Paf the Panda Dad Crochet Tutorial: A Stitch-By-Stitch Amigurumi Workshop

The completed Panda Dad shows the rounded white body, Anthracite details, expressive face, and French Blue overalls.

If you enjoy amigurumi projects that feel like a complete character rather than a single crocheted shape, Paf the Panda Dad is a rewarding project to work through. The pattern combines a rounded head and body, separate arms and legs, ears, eye components, a snout and tail, then finishes everything with a pair of French Blue overalls. The result measures approximately 22 cm (8.6 inches) and is rated Intermediate.

This third version of the guide is designed as a practical stitch-checkpoint workshop. The idea is to move through the project by asking one question at every stage: what should the piece look like now, and what technical detail must be correct before moving on? That approach is especially useful for amigurumi because a small difference in stitch count or placement can become much more visible once several pieces are assembled.

The technical information below follows the original Paf – Panda Dad pattern, No. 1020-211-2748. The yarn colors, hook size, stitch counts, rounds, rows, placement measurements, and assembly directions are retained rather than altered.

Materials and Pattern Reference

Skill level: Intermediate
Crochet hook: 2.50 mm
Finished measurement: Approx. 22 cm (8.6 inches)
Yarn: Friends Cotton 8/4
White (#001): 1 skein
Anthracite (#122): 1 skein
French Blue (#084): 1 skein
Black scrap yarn: For the eyebrows
Safety eyes: 2, 8 mm
Wooden buttons: 2, 12 mm
Fiberfill: For stuffing

The source uses these abbreviations: ch = chain, sc = single crochet, sl st = slip stitch, mr = magic ring, inc = increase (2 stitches in the same stitch), dec = decrease (2 stitches together), rnd(s) = round(s), and a number in parentheses indicates the number of stitches after the completed round. Keeping these abbreviations unchanged makes it easier to compare your work directly with the pattern.

Three Rules That Affect the Whole Project

Before starting, there are three construction reminders worth keeping visible beside your hook. The pattern says to stuff the head and body firmly. It also says to stuff between the head and body while sewing the head onto the body to avoid a wobbly head. Finally, work tightly enough to avoid holes between the stitches.

These are not extra shaping instructions; they are finishing and tension guidance that applies throughout the project. If your stitches are loose, the fiberfill can become visible. If the head-to-body join is not supported with stuffing, the finished character may not hold the intended shape as securely.

Checkpoint One: Complete the Arms

Make two arms in Anthracite (#122). Each arm begins with a magic ring and expands to 18 stitches before narrowing into the long upper section.

Round 1: 6 sc in a mr.
Round 2: (inc) 6 times (12).
Round 3: (1 sc, inc) 6 times (18).
Rounds 4-7: 1 sc in each st (18).

Stuff the hand and arm as you work. Then continue with Round 8: (dec) 5 times, 8 sc (13). Work Rounds 9-23: 1 sc in each st (13). Fasten off.

Stitch checkpoint: The finished arm has 13 stitches across Rounds 9-23. Keep the finishing end available because the arms will be incorporated into the body during Round 38.

Checkpoint Two: Build the Two-Part Eyes

The eye is deliberately assembled from a small white component and a larger grey component. This gives the panda its distinctive eye-mask appearance while keeping the safety eye securely positioned in the crocheted pieces.

White Part Around the Eye

Make 2 in White (#001).

Round 1: 4 sc in a mr.

Do not tighten the loop. Leave a tail long enough for assembling.

Grey Part of the Eye

Make 2 in Anthracite (#122). Chain 1 to turn the work after each completed row.

Row 1: ch 4, turn.
Row 2: begin in the 2nd chain from the hook, (inc) 3 times, ch 1, turn (6).
Row 3: (inc) 6 times, ch 1, turn (12).
Row 4: make an edge around the entire eye, working 1 sc in each st and 2 sc in each corner (19).

Fasten off and leave a tail long enough for sewing. Attach the safety eye at the edge of the grey eye piece, 3 rounds below the top of the eye. The curved part should point outwards.

The eye pieces are prepared separately before they are aligned and sewn onto the head.

Checkpoint Three: Shape the Head

The head is worked in White (#001). The first thirteen rounds create the expanding crown, reaching 66 stitches.

