This crochet panda amigurumi is a compact, characterful project built from a small set of carefully shaped pieces. The finished toy has the familiar black-and-white panda face, rounded body, soft green sweater, dark legs and hands, small ears, eye patches, and a little tail. The supplied pattern states that the finished toy is 19 cm when crocheted tightly and about 15 cm when sitting. It is a rewarding project for anyone who enjoys amigurumi construction and wants a finished toy with a clear sequence of small, manageable components.
This article reorganizes the presentation into a practical tutorial while keeping the original technical information intact. The stitch counts, round numbers, color changes, joining instructions, facial placement notes, stuffing limits, and finishing instructions are retained from the supplied pattern. The extra explanations are intended to help you read the pattern, check your work, and move confidently from one construction stage to the next without changing the actual crochet instructions.
The panda is assembled from two legs, two hands, two ears, two eye patches, one tail, a head, and a body. The lower pieces are made first, followed by the head and body. Several components are joined while the body is being crocheted, so counting accurately becomes especially important around R13 and R25. The final head-to-body seam is completed only after the body is finished.
Project Overview at a Glance
- Finished height: 19 cm with tight crochet; approximately 15 cm sitting.
- Yarn: YarnArt Jeans, 55% cotton and 45% polyacrylic, 50 g / 160 m.
- White: color 62, approximately 20 g.
- Black: color 53, approximately 20 g.
- Green: color 69, approximately 15 g.
- Pink: color 74, approximately 5 g.
- Crochet hook: 2.5 mm.
- Safety eyes: 10 mm, on a safety fastening.
- Nose: approximately 10*15 cm, on a safety fastening, exactly as stated in the supplied source.
- Filling: hollow fiber.
- Tools: needle, thread, scissors, and stitch marker.
The source uses YarnArt Jeans for all four colors. White is the main head and belly color, black creates the characteristic panda limbs, ears, eye patches, and tail, green forms the sweater and the upper part of the hands, and pink is used at the beginning of the legs. The finished size in the source assumes tight crochet, so consistent tension with the specified 2.5 mm hook is an important part of reproducing the stated proportions.
Understand the Pattern Abbreviations First
The supplied abbreviation list is short enough to keep beside you while working. R means row, ch means chain, sl st means slip stitch, sc means single crochet, hdc means half double crochet, dc means double crochet, and tr means treble crochet. The increase abbreviation aum means 2 sc in one stitch. The decrease abbreviation dism means 2 sc together. Square brackets show the number of stitches expected at the end of a round or row, while parentheses contain a sequence that must be repeated the stated number of times.
The source also notes that decreases are made through the front loop and includes a video reference for the decrease technique. During the crochet process, the instructions say to fill each detail with hollow fiber. Individual sections then specify how far stuffing should continue, so those section-specific limits should be followed rather than treating every component the same way.
Begin With the Two Legs
Make two leg pieces. The leg starts with pink yarn and changes to black after the first two rounds. The source specifically says to fill the legs with hollow fiber only through R14. This is an important construction checkpoint because the upper portion is later narrowed and folded closed.
Pink Yarn: R1-R2
- R1: Start with 7 chains. In the second chain from the hook: aum, 4 sc, 4 sc in one chain, 4 sc, aum [16].
- R2: aum, 5 sc, 4 aum, 5 sc, aum [22].
Change to Black: R3-R20
- R3: (3 sc in one stitch), 7 sc, (3 sc in one stitch), 4 sc, (3 sc in one stitch), 8 sc [28].
- R4-5: 28 sc [28].
- R6: 1 sc, dism, 25 sc [27].
- R7: 8 sc, 6 dism, 7 sc [21].
- R8: 7 sc, 4 dism, 6 sc [17].
- R9: 7 sc, 2 dism, 6 sc [15].
- R10: 7 sc, dism, 6 sc [14].
- R11-12: 14 sc [14].
- R13-17: 14 sc [14].
- R18: 1 sc, 2 dism, 9 sc [12].
- R19: 12 sc [12].
- R20: crochet only 2 sc. Fold the piece in half and crochet 6 sc.
