Nele the Little Panda Crochet Pattern: A Complete Beginner-Friendly Construction Guide

Nele the little Panda is a charming crochet doll dressed in a light pink outfit and finished with a floral head decoration. The original pattern by Amalou.Designs combines a rounded white head, black ears, arms, and legs, a pink-and-white body, a ruffled tutu, and small crocheted leaves and a flower. This guide presents the complete construction process in a clear, step-by-step format while keeping the original pattern information, stitch counts, round numbers, colors, and assembly instructions unchanged.

The project uses Schachenmayr Catania in white, black, light pink, and light green, together with a 2.5 mm crochet hook. You will also need soft stuffing (Polyfill), scissors, pins, a stitch marker, light pink, black, and white felt, and 12 mm safety eyes. The original source does not provide a finished-size measurement, gauge, or yarn yardage, so those details are not invented here.

Materials and Abbreviations

• Schachenmayr Catania in white, black, light pink, and light green
• Crochet hook: 2.5 mm
• Soft stuffing (Polyfill)
• Scissors
• Pins and stitch marker
• Felt in light pink, black, and white
• Safety eyes: 12 mm

Abbreviations

• Mc = Magic circle
• sc = single crochet
• sl st = slip stitch
• ch = chain(s)
• inc. = increase
• dec. = decrease
• (…) = repeat
• hdc = half double crochet
• dc = double crochet

Step 1: Crochet the Two Black Legs

Begin with black yarn. The two legs are crocheted separately before they are connected to form the base of the body. Work the first leg through Round 12, then make the second leg using the same sequence. The source specifically says to cut and sew up the first leg, but not to cut the yarn after Round 12 of the second leg.

First Leg

1. Rd. 1: 6sc in Mc (6)
2. Rd. 2: 6 inc (12)
3. Rd. 3: (1sc, inc.) (18)
4. Rd. 4: (2sc, inc.) (24)
5. Rd. 5: sc (24)
6. Rd. 6: dec, dec, 9sc, inc, inc, 9sc (24)
7. Rd. 7: sc (24)
8. Rd. 8: dec, dec, 9sc, inc, inc, 9sc (24)
9. Rd. 9: sc (24)
10. Rd. 10: sc (24)
11. Rd. 11: dec, dec, 9sc, inc, inc, 9sc (24)
12. Rd. 12: sc (24)

Cut the yarn and sew it up.

Second Leg

Crochet the second leg in the same way. Repeat Rounds 1–12, but do not cut the yarn. Continue directly into the body construction.

Step 2: Join the Legs and Build the Body

After the second leg, crochet 2sc, change to light pink, crochet 6ch(s), and continue with the body. Connect both legs with a sc in the first leg. The source emphasizes that the tips of the feet should look at each other.

The joining sequence is 23 sc around the first leg + 6sc in the chains + 24sc around the second leg + 6sc in the chains = 60 sc.

1. Rd. 1: sc (60)
2. Rd. 2: sc (60)
3. Rd. 3: sc (60)
4. Rd. 4: sc (60)
5. Rd. 5: sc (60)
6. Rd. 6: 12sc, dec, 28sc, dec, 16sc (58)
7. Rd. 7: sc (58)
8. Rd. 8: 12sc, dec, 27sc, dec, 15sc (56)
9. Rd. 9: sc in back loops only (56) change to white
10. Rd. 10: 12sc, dec, 26sc, dec., 14sc (54)
11. Rd. 11: sc (54)
12. Rd. 12: 12sc, dec, 25sc, dec., 13sc (52)
13. Rd. 13: sc (52) change to light pink
14. Rd. 14: 12sc, dec, 24sc, dec, 12sc (50)
15. Rd. 15: sc (50)
16. Rd. 16: 12sc, dec., 23sc, dec, 11sc (48)
17. Rd. 17: sc (48)
18. Rd. 18: 12sc, dec, 22sc, dec, 10sc (46)
19. Rd. 19: sc (46)
20. Rd. 20: 12sc, dec, 21sc, dec, 9sc (44)
21. Rd. 21: sc (44)
22. Rd. 22: 12sc, dec, 20sc, dec, 8sc (42)
23. Rd. 23: 12sc, dec, 19sc, dec, 7sc (40)
24. Rd. 24: 12sc, dec, 18sc, dec, 6sc (38)
25. Rd. 25: 12sc, dec, 17sc, dec, 5sc (36) in back loops only! Change to black
26. Rd. 26: 12sc, dec, 16sc, dec, 4sc (34)
27. Rd. 27: 12sc, dec, 15sc, dec, 3sc (32)
28. Rd. 28: 12sc, dec, 14sc, dec, 2sc (30)

Fasten off leaving a long tail for sewing. Stuff the body.

