-leaning decrease). SSK means slip, slip, knit (a left-leaning decrease). KFB means knit into the front and back of a stitch (an increase). M1L and M1R refer to make one left and make one right increases respectively. PM means place marker. SM means slip marker. BO means bind off. RS means right side and WS means wrong side. St and sts refer to stitch and stitches.

The pattern is worked primarily in the round on double-pointed needles, but notes are included for working flat if you prefer that method. Gauge is approximately 20 stitches and 28 rows per four inches in stockinette stitch. For a toy like this, gauge is not critical as long as your fabric is dense enough that the stuffing won’t show through. If your gauge is loose, go down a needle size.

Knitting the Body

The body is worked from the bottom up in the round and shaped with simple increases and decreases to create a pleasingly rounded, slightly oval form.

Cast on 10 stitches and distribute them evenly across three or four double-pointed needles. Join to work in the round, being careful not to twist, and place a stitch marker to mark the beginning of the round.

Round 1: KFB in every stitch. You will have 20 stitches.

Round 2: Knit all stitches.

Round 3: KFB, K1, repeat to end of round. You will have 30 stitches.

Round 4: Knit all stitches.

Round 5: KFB, K2, repeat to end of round. You will have 40 stitches.

Rounds 6 through 8: Knit all stitches.

Round 9: KFB, K3, repeat to end of round. You will have 50 stitches.

Rounds 10 through 20: Knit all stitches. This creates the main barrel of the body. At this point, your piece should measure approximately two and a half inches in length from the cast-on edge.

Round 21: K2tog, K3, repeat to end of round. You will have 40 stitches.

Rounds 22 through 24: Knit all stitches.

Round 25: K2tog, K2, repeat to end of round. You will have 30 stitches.

Round 26: Knit all stitches.

Round 27: K2tog, K1, repeat to end of round. You will have 20 stitches.

Before continuing with the final decreases, stuff the body firmly with polyester fiberfill. The firmer you stuff it, the more upright and sturdy your finished piglet will stand, so don’t be shy with the filling.

Round 28: K2tog around. You will have 10 stitches.

Round 29: K2tog around. You will have 5 stitches.

Cut the yarn, leaving a six-inch tail. Thread the tail onto a yarn needle and draw it through the remaining stitches, pulling tight to close the top of the body. Weave in the end securely on the inside.

Knitting the Head

The head is worked in the same way as the body but shaped slightly differently to create a rounder, fuller ball shape.

Cast on 10 stitches and distribute across needles. Join in the round and place a stitch marker.

Round 1: KFB in every stitch. 20 stitches.

Round 2: Knit.

Round 3: KFB, K1, repeat. 30 stitches.

Round 4: Knit.

Round 5: KFB, K2, repeat. 40 stitches.

Round 6: Knit.

Round 7: KFB, K3, repeat. 50 stitches.

Rounds 8 through 18: Knit all stitches.

Round 19: K2tog, K3, repeat. 40 stitches.

Round 20: Knit.

Round 21: K2tog, K2, repeat. 30 stitches.

Round 22: Knit.

Round 23: K2tog, K1, repeat. 20 stitches.

Stuff the head firmly at this point.

Round 24: K2tog around. 10 stitches.

Round 25: K2tog around. 5 stitches.

Close the same way as the body. The head should be a nice firm ball roughly three to three and a half inches in diameter.

Knitting the Snout

The snout is one of those small details that makes the whole piglet come to life. It is worked as a small, flat circle that gets slightly stuffed before being sewn onto the front of the face.

Cast on 6 stitches in your main pink yarn and join in the round.

Round 1: KFB in every stitch. 12 stitches.

Round 2: Knit.

Round 3: KFB, K1, repeat. 18 stitches.

Rounds 4 through 6: Knit all stitches.

Round 7: K2tog, K1, repeat. 12 stitches.

Add a small pinch of stuffing before closing.

Round 8: K2tog around. 6 stitches.

Close and leave a long tail for sewing. Before attaching the snout to the face, use black yarn or embroidery floss to add two small nostrils. A French knot or a simple straight stitch on each side works perfectly.

Knitting the Ears

The ears are worked flat and folded slightly before sewing onto the head. They give the piglet that classic, slightly floppy look.

For each ear, cast on 10 stitches with your main pink yarn.

Row 1 (RS): Knit.

Row 2 (WS): Purl.

Row 3: SSK, knit to last 2 stitches, K2tog. 8 stitches.

Row 4: Purl.

Row 5: SSK, knit to last 2 stitches, K2tog. 6 stitches.

Row 6: Purl.

Row 7: SSK, knit to last 2 stitches, K2tog. 4 stitches.