Use the stitch counts as a checkpoint rather than relying only on appearance. The leg grows to 28 stitches at R3, holds 28 through R5, then gradually narrows. From R11 through R17 the count remains 14, which makes this a useful point to compare both legs. The final fold at R20 closes the top in preparation for the later body join.
Make the Hands in Two Matching Pieces
The hands are made twice. Their lower portion is black, followed by green, matching the sweater color. The pattern says to fill each hand with hollow fiber only through R16. The last round narrows the piece to 10 stitches before it is folded and closed.
Black Section
- R1: 6 sc in a magic ring [6].
- R2: (aum) repeat 6 times [12].
- R3: (2 sc, aum) repeat 4 times [16].
- R4-5: 16 sc [16].
- R6: (6 sc, dism) repeat 2 times [14].
- R7-8: 14 sc [14].
Green Section
- R9: 14 sc [14].
- R10: (5 sc, dism) repeat 2 times [12].
- R11-17: 12 sc [12].
- R18: (4 sc, dism) repeat 2 times [10]. Fold in half and crochet 5 sc.
When both hands are complete, compare their length, color-change height, and folded closures. Matching pieces will make the later R25 body attachment much easier to balance. The source’s final assembly photo also makes clear that the hands belong at the sides of the body rather than toward the front or back.
Shape the Ears and the Two Eye Patches
Ears
Make two black ears. The pieces expand from 6 stitches to 14, remain at 14 for two rounds, and are then folded in half.
- R1: 6 sc in a magic ring, or 2 ch and in the second chain from the hook work 6 sc [6].
- R2: (inc) repeat 6 times [12].
- R3: (5 sc, aum) repeat 2 times [14].
- R4-5: 14 sc [14].
- Fold in half and crochet 7 sc.
Left Eye Patch
- R1: 6 sc in a magic ring [6].
- R2: (inc) repeat 6 times [12].
- R3: (2 hdc, dc) in one stitch, (dc, tr) in one stitch, tr.
Right Eye Patch
- R1: 6 sc in a magic ring [6].
- R2: (inc) repeat 6 times [12].
- R3: tr, (tr, dc) in one stitch, (dc, 2 hdc) in one stitch, 1 sl st.
Close the eye patches in R1 at the magic ring, as directed in the supplied source. Notice that the left and right R3 instructions are not identical. They create the two sides of the facial patch arrangement, so they should not be swapped or treated as interchangeable.
Add the Small Black Tail
The tail is made in black and is intentionally small. It starts with a magic ring, expands to 12 stitches, stays at that size for four rounds, then narrows to 8 stitches before folding closed.
- R1: 6 sc in a magic ring [6].
- R2: (aum) repeat 6 times [12].
- R3-6: 12 sc [12].
- R7: (1 sc, dism) repeat 4 times [8].
- Fold in half and crochet 4 sc.
The tail is later incorporated into the body during R13. Completing it beforehand lets you concentrate on the joining sequence when you reach the assembly round.
Construct the Head Before Closing It
Work the head in white. This is the main facial structure, so the early increases and taller stitches should be counted carefully. The head reaches 56 stitches at R12 and remains at that count through R19 before the closing decreases begin.
- R1: 6 sc in a magic ring [6].
- R2: (inc) repeat 6 times [12].
- R3: 2 sc, (3 sc in one loop) repeat 2 times, 4 sc, (3 sc in one loop) repeat 2 times, 2 sc [20].
- R4: 4 sc, 3 aum, 7 sc, 3 aum, 3 sc [26].
- R5-6: 26 sc [26].
- R7: 10 sc, (2 hdc in one stitch) repeat 7 times, 9 sc [33].
- R8: aum, 7 sc, aum, 1 sc, 2 hdc, (2 hdc in one stitch, hdc) repeat 6 times, 1 hdc, 1 sc, aum, 6 sc [42].
- R9: 1 sc, aum, 7 sc, aum, 7 sc, aum, 4 sc, aum, 4 sc, aum, 8 sc, aum, 5 sc [48].
- R10: 15 sc, (aum, 6 sc) repeat 4 times, 5 sc [52].
- R11: 22 sc, aum, 10 sc, aum, 18 sc [54].
- R12: 27 sc, aum, 2 sc, aum, 23 sc [56].
