Welcome to your new favorite amigurumi project! If you love soft, cuddly plushies made with chunky blanket yarn, you are going to adore Patty the Hippo. This free crochet pattern features a seamless body construction (no sewing legs to the body!), sweet little ears, and an adorable optional tutu and hair bow.
Whether you are making a sweet companion for a little one or expanding your handmade toy collection, this step-by-step tutorial will guide you through every stitch. Let’s grab our hooks and yarn and get started!
Materials Needed
- Yarn of preference: Chenille/blanket yarn (the designer used Baby Snuggle Solid from Hobbii). You will need two colors: main color for the hippo (grey) and accent color for the skirt and bow (pink).
- Detailed accents: Thinner black cotton yarn for the facial details (eyebrows and nose holes).
- Crochet hook: Size matching your yarn choice (a 4.5mm hook was used for the chunky chenille yarn).
- Safety eyes: 10mm safety eyes (adjust size depending on your yarn scale).
- Stuffing: Polyester fiberfill for plushies.
- Stitch markers
- Scissors
- Tapestry needle
Abbreviations (US Terminology)
- MR: Magic ring
- St: Stitch
- Ch: Chain
- Sl st: Slip stitch
- Sc: Single crochet
- Inc: Increase (2 sc in the same stitch)
- Dec: Decrease (sc 2 stitches together)
- Dc: Double crochet
- FO: Fasten off
Final Size
Final size: 29 cm x 20 cm (11.4 in x 7.9 in) using a 4.5 mm hook and the suggested yarn. Size may vary depending on your tension and materials.
Free Hippopotamus Crochet Pattern
Crocheting the legs & body
We will start by making two legs. Once completed, we will join them directly to continue working the body in the round, meaning zero sewing is required between the legs and the body!
Legs (Make 2)
Round 1: 4 sc in a MR (4)
Round 2: x4 inc (8)
Round 3: x8 inc (16)
Round 4: (1 sc, 1 inc) x8 (24)
Rounds 5-7 (3 rounds): sc all around (24)
For Leg 1: Sl st, FO, and leave a short tail.
For Leg 2: Do not cut the yarn!
Bring both legs together and join them by working a slip stitch between the marked corresponding stitches of each leg.
Continue crocheting around the outer perimeter of both legs to form the main body base:
Rounds 8-17 (10 rounds): sc all around (48 sc total: 24 from the first leg + 24 from the second leg) (48)
Round 18: (4 sc, 1 dec) x8 (40)
Round 19: sc all around (40)
Round 20: (3 sc, 1 dec) x8 (32)
Round 21: sc all around (32)
Round 22: (2 sc, 1 dec) x8 (24)
Round 23: sc all around (24)
Round 24: (1 sc, 1 dec) x8 (16)
Sl st, FO leaving a long tail for sewing later, and firmly stuff the body.
Crocheting the Head
The head is worked starting from the snout foundation chain outward.
Start with a simple slip knot, then ch6.
Round 1: Starting in the second chain from the hook, work 1 sc, place a stitch marker. Work 1 sc in each of the next 3 chains, then 4 sc into the very last chain. Working down the opposite side of the chain, work 3 sc, and finish with 3 sc into the same final chain. Sl st to the marked stitch. (14)
Round 2: (3 sc, 4 inc) x2 (22)
Round 3: [3 sc, (1 sc, 1 inc) x4] x2 (30)
Round 4: [3 sc, (2 sc, 1 inc) x4] x2 (38)
Rounds 5-6 (2 rounds): sc all around (38)
Round 7: 7 sc, 1 dec, 1 sc, 1 dec, 5 sc, 4 inc, 5 sc, 1 dec, 1 sc, 1 dec, 7 sc (38)
Round 8: sc all around (38)
Round 9: 7 sc, 1 dec, (1 inc, 1 sc) x10, 1 dec, 7 sc (46)
Round 10: sc all around (46)
Round 11: 9 sc, 1 inc, 26 sc, 1 inc, 9 sc (48)
Rounds 12-16 (5 rounds): sc all around (48)
Round 17: (6 sc, 1 dec)x6 (42)
Round 18: (5 sc, 1 dec)x6 (36)
Round 19: (4 sc, 1 dec)x6 (30)
Insert your 10mm safety eyes securely between Round 7 and Round 8, spaced approximately 8 stitches apart.
Round 20: (3 sc, 1 dec) x6 (24)
Add stuff inside.
Round 21: (2 sc, 1 dec) x6 (18)
Round 22: (1 sc, 1 dec) x6 (12)
Add more stuffing.
R23: x6 dec (6)
FO, weave the tail yarn through the front loops of the remaining 6 stitches using your tapestry needle, and pull tight to close the hole completely.
Crocheting the Arms (Make 2)
Round 1: 4 sc in a MR (4)
Round 2: x4 inc (8)
Round 3: (1 sc, 1 inc) x4 (12)
Rounds 4-10 (7 rounds): sc all around (12)
Lightly stuff, flatten the opening, and sew across both sides through the stitches to close. Leave a long tail for sewing to the body.
Crocheting the Ears (Make 2)
Round 1: 6 sc in a MR (6)
Round 2: x6 inc (12)
Rounds 3-4 (2 rounds): sc all around (12)
Round 5: (1 sc, 1 dec) x4 (8)
Fold flat and single crochet across both sides to close. Do not stuff. Pinch the base of the ear to create a folded shape and secure it with a few stitches.
Tail & Accessories
Tail
Join yarn to the back of the hippo body and ch6.
Starting from the second chain from the hook, work 5 sc back down the chain. Secure with a knot, hide the yarn ends inside the plushie.
Tutu Skirt
Using your pink accent yarn, ch48.
Work 3 double crochets (3 dc) into every single chain across the entire length. This naturally creates a fun, ruffled corkscrew shape!
Wrap it around the hippo’s waist, sew or tie the ends securely, and weave in the ends.
Head Bow
Chain 75 to 80 stitches (make it as long as needed to comfortably tie a cute bow).
Wrap and tie it around the top of the hippo’s head just like shoelaces.
Assembling & Details
Body Assembly:
Sew the completed head securely onto the top of the body. Attach the arms to the upper sides of the body, and sew the pinched ears to the top of the head.
Facial Features:
Using your thinner black cotton thread and a sewing needle, embroider sweet little eyebrows above the eyes and two small vertical stitches for the nostrils on the snout. Hide all knots inside the plush body.
And that’s it!
I hope you enjoyed crocheting this free hippo crochet pattern just as much as I loved designing it. If you decide to make one, I would love to see how it turns out—don’t forget to tag me on Instagram (@crochetbysilvia) so I can admire your cute amigurumi!
Your support means the world and helps me keep creating and sharing more free patterns with you!
Don’t doubt to check our other free crochet patterns.
—Happy crocheting!
This pattern is for personal use only. You may not copy, reproduce, alter, publish, or distribute this pattern in any format (including video tutorials). If you wish to share this pattern, please share a link to it rather than reprinting it on your site or blog.
You are welcome to sell finished items made from this pattern in small quantities, but do NOT use my photos as your listing or promotional photos. Please credit Crochet by Silvia as the designer.
Want to make more cute amigurumi friends? Check out my free turtle crochet pattern or my free jellyfish crochet pattern!