Round 1: 6 sc in a mr.
Round 2: (inc) 6 times (12).
Round 3: (1 sc, inc) 6 times (18).
Round 4: 1 sc in each st (18).
Round 5: (inc) 6 times, 12 sc (24).
Round 6: (1 sc, inc) 6 times, 12 sc (30).
Round 7: (4 sc, inc) 6 times (36).
Round 8: 1 sc in each st (36).
Round 9: (5 sc, inc) 6 times (42).
Round 10: (6 sc, inc) 6 times (48).
Round 11: (7 sc, inc) 6 times (54).
Round 12: (8 sc, inc) 6 times (60).
Round 13: (9 sc, inc) 6 times (66).

Now attach the complete grey eye parts together with the safety eyes. Insert the safety eyes between Rounds 6 and 7 on the head, with 12 sc between the eyes and approximately 6 sc between the upper parts of the grey pieces. Make sure the snout points upwards. Place the white part around the safety eye and tighten the magic ring, then sew the grey eye part onto the head.

Stuff the head as you continue. Work Rounds 14-25: 1 sc in each st (66).

The head then decreases as follows:

Round 26: (9 sc, dec) 6 times (60).
Round 27: (8 sc, dec) 6 times (54).
Round 28: (7 sc, dec) 6 times (48).
Round 29: (6 sc, dec) 6 times (42).
Round 30: (5 sc, dec) 6 times (36).
Round 31: (4 sc, dec) 6 times (30).
Round 32: (3 sc, dec) 6 times (24).
Round 33: (2 sc, dec) 6 times (18).
Round 34: (1 sc, dec) 6 times (12).
Round 35: (2 sc, dec) 3 times (9).

Fasten off with a tail long enough to close the opening. Use a needle to gather the final 9 stitches in the front loop and tighten the yarn to close the hole neatly. Weave in the ends.

The head and ears are checked from the rear before the final facial assembly is completed.

Checkpoint Four: Crochet the Body

The body begins in White (#001). The first eleven rounds expand the shape from 6 stitches to 66 stitches.

Round 1: 6 sc in a mr.
Round 2: (inc) 6 times (12).
Round 3: (1 sc, inc) 6 times (18).
Round 4: (2 sc, inc) 6 times (24).
Round 5: (3 sc, inc) 6 times (30).
Round 6: (4 sc, inc) 6 times (36).
Round 7: (5 sc, inc) 6 times (42).
Round 8: (6 sc, inc) 6 times (48).
Round 9: (7 sc, inc) 6 times (54).
Round 10: (8 sc, inc) 6 times (60).
Round 11: (9 sc, inc) 6 times (66).
Rounds 12-24: 1 sc in each st (66).

Stuff the body as you make it. Then continue with Round 25: (9 sc, dec) 6 times (60), Rounds 26-27: 1 sc in each st (60), Round 28: (8 sc, dec) 6 times (54), and Rounds 29-30: 1 sc in each st (54).

Round 31: (7 sc, dec) 6 times (48). Rounds 32-33: 1 sc in each st (48). Round 34: (6 sc, dec) 6 times (42).

Change to Anthracite (#122). Work Rounds 35-36: 1 sc in each st (42). Round 37: (5 sc, dec) 6 times (36).

Now attach the arms on this round by crocheting through both layers of the arm, using all 4 loops on the arm.

Round 38: 8 sc, 6 sc with arm, 15 sc, 6 sc with arm, 1 sc (36).

Continue with Round 39: 1 sc in each st (36), Round 40: (4 sc, dec) 6 times (30), and Round 41: 1 sc in each st (30). Fasten off and leave a tail long enough for sewing.

This view helps visualize the body proportions and the arm attachment area before the clothing is added.

Checkpoint Five: Make the Legs

Make two legs in Anthracite (#122).

Round 1: 6 sc in a mr.
Round 2: (inc) 6 times (12).
Round 3: (1 sc, inc) 6 times (18).
Round 4: (2 sc, inc) 6 times (24).
Round 5: (3 sc, inc) 6 times (30).
Round 6: (4 sc, inc) 6 times (36).
Rounds 7-10: 1 sc in each st (36).
Round 11: (dec) 6 times, 24 sc (30).
Round 12: (3 sc, dec) 6 times (24).
Round 13: (2 sc, dec) 6 times (18).
Rounds 14-24: 1 sc in each st (18).

Stuff the foot firmly and the rest of the leg lightly with fiberfill. Fasten off and leave a tail long enough for sewing.

Checkpoint Six: Add the Rounded Ears

Make two ears in Anthracite (#122).

