Cuddle Me Lion amigurumi pattern

This Cuddle Me Lion awakens baby’s energy and strengthens child’s self-confidence. The amiable crochet lion is just 16 cm tall. His cute mane locks and fuzzy tail are perfect for developing baby’s motor skills.

Use our Cuddle Me Lion Amigurumi Pattern to create a best friend for a small or big child! 🙂

Supplies:

Semi-cotton yarn Yarnart Jeans (55% cotton, 45% acrylic; 160 m / 50 g) in three colors
2.0 mm crochet hook
Fiberfill
6 mm safety eyes
Scissors and sewing needle

If you use the specified yarn and hook, your Cuddle Me Lion amigurumi will be about 16 cm (6.3″) tall. Pay attention that your lion can be larger in case you use thicker yarn and bigger hook.

Note: If you’re going to make a toy for a small baby, it’s better to embroider eyes instead of using small plastic eyes to avoid the risk of choking hazard. Better safe than sorry!

Skill level: intermediate

You can find other amigurumi patterns of the Cuddle Me toy family following the links:
Cuddle Me Panda Amigurumi Pattern
Cuddle Me Bunny Amigurumi Pattern
Cuddle Me Bear Amigurumi Pattern

Cuddle Me Lion
Free amigurumi pattern

Abbreviations:
st = stitch
sc = single crochet
ch = chain
inc = increase
dec = decrease
sl st = slip stitch
dc = double crochet
tr = treble crochet
dtr = double treble crochet
(..) = repeat the space in brackets the given number of times
[..] = total number of stitches

Work in continuous rounds (vs. joined rounds) using a stitch marker.

Head:
Crochet with yellow yarn.
Rnd 1: 6 sc in magic ring [6]
Rnd 2: (inc) repeat 6 times [12]
Rnd 3: (sc in next st, inc) repeat 6 times [18]
Rnd 4: (sc in next 2 st, inc) repeat 6 times [24]
Rnd 5: (sc in next 3 st, inc) repeat 6 times [30]
Rnd 6: (sc in next 4 st, inc) repeat 6 times [36]
Rnd 7-11: sc in all 36 st [36]
Rnd 12: (sc in next 5 st, inc) repeat 6 times [42]
Rnd 13-14: sc in all 42 st [42]
Rnd 15: (sc in next 5 st, dec) repeat 6 times [36]
Insert safety eyes between Rnd 12 and Rnd 13, at the distance of 5 stitches between the eyes.
Rnd 16: (sc in next 4 st, dec) repeat 6 times [30]
Rnd 17: (sc in next 3 st, dec) repeat 6 times [24]
Rnd 18: (sc in next 2 st, dec) repeat 6 times [18]
Rnd 19: (sc in next st, dec) repeat 6 times [12]
Fasten off and weave in the end. Stuff with fiberfill.

Mane:
Crochet with brown yarn.
Rnd 1: 6 sc in magic ring [6]
Rnd 2: (inc) repeat 6 times [12]
Rnd 3: (sc in next st, inc) repeat 6 times [18]
Rnd 4: (sc in next 2 st, inc) repeat 6 times [24]
Rnd 5: (sc in next 3 st, inc) repeat 6 times [30]
Rnd 6: (sc in next 4 st, inc) repeat 6 times [36]
Rnd 7: (sc in next 5 st, inc) repeat 6 times [42]
Rnd 8-10: sc in all 42 st [42]
Rnd 11: Crochet in FRONT loops only: sc in next 3 st, (sc in next st, dc in next st, {tr, dtr, tr} all three in next st, dc in next st, sc in next st, sl st in next st) repeat 6 times, sc in next 3 st [42]
Rnd 12: Crochet in BACK loops only: sc in all 42 st [42]
Rnd 13: Crochet in FRONT loops only: sc in next 6 st, (sc in next st, dc in next st, {tr, dtr, tr} all three in next st, dc in next st, sc in next st, sl st in next st) repeat 5 times, sc in next 6 st [42]
Rnd 14: Crochet in BACK loops only: sc in all 42 st [42]
Rnd 15: sc in all 42 st [42]
Rnd 16: sc in next 6 st, (sc in next st, dc in next st, {tr, dtr, tr} all three in next st, dc in next st, sc in next st, sl st in next st) repeat 5 times, sc in next 6 st [42]
Finish with sl st. Fasten off leaving a tail for sewing.

Ears (make 2):
Crochet with yellow yarn.
Rnd 1: 6 sc in magic ring [6]
Rnd 2: (inc) repeat 6 times [12]
Rnd 3: (sc in next 5 st, inc) repeat 2 times [14]
Rnd 4-5: sc in all 14 st [14]
Fasten off leaving a tail for sewing.