Row 8: P2tog, P2tog. 2 stitches.

Bind off the remaining 2 stitches and leave a long tail. Make two ears.

When you sew the ears onto the head, fold the cast-on edge very slightly inward so they cup a little, giving them dimension. Position them roughly at the top of the head, angled outward just slightly. The exact placement is a matter of personal preference — ears set closer together give a more alert expression, while ears set wider apart give a softer, dreamier look.

Knitting the Legs

The legs are worked as four small tubes, each identical.

Cast on 12 stitches and join in the round.

Rounds 1 through 10: Knit all stitches.

Round 11: K2tog around. 6 stitches.

Stuff lightly and close. You want the legs to have just enough stuffing to hold their shape without being so stiff they can’t bend slightly when the toy is played with.

Make four legs. Two will serve as the front legs and two as the back legs. The back legs are typically attached lower on the body and slightly further apart than the front legs, which helps the piglet sit upright.

Knitting the Tail

No piglet is complete without a curly tail. This is one of the most fun little details to make.

Using your main pink yarn, cast on 20 stitches using a straight needle.

Row 1: KFB in every stitch. 40 stitches.

Bind off all stitches loosely. As you bind off, the extra stitches will cause the piece to naturally spiral and curl. Give it a gentle coax with your fingers to help it coil tightly, and you will have a perfect corkscrew tail.

Sew the tail onto the back of the body at roughly the center of the upper back section.

Assembling Your Piglet

Assembly is where the magic happens and where your pile of knitted pieces transforms into an actual piglet.

Begin by positioning the head on top of the body. The base of the head should sit flat against the top of the body. Use your yarn needle and a length of the main pink yarn to sew them together using a whip stitch, working all the way around the join and pulling the stitches snug but not so tight that you distort the shapes.

Next, attach the snout to the front center of the face. It should sit in the lower half of the face, leaving enough space above it for the eyes.

If you are using safety eyes, insert them now before the face is fully enclosed. They should sit slightly above the snout and about one inch apart from each other. If you are embroidering eyes for a baby-safe toy, use black yarn or embroidery floss and create small oval or round shapes using satin stitch or a few layered straight stitches. A tiny white highlight stitch over the eye adds life and personality.

Sew the ears onto the top of the head. Then attach the four legs to the underside of the body. Position the back legs so that they point down and slightly backward, helping the piglet balance. The front legs should point straight down or very slightly forward.

Finally, sew the curly tail onto the back of the body.

Finishing Touches and Variations

Once all the pieces are attached, take a few minutes to look over your piglet from every angle. Gently adjust the ears if they need repositioning, and make sure all yarn tails are woven in securely so nothing can unravel with play or handling.

For a baby-safe version, be sure to embroider all features rather than using any attached accessories, and check that no knots or loose ends could come free.

For a more decorative or display piglet, you can add a small ribbon tied around the neck, a tiny knitted flower tucked behind one ear, or even a little knitted blanket stitched to one of the legs. These small additions turn a simple stuffed animal into a charming gift that looks as though it came from a boutique.

You can also experiment with color. A spotted piglet can be made by alternating two colors every few rounds on the body. A grey piglet could become a baby elephant with adjusted ear and trunk pieces. The basic body and head shapes in this pattern are versatile building blocks for a whole menagerie if you are inspired to expand the collection.

Caring for Your Knitted Piglet

A hand-knitted toy deserves proper care to make it last for years. If the yarn you chose is machine washable, a gentle cycle in a mesh laundry bag will keep the toy clean without distorting its shape. If you used a wool or wool-blend yarn, hand washing in cool water with a drop of mild detergent is the safest approach. Lay the toy flat to dry away from direct sunlight or heat, which can cause colors to fade and fibers to felt.

If the piglet loses some of its stuffing density over time and becomes floppy, you can carefully open one of the seams with a seam ripper, add more fiberfill, and stitch it back up. This is a simple fix and keeps the toy looking its best for years.

Why Knitters Love Animal Toy Patterns

There is a reason free knitting patterns for stuffed animals remain among the most searched and shared patterns in the knitting community year after year. They are satisfying to complete quickly, they make wonderful personalized gifts, and they allow knitters to practice skills like working in the round, shaping, and seaming all in a single project.

A knitted piglet in particular has a warmth and whimsy that makes it appealing across age groups. Babies love the soft texture, toddlers love the imaginative play possibilities, and adults who collect handmade things appreciate the craft and care that go into every stitch. If you are building your knitting skills or looking for a reliable pattern you can return to again and again with different yarn colors and slight variations, this free piglet knitting pattern is a wonderful one to keep in your collection.

Happy knitting, and enjoy every single squiggly stitch of your little piglet.