Step 3: Prepare the Face Details

Take the felt and cut the black pieces. Take the white felt and insert the safety eyes, cut with a distance of 1mm (0.039 inch) around the eyes. Insert the eye+white felt into the black felt.

Insert the safety eyes when you are ready with the head. Count 18 rounds from the MC, with a distance of 9 st. Close the safety eyes and sew the black felt onto the head. Cut circles (0,07 inch diameter) out of the light pink felt and sew them onto the black felt.

Step 4: Crochet the White Head

1. Rd. 1: 6sc in Mc (6)
2. Rd. 2: inc. (12)
3. Rd. 3: (sc, inc.) (18)
4. Rd. 4: (2sc, inc.) (24)
5. Rd. 5: (3sc, inc.) (30)
6. Rd. 6: (4sc, inc.) (36)
7. Rd. 7: (5sc, inc.) (42)
8. Rd. 8: (6sc, inc.) (48)
9. Rd. 9: sc (48)
10. Rd. 10: (7sc, inc.) (54)
11. Rd. 11: sc (54)
12. Rd. 12: (8sc, inc.) (60)
13. Rd. 13: (9sc, inc.) (66)
14. Rd. 14: (10sc, inc.) (72)
15. Rd. 15: sc (72)
16. Rd. 16: (11sc, inc.) (78)
17. Rd. 17: sc (78)
18. Rd. 18: (12sc, inc.) (84)
19. Rd. 19: sc (84)
20. Rd. 20: sc (84)
21. Rd. 21: (12sc, dec.) (78)
22. Rd. 22: (11sc, dec.) (72)
23. Rd. 23: (10sc, dec.) (66)
24. Rd. 24: (9sc, dec.) (60)
25. Rd. 25: (8sc, dec.) (54)
26. Rd. 26: (7sc, dec.) (48)
27. Rd. 27: (6sc, dec) (42)
28. Rd. 28: (5sc, dec.) (36)
29. Rd. 29: (4sc, dec.) (30)

Fasten off leaving a long tail for sewing. Stuff the head.

Step 5: Make the Two Black Ears

Make two ears in black.

1. Rd. 1: 6sc in MC (6)
2. Rd. 2: inc (12)
3. Rd. 3: (sc, inc) (18)
4. Rd. 4: (2sc, inc) (24)
5. Rd. 5: (3sc, inc) (30)
6. Rd. 6–9: sc (30) 4 rounds

Fasten off leaving a long tail for sewing.

Step 6: Make the Two Black Arms

Make two arms in black.

1. Rd. 1: 6sc in Mc (6)
2. Rd. 2: inc. (12)
3. Rd. 3: (sc,inc.) (18)
4. Rd. 4–7: sc (18) 4 Rounds
5. Rd. 8: decx2, 14sc (16)
6. Rd. 9–16: sc (16) 8 Rounds
7. Rd. 17: 10sc, dec., 4sc (15)
8. Rd. 18–24: sc (15) 7 Rounds
9. Rd. 25: 11sc, dec, 2sc (14)
10. Rd. 26: sc (14)
11. Rd. 27: sc (14)
12. Rd. 28: fold together and crochet both sides together.

Perhaps you have to crochet another sc first. It is important that the decx2 look to the side.

Step 7: Add the Light Pink Tutu

Start on the back at Round 9 from the body and work in the front loops. Turn Nele, feet to the top.

1. Rd. 1: (sc), sl st (56)
2. Rd. 2: 3ch(s)+2dc in same st, (3dc in next st),sl st (168)
3. Rd. 3: 3ch (s), (dc), sl st (168)

Cut the yarn and sew it up.

Step 8: Crochet the Flower and Leaves

Flower: Light Pink

Do not crochet the dc from the petal complete through. At the end of every petal you will have 6 loops on your hook which you crochet all together = Bobble Stitch.

1. Rd. 1: 12sc in MC, sl st (12)
2. Rd. 2: (2ch+5dc in same st, 3ch(s), sc in next st) (6 petals)

Fasten off leaving a long tail for sewing.

Leaves: Light Green

Make four leaves.

1. Rd. 1: 7ch(s), insert in 2° st from hook, sc, hdc, dc, dc, hdc, sc, 2ch(s), turn your work
2. Rd. 2: sc, hdc, dc, dc, hdc, sl st

Fasten off leaving a long tail for sewing.

Straps: Light Pink

Make two straps.

1. 12ch(s), sc in 2°st from hook, (3sc in next st) x9, sc in last st.

Step 9: Assembly

Once all of the crocheted pieces are complete, move to the assembly stage. The original pattern gives the following sewing and finishing instructions.