Muzzle:
Crochet with beige yarn.
Rnd 1: 6 sc in magic ring [6]
Rnd 2: (inc) x 2 times, 3 sc in next st, (inc) x 2 times, 3 sc in next st [14]
Rnd 3: sc in all 14 st [14]
Fasten off leaving a tail for sewing.

Arms (make 2):
Work with yellow yarn.
Rnd 1: 6 sc in magic ring [6]
Rnd 2: (inc) repeat 6 times [12]
Rnd 3: (sc in next 5 st, inc) repeat 2 times [14]
Rnd 4-5: sc in all 14 st [14]
Rnd 6: (sc in next 5 st, dec) repeat 2 times [12]
Rnd 7-8: sc in all 12 st [12]
Rnd 9: sc in next 5 st, dec, sc in next 5 st [11]
Rnd 10: sc in next 4 st, dec, sc in next 5 st [10]
Rnd 11-19: sc in all 10 st [10]
Fasten off leaving a tail for sewing. Stuff only the half of the arms.

Legs (make 2):
Crochet with yellow yarn.
Rnd 1: 6 sc in magic ring [6]
Rnd 2: (inc) repeat 6 times [12]
Rnd 3: (sc in next st, inc) repeat 6 times [18]
Rnd 4: (sc in next 2 st, inc) repeat 6 times [24]
Rnd 5: sc in all 24 st [24]
Rnd 6: (dec) x 2 times, sc in next 6 st, (dec) x 4 times, sc in next 6 st [18]
Rnd 7: dec, sc in next 5 st, (dec) x 3 times, sc in next 5 st [14]
Rnd 8: sc in next 5 st, (dec) x 2 times, sc in next 5 st [12]
Rnd 9-11: sc in all 12 st [12]
Rnd 12: (sc in next 5 st, inc) repeat 2 times [14]
Rnd 13: (sc in next 6 st, inc) repeat 2 times [16]
Rnd 14: If you want the feet point out to the sides, crochet sc in next 13 st on the right leg and sc in next 20 st on the left leg.
Fasten off and cut the yarn. Don’t fasten off after finishing the second leg. Stuff legs with fiberfill and continue crocheting the body starting from the second leg.

Body:
Make sure that the legs are positioned correctly (the feet point out instead of straight on), crochet additional stitches or undo the existing ones if it’s needed. Make 2 ch and join the legs with sl st.
Rnd 1: sc in next 16 st of the first leg, sc in next 2 ch, sc in next 16 st of the second leg, sc in next 2 ch (opposite side) [36]

Rnd 2: sc in next 34 st, (inc) x 2 times [38]
Rnd 3: inc, sc in next 32 st, inc, sc in next 4 st [40]
Rnd 4-8: sc in all 40 st [40]

Rnd 9: sc in next 8 st, dec, sc in next 17 st, dec, sc in next 11 st [38]
Rnd 10: sc in next 8 st, dec, sc in next 15 st, dec, sc in next 11 st [36]
Rnd 11: sc in all 36 st [36]
Rnd 12: sc in next 8 st, dec, sc in next 15 st, dec, sc in net 9 st [34]
Rnd 13: sc in next 7 st, dec, sc in next 15 st, dec, sc in next 8 st [32]
Rnd 14: sc in all 32 st [32]
Rnd 15: sc in next 7 st, dec, sc in next 14 st, dec, sc in next 7 st [30]
Rnd 16: sc in next 7 st, dec, sc in next 12 st, dec, sc in next 7 st [28]
Rnd 17: sc in all 28 st [28]
Rnd 18: (sc in next 5 st, dec) repeat 4 times [24]
Rnd 19: sc in all 24 st [24]
Rnd 20: (sc in next 4 st, dec) repeat 4 times [20]
Rnd 21: (sc in next 3 st, dec) repeat 4 times [16]
Fasten off leaving a long tail for sewing the head. Stuff with fiberfill.

Belly:
Crochet with beige yarn.
Rnd 1: 6 sc in magic ring [6]
Rnd 2: (inc) repeat 6 times [12]
Rnd 3: (sc in next st, inc) repeat 6 times [18]
Rnd 4: (sc in next 2 st, inc) repeat 6 times [24]
Finish with sl st. Fasten off leaving a tail for sewing.

Tail:
Work with yellow yarn.
Row 1: 25 ch.
Row 2: sc in next 23 st starting from the 3rd ch from hook.

Make a pompom using brown yarn (the diameter is about 2.5 cm (1″)) and sew it to the tail.

Assembly:
1. Sew muzzle to the head between Rnd 12 and Rnd 15. Put some fiberfill inside the muzzle before you finish.
2. Embroider a nose with brown thread.

3. Sew mane to the head.
4. Sew ears on the top between the two rows of locks (see the pictures).