Round 1: 6 sc in a mr.
Round 2: (inc) 6 times (12).
Round 3: (1 sc, inc) 6 times (18).
Round 4: (5 sc, inc) 3 times (21).
Rounds 5-7: 1 sc in each st (21).

Fasten off and leave a sufficiently long tail for sewing.

The ears should be checked for balanced placement before the final sewing step.

Checkpoint Seven: Construct the Overalls in Separate Sections

The overalls are worked in French Blue (#084). They are built from two pants legs, the joined upper section, a front panel and two straps.

Pants

Round 1: ch 30 and join into a ring with a sc in the first ch.
Rounds 2-12: 1 sc in each st (30).

Fasten off the first pants leg. Make one more pants leg but do not break off the yarn. Chain 6 and attach the second pants leg to the first pants leg. Work around both pants legs.

Round 13: 30 sc around one leg, 6 sc in the chains between the two legs, 30 sc around the second leg, 6 sc in the chains between the two legs (72).
Rounds 14-18: 1 sc in each st (72).
Round 19: 13 sc, dec, 34 sc, dec, 21 sc (70).
Rounds 20-31: 1 sc in each st (70).
Round 32: 15 sc to end at the side of the pants and finish nicely.

Fasten off.

Front Panel

In French Blue (#084):

Round 1: 6 sc in a mr.
Round 2: (inc) 6 times (12).
Round 3: (1 sc, inc) 6 times (18).
Round 4: (2 sc, inc) 6 times (24).
Rounds 5-13: 1 sc in each st (24).

Fasten off. Attach the front panel to the front side of the pants in the middle and crochet the two layers together with 12 sc.

Straps

Make two straps in French Blue (#084).

Round 1: ch 48, turn.
Round 2: begin in the 2nd chain from the hook, 46 sc.

Fasten off and leave a tail long enough for sewing.

The separate clothing pieces are prepared before the overalls are attached to the panda body.

Checkpoint Eight: Finish the Snout and Tail

Snout

In Anthracite (#122), work Round 1: 6 sc in a mr, 1 sl st. Fasten off and leave a tail long enough for sewing.

Tail

In Anthracite (#122), work:

Round 1: 6 sc in a mr.
Round 2: (inc) 6 times (12).
Round 3: (1 sc, inc) 6 times (18).
Rounds 4-6: 1 sc in each st (18).
Round 7: (1 sc, dec) 6 times (12).

Stuff the tail lightly. Fasten off and leave a tail long enough for sewing.

Assembly Workshop: Put the Character Together

Assembly is where all of the stitch checkpoints become visible as a finished character. The original pattern gives a specific order of placement, and keeping that sequence makes the final proportions easier to manage.

Sew the ears on Round 23 with approximately 13 sc in between.
Embroider the eyebrows between Rounds 11 and 12 with 6 sc in between.
Sew the snout to the tip and embroider a stripe downwards.
Sew the legs diagonally from Round 3.
Attach the overalls to the body.
Sew the straps onto the middle of the back side of the overalls with approximately 10 sc in between.
Sew the buttons in front of the straps.
Fold the pants legs up 2-3 times.
Sew on the head.
Sew on the tail in the middle of the back side of the pants.

Facial Placement: The Most Visible Checkpoint

The face deserves a slower final inspection because even when every stitch count is correct, the character’s expression depends on placement. The safety eyes are positioned between Rounds 6 and 7 of the head, with 12 sc between the eyes. The upper parts of the grey eye pieces have approximately 6 sc between them. The snout should point upwards during this positioning step.

The grey eye piece itself is built from 19 stitches around its finished edge, and the safety eye is attached at the edge of the grey part 3 rounds below the top. The curved portion should point outwards. These details work together to create the intended panda expression.

The eyebrows are embroidered between Rounds 11 and 12, with 6 sc between them. The snout is sewn to the tip, followed by the embroidered stripe running downward.

How to Check Your Stitch Counts as You Work

A simple way to reduce mistakes is to treat every change in stitch count as a checkpoint. On the head, the progression reaches 66 stitches at Round 13 and remains there through Round 25 before decreasing. On the body, the increase sequence reaches 66 stitches at Round 11 and remains there through Round 24.

The arms reach 18 stitches at Round 3, then remain at 18 through Round 7 before decreasing to 13 at Round 8. The legs reach 36 stitches at Round 6 and remain there through Round 10. The ears reach 21 stitches at Round 4 and remain at 21 through Round 7.

