Say hi to Jackson, the sweetest little donkey around. It's such a fun pattern to make and works up pretty quickly.
The pattern is quite detailed, but I've tried to make it beginner-friendly, so even if you're new to crocheting amigurumi, you'll learn all the basics in no time. Plus, you end up with an adorable little friend.
There's a free online version of the pattern below, or you can get an ad-free printable PDF version with step-by-step photos on ETSY or KRISTITULLUS.COM.
About the Pattern
Size: 21.5 cm (8 1/2") from head to toe, 26 cm (10 1/4") including ears, when crocheted with DK weight alpaca and wool blend and a 2.50 mm hook.
Difficulty: includes some less common crochet techniques, color changes, small details, and simple shaping.
You Will Need
- DK / light worsted / # 3 / sport weight yarn.
I used DROPS ‘Lima’, a DK weight alpaca-wool blend, 100 m (109 yd) / 50 g (1.76 oz). You will need about 35 g of gray (# 9015), 3 g of white (# 0100) and 12 g of black yarn (# 8903). - 2.50 – 3.50 mm crochet hook (US size 2/C - 4/E).
- Polyester fiberfill, wool, wadding/padding, etc. for stuffing.
- 8 mm (1/3") safety eyes or buttons, beads, felt, etc.
- Two 12 mm (1/2”) and two 16 mm (2/3”) doll joints or safety eyes or buttons.
- Black cotton embroidery floss.
-
Yarn needle, scissors, stitch marker.
Skills Required
- Magic ring
- Crocheting an oval around a base chain
- Crocheting in spiral
- Slip stitch
- Single crochet stitch (double crochet stitch in UK and Australia)
- Back post single crochet stitch.
- Increasing
- Decreasing
- Finishing an open piece
- Joining two open pieces
- Sewing an open piece to a closed piece
- Sewing a flat piece to a closed piece
Abbreviations
- mr, sc n = magic ring - start with an adjustable loop and crochet n (number) single crochet stitches into the loop.
- ch = chain stitch
- sl st = slip stitch
- sc = single crochet stitch (double crochet stitch in UK and Australia).
- bpsc = back post single crochet stitch.
- sc (or sl st, ch, etc.) n = crochet one sc (or sl st, ch, etc.) in each of the next n stitches.
- inc = increase – crochet two single crochet stitches in the same stitch.
- dbl-inc = double increase – crochet three single crochet stitches in the same stitch.
- dec = decrease – crochet two stitches together using the invisible decrease method.
- dec (or inc, dbl-inc, etc.) x n = crochet n decreases (or inc, dbl-inc, etc.) in a row.
- (sc 4, inc) x n = repeat the pattern between parentheses n times.
-
(36) = number of stitches in a round after finishing the round.
Notes
- Work in a continuous spiral, do not join rounds or turn your work, unless instructed otherwise in the pattern.
- Use a stitch marker or a piece of yarn to mark the end or the beginning of a round. Move the marker up after completing each round.
- All stitches are worked into both loops, unless instructed otherwise in the pattern.
Head
With white yarn:
1: mr, sc 6 (6)
2: inc x 6 (12)
3: (inc, sc) x 6 (18)
4: (sc 5, inc) x 3 (21)
5: sc in each st (21)
6: sc 2, inc, (sc 6, inc) x 2, sc 4 (24)
7: sc in each st (24)
With gray yarn:
8: (sc 7, inc) x 3 (27)
On round 9, place a stitch marker between stitches 14 and 15 (around the loops of the 15th stitch) to mark the center of the face. Use it as a guide when placing the eyes.
9: sc 3, inc, (sc 8, inc) x 2, sc 5 (30)
10: (sc 4, inc) x 6 (36)
11: sc 12, inc, (sc 2, inc) x 3, sc 14 (40)
12: sc 15, inc, sc 7, inc, sc 16 (42)
Attach safety eyes between rounds 9 and 10, leaving 10 stitches (count 9 holes) between them.
13-19: sc in each st (42)
20: sc 12, dec, sc 19, dec, sc 7 (40)
21: (sc 8, dec) x 4 (36)
22: sc, dec, (sc 4, dec) x 5, sc 3 (30)
Start stuffing the head. Keep adding a bit of fiberfill after every few rounds, stuffing the head firmly.
23: (sc 3, dec) x 6 (24)
24: (dec, sc 2) x 6 (18)
25: (sc, dec) x 6 (12)
26: dec x 6 (6)
Finish stuffing the head. Cut the yarn, leaving a long yarn tail, and fasten off. Pick up all the remaining stitches and close the opening.
Use yarn to indent the eyes a little.
Embroider the nostrils over round 4 with cotton embroidery floss.
Ears (make 2)
With gray yarn:
1: mr, sc 6 (6)
2: (inc, sc) x 3 (9)
3: (sc 2, inc) x 3 (12)
4: sc, inc, (sc 3, inc) x 2, sc 2 (15)
5: (sc 4, inc) x 3 (18)
6: sc 2, inc, (sc 5, inc) x 2, sc 3 (21)
7-11: sc in each st (21)
12: sc 4, dec, sc 15 (20)
13: sc in each st (20)
Sl st in next stitch. Cut the yarn, leaving a long yarn tail for sewing, and fasten off.