Face Placement Checkpoint
The supplied pattern says to fix the eyes between rows 7 and 8 at a distance of 12 hdc. The safety eyes are 10 mm. Insert the nose in R1. The eye patches are then positioned around the eyes according to the photographs. These placement details are part of the construction and should be checked before the head becomes too closed to access the inside.
- R13-16: 56 sc [56].
The ears should be placed symmetrically on the head with 11 sc between them. The ears are incorporated into R17 rather than being attached only after the head is complete.
- R17: 18 sc, 7 sc to join the body with the sc stitches in the ear, 11 sc, 7 sc to join the body with the sc stitches in the ear, 13 sc [56].
- R18-19: 56 sc [56].
- R20: (5 sc, dism) repeat 8 times [48].
- R21: (6 sc, dism) repeat 6 times [42].
- R22: (5 sc, dism) repeat 6 times [36].
- R23: (4 sc, dism) repeat 6 times [30].
- R24: (3 sc, dism) repeat 6 times [24].
- R25: (2 sc, dism) repeat 6 times [18].
- R26: (1 sc, dism) repeat 6 times [12].
- R27: 6 dism [6].
Finish the crochet and hide the yarn. The source then directs you to shape the face as shown in the photographs and sew the eye patches to the head. The visual reference is useful because the patches have an angled, panda-like arrangement rather than being simple circular pieces.
Build the White Body and Prepare the Joins
The body begins in white and changes to green after the leg and tail joining round. This section combines crochet and assembly, so it helps to have the completed legs and tail nearby before starting R13. The body expands to 48 stitches by R8 and stays at 48 through R12.
- R1: 6 sc in a magic ring, or 2 ch and in the second chain from the hook work 6 sc [6].
- R2: (inc) repeat 6 times [12].
- R3: (1 sc, aum) repeat 6 times [18].
- R4: (2 sc, aum) repeat 6 times [24].
- R5: (3 sc, aum) repeat 6 times [30].
- R6: 1 sc, aum, (4 sc, aum) repeat 5 times, 3 sc [36].
- R7: (5 sc, aum) repeat 6 times [42].
- R8: 2 sc, aum, (6 sc, aum) repeat 5 times, 4 sc [48].
- R9-12: 48 sc [48].
R13: Join the Legs and Tail
Work 9 sc, 6 sc to join the body with the sc stitches of one leg, 18 sc, 6 sc to join the body with the sc stitches of the other leg, 7 sc [46]. Then work 2 sc without crocheting. Next, work 4 sc to join the body with the sc stitches of the tail. Place a marker: this is the beginning of R14. Change to green.
This round deserves a deliberate count. The leg joins are not optional decoration; they are part of the body construction. Hold the two legs in their intended positions before working the joining stitches so that the panda remains balanced from the front and the back.
Continue the Green Sweater and Attach the Hands
- R14-16: 48 sc [48].
- R17: 11 sc, dism, (6 sc, dism) repeat 3 times, 11 sc [44].
- R18: 7 sc, dism, (5 sc, dism) repeat 4 times, 7 sc [39].
- R19: 2 sc, dism, 12 sc, dism, 3 sc, dism, 12 sc, dism, 2 sc [35].
- R20: 9 sc, dism, 13 sc, dism, 9 sc [33].
- R21: 33 sc [33].
- R22: 11 sc, dism, (3 sc, dism) repeat 2 times, 10 sc [30].
- R23: 4 sc, dism, 19 sc, dism, 3 sc [28].
- R24: (5 sc, dism) repeat 4 times [24].
- R25: 5 sc, 5 sc to join the body with the sc stitches of one hand, 7 sc, 5 sc to join the body with the sc stitches of the other hand, 2 sc [24].
- R26: (4 sc, dism) repeat 4 times [20].
The source specifically emphasizes that the hands should be at the sides and appear harmonious with the body. R25 is therefore both a stitch-count checkpoint and a visual assembly checkpoint. Before moving on, compare the height and orientation of both arms. The green portions should sit naturally against the sweater area while the black hand ends remain visible.