For the overalls, each initial pants leg has 30 stitches. After the two legs are connected, Round 13 reaches 72 stitches. That remains the count through Round 18, then Round 19 reduces it to 70. These are useful places to stop and count before continuing.

Stuffing Without Distorting the Shape

The pattern gives different stuffing guidance for different pieces. The head and body should be stuffed firmly. The arms are stuffed as they are worked. For the legs, the foot is stuffed firmly while the rest of the leg is stuffed lightly. The tail is stuffed lightly.

Following these distinctions helps preserve the intended character proportions. A lightly stuffed tail should remain flexible enough to sit against the back, while a firmly stuffed foot should maintain its rounded shape. The body and head need enough support to keep their rounded forms, especially at the final head-to-body join.

Common Construction Problems and Pattern-Based Checks

The Head Looks Uneven

Check the eye placement before changing anything else. The safety eyes have a specific vertical and horizontal relationship to the rounds. If the eye pieces are correctly positioned but the head still looks uneven, check the tension and stuffing rather than altering the stated round sequence.

The Body Has Gaps

The pattern advises working tightly to avoid holes between stitches. If you can see the fiberfill through the fabric, review your tension. Do not compensate by changing the hook size specified in the pattern.

The Arms Are Not Secure

Review Round 38 carefully. The arms are attached by crocheting through both layers of the arm, using all 4 loops on the arm. Round 38 itself is 8 sc, 6 sc with arm, 15 sc, 6 sc with arm, 1 sc (36).

The Overalls Do Not Sit Correctly

Check that the front panel was attached in the middle of the front of the pants and that the two layers were crocheted together with 12 sc. Then verify the strap placement on the middle of the back side of the overalls with approximately 10 sc between the straps.

The Finished Head Wobbles

The original instructions specifically address this issue: add stuffing between the head and body while sewing the head onto the body. This is a construction step rather than a change to the crochet pattern.

Final Quality-Control Checklist

2.50 mm hook used throughout the project.
Friends Cotton 8/4 used in White #001, Anthracite #122 and French Blue #084.
Two 8 mm safety eyes installed.
Two 12 mm wooden buttons installed.
Black scrap yarn used for eyebrows.
Fiberfill used according to the specified stuffing guidance.
Two arms completed and attached during Body Round 38.
Two grey eye pieces completed to 19 stitches.
Head completed through Round 35 and closed.
Body completed through Round 41.
Two legs completed through Round 24.
Two ears completed through Round 7.
Overalls completed through Round 32.
Front panel completed through Round 13 and joined with 12 sc.
Two 48-chain overall straps completed.
Snout completed with 6 sc in a magic ring and 1 sl st.
Tail completed through Round 7 and lightly stuffed.
Ears sewn on Round 23 with approximately 13 sc between them.
Eyebrows embroidered between Rounds 11 and 12 with 6 sc between them.
Legs sewn diagonally from Round 3.
Buttons sewn in front of the straps.
Pants legs folded up 2-3 times.
Head sewn securely to the body with stuffing between the two pieces.
Tail sewn to the middle of the back side of the pants.

A Calm Finishing Strategy

When an amigurumi has many separate pieces, it can be tempting to sew everything together as soon as each component is finished. For Paf, a more controlled approach is to complete the components first, check their stitch counts, and then assemble them according to the original sequence.

Keep the eye pieces together as a pair, keep the arms matched, and compare the ears before sewing. For the clothing, complete the pants, front panel and straps as separate components before positioning them on the body. This keeps the work organized without changing any part of the pattern.

Most importantly, use the numbers as checkpoints rather than trying to judge the entire character at once. A 66-stitch round on the head means something different from a 66-stitch round in the body, and the specific round numbers tell you where each construction decision belongs.

Finished Paf the Panda Dad

Once the final sewing is complete, Paf becomes a complete approximately 22 cm (8.6 inch) character. The white head and body provide the main rounded silhouette, Anthracite creates the ears, arms, legs, eye patches, snout and tail, and French Blue gives the overalls their distinctive color. The small wooden buttons and embroidered eyebrows finish the expression and clothing details.

This is an intermediate pattern, but its construction is easier to manage when approached as a series of small, measurable checkpoints. Each section has a clear purpose, and the final assembly instructions bring those sections together without requiring changes to the original stitch counts or placement details.

Take your time with the face, keep your tension consistent, stuff according to the pattern’s instructions, and use the assembly measurements as your final guide. With those checkpoints in place, the individual crocheted pieces can be transformed into the finished Paf the Panda Dad while preserving the original proportions and construction.