1. Sew the head onto the body.
2. Sew the ears onto the sides at 3° round from the top of the head.
3. Sew the arms under the seam of the head.
4. Crochet sl st with light pink on the body where the colour changes from white to light pink.
5. Use black yarn to stitch the nose over 4 stitches oblique.
6. Divide the yarn and stitch the snout over 4 rounds.
7. Stitch the bellybutton with black yarn.

Sew the straps as you can see in the picture.

Step 10: Position the Head Decoration

Use pins to find the right position of the leaves. Sew the leaves and the flower to the right side of the head.

Final Assembly Checklist

• Head sewn securely onto the body.
• Two ears attached at the 3rd round from the top of the head.
• Two arms attached under the head seam.
• Safety eyes installed according to the original felt and placement instructions.
• Black felt eye pieces sewn onto the head.
• Light pink felt circles sewn onto the black felt.
• Nose stitched over 4 stitches oblique.
• Snout stitched over 4 rounds.
• Bellybutton stitched with black yarn.
• Light pink sl st detail added at the white-to-light-pink color change.
• Tutu completed from the body Round 9 front loops.
• Two straps sewn into position.
• Four light green leaves positioned and sewn.
• Light pink flower sewn to the right side of the head.

Beginner Tips for Keeping the Construction Accurate

For this project, the most useful habit is checking the stitch count at the end of every round. The pattern contains many shaping rounds, particularly in the body and head, and the numbers in parentheses are useful checkpoints. If your count is different, it is better to stop and check the previous round than to add or remove stitches simply to force the next count.

Color changes should also be treated as fixed checkpoints. The body changes to white at Round 9, changes back to light pink at Round 13, and changes to black at Round 25. Both Round 9 and Round 25 contain back-loop-only instructions. These details create the clothing and body transitions visible in the finished doll.

The legs should be checked visually before joining. The source specifically says that the tips of the feet should look at each other. The arms also have a directional note at Round 28, where the decrease shaping should look to the side when the piece is folded.

Stuffing and Finishing Advice

The original pattern instructs you to stuff the body after Round 28 and to stuff the head after Round 29. Use the specified soft stuffing (Polyfill) and work gradually so that the crocheted fabric retains the rounded shape created by the pattern. The source does not specify a particular stuffing density, so there is no added numerical instruction here.

When sewing pieces together, use the long tails left by the pattern wherever possible. The head, ears, flower, leaves, and other pieces are deliberately finished with sewing tails so they can be securely attached during assembly.

Common Construction Checkpoints

Body Checkpoint

After the legs are joined, the starting body count is 60 sc. The shaping then moves through 58, 56, 54, 52, 50, 48, 46, 44, 42, 40, 38, 36, 34, 32, and finally 30 stitches by Round 28.

Head Checkpoint

The head reaches 84 stitches at Rounds 18–20 before the decreases begin. By Round 29 the count is 30 stitches. Keeping these counts intact helps preserve the rounded head shape.

Decoration Checkpoint

The head decoration consists of one light pink flower and four light green leaves. The source specifically places them on the right side of the head and recommends using pins to determine the correct position before sewing.

Finished Nele the Little Panda

Ready! Have fun with your little Nele. The original pattern invites makers to share pictures of their Nele on Instagram using #pandanele and @amalou.designs.

The source credits the pattern to Amalou.Designs and includes a copyright notice stating that the pattern is for personal use only and may not be resold, shared, rewritten, or distributed. If you sell the finished doll, the source asks you to point out the designer Amalou.Designs.

Quick Reference: Complete Construction Order

1. Make the first black leg through Round 12 and sew it up.
2. Make the second black leg through Round 12 without cutting the yarn.
3. Crochet 2sc, change to light pink, make 6ch(s), and join the legs.
4. Complete body Rounds 1–28 with the specified stitch counts and color changes.
5. Fasten off, leave a long tail, and stuff the body.
6. Prepare the black, white, and light pink felt facial pieces.
7. Crochet the white head through Round 29 and stuff it.
8. Make two black ears.
9. Make two black arms.
10. Work the light pink tutu from the front loops at body Round 9.
11. Make the six-petal light pink flower.
12. Make four light green leaves.
13. Make two light pink straps.
14. Sew the head, ears, and arms to the body.
15. Add the pink slip-stitch detail, facial embroidery, and bellybutton.
16. Sew the straps as shown in the assembly photograph.
17. Pin the leaves, sew them to the right side of the head, and attach the flower.

With these stages complete, Nele has all of the defining details shown in the original pattern: the black-and-white panda coloring, rounded ears and limbs, light pink dress and ruffled tutu, expressive felt-and-safety-eye face, and floral head decoration.