Stuffing Strategy for a Firm but Even Shape
The source’s general instruction is to fill each detail with hollow fiber during crocheting, but the individual limits matter. Legs are filled only through R14, and hands only through R16. These limits should be respected because the later decreases and folded closures need to remain workable.
For the head and body, aim for a rounded form that supports the crocheted fabric without stretching the stitches open. Check the silhouette as you go rather than waiting until the end. The head should have enough filling to maintain its rounded shape, while the closing rounds from R20 through R27 still need to be worked cleanly. The body should remain full through the belly and neck area without becoming so hard that the final seam is difficult to manage.
The neck receives special attention during final assembly. The source says to add more stuffing where the neck is located while sewing the head to the body so that the head fits perfectly to the neck. This is the final shaping adjustment and should not be skipped.
Stitch and Assembly Checkpoints
- Both legs should match, including the pink beginning, black section, stitch counts, and folded top.
- Both hands should match and should be filled only through R16.
- The ears should be symmetrical, with 11 sc between them when positioned on the head.
- The left and right eye patches have different R3 instructions and should remain on their intended sides.
- The 10 mm safety eyes belong between R7 and R8 at a distance of 12 hdc.
- The nose is inserted in R1 as stated by the source.
- R13 of the body is the leg-and-tail joining checkpoint.
- The marker placed after the tail join identifies the beginning of R14.
- R25 is the hand-joining checkpoint and the hands should remain at the sides.
- The head is sewn to the body only after the body is finished.
Troubleshooting While You Crochet
One Leg Is Different From the Other
Do not correct a mismatch by adding an extra round to one leg. Instead, compare the written checkpoints. The leg reaches [28] in R3, stays [28] through R5, then moves through [27], [21], [17], [15], and [14]. The 14-stitch section continues through R17 before the later decreases. If the two pieces do not match at those checkpoints, review the previous round before proceeding.
The Eye Patches Look Backward
The left and right eye patches are intentionally written with different R3 sequences. Check that the patch labeled left follows the left instructions and the right patch follows the right instructions. Then compare their orientation with the supplied photographs before sewing them permanently to the head.
The Face Does Not Look Symmetrical
Start with the eye position because the source gives an exact placement instruction: between rows 7 and 8, at a distance of 12 hdc. Next check the nose in R1 and the ear spacing of 11 sc. A small placement difference can noticeably change the expression of an amigurumi face.
The Body Twist Appears During R13
R13 combines several joining actions. Lay the completed legs and tail beside the body before starting, then follow the written sequence exactly: 9 sc, first leg join, 18 sc, second leg join, 7 sc, 2 sc not crocheted, and 4 sc for the tail join. Place the marker only where the source instructs, at the beginning of R14.
The Arms Sit Too Far Forward
Use R25 as the visual check. The source places one hand, then 7 sc across the body, then the second hand. The hands should be at the sides and look harmonious with the body. Before finishing the round, look at the panda from the front and back to confirm that both arms hang naturally.
Final Head Assembly
After R26 of the body, finish the crochet and hide the yarn. The last major construction step is sewing the head to the body. Work carefully around the neck and follow the source’s specific instruction to add more stuffing where the neck is located during sewing. The purpose is to make the head fit perfectly to the neck and to support the final posture.
Quick Reference for the Main Stitch Counts
These checkpoints are a compact way to verify progress without replacing the full instructions above:
- Legs: R1 [16], R2 [22], R3 [28], R4-5 [28], R6 [27], R7 [21], R8 [17], R9 [15], R10 [14], R11-17 [14], R18 [12], R19 [12].
- Hands: R1 [6], R2 [12], R3 [16], R4-5 [16], R6 [14], R7-8 [14], R9 [14], R10 [12], R11-17 [12], R18 [10].
- Ears: R1 [6], R2 [12], R3 [14], R4-5 [14].
- Tail: R1 [6], R2 [12], R3-6 [12], R7 [8].
- Head: R1 [6], R2 [12], R3 [20], R4 [26], R5-6 [26], R7 [33], R8 [42], R9 [48], R10 [52], R11 [54], R12-19 [56], R20 [48], R21 [42], R22 [36], R23 [30], R24 [24], R25 [18], R26 [12], R27 [6].