Do not stuff the ears.
Flatten the ears and fold them in half lengthwise. Sew the ears to the head, placing them just behind round 14 of the head, leaving 9-10 stitches between them.
Arms (make 2)
With black yarn:
1: mr, sc 6 (6)
2: inc x 6 (12)
3: (sc, inc) x 6 (18)
4: bpsc in each st (18)
5: sc 6, dec, sc 2, dec, sc 6 (16)
6: sc 7, dec, sc 7 (15)
7: sc 3, dec, sc 6, dec, sc 2 (13)
Stuff firmly. Keep adding a bit of fiberfill after every few rounds, stuffing the arms firmly.
With gray yarn:
8: sc 6, dec, sc 5 (12)
9: sc in each st (12)
10: sc 6, dec, sc 4 (11)
11: sc in each st (11)
12: sc 6, dec, sc 3 (10)
13-20: sc in each st (10)
On the right arm only, sc in next five stitches. Count the last sc as the end of the round from now on.
21: sc 8, dec (9)
Attach a button or joint inside the arm between rounds 20 and 21, placing it so the yarn tails or post of the joint is facing straight towards the body.
22: (dec, sc) x 3 (6)
Finish stuffing.
Cut the yarn, leaving a long yarn tail, and fasten off. Pick up all the remaining stitches and close the opening.
Printable PDF Pattern
You can download an ad-free printable PDF version with step-by-step photos.
Legs (make 2)
1: ch 5, 2 sc in second ch from hook, sc 2, 4 sc in first ch
Rotate and work on other side of beginning chain.
sc 2, 2 sc in last ch (12)
Continue working in spiral.
2: inc, sc 3, dbl-inc, sc 2, dbl-inc, sc 3, inc (18)
Work round 3 into back loops only.
3-4: sc in each st (18)
5: sc 5, dec x 2, sc, dec x 2, sc 4 (14)
6: sc 5, dec x 3, sc 3 (11)
7: sc 4, dec x 2, sc 3 (9)
Stuff the feet firmly. Keep adding a bit of fiberfill after every few rounds, stuffing the legs firmly.
8-12: sc in each st (9)
On the left leg only, sc in next 5 stitches. Count the last sc as the end of the round from now on.
13: (sc, dec) x 2, sc 2, leave the last stitch unworked (7)
Attach a button or joint inside the leg between rounds 12 and 13, placing it so the yarn tails or post of the joint is facing straight towards the body.
Finish stuffing.
Cut the yarn, leaving a long yarn tail, and fasten off. Pick up all the remaining stitches and close the opening.
Body
With gray yarn:
1: mr, sc 6 (6)
2: inc x 6 (12)
3: (sc, inc) x 6 (18)
4: (inc, sc 2) x 6 (24)
5: (sc 3, inc) x 6 (30)
6: sc 6, inc, (sc 9, inc) x 2, sc 3 (33)
7-11: sc in each st (33)
Turn the body so the end of the round is at the center of the back. Attach the legs to the sides of the body, between rounds 7 and 8.
12: sc 4, dec, (sc 9, dec) x 2, sc 5 (30)
13: (sc 8, dec) x 3 (27)
14: sc in each st (27)
15: sc 10. dec, sc 4, dec, sc 9 (25)
Start stuffing the body. Keep adding a bit of fiberfill after every few rounds, stuffing the body firmly
16: sc 6, dec, sc 11, dec, sc 4 (23)
17: sc 11, dec, sc 10 (22)
18: dec, sc 20 (21)
19: sc 5, dec, sc 8, dec, sc 4 (19)
20: sc 7, dec, sc 3, dec, sc 5 (17)
21: dec, sc 15 (16)
22-23: sc in each st (16)
24: sc 4, leave the rest of the sts unworked (16)
Sl st in next stitch. Cut the yarn, leaving a long yarn tail for sewing, and fasten off.
Attach the arms to the sides of the body, between rounds 19 and 20. Finish stuffing the body.
Sew the head to the body with whip stitch, placing it so the front edge of the body is just behind round 11 of the head.
Tail
With gray yarn:
1: mr, sc 5 (5)
2-3: sc in each st (5)
Start stuffing the tail. Keep adding a bit of fiberfill after every few rounds, stuffing the tail lightly.
4: sc 2, inc, sc 2 (6)
5-7: sc in each st (6)
Sl st in next stitch. Cut the yarn, leaving a long yarn tail for sewing, and fasten off. Finish stuffing the tail.
Sew the tail to the body, placing it just above round 6.
Mane and Tail
Cut pieces of black yarn and attach them to the head, back, and tail.
Start attaching the mane at round 13. Go around the head and four rows down the back. Make it about three stitches wide. Attach longer yarn pieces over the first two rounds of the tail the same way.
If you have any questions, do not hesitate to email me or leave a comment below, I am always happy to help.
Copyright © 2019 Kristi Tullus, TÜ Spire. All rights reserved.
You may not sell, copy, reproduce, alter, publish, or distribute this pattern, or parts of this pattern in any way. You are welcome to sell finished items made with any of my patterns.
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