- Body: R1 [6], R2 [12], R3 [18], R4 [24], R5 [30], R6 [36], R7 [42], R8 [48], R9-12 [48], R13 [46] during the joining sequence, R14-16 [48], R17 [44], R18 [39], R19 [35], R20 [33], R21 [33], R22 [30], R23 [28], R24 [24], R25 [24], R26 [20].
A Calm Workflow for First-Time Amigurumi Makers
If you are new to amigurumi, divide the project into construction groups instead of trying to complete everything in one sitting. Prepare the yarn colors and tools first. Make the two legs and compare them. Then make the hands, ears, eye patches, and tail. This gives you a collection of finished small parts before you begin the larger head and body sections.
When working the head, use the stitch counts at R7, R8, R9, R10, R11, and R12 as progress checkpoints. Once the head reaches 56 stitches, pause to handle the eyes and nose according to the source. The face is easier to position while the head is still accessible. The ears are incorporated at R17, so their symmetry should be checked before the closing rounds begin.
For the body, treat R13 as an assembly round rather than an ordinary crochet round. Have the legs and tail ready, count each section, and then mark the beginning of R14 as instructed. The green sweater portion can then be worked with the decreasing rounds leading toward the hand joins. At R25, check the arms from multiple angles before finishing.
Keeping a simple round checklist beside you can prevent accidental skipped rounds. Since the pattern uses many decreases in the head and body, the bracketed counts are particularly useful. If your count is wrong, stop at the current round and correct it rather than carrying the error forward into the next joining stage.
Finishing Advice
A polished result comes from consistent tension, accurate counting, and careful assembly. Keep the 2.5 mm hook and tight crochet tension specified by the pattern. Hide yarn ends neatly after finishing individual components. When sewing, distribute the stitches around the connection instead of relying on one or two tight pulls. The neck is the one place where the source specifically asks for additional stuffing during sewing, so use that instruction as the final shaping checkpoint.
The finished panda combines a white rounded head and belly with black ears, eye patches, limbs, and tail, plus a green sweater and pink foot details. The final photographs in the supplied source show the intended proportions and demonstrate how the completed toy can sit or be held upright. Comparing your work with those visual checkpoints is useful for placement and posture without changing the written pattern.
Frequently Asked Questions
What crochet hook size is required?
The pattern specifies a 2.5 mm crochet hook.
Which yarn colors are used?
YarnArt Jeans is used in color 62 white, color 53 black, color 69 green, and color 74 pink.
How much yarn is listed?
The source lists approximately 20 g white, 20 g black, 15 g green, and 5 g pink.
What is the finished size?
The stated finished height is 19 cm with tight crochet and about 15 cm sitting.
What size are the safety eyes?
The safety eyes are 10 mm.
Where should the eyes be placed?
The source says to fix the eyes between R7 and R8 at a distance of 12 hdc.
Where does the nose go?
The source instructs you to insert the nose in R1.
How are the ears positioned?
They should be placed symmetrically with 11 sc between them.
When are the legs attached?
The legs are joined during R13 of the body, following the exact joining sequence stated in the pattern.
When are the hands attached?
The hands are joined during R25, with the source emphasizing that they should sit at the sides of the body.
How is the head attached?
The head is sewn to the body after the body is finished. During sewing, add more stuffing at the neck so the head fits perfectly to the neck.
Ready for the Final Shape
Once the final head-to-body seam is secure and the yarn ends are hidden, the panda is complete. The project is a good example of how several small amigurumi components can be transformed into a recognizable character through careful stitch counting and thoughtful placement. The black eye patches, safety eyes, nose, ears, green sweater, and contrasting feet all contribute to the finished expression.
The most reliable way to reproduce the supplied design is to treat every bracketed stitch count as a checkpoint, preserve the stated round sequence, and use the included photographs when making placement decisions. The pattern’s assembly is built into the crochet itself at key points, especially the leg and tail joins in R13 and the hand joins in R25. Following those details in order keeps the finished panda balanced and practical to assemble.
This article is based on the supplied Panda Amigurumis crochet pattern and preserves the source’s stated measurements, materials, color numbers, hook size, stitch counts, round sequence, placement instructions, stuffing limits, and finishing directions.